First
Things First
If you want to ride
the track you must consider your safety. The
track can be dangerous, especially when you are
trying to do new things - and that includes
riding it for the first time. So, make sure you
wear protective gear. At the very least wear a
helmet plus long sleeves and trousers. Gloves are
highly recommended. Arm and knee pads are a good
idea too.
Now then, the first
thing you'll need to do is practice riding round
the track, slowly - but with enough speed to get
up and over the jumps. You should aim to stand up
on the pedals. You will never see anyone sitting
down in a BMX race. If you're nervous, just try
riding the top portion of the track for a while
and build up your confidence before tackling the
steep second berm.
Pumping
As your confidence
grows, you'll want to increase your speed. So,
first of all, try out this test. Sprint down the
start slope then stop pedalling. See how far you
get before the bike stops rolling.
Now learn your first technique and see how much
difference it makes. The first technique is
called pumping and it's mainly about keeping it
smooth. As your front wheel rolls over the top of
a jump, pump (push) the handlebars down the slope.
Also continue to pedal hard if you can. Pumping
the jumps is an essential skill and will increase
your speed. It will also give you more control
through difficult doubles because you will keep
your front wheel on the ground. If you don't pump,
the front wheel can lift over the first jump and
smash into the second, wiping out your speed and
possibly making you lose control.
Once you've got the hang of it, try the test
again - sprint down the start slope, stop
pedalling, pump every jump and see how far you
get before the bike stops rolling. I'll bet you
get further than before. If not, you're not
pumping hard enough. Keep practicing.
Manualling
The second
technique to develop is more advanced - it's
called manualling. This involves riding the bike
on the back wheel without pedalling! It's another
technique which increases smoothness though the
jumps. As you ride over the first jump of a
double, you need to bring the front wheel up.
This is achieved by pushing the pedals forwards,
partially straightening you legs, and getting
your ass back behind the bike. Control your
balance by shifting your hips/weight backwards or
forwards. Find a double wich is not too large and
practice on it. The first double on the first
staight is a good one to start practising on.
Then you can move on to the doubles on the second
straight. Manualling is a difficult skill to
learn, so don't get dis-heartened if you can't
manage it straight away. It's also much harder to
do if your bike is a bit too large for you. Try
to practice on a small bike. It's also a skill
you can practice away from the track. Remember,
as with all these BMX skills, you'll only get
better if you practice.....and practice......and
practice.
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