The fear factor..

[maxisback]

After reading in the xavier collos thread I thought about this.. I might
have already been posted but yea it's me :D ..

Well do you think fear holds you back from being as good as you really
are when it comes to unicycling ? What Im saying is do you think you
have the skills but your fear is holding you back ? For an example
crankfliping stairs, doing big gaps or even hopping onto stuff.. It was
like that for me and hoping onto stuff for a bit until i beat my fear.
Well you guys let me know what you think.. does fear hold you back when
unicycling or you just dont have skills ?


--
maxisback

Quiters never win, winners never quit , the ones who never win and never
quit are just dumb
------------------------------------------------------------------------
maxisback's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10885
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[markf]

i know i could do bigger drops than i do, and clear more stairs than i
can, but that little voice of "what if you miss and crash? that's gonna
suck" won't shut up sometimes. gaps usually aren't too scary for me,
unless there's a really huge penalty for missing, like a 10 foot drop.


--
markf

stuck in iowa and gainfully employed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
markf's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8102
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[kapoute]

Yes, it can hold me back but what I like about unicycling... trying to
beat the fear for trying bigger and bigger stuff.... I love it.

But i also love you too guys ! specially chosen :rolleyes:


--
kapoute

Sorry, I don't speak english !

Julien Renaud
------------------------------------------------------------------------
kapoute's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8060
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[john_childs]

I am risk adverse when it comes to physical risk. It's just my
personality. I've never been one to just go for it when the penalty of
failure is physical harm (or worse). It does affect my unicycling, the
types of skills I do, and the style of riding that I do. I don't take
big risk which means I don't do muni lines that I could most likely do.
I pass up things on the trail without trying them. I'll walk sections
of the trail I'm not comfortable riding (like a few sections of the
canyon on the Porcupine Rim Trail in Moab). I still have much fun, but
I would be going bigger at this point if I didn't have the fear
factor.

I'm not so risk adverse that I'll chicken out doing things like riding
an elevated skinny as long as I can bail safely, but I do have my
limits to what I consider acceptable risk.


--
john_childs

john_childs (att) hotmail (dott) com
Gallery: http://gallery.unicyclist.com/john_childs
'Unicycling Bookmark List' (http://backcountry.unicyclist.com/) ::
'World Clock' (http://tinyurl.com/a99y3)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
john_childs's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/449
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[remus]

with me, i think fear is a good thing and a bad thing. It warns you when
youre about to do soemthing that you could hurt yourself on, but if you
know you can do whatever it is then you need to get over your fear.

most of the time fear gets in the way for me, im sure theres lots of
stuff i can do but im to scared to try them.

rem


--
remus

keep smiling, it makes people wander what your up to.:D
------------------------------------------------------------------------
remus's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/11870
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[unijesse]

i knew i could hop up onto the stairs in my yard but everytime i pedaled
up to them i just couldnt jump, but then at the skate park there was a
ledge that was taller that i tryed because i didnt want to look like a
wimp and can now do it


--
unijesse

www.unicycletips.com

I told him that Kris was a little bit behind me, and he nearly had a
hernia.-catboy

Udjiniese-Lucas1wheel
------------------------------------------------------------------------
unijesse's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10868
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[unijesse]

i know i can land a 360 spin if i put my feet in but its too scary to,
like my above post ill try to once i go to the skate park next.

i also learned to grind at the s-park!(fear and lack of obstacles heald
me back on that one)


--
unijesse

www.unicycletips.com

I told him that Kris was a little bit behind me, and he nearly had a
hernia.-catboy

Udjiniese-Lucas1wheel
------------------------------------------------------------------------
unijesse's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10868
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[Krashin'Kenny]

I wouldn't necessarily call it fear. There are very few things that I'm
actually afraid of. Although, I do have a great deal of "respect" for
things that might injure me!!!!!:eek: I choose not to ride beyond my
comfort zone to prevent further injuries to this old, beat up body as
I've still got to get a few more years out of it :D


--
Krashin'Kenny

If you ain't crashing, you ain't going fast enough!!!!!!!!!!!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Krashin'Kenny's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/3420
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[manon1wheel]

gkmac wrote:
> Fear (along with being well past the teenage years) means I won't be
> able to do trials altogether.
>
> As a curiosity I'm trying to learn to hop up steps. Four months latter
> I still cannot hop up more than four steps without getting scared and
> bottling out of it. Can I be any more of a coward than that?I don't
> believe fear can be overcome, it's an automatic reaction to the
> situation.
>
> I don't know what I'm doing here amongst you skilled trials riders, so
> I'd best exit now...


dont be so hard on yourself....

anyway... fear is a large factor for me. i know i have the skills but
sometimes the fear is what makes me bail out of a 8 step..... ive gone
off of it but im afraid of hitting my *hmmhmmhmhm*.. you know what that
is.

but if there wasnt fear i bet i could do it

also without fear i would probably be dead..:rolleyes:


--
manon1wheel

Riley

I LOVE YOU GILBY
------------------------------------------------------------------------
manon1wheel's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9972
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[Jerrick]

