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My RE-learning is coming along... I guess (new day 3 update 11.15.16)


Greg Spalding

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I used parallel bars two decades ago when I first started to learn to ride :laughbounce2:

Can't believe I am sharing this stupid video. No educational value whatsoever! :whistling:

 

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3 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

Can't believe I am sharing this stupid video. [...]

I don't think it is stupid at all. The educational value is that everyone is a beginner at one point. I actually enjoy watching videos where people learn while I think about how to go about when teaching others. Thanks, @Rehab1!

EDIT: Did you also use the bars for learning to ride backwards?

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2 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

I used parallel bars two decades ago when I first started to learn to ride :laughbounce2:

Can't believe I am sharing this stupid video. No educational value whatsoever! :whistling:

 

love this video

HAPPY you shared it with us

hmmmmm.... all the local orthos are my friends, after 25 years of practicing peds around here

maybe i have an idea.

thank you, once again

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I know exactly the feeling you are talking about Greg, it's the anxiety about falling and a lack of confidence.  Even after I was able to stay on the wheel consistently I would still have these weird moments where I would feel tension on one side of my body that would culminate in a lack of balance that made me feel like I was on the edge of falling.  If you are feeling you are going too fast and losing control that is another reason to use the training wheel. It's slow and even if you crashed it at "full speed" the damage would be minimal.  It is twitchy to ride but if you can stay on the small wheel, the bigger ones will feel easier.

As far as the mounting stuff, my videos show the struggles I had with it.  Up until two weeks ago I was still doing a rather frantic hop up with my foot instead of being able to step on the pedal in a controlled way.  I know you have seen my videos regarding it.  The way to make it "click" in your head is doing the one step drill.  Put your one foot on the bot with your leg snug up against it.  Then on that same leg, bend your knee slightly while at the same time moving that knee inward a bit. 

This locks the wheel to your leg.  You can tell you have it right if you can stand on the ground with one foot and be able to swing the wheel in half circles with your locked in leg.  You then start the one step drill where you just take a step forward while the leg is locked on the bot, repeatedly.  Eventually you will start to feel that balance point where you can coast on one leg briefly while you bring the other on board.

If you are having problems controlling the speed make sure your feet are well positioned on the pedals.  What I read is ideal is the hinge of the pedal being more or less aligned with the middle of your foot.  If your feet are too far forward you will feel like you keep accelerating, unintentionally. 

Oh one other thing, a lot of beginners, including myself, make the mistake of looking down at their feet while riding, thinking that will make them more able to correct their balance.  The opposite is true.  Look forward, in the direction you want to go.  You will find it makes a dramatic difference.

If all else fails, watch my videos again or drive down to Naples. :)

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1 minute ago, Duf said:

I know exactly the feeling you are talking about Greg, it's the anxiety about falling and a lack of confidence.  Even after I was able to stay on the wheel consistently I would still have these weird moments where I would feel tension on one side of my body that would culminate in a lack of balance that made me feel like I was on the edge of falling.  If you are feeling you are going too fast and losing control that is another reason to use the training wheel. It's slow and even if you crashed it at "full speed" the damage would be minimal.  It is twitchy to ride but if you can stay on the small wheel, the bigger ones will feel easier.

As far as the mounting stuff, my videos show the struggles I had with it.  Up until two weeks ago I was still doing a rather frantic hop up with my foot instead of being able to step on the pedal in a controlled way.  I know you have seen my videos regarding it.  The way to make it "click" in your head is doing the one step drill.  Put your one foot on the bot with your leg snug up against it.  Then on that same leg, bend your knee slightly while at the same time moving that knee inward a bit. 

This locks the wheel to your leg.  You can tell you have it right if you can stand on the ground with one foot and be able to swing the wheel in half circles with your locked in leg.  You then start the one step drill where you just take a step forward while the leg is locked on the bot, repeatedly.  Eventually you will start to feel that balance point where you can coast on one leg briefly while you bring the other on board.

