So, I wanted to have some discussion about “the bad foot.” Who out there has a decidedly bad foot and who has some suggestions on how to fix a really weak foot problem?
My left foot is so worthless that it’s a miracle that I can ride this thing.
Examples:
I can only mount w/ my right foot on the back padal.
I can only idle w/ right foot down.
When I turn left I smash down hard with my right foot to the outside.
When I turn right I smash down hard with my right foot to the inside.
I’m starting to figure out one foot riding w/, you guessed it, right foot.
Who’s got some suggestions for exersices or basic skill type stuff to help strengthen the weak side? Who else has had this problem and had some success in fixing it?
You’ve just got to re-learn all of those things for the left foot.
Suggestions:
I’d start with the freemounting - just alternate every mount, one left, one right, one left and so on. You’ll get comfortable with it fairly soon that way. Idling either foot down is a key skill too. I suspect if you get these first two, then turning and one-footing will be easier to learn for your left foot.
Practice practice practice until it clicks. Then practice more.
It’ll be a pain at first, but in the long run, it makes things easier to be decent at core skills with both feet.
I agree with entropy on this… just practice more with your other foot. I don’t know of any miracle cures that can fix that problem instantly. (I’ll keep looking though)
This reminds me of another question that has been bugging me for a while… Which way is the “normal” way to jump, right foot back or left? Another thing, which side is it “normal” to jump to? The side with your back foot or the side with your front foot?
I’m pretty sure that I do it the wrong way. I jump with my right foot back and I also jump to the right side (for crank grabs and stuff). Is there any downside to doing it this way?
Palsy means “paralysis”. I can’t lift my left foot except by lifting the whole leg.
Strangely, my left foot is my dominant foot for unicycling. But I don’t expect to ever do one-foot WW on the left. I’ll never be able to pedal with the tops of my feet either.
yea i hate how my left foot is worthless. and relearning a skill u already know with your non dominant foot ca nbe an annoyance. i recommend it for somethings tho. like when i learned my transition from riding to gliding i had to learn ride one foot with the opposite foot so i can put the other on the fork. so it really can be useful to be good with be feet and i recommend it
There is no right or wrong when it comes to your preferences, although I guess it could be reflected in the results: What’s right is what works best for you. I made a poll to try and answer your question about what is “normal” for sidehops, and I found that my way is the most common (Hop left, right hand on seat, right foot rear), but is not necessarily the best way for you.
In training your bung foot, I think there is a drawback in that you always favour the other one, but there is a slight advantage in that you already know the skills with the other foot, eg learning to one foot wheel walk with the bung foot you already know the concept of one footed wheel walking and how it feels when done properly etc, so it’s not a totally new skill- just gotta train the reflexes and muscles and stuff to work properly how you want them to. Just like the others said: practise! Good luck!
I’m pretty much right-sided as well. I hop to the right, right foot forward, holding saddle with right hand. Idle right-footed, and ride 1-footed with my right foot as well.
Everyone has a primary foot, but its good to learn to idle with both, it gives you more control of the unicycle, and you’ll find you’ll UPD less when you can idle with both feet, I recomend riding forward, then stoping with less primary foot, then ridding backwards, ect. Get it so you can start or stop with both feet, then practice roll back mounts, and finaly idling with both feet, i’m working on ridding one footed, and idling one footed with my left foot now, after that, i’ll be totaly amadextras.