I have landed a 2 ft hop on to something but have never repeated it. Recently, I set up a little hopping bar to keep track of my heights. I can repeatedly hop 22 inches (55 cm) over the bar, when I’m not tired. I do all my high hops seat out.
I give Ryan Atkins, Kris Holm and any other people who can hop 2 ft or higher alot of credit. Obviously 2 ft is a sinch for Kris and Ryan.
Some people say there is no key move to jump higher, but I seriously doubt that. There is probably some little tweak you do to get that little extra boost of height.
Could any of you give me some tips to higher hops?
Obviouslly riders who are clearing 70cm+ have skill at what they are doing. But is there a magical trick to get there, I dont think so, and if there was then there would be alot more people jumping that high. Riders like Kris and Ryan can jump high on any unicycle prity much I know for a fact that Kris doesnt ride the lightest uni’s avalable. Tire Pressure has something to do with it but it changes greatly on rider weight and riding style. Dan heaton can easily jump 2 feet+ high and rides with a soft tire, while Kirs (I think Ryan too) ride with relitivly hard tire pressures. The trick is prefecting your form to launch you in the air higher. I dont think that thoes guys do anything different than somone learning to hop, they just can time the compression of their tire better to get a more efficient hop, and have the form to bring the unicycle up underneith them while they are in the air to take advantage of that hop to the fullest.
If you go to other sports like skateboarding and BMX there is a big difference between what a professional rider can do with the same trick as a novice. A Bunny hop on a bike is essentially the same. Yet the pro’s can hop upwards of five feet. Do these people have a magical drink that they use to get that high, nope. Is it in the shoes, like nike wants you to believe, nope. They have simply learned to move their body and their equimpment more efficientlly in the air and by doing this get higher than your average guy riding his bike down the street.
Riders like Kris, Ryan, and many more who are hopping well over the two foot mark have praticed and trianed for years. From what I have heard Ryan is one of the most commited riders out there, praticing virtually every day of the week. Basically what I’m getting at is there are No tricks, just pratice, pacience, and your overall physical ability cant hurt either.
Keep riding and you’ll be doing it as well as they can.
Chex.
Working all the time to get that extra inch or two.
Thanks Checkernuts, that pretty much clears up my question. So for me to get higher hops, I just have to practice. I guess I will keep trying and see how it goes. I also practice 5 days a week. But then again I have been only unicycling for about 2 years. To jump as high as Ryan and Kris do probably takes some strength. Which I don’t have that much of. By the way, how long did it take you to break the 2 ft barrier?
It refers to a Kris Holm workshop video that used to be at http://lutkus.com/, The specific video is named hopping.avi.
If you can’t find it, lemme know and I’ll see if I can post it somewhere (it’s 21M).
To duaner: I’ve heard about the kris holm trials workshop, but the problem is that I have a really slow and ancient computer that can’t handle the download.
The Kris Holm trials workshop videos are on the CD that I gave you. They’re in the folder “Kris_Trials_Workshop”.
The trials workshop videos require the DivX codec to play them. You can download the DivX codec from here. Then click on the link that says “Standard DivX Codec(FREE)”. That’s the free version of the codec that will allow you to play DivX videos. If you can’t get the DivX codec downloaded I can put it on the next CD I give you.
It took me about a year and a half of pratice before I could jump onto a 2 foot (60.96cm) ledge or box, and still I’m not that consistant at it. My personal best is still only arround 70cm, I still have a long way to go before I’m anywhere near thoes guys in height.
Duaner, can you post that video somewhere? Like on the gallery? I found them once and downloaded them, then went back to watch them again and they were gone.
So I would appreciate it if you would post it.
practice. that’s the only way. from how long i’ve heard ryan’s been riding, i’ve been riding for over twice as long as him but i’ve only gotten better at hopping because a few months ago i decided to start practicing it. with the correct seat height for my height a few months ago my highest hop was about ten inches, but now i’m nearing the two foot mark because i started practicing. plus, you don’t even have to practice solely hopping. after the ca muni weekend i found i could hop high much easier just because i had been riding so much, on what was hard terrain for me.
just keep riding, have a few practice sessions, then hit some trials spot and watch how much you’ve improved.
Hopping practice didn’t go as well as I expected. I maxed out at 22 inches, jumping over the bar. I don’t know about any of you other seat out hoppers that hop for height but my shoulder and bicept are killing me.
Yup, he told me it was closer to 2. I think it helps that he’s incredibly strong, and also rides with others. He also has incredible endurance. First one up the 1000 ft climb on the muni weekend. And he stopped to take pics. I came in a shameful second:( .
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