Whoops! Help needed with bad habit.

[Nick Hatch]

I've been unicycling for quite a while now, I started at Thanksgiving of last
year. Anyway, I consider myself "pretty good," but am having a major problem.
When I learned to freemount, I figured out that I could swing the right pedal so
it is vertical with the left one when I hop up. That made it "easier" to get
started, I would just lean forward, and go. I've just figured out that it is a
really bad habit, as the ground must be smooth. (Grass and even dirt trails
won't work.) Does anyone have any ideas on how to break me of this habit, if you
know what I'm talking about? I want to do it the regular way, where you keep the
pedals almost paralel to the ground when you mount. Thanks for any help, I'm
really starting to get annoyed by this.

--
Nick Hatch nch@pacifier.com

[Wayne van Wijk]

Hmmm,

I remember reading in a book somewhere that freemounting with the back of your
wheel against a chunk of wood or a brick to stop the wheel rolling backwards
while learning could be helpful.

I just throw myself forwards, keeping the movement from my centre. (imagine
that you are being pulled forwards onto the uni by something attached to your
belly button). This keeps you moving forwards and helps you keep good posture
while mounting.

I also use a penalty method when learning a new trick. If I am doing something
that I know I should be able to do and stuff it up, I do five pushups everytime
that I stuff up. Unless you like pushups it is good incentive not to stuff up
too often.

-----------------------------------------
Wayne van Wijk
-----------------------------------------
wvanwijk@gil.com.au
-----------------------------------------
<read between the lines>
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----------
> From: Nick Hatch <nch@pacifier.com> To: UNICYCLING@winternet.com Subject:
> Whoops! Help needed with bad habit. Date: Sunday, April 26, 1998 6:26 AM
>
> I've been unicycling for quite a while now, I started at Thanksgiving of last
> year. Anyway, I consider myself "pretty good," but am having a major problem.
> When I learned to freemount, I figured out that I could swing
the
> right pedal so it is vertical with the left one when I hop up. That made it
> "easier" to get started, I would just lean forward, and go. I've just figured
> out that it is a really bad habit, as the ground must be smooth. (Grass and
> even dirt trails won't work.) Does anyone have any ideas on
how
> to break me of this habit, if you know what I'm talking about? I want to do it
> the regular way, where you keep the pedals almost paralel to the ground when
> you mount. Thanks for any help, I'm really starting to get annoyed by this.
>
> --
> Nick Hatch nch@pacifier.com