I have been learning also this year and for mounting found that hand placement is important. I’ve gone from mounting against a curb, roll back mounting and to static mounting and jump mounting. For static or curb mounting whatever foot is on the back pedal, I use the hand on that side to hold the front of the seat. It took me a while to figure out why some mounts felt super awkward: ah, I was using the wrong hand! If left foot on back pedal my left hand is on the front of the seat. Then the right foot is springing up, and right arm swings forward. Think about moving your body up and over the uni and watch the right pedal for placement of your foot. Look up and go.
I also noticed that there is sweet spot in the middle of a practice session when things are going well, after the warm-up frustration and before fatigue sets in. Warm-up with some easy riding until you feel good, practice a skill so that you feel like you may have improved just a little. If you practice too much, until you’re fatigued and making mistakes, then your body is remembering the mistakes. And remember to have fun! If free mounting is getting frustrating, do something different that is easy and fun.
Hello! Check this video advice from world renowned unicyclist, Eli Brill. This is dedicated to urban unicycling, but the first couple of videos are the basic of how to ride, freemount and more bases of unicycling in general.
You can skip to 2:00 for freemounting
Some thoughts about learning to mount with your “weak leg” (or “switch”): I think it’s definitely beneficial, especially if you want to do Muni. When you ride muni, you cannot always align your revs perfectly, since we don’t have a freewheel (well most of us anyway ) so you would want to be at least a little bit comfortable when hopping in switch.
Well I started watching that first episode, then I just kept watching and next thing an hour or more goes by and I am getting tips on rail grinds and 180 flip spin twist fakie combos. I was surprised to hear him suggesting the 2nd thing after Learning to ride and mount was 1 foot riding, I figured that would be harder/more advanced.
Nice video series though. Lots to learn!
Pfft, that’s obvious. Doesn’t everyone learn like this?
Seriously, though:
That’s so true - when I was learning, I just cranked the seat up unnecessarily high and it probably made it significantly harder. Too bad I didn’t know.
) so you would want to be at least a little bit comfortable when hopping in switch.