Mountain Biking - need help to improve bunny hop

so i finally am getting the idea of how to lift both wheels off the floor, but my wrist is kiling me now. i shouldn't have wrist that are that weak, cause i do wrist curls on barbells occasionally. and i'm still only getting an in. off the back wheel even when i'm about to throw myself over the front bar trying to lift the back :) ... any advice? am i twisting my wrist too far?.. i do try to start pretty low since i heard that's the trick to lift the back wheel...

Take a dumbbell. Remove the weight off one side and pretend to hammer only using the write. Another one is you let the weight fall side to side.

Lastyly try an old hockey trick. Grab a broomstick. Drill a hole in the centre. pull a string through and tie it off. At the other end of the string (which is around 2 to 3 ft depending on your height) attach a weight. Now grab the stickhold out in front of you and turn the broomstick. This will slowly raise the weight up, now slowly lower by turning the broomstick the other way.

Wrist curls are not as effective as full movement wrist workout.

i've got a problem with my left wrist and was thinking of getting a wrist support to help out. i found that if i pulled back too hard on the bars that i'd hurt it and it'd be sore for weeks. one of the guys i rode with earlier this year advised against me getting such a "permanent" addition to my riding gear. he said that he used to have issues with his wrists also, but then started taping them up with athletic tape to help support them. eventually his wrists strengthened up and he doesn't need to tape them up anymore.

i took his suggestion and it seems to have helped quite a bit. i don't really tape up my wrists unless it feels wonky though.

as for bunnyhopping, you shouldn't really be twisting your wrists much if you're using the correct technique to get the bike off the ground.

there's a link that was posted sometime ago when someone else posted asking about how to bunnyhop, it's a bmx trick site... i forget the url, maybe one of the other guys who remember can post it again... but it had some really helpful tips that i used to learn how to hop properly.

my advice, other than what you'll find on that trick site is to not try too hard to get the bike off the ground. i find that when i try too hard, my technique suffers and i'm not able to get the bike off as high as i'd like. concentrate more on your technique than trying to get higher for now. practice trying to lift the front end up by simply pulling back on the bars with your arms straight and stiff, leaning back and getting your butt over the rear wheel, knees bent - as if you're going for a manual.

after getting the hang of that, start trying to thurst your legs, extending them as if you were jumping without a bike after the front wheel gets a few inches or so off the ground, pointing your toes down. this will start your jumping motion and get your rear wheel off the ground. with this, you should be able to hop up onto curbs and such.

then after getting used to that motion, you can start adding the other techniques that will add more height to your hops, like pulling your arms closer into your chest then throwing your hands up and forward and curling your legs to tuck the bike up under you.

(sorry if that last bit sounds weird and is hard to picture, but that's the best way i can explain it. best thing to do is watch videos on how to bunnyhop properly so you can see the technique used).

Lastyly try an old hockey trick. Grab a broomstick. Drill a hole in the centre. pull a string through and tie it off. At the other end of the string (which is around 2 to 3 ft depending on your height) attach a weight. Now grab the stickhold out in front of you and turn the broomstick. This will slowly raise the weight up, now slowly lower by turning the broomstick the other way.

Oh man i remember having something like that at my parents house. My arms would burn BAD while doing them. But it was very effective.

how much have you been trying to bunnyhop?

if you went from never trying it, then suddenly spent an hour or so working on just that, you could simply be stressing muscles/tendons/etc that your not used to stressing out.

take it easy, if thats the case. it takes time to get new stuff down, especially bunnyhops, if you've never done them.

if it is a case of your muscles not being strong enough, you don't need to lift weights, just practice riding your bike. NOTHING will make you a better bike rider like riding your bike.

This is probably the site that was mentioned.
http://www.bmxtrix.com/

Full thread is here.
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=63148&highlight=bunnyhop

Yeah, technique would help, but it sounds like he has weak wrists, which include more than just muscles. A little extra work never hurt anyone. Besides now he will have a wristshot of a man :)

Yeah, technique would help, but it sounds like he has weak wrists, which include more than just muscles. A little extra work never hurt anyone. Besides now he will have a wristshot of a man :)


haha, dude. when did you become a "wood licker"? :D

:D...I set it a while ago...I always like that term so I use it :)...

And not that kind of WOOD!...pervert ;) :D

as for bunnyhopping, you shouldn't really be twisting your wrists much if you're using the correct technique to get the bike off the ground.



Definitely. Your upper body motion when you are bunny hopping should be similar to doing a push up.

Take a dumbbell. Remove the weight off one side and pretend to hammer only using the write. Another one is you let the weight fall side to side.

Lastyly try an old hockey trick. Grab a broomstick. Drill a hole in the centre. pull a string through and tie it off. At the other end of the string (which is around 2 to 3 ft depending on your height) attach a weight. Now grab the stickhold out in front of you and turn the broomstick. This will slowly raise the weight up, now slowly lower by turning the broomstick the other way.

Wrist curls are not as effective as full movement wrist workout.
THESE ARE WH**ES! ...talk about a workout

Start riding BMX.....:D

THESE ARE WH**ES! ...talk about a workout

I have no freaking idea what that word is supposed to be,



start riding bmx


Yep

Start riding BMX.....:D


naw,just PRACTICE........

it's more about time spent on the bike then the bike itself.