If you are having problems controlling the speed make sure your feet are well positioned on the pedals.  What I read is ideal is the hinge of the pedal being more or less aligned with the middle of your foot.  If your feet are too far forward you will feel like you keep accelerating, unintentionally. 

Oh one other thing, a lot of beginners, including myself, make the mistake of looking down at their feet while riding, thinking that will make them more able to correct their balance.  The opposite is true.  Look forward, in the direction you want to go.  You will find it makes a dramatic difference.

If all else fails, watch my videos again or drive down to Naples. :)

Duf,

Thank you for all of that. I learned much from watching your videos and I think my learning experiences paralleled yours more than some of the other folks around here seem to be able to ride 30 miles one day 2.  I'm going back out there in a little bit to continue my training and I will report back later. 

I appreciate every bit of your advice and encouragement and I know only too well how important it is to look in front of you down the road instead of down at the wheel as one would you want a bicycle or motorcycle. My brain is having trouble making me do that, of course. Also, I need to keep my upper body more "STILL" because somehow when I think I'm losing control I started waving my arms all over the placeLike a lot of people have done like some kind of out-of-control robot from LOST IN SPACE in the 1960s.

I'm a go out there give it another shot but I will come visit you in Naples one day we will go for a great ride together. I would enjoy that very much

Again, thank you

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***Update from day three ***

____________________________

Middle of a large parking lot

Training wheel only

Wife to encourage and help

I started off each time by holding her hand because there were no polls and there were no railings... I just rode

The longest distance... 100 m

Felt comfortable but of course longer I went the more my brain kept telling me, "you can't do this! Please fall off immediately!" :P

I protected the wheel mostly but it did get away from me twice and I did fall forward once I had my wrist guards on it may saved my hands because this is a very rough parking lot as opposed to the rubberized sports court I was training the first two days

Observations:

1.  my brain is beginning to work in the right direction to allow me to do this

2.  it is hard to just look up and not down but I know that that is what is necessary... I am getting better at it

3.  for whatever reason I seem to be veering off to the right the longer I go... This could be from a few reasons I guess:

    a.  I am bending my right leg more than my left

    b.  I am leaning more to the right

    c.  I am crooked :D

 4.  I can see now especially knowing that have your wheels like the ones I own in my signature will be easier to ride and I was able to ride longer distances than I imagined I would on the training wheel (the less expensive wheel) which surprised me a lot because I seem to be able to begin where I left off on the MCM about 42 hours ago because I did not ride yesterday

5.  I am going to subscribe to the theory of only working out for 45 minutes twice a day do not tire myself out but I do see progress being made this was essentially only my fifth session and I could already ride hundred meters. Please don't misunderstand me, I didn't feel very comfortable during that 100 m ride because I always felt like I was just a second away from flying off into a tree for whatever reason.

6.  I even remembered to breathe while riding... On the 100 m ride I may have INHALED TWICE.... LOL

_____________________________________________________________________

No video today because my wife was walking long distances to go to where I had stopped just so I could hold your hand and right off again because there was nothing to hold onto.

In the end, I was encouraged. I am going to wrap up a little bit more tightly that less expensive wheel because it does take quite a beating on that rough pavement of that particular parking lot.

______________________________________________________________________

I will eventually learn how to turn obviously now I just wonder why I keep veering off to the right

Thanks for everyone's encouragement

 

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5 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

I used parallel bars two decades ago when I first started to learn to ride :laughbounce2:

Can't believe I am sharing this stupid video. No educational value whatsoever! :whistling:

 

You were riding wheels two decades ago? Whoa, you've been holding out on everyone ;-)

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6 hours ago, Snurre said:

I don't think it is stupid at all. The educational value is that everyone is a beginner at one point. I actually enjoy watching videos where people learn while I think about how to go about when teaching others. Thanks, @Rehab1!

