When Ryan Woessner achieved skill level 10 he was the youngest at 13 among a very small group all of who achieved this level in their teens. I thought that was one of the coolest things I’ve ever heard. People are hopefully still patting him on the back every time they see him.
Is it possible for someone in their 20’s, 30’s, or beyond to achieve this level or is this something like female Olympic class gymnasts where, if you are out of your teens, you really can’t compete anymore? I’m not interested in the “anything is possible if you…” responses. I’m interested in responses from the older (apparently over 20 is older), higher skill level riders giving an indication of what the real limitations are for them. In particular, what is it in skill level 7, 8 or 9 that you just haven’t been able to do and why do you think that particular skill is so difficult for you? Maybe you can’t practice enough anymore because you have to support yourself and a family or some other time constraint.
I also am not asking you to be self deprecating. Since posting to this group I have learned to do more things in the last year than in all my previous 38 years of riding. I do things on a unicycle now that I never even thought were possible and I’m just getting ready to pass skill level four. Last year I would have considered it to be impossible to be where I am now and I still look at some of the things in the upper skill levels and say, “no way.”
forum.member@unicyclist.com writes: >When Ryan Woessner achieved skill level 10 he was the youngest at 13 >among a very small group all of who achieved this level in their teens. I >thought that was one of the coolest things I’ve ever heard. People are >hopefully still patting him on the back every time they see him.
Yes, wtg, Ryan. He’s an amazing rider. > > >Is it possible for someone in their 20’s, 30’s, or beyond to achieve this >level or is this something like female Olympic class gymnasts where, if >you are out of your teens, you really can’t compete anymore? I’m not >interested in the “anything is possible if you…” responses. I’m >interested in responses from the older (apparently over 20 is older), >higher skill level riders giving an indication of what the real >limitations are for them. In particular, what is it in skill level 7, 8 >or 9 that you just haven’t been able to do and why do you think that >particular skill is so difficult for you? Maybe you can’t practice enough >anymore because you have to support yourself and a family or some other >time constraint.
I can’t answer for level 10, but I can say that before this calendar year,
I started my club (along with Joe Merrill) and that neither of us expected
to have progressed as much as we have. Joe went the way of the muni and is
now completely addicted. I don’t have the time for that, so I concentrate
on how I can better myself as a rider in the moments I can steal. In the
past year, I went from a lifelong level 4 (never tested, since I didn’t
know levels existed) to nearly level 7. The big holdup for level 5 was
wheel-walking. There was no delay in passing level 6 (did it same day in
Canada). For level 7, there are some skills I keep messing up, but they
just requre a bit more practice. Another couple weeks and I’ll be there.
Of course, the biggie in level 8 is hand WW. That’s going to take as long
as WW, I bet (in my case, about 7 months!). I fully expect to increase a
level every year or two…depending on the practice time I can forge. It
should be easier in the summer months (since I can ride outside more) and
after we move to our new house. > >I also am not asking you to be self deprecating. Since posting to this >group I have learned to do more things in the last year than in all my >previous 38 years of riding. I do things on a unicycle now that I never >even thought were possible and I’m just getting ready to pass skill level >four. Last year I would have considered it to be impossible to be where I >am now and I still look at some of the things in the upper skill levels >and say, “no way.”
I don’t say that about any of the skills anymore. Just have fun and keep
in mind that with enough practice, you can do any of it. >
David Stone Co-founder, Unatics of NY 1st Sunday / 3rd Saturday @ Central
Park Bandshell
1:30 start time after 11/1/01
I can see level 10 in my future. I’m currently 22 and a level 8. I can do everything in level 9, but I am not that good at it all and can’t do everything good enough yet to do it all at once.
I don’t think that someone older would not be able to pass all 10 levels, as long as they work hard on it. While older people do take longer to learn some things, it’s not out of the question.
Andy Cotter is just as close, if not closer, to level 10 as I am and he is in the 30s.
> limitations are for them. In particular, what is it in skill level 7, 8 > or 9 that you just haven’t been able to do and why do you think that > particular skill is so difficult for you?
> particular skill is so difficult for you? Maybe you can’t practice > enough anymore because you have to support yourself and a family or some > other time constraint.
Another consideration is that not everyone is necessarily working along
the skill ladder. Personally, I really only look at the skill levels
when I’m looking to learn that next trick, but am not sure what it
should be. I take the skill levels as a suggested order. I think I’d
fall somewhere around levels 5-7 if tested… but that hasn’t stopped me
from working on skills like coasting and seat drag (I even forgot what
levels those fall in)
I think my philosophy has mainly developed out of the fact there are no
qualified skill testers around me. Perhaps the next time I’m at a
unicycling convention, I’ll get the official word on which level I fall.
As for putting time towards learning… until I graduate from college, I
will always have a reasonable amount of time to work at the skills. After
that, well, I shall see what happens – I’m sure I’ll still progress, just
not as quickly as I am now.
I’m 23 and have been stuck around level 5-6 for about 2 years. I’ve been
riding for 8 years, and really only mastered wheel walking (i.e., being
really comfortable with it and able to go for about 50 m regularly)
recently. I’m also a bit stuck on dsmounting wheel hopping and can’t be
bothered learning right foot one footing… Here are some factors
contributing to my skill plateau
other interests / lack of time / intense university schedule (I probably
only `practise’ for an average of half an hour a week)
other unicycling interests (I’m into trials, hockey and ofroading, which
don’t really contribute to skills like ww and wheel hopping)
lack of peers (there is only one other rider I know of a similar skill
level, but we rarely ride together). This is probably the greatest
limiting factor for my (and probably other people’s) slowness in
learning difficult or scary tricks. At least the internet is a constant
source of inspiration.
the fear factor: somehow the thought of pain and suffering really
doesn’t do it for me any more
boredom: why would I want to learn one foot riding with the RIGHT foot?
weather: it’s raining at the moment
laziness: yeah well…
krap uni: my seat really hurts and my cranks are permanently bent and I
can’t afford to fix them.
Actually, looking at that list, there’s a lot that I can overcome. At the
moment, I’m not really that bothered about improving skill levels, I’d
rather learn to hop higher and learn to pedal grab. However,the same
factors contribute to me not learning thos skills.
nic
On Mon, 24 Dec 2001, harper wrote:
> When Ryan Woessner achieved skill level 10 he was the youngest at 13 > among a very small group all of who achieved this level in their teens. > I thought that was one of the coolest things I’ve ever heard. People are > hopefully still patting him on the back every time they see him. > > Is it possible for someone in their 20’s, 30’s, or beyond to achieve > this level or is this something like female Olympic class gymnasts > where, if you are out of your teens, you really can’t compete anymore? > I’m not interested in the “anything is possible if you…” responses. > I’m interested in responses from the older (apparently over 20 is > older), higher skill level riders giving an indication of what the real > limitations are for them. In particular, what is it in skill level 7, 8 > or 9 that you just haven’t been able to do and why do you think that > particular skill is so difficult for you? Maybe you can’t practice > enough anymore because you have to support yourself and a family or some > other time constraint. > > I also am not asking you to be self deprecating. Since posting to this > group I have learned to do more things in the last year than in all my > previous 38 years of riding. I do things on a unicycle now that I never > even thought were possible and I’m just getting ready to pass skill > level four. Last year I would have considered it to be impossible to be > where I am now and I still look at some of the things in the upper skill > levels and say, “no way.” > > > > > – > harper Posted via the Unicyclist Community - > http://unicyclist.com/forums > ___________________________________________________________________- > ________ > rec.sport.unicycling mailing list - > www.unicycling.org/mailman/listinfo/rsu