I agree, but that’s how everyone starts when they learn freemounting in the open. Key point here is that if you’re fed up with freemount practice, hold onto the wall or fence, and start working on idling.
I’m going to recommend against that one. Many beginners figure out non-vertical starting positions, but in most cases the crank goes straight to vertical as soon as you put some weight on anyway. That’s why I call early freemounts “beginner mounts” because they start with one pedal at the bottom, a moment of awkward balancing (this is what you’re working toward) and then, if you get your center of mass ahead of the axle, riding away.
Is that the best way to do it? Not by any means. But the alternatives, not counting using a curb or block, are all harder so that’s where people tend to end up. What I recommend based on your descriptions, is to start at 6:00, but then get your other foot in front of the top pedal and pull it back. Rather than trying to pull it back 90 degrees and riding away, just pull it back and step off with your other foot as the wheel gets behind you. Practice this until you get comfortable and are doing it consistently.
Then, go for the ride-off. When you pull back the top pedal, your goal is to get it a little bit behind you, which gives you the impetus to pedal forward. If you’ve pulled the pedal back to anywhere near horizontal, you have lots of pedal range of motion to work with; the most common error is trying to ride away before the wheel goes back enough. It has to go back PAST the balance point. Not a lot, just a bit. With practice you will be able to feel that spot. Then ride away.
To improve on this, practice those idles and also practice riding slowly.
That first mount in the video (I didn’t watch beyond that) was a textbook example of a proper static mount. Your starting pedal is back. You “oomph” yourself up and over the wheel, allowing your body mass to get ahead of the center of mass, and ride off.
The hard part about that mount, is learning how to hold that back pedal steady while you start the mount. Rather than try to balance the forces, all you really need to figure out, is how to hold your leg in that position while the pedal pushes back against it. Just don’t let your knee bend.
This is a better way to mount, but a little harder to learn than the “beginner” mount I described above. It should be your goal for later, after you can mount by other means.
Once you get going, you’re riding like an old man. But you are not an old man. Old men don’t ride unicycles. So be proud! sit up straight. Your bent posture says that you are waiting to fall off, and are tensed up for it. Don’t worry, if you sit up straight you’ll still fall off anyway, but you’ll look a lot better until that happens. And, you’ll start going farther.
You can practice the position while riding along that wall, if necessary. Just keep reminding yourself not to stick your bum out. When you’re sitting upright you can feel it; like the weight is passing down your spine, through the seat and through the axle to the ground below. It makes controlling the motion of the wheel much easier.
Lastly, don’t forget to have fun, and be aware of all the progress you’re making. Most people your age don’t even allow themselves to consider learning the unicycle, but you’re doing it.
