GOOD for Your CORE ?

I ride bcs about 80% of the time and unis 20% of the time. With a BC
your abs get sore really freakin fast, your leg muscles are usless
unless your hopping, its all in the hip/mid section and arms.

--
Evan Byrne

"Guns cause crime like flies cause garbage." -Harper
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evan Byrne's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9367
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

They might mean that unicycling is good for your balance because your
center of gravity is around the middle of your body. So they think of
core, as your center of grvity maybe, And unicycling improves your
balance.

--
Dizard
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dizard's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10878
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

Having a strong 'core' or strong midsection muscles is very
fashionable/desirable these days according to some physiotherapists and
sporty people. I reckon unicycling does indeed help to develop your
core strength. A lot of the control in riding a unicycle comes from the
hips. I'm sure my abs have benefitted from unicycling!

--
TonyMelton

The way to a man's heart is through his veins.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
TonyMelton's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/2118
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

i know that the more trials i do the more my abs hurt. also, think back
to learning. unless you learned while you were young(under about 18 or
so) or learned really fast, your abs got sore. i know mine did. if i
take a week or two off for assorted reasons, my abs get a little tight
when i start riding again.

--
markf

stuck in iowa and unemployed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
markf's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8102
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

Our balance clearly comes from normally riding and keeping the wheel
under us. It's a reaction thing, our bodies just get used to knowing
how fast to rotate the wheel to make sure the wheel is underneath us,
thus keeping us on it, balance from side to side is a tad different,
but a little momentum helps your greatly with that. When riding a BC
wheel or coasting it's a different story though.

--
Robbie

[image: http://gallery.unicyclist.com/albums/greeny23-900/dr_z.gif]
Greeny23
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robbie's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/5302
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

Unicycling develops your core by requiring you to make almost constant
adjustments with your upper body. Obviously, your legs get the brunt of
the work but your upper body is always involved. Standard core
strengthening exercises usually just add a balance component to
traditional exercises. For example, doing pushups with your feet on a
balance ball will work your chest but also "strengthen your core".

I've noticed that when I ride my 29", there is less upper body
movement, especially when I have small cranks on it. When I ride a 24"
muni on a trail I know that my midsection adjusts dramatically to the
trail. I'd say that on a coker, where the rider is even more still in
his position, you still make the adjustments but they are less
pronounced.

--
onewheeljoe

****************************
Chop wood and carry water.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
onewheeljoe's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/7357
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

Uni is absolutely good for the "core". But like people above have said,
a nice smooth road ride on a big wheel takes a lot less core effort for
an obvious reason: It's way easier to balance riding in a straight
line with some speed on a bigger wheel.

To prove to yourself that your core is utilized greatly in uni, find
yourself a very restrictive lower back brace and try to ride with it
on. Then try to hop or turn sharply with it.

--
JackOlsen
------------------------------------------------------------------------
JackOlsen's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10930
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

I agree, the unicyclist core is working while riding. More so with
trials and muni, etc. Still, I would like to know where the majority
of our balance comes from.

Just riding the uni around:

- Are you balancing more with your legs & feet?
- Or are you balancing more with your core?

Thanks, Bill.

--
trailguy
------------------------------------------------------------------------
trailguy's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8788
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

JackOlsen said:

Uni is absolutely good for the "core". But like people above have said,
a nice smooth road ride on a big wheel takes a lot less core effort for
an obvious reason: It's way easier to balance riding in a straight
line with some speed on a bigger wheel.

But try idling a big wheel!

--
tholub
------------------------------------------------------------------------
tholub's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/804
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

Hard Muniing over the rocks in Santa Barbara is a great ab workout,
especially when you try and roll everything. It's a lot of tightening
and relaxing over and over again. It's pumps the daylights out of all
of us. I used to get cramps in my upper abs after one of the long
shuttle rides--and still do if I haven't been busting it lately.
Overhanging rock climbing might be a bit more core intensive, but
Muniing is right there with it IME.

JL

--
vivalargo
------------------------------------------------------------------------
vivalargo's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/5625
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

Hard Muniing over the rocks in Santa Barbara is a great ab workout,
especially when you try and roll everything. It's a lot of tightening
and relaxing over and over again. It's pumps the daylights out of all
of us. I used to get cramps in my upper abs after one of the long
shuttle rides--and still do if I haven't been busting it lately.
Overhanging rock climbing might be a bit more core intensive, but
Muniing is right there with it IME.

JL

--
vivalargo
------------------------------------------------------------------------
vivalargo's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/5625
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

Hard Muniing over the rocks in Santa Barbara is a great ab workout,
especially when you try and roll everything. It's a lot of tightening
and relaxing over and over again. It's pumps the daylights out of all
of us. I used to get cramps in my upper abs after one of the long
shuttle rides--and still do if I haven't been busting it lately.
Overhanging rock climbing might be a bit more core intensive, but
Muniing is right there with it IME.

JL

--
vivalargo
------------------------------------------------------------------------
vivalargo's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/5625
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

I think it definately does a bit, although I've recently been doing a
bit of canoeing and that seems to use those muscles way more than
unicycling. After practicing rolls in a canoe, all of the middle of my
body aches.

--
joemarshall

my pics http://gallery.unicyclist.com/albuq44
------------------------------------------------------------------------
joemarshall's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/1545
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

I think it definately does a bit, although I've recently been doing a
bit of canoeing and that seems to use those muscles way more than
unicycling. After practicing rolls in a canoe, all of the middle of my
body aches.

--
joemarshall

my pics http://gallery.unicyclist.com/albuq44
------------------------------------------------------------------------
joemarshall's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/1545
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

I think it definately does a bit, although I've recently been doing a
bit of canoeing and that seems to use those muscles way more than
unicycling. After practicing rolls in a canoe, all of the middle of my
body aches.

--
joemarshall

my pics http://gallery.unicyclist.com/albuq44
------------------------------------------------------------------------
joemarshall's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/1545
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

About 9 months ago I was rarely exercizing... then I started riding for
at least an hour four times a week and now I can see my abs where
before I couldn't so I'm sure for me it definately works out my stomach
muscles.

I could also interpret the "core" being your dexterity and state of
mind as I've heard many comment how juggling and riding uni's must take
a lot of focus and concentration.

--
Victory
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Victory's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10062
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

About 9 months ago I was rarely exercizing... then I started riding for
at least an hour four times a week and now I can see my abs where
before I couldn't so I'm sure for me it definately works out my stomach
muscles.

I could also interpret the "core" being your dexterity and state of
mind as I've heard many comment how juggling and riding uni's must take
a lot of focus and concentration.

--
Victory
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Victory's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10062
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

About 9 months ago I was rarely exercizing... then I started riding for
at least an hour four times a week and now I can see my abs where
before I couldn't so I'm sure for me it definately works out my stomach
muscles.

I could also interpret the "core" being your dexterity and state of
mind as I've heard many comment how juggling and riding uni's must take
a lot of focus and concentration.

--
Victory
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Victory's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10062
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326

To answer the initial question in this thread, yeah, I get a lot of
comments about how good it must be for my core.

When I was first learning, keeping my balance was such a struggle that
I know I got a huge core workout. Now that I'm riding much more
easily, it only takes small corrections to stay in the balance envelope
and I don't think I'm getting that much of a workout. I'd do an
experiment to see if I felt any soreness in my abs by taking a couple
weeks off but I'm too addicted to do that.😉

--
underdog

'I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody
tell you different' - Kurt Vonnegut
------------------------------------------------------------------------
underdog's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/6197
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44326