ChangingLINKS.com said:
READ THE THREAD FROM THE BEGINNING . . . MY POSITION WAS IN OPPOSITION
TO THIS STATEMENT: \"THE *EASIEST* AND SAFEST WAY TO LEARN TO RIDE
BACKWARDS IS TO START AND END WITH AN IDLE.\"
...
I AM SIMPLY SAYING THAT ONE CAN LEARN TO GO BACKWARDS WITHOUT USING
ANY HIGHER LEVEL SKILLS. THE EASIEST WAY TO LEARN ... IT WOULD BE TO
MOUNT, LEAN BACK AND PUSH OFF WITH THE DOMINANT FOOT.
For the average rider it appears to be easier to learn to idle. If you
can idle, that gives you a simple 'new way' to begin to learn to ride
backward. I've mentioned a few others, including the way I learned,
which was before I could idle: I rode forward, stopped and tried to go
backward. I didn't make any attempt to stop, so I'm very good at
dismounting backward. I've also never had a major fall while learning
backward riding. I would just backup in my driveway until I either lost
balance, or ran into the garage door. I always wondered if I would ever
lose balance and fall into the door, but I didn't.
I'm not sure if mounting directly into backward riding is easier or
harder than first learning to idle, but it is another way to try,
especially if you don't know how to idle.
But the "easiest and safest" way to learn backward riding is probably
along a wall, or with the help of a friend or two. This is just my
opinion, but usually the transition into and out of a skill is much
harder than the skill itself. The problem is learning the skill
efficiently and with low risk of injury. Some skills are wall
compatible. The problem is usually finding a wall to practice along.
Practicing with a friend that can provide support while you get the feel
of what riding backward is like is also a great option.
To increase safety, try to find a gym with a wood floor. Falling on wood
can hurt, but usually it wears off in minutes and doesn't leave scrapes
or cuts.
The wall/friend advice applies to many skills: forward, backward,
wheel-walk, 1-foot wheel-walk, backward wheel-walk. I never tried a
wall for 1-foot riding or bwd 1-foot, these tend to be more momentum
skills, you can't just stop in any position. The friend idea might work
for momentum skills, and if you belong to a club, some skills are good
to practice in pairs, with your friend on a unicycle. So friends and
walls are probably the most efficient and safest ways to learn certain
riding skills.
If you have a friend, use your friend. If you are a loner like I am,
find a good wall (or fence), with a flat level surface, close to your
house. A hallway is also a good place, although walls, and doorway
molding, tend to suffer pretty quickly.
The friend idea is also a great way to trick you best non-unicycling
friend into trying it out. Once they become the coach, and objectify the
process of learning by observing you learn, they might just want to try
it out on their own. One other hint on using a friend: lend them a pair
of soccer shin guards.
--
iunicycle - Old back, new cricks
------------------------------------------------------------------------
iunicycle's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/1869
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/32779
