rec.sport.unicycling · Public discussion

bad balance habits?

nosabe332 · 2005-08-14T04:01:49+00:00

i learned to ride using my left arm to balance and my right hand on the seat handle. i found that i got really used to this position, and consequently my torso takes on a pretty twisted position (left arm directly behind me, right shoulder dropped way down, almost over the handle). is this ok? i usually get pretty contorted when i'm tired (i figure it's a bad habit i can't suppress any longer). i have a feeling that it's interfering with my turning, but i can't be sure, since it's still when i'm tired. so far, my strategy to fix this has been to ride holding the back of my seat with my right hand, hoping it would straigten me out. but, it's still possible to ride with your torso turned to the left, and still hold the back of the seat with your right hand. i've also tried switching hands on the handle, but instead of making my right arm swing out back to balance, it stays in front and balances me. any other tips, or experiences? thanks -- nosabe332 - can't.. go slow enough! -Eric 'well turn on something... i'm starting to think!' ------------------------------------------------------------------------ nosabe332's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/3531 View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/42611

Started by nosabe332 · 14 August 2005 · Last activity 14 August 2005 · 10 posts · 301 views

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Original section: rec.sport.unicycling
Published: 14 August 2005
Last activity: 14 August 2005
Original author: nosabe332
Posts: 10
Discussion status: Public discussion
Total views: 301
Views / 30 days: 0
Topics: Lance Armstrong

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Original post
nosabe332
Archived post

14 August 2005, 04:01 UTC #1

i learned to ride using my left arm to balance and my right hand on the
seat handle. i found that i got really used to this position, and
consequently my torso takes on a pretty twisted position (left arm
directly behind me, right shoulder dropped way down, almost over the
handle).
is this ok? i usually get pretty contorted when i'm tired (i figure it's
a bad habit i can't suppress any longer).
i have a feeling that it's interfering with my turning, but i can't be
sure, since it's still when i'm tired.
so far, my strategy to fix this has been to ride holding the back of my
seat with my right hand, hoping it would straigten me out. but, it's
still possible to ride with your torso turned to the left, and still
hold the back of the seat with your right hand.
i've also tried switching hands on the handle, but instead of making my
right arm swing out back to balance, it stays in front and balances me.
any other tips, or experiences?
thanks
--
nosabe332 - can't.. go slow enough!
-Eric
'well turn on something... i'm starting to think!'
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leadpan
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14 August 2005, 04:09 UTC #2

My advise is force yourself to ride your unicycle with your arms crossed
and your back straight. This should help you lose your bad habits of
holding on to your seat when turning.
--
leadpan - OC Cokeur
"Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever" - Lance Armstrong
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Unitik908
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14 August 2005, 04:10 UTC #3

just ride with no hands.. like a uni is meant to be.. 🙂
Chase
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YAMS
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James_Potter
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14 August 2005, 05:22 UTC #4

you should be able to ride without worrying about your hands at
all...just learn to ride forwards with both of your hands hanging down
at the side. you should be able to do anything you want with either
hand while riding. for the most part.
--
James_Potter - betcha can't stick it!
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nosabe332
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14 August 2005, 06:06 UTC #5

hm.. thanks for the advice.
i don't think it matters whether or not i'm actually holding the seat. i
just find myself twisting around. but i'll try the arms crossed thing.
on my last ride i tried riding with both hands on the handle, as if i
were riding a bike. i also hunched over, and it's more stable at high
speeds. while it doesn't really address the original issue, it was
pretty fun to go faster than i used to.
--
nosabe332 - can't.. go slow enough!
-Eric
'well turn on something... i'm starting to think!'
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cathwood
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14 August 2005, 16:02 UTC #6

I find myself riding a bit twisted too. My right arm is usually reaching
out in front. This is worse when I'm tired & especially if I'm a bit
tense. As I relax I get straighter.
I was talking about unicycling at a circus convention with
rogeratunicycledotcom and my friend stuart and we were discussing the
fact that people aren't summetrical but have different length legs, that
we have learnt to accomodate when walking, but when unicycling you have
to sit with your pelvis square, so one leg is shorter than the other.
This could possibly be a symptom of that. Maybe it gets better with
practice and you learn to adapt when unicycling like you do when
walking.
Does this make sense?
I would say, with my limited knowledge of unicycling, don't worry, just
relax and enjoy.
Cathy
😎
--
cathwood - Lunicyclist
A thought is just a thought.
http://www.chuckingandtwirling.co.uk
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paul_g
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14 August 2005, 17:40 UTC #7

I noticed recently when riding an easy 18-24" wide ledge (a seawall),
with a 6 foot drop to water on one side and a 1 foot drop to the
sidewalk on the other, that I was riding with my shoulders twisted,
unconsciously at first, so that if I started to lose it, I would turn
towards the sidewalk side and not the water side, by untwisting my upper
body.
I noticed I was doing the same thing in reverse when travelling back
with the water on the other side!
I had to consciously focus on relaxing and riding "centered" to ride
straight down the middle of the seawall and overcome the tendency to
turn away from the danger.
The easiest way I've found to relax is to let the arms hang low and
loose.
--
paul_g
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James_Potter
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14 August 2005, 17:51 UTC #8

maybe your seat is crooked.
--
James_Potter - betcha can't stick it!
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nosabe332
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14 August 2005, 18:33 UTC #9

James_Potter said:
*maybe your seat is crooked. *
haha
i thought that too. looks straight to me, though.
glad to know other people experience this. next goal is to relax a
little, i guess.
--
nosabe332 - can't.. go slow enough!
-Eric
'well turn on something... i'm starting to think!'
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critter
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14 August 2005, 20:00 UTC #10

I hold my seat only when I need to. Like when riding the steeps.
On the trails I never notice my arms. When I'm riding down the sidewalk
I feel myself pulling on one side. My dianosis was probably a crooked
spine. Then I rode the sidewalk the other direction and I'm being pulled
on the other side of my body.
Try going both ways!
Aloha, Dani
--
critter - SINGLE TRACK MIND
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