Fear, for me, has always been a big part of a lot of the things i do,
but for me, i don't let it effect me that much, I'm always one to push
my limits and to just go for it, if gotten hurt a lot in the process
but from being able to get over my fear I've done some crazy things too
=p


--
Jerrick

from chosen:

can you give me a shoutout in your sig. some thing like i love
jonny....or jonny is the coolest. or be creative. but pleeeasssee can i
have a shoutout from you?

jonny
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jerrick's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/11632
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[eccentric.uni]

im a total chicken.. it took me forever to lear how to free mount.. cuzz
i was like EEEP IM FALLING... but.. i probably want really.. and ive
been trying the rolling hops..and... yeah i do a few tries.. but after
falling and bending my leg weird... i sorta freak out.. and am afraid
to break somthing...

bawk bawk.. haha im a chicken


--
eccentric.uni

:D :D :D :D :D
------------------------------------------------------------------------
eccentric.uni's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/11711
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[harper]

We call it the chicken-out factor and frequently make the cluck-cluck
sound just before we bail on a doable but scary stunt.

My favorite was trying to learn to ride skinnies long ago. I had an
ideal wall with an 18" drop on one side and level grass on the other.
The wall was at least 8" wide and probably more. I tried riding it and
fell off into the grass over and over again. I figured I was just
biased that way that particular day so I went to the other side and
tried to ride it the other way. I fell off into the grass the other
direction over and over again. It was just my brain telling me, "don't
go off the side, fall in the soft grass." Definitely a series of
chicken-out events.


--
harper

-Greg Harper

B L U E S H I F T

*jc is the only main man. there can be no other.*

This is still my nth post....*AWESOME!!!*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
harper's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/426
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[tomsey]

i used to try stuff that was outside my skill level because i wanted to
do it regardless of the consequences... this mentality means you get
accelerated learning, with an increased risk of injury... injury sucks
as it stops you from riding, and progressing, untill you eventually
start to go downhill. i have recently decided to practice and get my
skil levels higher than my attempt rate at harder riskier tricks,
therefore when i do do them i have the required skill level to be
confident in myself that i will land what i wanna do.

you shouldnt be scared, it stops you from feeling confident and will
limit your abilities


--
tomsey

damn you, damn the brocholli and damn the wright brothers!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
tomsey's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/7038
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[tomblackwood]

I am all about The Fear. Not only does it keep me from trying stuff I
could probably ride, it virtually guarantees that the first few times I
muster up the move to try something harder, I'll bail prematurely out
of fear, possibly getting injured in the bargain.

If I was smarter, I'd pick some things I really WANT to be able to
conquer, like skinnies, and then figure out some way to really focus my
practice, starting with non-threatening lines and slowly working my way
up. Since I just ride and don't practice, the skinnies I encounter "in
the wild" often seem to be above my confidence level.

TB

-Those who can, do. Those who can't, take the pictures.-


--
tomblackwood

Tailgate at your own risk...
------------------------------------------------------------------------
tomblackwood's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/3762
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[cruisecontrol]

your mom scares me...


--
cruisecontrol
------------------------------------------------------------------------
cruisecontrol's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10970
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[wobbling bear]

eccentric.uni wrote:
> im a total chicken.. it took me forever to lear how to free mount..


same for me.
qwak qwak qwak.
having hurt myself with My Coker is terribly impairing my use of it. I
still do not use it much because of the fear factor! that's terrible
because when I overcome my fear the reward is huge. But I'm still rigid
when I freemount and as a consequence I miss more freemounts!
I don't give up but still continuing to hurt myself by lack of
relaxation:(
qwak qwak qwak .....


--
wobbling bear

One Wheel : bear necessity
------------------------------------------------------------------------
wobbling bear's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/3716
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[lucky_8]

i think fear holds me back a little while i ride


--
lucky_8

life is a whole lot more fun when you live it on just one wheel.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
lucky_8's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/11685
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[unifreak7]

Fear is the base of banger footage. If it's not scary it's not worth
filming.

-Shaun Johanneson


--
unifreak7

FLIP IT... Twice

If you hit it first try, it's not hard enough.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
unifreak7's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/6137
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[pdc]

When I was in my twenties I did pushed dangerous limits, mostly on my
motorcycle. I was regarded as one of the best (most reckless) road
bike riders in my town. 50 MPH wheelies were fun. Now in my forties
with 5 kids and a wife counting on me I tend to see physical risks in a
different light. Consequently my unicycling skills are advancing
slowly. And I no longer ride a motorcycle.


