Time off pays off!!

[merrill]

After minimal riding for the past three weeks due to work I finally got
out last night for some freestyle. Was wondering what it would feel
like, and to my surprise had several breakthroughs.

First thing I did was glide on flat pavement about 12 meters. Best I
had done previously was 5 or 6 meters. I found that I was very relaxed
and focused and was therefore able to smoothly take my feet off the
pedals at maximum speed. I was also better able to focus on lightly
controlling the tire.

Second thing I did was backwards one foot (toofeno) for ten revs.
Previously I had only done 3 or 4.

I was feeling awful from lack of riding - it was a pleasant surprise.
Hard practice is necessary, but time off has it's benefits too, it
seems!

Another thing that seems to make a huge difference in practicing skills
stuff is an open, very smooth surface with no bumps. Seems most of my
major breakthroughs on skill crap comes when I'm practicing on an
outdoor basketball court where I don't have to worry about WHAT I'm
riding on or that I might bump into something.

Joe


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merrill - Confinement Loaf

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[merrill]

I'd say that toofeno is close to the same level of difficulty as
learning wheel walking or one foot forward riding. When I learned
those skills I was practicing a LOT and regularly. I remember these as
the things I really had to work at in levels 1 though 7. I definitely
put a lot more time into wheel walking and one foot forward than
toofeno.

Now that I'm heavy into Muni, my freestyle practice is sporadic, and I
might not work on a skill for weeks. So in a sense I've learned toofeno
more easily, but I think as you advance through the skills, your ability
to learn new stuff gets sharper, so it's tough to rate difficulty
levels.

With that said, it's pretty scary at first taking your foot off while
riding backwards. I think the fear factor is a big obstacle. Also, I
find that my backwards riding in general is a lot less smooth than
forwards, so I've been working on that a lot.

Oh yeah, gliding's right up there with wheel walking in difficulty
level, especially gliding ten meters on a flat surface.

Of course much of the perceived difficulty has a lot to do with how fun
the skill is. Handwheel walk doesn't seem very interesting, I'm not
very motivated to do it, so it seems really hard. Gliding on the other
hand, is a lot of fun, so I practice it more, and thus it seems easier
than, Hand ww.
Joe


--
merrill - Confinement Loaf

Smart Bomb + Dumb President = Weapon of Mass Destruction
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