EDIT: Did you also use the bars for learning to ride backwards?

Thanks buddy! Yes  I did actually use the bars to gain some confidence on going backwards before attempting it solo. I could easily ride back and forth between the bars 20 times within a minute to reinforce my muscle memory and sensory feedback. I think it helped. No head injuries yet:clap3:

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2 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

You were riding wheels two decades ago? Whoa, you've been holding out on everyone ;-)

Did you see those dual wheels? Omg it feels like decades!:)

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3 hours ago, Duf said:

If you did 100 meters without falling things should improve quickly from there.

I am praying you are correct

But I have a very strong-willed brain like most of us that keeps telling me otherwise :D

I'm sure you have experienced it as well... Here I am riding around doing pretty well and all of a sudden my brain tells me I cannot do this and then it's over... We are fighting many battles trying to learn this new skill

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On 15/11/2016 at 10:12 AM, Duf said:

Hell I even have a hard time convincing Cindy to put the stuff on.

Funnily enough, I think I recall that WE may have had, "A hard time convincing you to put the stuff on." Prior to your own wee tumble...

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On 15.11.2016 at 4:39 PM, Greg Spalding said:

***Update from day three ***

I started off each time by holding her hand because there were no polls and there were no railings... I just rode

The longest distance... 100 m

 

This is o.k. for day 3, be patient. 

For me at the very beginning it helped a lot more to hold somebody's hand who was running with me, than holding on rails or something, but this may be different for every person.

Do that what you think helps you most.

On 15.11.2016 at 4:39 PM, Greg Spalding said:

Felt comfortable but of course longer I went the more my brain kept telling me, "you can't do this! Please fall off immediately!" :P

Don't allow your brain to interact, for this kind of movement it is to slow and too full of doubts.  Try to think away and let your body act like your lungs - try to explain your brain that it also does not actively participate in breathing.

 

On 15.11.2016 at 4:39 PM, Greg Spalding said:

 I am going to subscribe to the theory of only working out for 45 minutes twice a day do not tire myself out but I do see progress being made this was essentially only my fifth session and I could already ride hundred meters. Please don't misunderstand me, I didn't feel very comfortable during that 100 m ride because I always felt like I was just a second away from flying off into a tree for whatever reason.

The main bad thing are the doubts.  If you believe strong enough (equals that you KNOW) that it will work, then it will work. That's a fact which I have experienced in so many even unbelievable situations in my life, that I meanwhile just take it for granted. Do not try to believe, but believe, know.  Thats the strongest power, even if it may sound strange for the average civilized human.

Good luck, and I wish you a lot better weather than we have here.

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3 hours ago, HermanTheGerman said:

This is o.k. for day 3, be patient. 

For me at the very beginning it helped a lot more to hold somebody's hand who was running with me, than holding on rails or something, but this may be different for every person.

Do that what you think helps you most.

Don't allow your brain to interact, for this kind of movement it is to slow and too full of doubts.  Try to think away and let your body act like your lungs - try to explain your brain that it also does not actively participate in breathing.

 

The main bad thing are the doubts.  If you believe strong enough (equals that you KNOW) that it will work, then it will work. That's a fact which I have experienced in so many even unbelievable situations in my life, that I meanwhile just take it for granted. Do not try to believe, but believe, know.  Thats the strongest power, even if it may sound strange for the average civilized human.

Good luck, and I wish you a lot better weather than we have here.

i'm ever so appreciative about this fantastic message from you

great advice.... so hard to disconnect from our brains.... to just let it all happen

i spend my life relying on my brain but being autonomous from it as i allow all of this to happen sounds like the very best idea

thank you so much

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Herman was getting quite deep there.  But to put it more succinctly, and quoting two other (albeit fake) Germans from Saturday Night Live:

Hans 'n franz  in bad German accent "Hear me now, believe me later"

Regardless, we're all here to do this for you, emotionally:

 

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