I learned to ride a unicycle about 25 years ago and haven’t had one for about 20
Dishheads, dishheads, roly poly dishheads! Lick a toad, go to jail. See Spot
Re: re-learn riding?
> Yes, it is best to learn to ride backwards soon after learning to ride
> forward. This is due to the possibility of learning to ride with poor posture
> and positioning of the legs. This can happen quite easily when riding forward
> only. It can make subsequent attempts at riding backward quite difficult.
> However, when learning to ride forward and backward at nearly the same time, a
> posture and positioning of the legs naturally develops that makes riding in
> either direction easy.
I have been learning to unicycle for abount 6 months now. I can ride forward,
idle for 20-30 reveloutions and do a few different mounts.
I have been working on riding backwards for a couple of weeks now. I can ride
backwards 5-10 reveloutions any time I want, but can’t go any futher before I
fall off to the side. Sometimes I seem to be doing quite well, but start moving
way too fast (not a problem forward, as I can slow down if I want) and jump off.
Any advice on posture, techniques, etc, when riding backwards ?.
shaun arudell (shauna@au.ml.com)
Re: re-learn riding?
>I have been working on riding backwards for a couple of weeks now. I can ride
>backwards 5-10 reveloutions any time I want, but can’t go any futher before I
>fall off to the side. Sometimes I seem to be doing quite well, but start
>moving way too fast (not a problem forward, as I can slow down if I want) and
>jump off.
>
>Any advice on posture, techniques, etc, when riding backwards ?.
>
>
>shaun arudell (shauna@au.ml.com)
>
I had the same experience of going too fast when learning to ride backwards. I
think it must be due to leaning backwards slightly. There is a feeling of
floating when going backwards that easily turns into falling backwards, which in
turn means you have to cycle ever faster to keep your balance. For an instant
cure try poking your nose forwards slightly. This will alter your balance, but
so slightly that it may remedy things. Don’t keep doing this though, after a
while you should find a good posture, without the nose!
One method of finding a good posture is to imagine a thread attached to the
crown of your head (find where it is, it’s not necessarily where you imagine
it!) going straight up to the sky. This thread supports you, enabling you to
hang your whole body from
it. Therefore your body, esp. the spine, can relax rather than fighting against
gravity to keep you upright. Try this while standing, before getting on the
uni. You will probably find that the angle of your head and neck, as well
as the shape of your spine changes subtly. Your new shape will probably
feel ‘wrong’ because you’re unacustomed to it, but if you are relaxing
rather than trying hard it will probably be an inmprovement to your
habitual posture.
This is a tiny, inadequate and partial introduction to Alexander Technique. The
technique must be taught person to person by a qualified teacher, and leads you
into very subtle experimenting with the way you use your body, especially
concentrating on the relationship between head and neck, and the spine. I’m
saying all this because I recommend it to anyone pursuing excellence in physical
activities: unicycling, juggling (esp. high numbers), acrobatics etc. In fact
one of the poular books on it was written by a juggler. You can find a local
teacher from the phone book, or alternative health centres; it does take quite a
while to percolate into your habits. I know for instance that Haggis McLeod
learned it when he was trying to stabilise his five ball pattern, and discovered
he made a huge leap in ability. But the same issues of balance and posture apply
to unicycling too.
========================================================
Tim Sheppard tim@lilliput-p.win-uk.net Lilliput Press - Publisher of fine books
in miniature
Re: re-learn riding?
Darwin Teague <darwin@dorite.use.com> wrote:
>I learned to ride a unicycle about 25 years ago and haven’t had one for about
>20 years. I could ride forward, but never was able to ride backwards or idle. I
>tried idling with the pedals horizontal. I think I could easily brush up and be
>able to ride one again, but what would be the chances of learning to idle or
>ride backwards after all this time? Seems I read once that if you didn’t learn
>these right away, you’d never be able to…
Yes, it is best to learn to ride backwards soon after learning to ride forward.
This is due to the possibility of learning to ride with poor posture and
positioning of the legs. This can happen quite easily when riding forward only.
It can make subsequent attempts at riding backward quite difficult. However,
when learning to ride forward and backward at nearly the same time, a posture
and positioning of the legs naturally develops that makes riding in either
direction easy.
However, just because one didn’t learn to ride backward immediately after
learning to ride forward, doesn’t always mean bad habits were learned. Even if
poor riding habits were learned as a result of a long period of forward only
riding before attempting backward riding, those bad habits can be over come with
a little extra practice time and determination.
Determination and persistence will overcome the backward riding and idling wall
to learning and any bad habits learned through prior forward only riding. Just
[try to] do it … [Soon you will really be doing it!]
Stay on Top,
Ken Fuchs <kfuchs@winternet.com
Re: re-learn riding?
shaun arudell (shauna@au.ml.com) wrote:
>I have been learning to unicycle for about 6 months now. I can ride forward,
>idle for 20-30 revelutions and do a few different mounts.
>I have been working on riding backwards for a couple of weeks now. I can ride
>backwards 5-10 revelutions any time I want, but can’t go any further before I
>fall off to the side. Sometimes I seem to be doing quite well, but start
>moving way too fast (not a problem forward, as I can slow down if I want) and
>jump off.
A few methods of learning to ride backward:
Normal idling involves riding forward and backward 180 degrees of a wheel
rotation or less. Try double idling, which involves 2 * 180 degrees of wheel
rotation in each direction. Then triple idling, quadruple idling, quintuple
idling, …, n-tuple idling, … until backward riding is effectively mastered.
This method of learning to ride backward has the advantage of simultaneously
learning to accelerate and deacelerate while riding backward.
Use a posture that works well for both forward and backward riding. Generally,
this means back should be held straight up and NOT bent at the waist, and arms
should be held up and out toward each side for vertical axis (twisting)
stability (& a tiny bit of sideways balance). [Be sure the seat has been
adjusted so the leg is straight when the corresponding foot’s HEEL is on the
pedal in the straight down position. (However, always ride with the ball of the
foot centered on the pedal, NEVER the heel.)
Another good method to learn riding backward is doing so with a partner (who may
also be learning to ride backward). One rider can ride forward and the other
backward holding hands, or locking wrists or arms. Switch directions whenever
desired. Both riders can also ride backwards together. In this method and the
next, one can concentrate on forward-backward balance and the new set of muscles
or way of using them required in backward riding.
The final method involves a walking partner or two on either side. The walking
partner (or above method’s riding partner) helps with sideways balance and
vertical axis stability.
Others are welcome to cite references in Unicycling Books and Magazines to all
of the above methods or others.
Also, check out the riding backward skill file in the Unicycling ftp archive or
home page.
Stay on Top, riding backwards (around the world?),
Ken Fuchs <kfuchs@winternet.com