just learning to unicycle

Go to the search function and type in "tips for beginners". It'll pull
up a lot of threads with a lot of info.

--
Nimbusnut
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nimbusnut's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/16642
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/68017

Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services
----------------------------------------------------------
** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY **
----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.usenet.com

What I did to learn was I had this deck. And it was about arm level for
me (instead of a deck you could use a rail) but I rode holding onto the
deck for a while applying a lot of pressure. Once I got better I
lowered the pressure in segments until finally, I was riding. That took
me about 5-6 hours and then within an hour I learned freemounting and
was riding away.

Another useful tip for learning is riding on a sloped angle (downwards
of course), which is how my friend said he learned.

Hope this helped.

--
_Ground_Zero_
------------------------------------------------------------------------
_Ground_Zero_'s Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/15520
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/68017

Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services
----------------------------------------------------------
** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY **
----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.usenet.com

_Ground_Zero_ said:

What I did to learn was I had this deck. And it was about arm level for
me (instead of a deck you could use a rail) but I rode holding onto the
deck for a while applying a lot of pressure. Once I got better I
lowered the pressure in segments until finally, I was riding. That took
me about 5-6 hours and then within an hour I learned freemounting and
was riding away.

Another useful tip for learning is riding on a sloped angle (downwards
of course), which is how my friend said he learned.

Hope this helped.

Well, i did the opposite, i found it easier to just go balls out and
try and ride, and i learnt easier on a slight uphill slope.
I also used the search function to find out that its personal
preference, what works for one wont work for everyone.
Go with what you feel comfortable with.
J

--
mill_mobile
------------------------------------------------------------------------
mill_mobile's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/14584
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/68017

Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services
----------------------------------------------------------
** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY **
----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.usenet.com

Your seek a target and go for it technique is a good one. Remember a few
things when you practice:

1.) ALWAYS keep your weight on the seat. You will tend to try to stand
on the pedals to make corrections. ALWAYS settle back into the saddle
after making a correction.

2.) Look into the distance. Looking down at the tire tends to make you
fall forward. Pick a target like you have been and focus on that.

3.) Pedal with smooth, round strokes and maintain good posture.
Learning to ride in a jerky manner hunched over won't help you later
on.

4.) Try not to chicken out. It's easy to anticipate a fall and step
off before it's too late. It's more difficult but more instructional to
actually ride until you fall. This is how you learn to make
corrections.

TheLally said:

also are there any good exercises that help with strength traing geared
towards unicyclists?

Core exercises like sit ups or crunches might help.

TheLally said:

and does anyone know of a balancing exercise i can do indoors without
the unicycle?

Why bother? The unicycle will help you learn balance. Maybe stand on
one foot with your eyes closed? Can't see how that will help you.

TheLally said:

and lastly is there a type of unicycle seat that wont leave
me feeling like i'll never father children?

No. Time, bicycling shorts, and experience will help you with that
problem.

--
harper

-Greg Harper

*jc is the only main man. there can be no other.*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
harper's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/426
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/68017

Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services
----------------------------------------------------------
** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY **
----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.usenet.com

harper said:

4.) Try not to chicken out. It's easy to anticipate a fall and step off
before it's too late. It's more difficult but more instructional to
actually ride until you fall. This is how you learn to make
corrections.

A friend broke his wrist by "not chickening out" after about 30 min of
practicing and never attempted again.

I recomend learning to fall on grass in a variety of ways. _Do_not_ go
stiff like my friend did. I'd also wear some wrist guards.

harper said:

Core exercises like sit ups or crunches might help.

As well as "swimming". Lay on your stomach w/ arms and legs extended
and alternately raise your arm and oposite leg. Three sets of 30 on
each side w/ a minute rest in between should be good.

I found single and double leg raises to work much better than crunches.
I do a wide variety of core exercises. They made my riding over bumps
smoother, and reduced the frequency and severity of my UPD's
(especially when I start to get tired). I've done a lot of
expirimenting w/ doing more and less strength training exercises and
have found that doing these 20-25% of my total time the most
benefitial, for my time, and did mostly core stuff.

--
skilewis74

Ride everywhere and never just ride anywhere. If you can ride where you
are going within a hour, do it, and if you can do a trick 50-75% of the
time do it along the way.
Bob Burnquist on how to improve significantly.
'Trials Building'
(http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64235)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
skilewis74's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/12404
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/68017

Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services
----------------------------------------------------------
** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY **
----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.usenet.com

well my best advice is find a fence to ride along you should find your
balence improve with just simply riding the unicycle and for me the way
i learned was it was easy to act more like swimming but im weird so i
dont know if it will help at all :P

--
torker lx

a bike is nothing more than a unicycle with a training wheel
------------------------------------------------------------------------
torker lx's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/12454
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/68017

Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services
----------------------------------------------------------
** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY **
----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.usenet.com