--
pdc

"What doesn't kill you strengthens you, what kills you strengthens your
mother"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
pdc's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8160
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[eero-poika]

When I motivate myself to do something big and scary, I first think it
through: am I able to survive and which are the odds. If I decide I can
do it, I just go for it! Using the brain and too much worrying during
the trick can easily lead to a disaster... :)


--
eero-poika

No pain, no gain.

http://lonelyriders.unicyclist.com/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
eero-poika's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10911
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[koebwil]

harper wrote:
> My favorite was trying to learn to ride skinnies long ago. I had an
> ideal wall with an 18" drop on one side and level grass on the other.
> The wall was at least 8" wide and probably more. I tried riding it and
> fell off into the grass over and over again. I figured I was just
> biased that way that particular day so I went to the other side and
> tried to ride it the other way. I fell off into the grass the other
> direction over and over again. It was just my brain telling me, "don't
> go off the side, fall in the soft grass." Definitely a series of
> chicken-out events.

I learned skinnies with a six foot drop to my left. I have fallen off
of that drop so much. I used to do really big drops like up to seven
feet. Now I'm not scared of much trials wise. I was too pussy to do
hops as high as I can until yesterday, I got over it and now I can hop
like eight inches higher.


--
koebwil

"I used to eat erasers in grade school...." James_Potter
------------------------------------------------------------------------
koebwil's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/11308
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[vivalargo]

I've been addicted to adventure sports since I was a small kid. Fear is
always there, moreso when you are older since you don't heal as
quickly. I'm basically a Muni rider and if you do a lot of Muni, after
a couple years you can start firing down stuff that is pretty dangerous
and could bust you up badly. At first I was aggressive but after a
bunch of injuries I backed way off and got comfortable with a flatter
learning curve. By being patient I learned that over time, stuff I
once thought impossibe was indeed doable given more experience. In
other words, I just kept trying harder and harder stuff by very small
incriments, and only when I felt somewhat comfortable. One of the
indicators that this system actually works is to keep returning to the
same trails every thre or four months. Though your progress might seem
slow, I find what used to seem hard or impossible is usually doable a
few months later. Slow and steady.

That much said I just about broke my leg a few weeks ago up in Santa
Barbara and currently have to wear a knee brace for another month and
am limited to enduro stuff and riding skinnies till I can start
dropping and thrashing again.

JL


--
vivalargo
------------------------------------------------------------------------
vivalargo's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/5625
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[dinmamma]

I don't care much for reckless stunts, and I'm so much more impressed by
Xavier Collos flow and creative riding than the videos by Shaun
Johannesson :)


--
dinmamma
------------------------------------------------------------------------
dinmamma's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9995
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[dale_dale]

i just built a sandwhich board and was scard of it breaking if i jumped
off a bench on to it

i evently tryed it ... and huess what it snapped in 3 pieces :d


--
dale_dale

___________
------------------------------------------------------------------------
dale_dale's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/11459
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[skianduniaddict]

bawk bawk.. haha im a chicken


dont knock chickens i have some and they fight off cats dogs and jump off
stuff they are not wimps


--
skianduniaddict

number1 under 15 skiier in the united states
ski sugarloaf uni bradbury
------------------------------------------------------------------------
skianduniaddict's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/11868
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[skianduniaddict]

my friends favorite modo when anyones afraid is no fallls no ballls and
it reminds people that if u went through your life fearing failer u
woundnt get anywere


--
skianduniaddict

number1 under 15 skiier in the united states
ski sugarloaf uni bradbury
------------------------------------------------------------------------
skianduniaddict's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/11868
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[dorfman]

well i think that if your afraid that you will get hurt and never do
it...you will never be able 2 do it...my lilttle brother tried 2 learn
how 2 unicycle but hes 2 scared about letting go becouse hes not
willing 2 fall 2 learn....i think its almost an impossiblity in most
cases ...that you cant learn do do any thing on a unicycle with out
failing...and some times failing could mean you could get hurt....but
if that stops you wont get very far....you have 2 ask your self is the
juice worth the squeeze....like when i broke my ancle recentally...i
was riding my brand new giraffe unicycle...learning how 2 controll it
and getting used 2 it when i fell and broke my ancle...but i think that
it was worth it ...now when i heal i will...learn from my mistakes...

so basically fear is a factor of unicycling its how you let that fear
affect your determination when somthing is wrong.


ps. what i said is with normal unicycling stuff not like wheel walking
across a busy highway or hopping off a over pass onto a moving buss
....now i dont think i would do that


--
dorfman

my unicycles are like my imaginary friends that every one can see.
i am Amandas NO.2 fan!
my myspace
http://tinyurl.com/s6dct
------------------------------------------------------------------------
dorfman's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10880
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257

[Wheel Rider]

Krashin'Kenny wrote:
> I wouldn't necessarily call it fear. There are very few things that I'm
> actually afraid of. Although, I do have a great deal of "respect" for
> things that might injure me!!!!!:eek: I choose not to ride beyond my
> comfort zone to prevent further injuries to this old, beat up body as
> I've still got to get a few more years out of it :D


Let me second that.

I have never been a risk taker. As a result, it takes me a long time to
learn new skills. I have to work up to them really gradually. Now, at
my age, I am even more cautious and so it takes me a really, really
long time to learn skills.


--
Wheel Rider

A man can fail many times but he isn't a failure until he begins to
blame someone else. - Waite Phillips
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wheel Rider's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10656
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/48257