Hoping

[QUAGLIA Philippe]

I tried to hope in order to cimb up a step, but i always fail. I don't
understand how the Uni is supposed to follow me during the jump. Should
I cath the seat during the jump ?

If someone can give me the key of hoping in few words, I will be
gratefull.

Althrough my level is still poor (level 2 perhabs, I'm just begining to
ridebackward ) I practise as soon as possible of road, and that's very
nice. Climbing down strong slope on a wet grass is a strong experience
(of falls). And my problem is still hoping little obstacle.

Sorry for my English (but I avoid "trick")

Cheers, Philippe

phq@aero.jussieu.fr

[John Larkin]

QUAGLIA Philippe wrote:
>
> I tried to hope in order to cimb up a step, but i always fail. I don't
> understand how the Uni is supposed to follow me during the jump. Should
> I cath the seat during the jump ?
>
> If someone can give me the key of hoping in few words, I will be
> gratefull.

I wouldn't recommend hoping until after being pretty comfortable on the
uni, ie. being able to ride off road or down a single step or curb
comfortably is ok. From the hopping I've done, I grab the front of the
seat with a hand in order to keep my feet on the pedals. Some people I
know grab the back, and others use both hands--I don't know which method
is better, I guess it depends on the individual. Anyway, use your hand
to pull up on the unicycle as you jump. With a little practice, it has a
similar feeling to a pogo-stick. Don't try to go anywhere at first. Just
hop up and down in one spot. Try one hop at first, and, as your balance
improves, try multiple hops in the same spot. After some practice at
that, you can try jumping either forward or to the side as you hop, thus
moving along at a pretty slow and jerky pace. For fun, it is possible to
twist your body as you jump, and land facing in a different direction
than you started. When you feel particularly good, try hopping up a
small step or curb. I was really scared to try this--always coming next
to the curb, about to hop, then chickening out and riding off. Well,
after the first one, it got a lot easier. Within about 2 hours, I was
hopping up a flight of 7 stairs. But it is very important to have other
skills. Hopping sometimes puts the rider in a very awkward possition.
Being able to recover helps a lot. I've been riding about 4-5 months or
so, and I don't have too much of a problem uprighting myself when my
balance goes out the window. If this seems pretty tough, even after a
lot of practice, try again in a couple of weeks. Even riding straight on
flat ground gives you practice and helps to stay on top.

- John Larkin
- jlarkin@hmc.edu

[Ken Fuchs]

Philippe Quaglia wrote:

> If someone can give me the key of hopping in few words, I will be
> grateful.

Hold the front of the seat. Maybe squeeze the seat with one's legs. Use ankle
movement to hop up and down.

> Sorry for my English (but I avoid "trick")

This line just struck me as being very humorous, considering the recent
discussion of trick vs. skill.

Unicycling "skill" terms: I personally prefer skill as a generic term describing
how one rides and figure further describing the pattern (line, circle, eight,
etc.) in which one rides. Transition is a generic term describing how one makes
the transition from one skill into another skill. It is no coincidence that the
terms skill, figure and transition are used extensively in the IUF Standard
Skill Competition Rules.

Stay on Top,

Ken Fuchs <kfuchs@winternet.com