I am just curios.
How did you learn to Dirt Jump?
- Thread starter TN
- Start date
Start little and go bigger over time. Expect to crash or at least scare the sh!t out of yourself a few times.
One thing that seems to help a lot is, don't just ride off the jump. Launch off it. Sort of do a bunny hop as the ramp is throwing your weight upwards, most of the time you should either be weightless or already in the air as the bike goes off the lip.
This way you are in control of the pitch and attitude of the bike in the air, rather than the pitch and attitude being forced on you by the lip of the jump. Once you have this down, you can start throwing down tricks and stuff.
If you start throwing tricks when you don't have air control yet, you end up on the ground a lot
This way you are in control of the pitch and attitude of the bike in the air, rather than the pitch and attitude being forced on you by the lip of the jump. Once you have this down, you can start throwing down tricks and stuff.
If you start throwing tricks when you don't have air control yet, you end up on the ground a lot
I was wondering if somenone can explain this.
I noticed to do a good jump, I don't just go in a straight line from launch to landing, but I make some kind of S-movement with my bike. This also feels much more natural, but I don't know what I actually do then, I just do it..
I noticed to do a good jump, I don't just go in a straight line from launch to landing, but I make some kind of S-movement with my bike. This also feels much more natural, but I don't know what I actually do then, I just do it..
i just crashed until i got it.
I think the main key is to not be scared. Start on a smaller tabletop (to eliminate the risk of casing real hard) at the BMX track and work your way up. Being relaxed is a big issue, you stay looser that way and you can flow with the jump.
As far as technique, I really couldn't tell you. I've been airborne for about 20 years now, so it's a completely natural thing for me to be in the air. I didn't start removing limbs or doing any tricks until I was about 13.
Like mtnbkngrl said, start small and work your way up.
As far as technique, I really couldn't tell you. I've been airborne for about 20 years now, so it's a completely natural thing for me to be in the air. I didn't start removing limbs or doing any tricks until I was about 13.
Like mtnbkngrl said, start small and work your way up.
I do the same thing. If I try to "dead sailor" a jump, I get scared. I have to move in some way shape or form when I'm in the air.
When I'm learning a double, however, I roll it slowly in the manner you described, in an "S". I was taught that years ago by a Pro at a clinic and it has always seemed to work for me.
Yeah I think I use a sorta S movement too. For me it's really a double arm pump.
As far as learning goes, I'm still learning. I'd say find a jump that is reasonably small and that you can roll. Work up to jumping it.
Learn how to case softly when possible.
As far as learning goes, I'm still learning. I'd say find a jump that is reasonably small and that you can roll. Work up to jumping it.
Learn how to case softly when possible.
tried and practiced. Start small, work up. If you aren't scaring the sh!t out of yourself and picking scabs the next day, you aren't learning
The local trails around here had a pretty good sized tabletop jump. I just started on it... Basically flying out on top of it. I went a little farther every time until I was clearing it. Then I moved on to doubles.
We need some better trails around here.
We need some better trails around here.
Learn to pump, that helped me a lot. The trick is to push down on the back side of the jump, it makes it a lot smoother. This works well with bumps to, you can get speed with out even pedaling, I recomend learning to pump on bumps before you try it on bumps. Oh ya the crashing thing is hella fun too.
-Ice Bullit
-Ice Bullit
I just tried. i prefer not to jump but if i am going to i just go for it and try to pull the rear up a little since i have a tendency of landing in a manual or just crashing. i have to say dj'ing does scare the living **** out of me. so much i avoid it as much as possible.
yes pumping is important. And yes often times its important to Pop off the lip (though not always IMHO). But i have to say the absolute most important thing with learning to DJ is learning how to fall. If i had to learn again i would just say get some skate park knee pads and be prepared to fall. The sooner you learn to bail without dying the better off your gonna be.
Oh ya, falling is definatly an art, you gota roll with your falls, as soon as you stop suddenly, thats when things start to hurt. For instance I crashed off a jump on Port Angelas, WA and rolled with it, a bruse thats about it. Oh ya pads help too.
-Ice Bullit
-Ice Bullit
im still learning
I have found some nice dj's on the trail I usually ride. I am always out there to do XC riding on my XC bike. I dont think I can do anything serious with my FS XC bike, but it is still fun & scary when clipped in. 
The thought of jumping while clipped to the pedals scares the sh!t outta me
what I do cannot seriously be considered DJing by any means.Originally posted by Echo
The thought of jumping while clipped to the pedals scares the sh!t outta me
My first double i just pedaled as hard as i could and over shot the landing on purpose. (on my BMX, it was like a 2 foot double so no worries there ) then i slowly learned to pump, and such.
still no tricks though
) then i slowly learned to pump, and such.still no tricks though
ya thats kinda how i hit my first doubles in the last year.
i just went faster than i hoped i would need
but then i slowed down too much knowing i would case..
i guess just expect to either go to fast or too slow and then adjust..
its hard to hit them up with the right speed until you know the rythm and such of dirt jumpin
i just went faster than i hoped i would need
but then i slowed down too much knowing i would case..
i guess just expect to either go to fast or too slow and then adjust..
its hard to hit them up with the right speed until you know the rythm and such of dirt jumpin
with a lot of pain and suffering...not like these wussy kids today using foam pits now...but I'm not bitter
We were pond jumping before foam pits were even thought of
That's right, and I got arrested for doing it at the Sportsmens lake where I grew up. I did a backflip back in 1985, Cru Jones style, with my red and white checkered California Lite pads and Airwalk shoes (actually we were jumping a crappy Kent into the pond barefoot).Originally posted by Echo
We were pond jumping before foam pits were even thought of
Yeah, my pond jumping memories go like this:
Me: "Dudes! Did you see that tabletop I just did?!"
Buddy #1: "It didn't look like you did anything."
Buddy #2: "I don't know what that was, but it sure wasn't a tabletop."
Buddy #3: "Maybe you should try a backflip!"
Me: "Dudes! Did you see that tabletop I just did?!"
Buddy #1: "It didn't look like you did anything."
Buddy #2: "I don't know what that was, but it sure wasn't a tabletop."
Buddy #3: "Maybe you should try a backflip!"
it's one thing to hit doubles and then hit a gap. at least with a gap, all you really need is speed, but buidling the courage and speed to clear it is kinda freaky, especially on a hardtail. at sea otter last year, i was pretty hesistent to hit the last gap at the bottom of the trail. first time i tried, i came up to the approach, but said, "hell no!" then i figured i roll down the lip but little did i know it was more of a straight drop then an easy roll....landed square on my nuts, heard everyone go "oooooooooooooo" avoided the gap the next 2 practice runs. Then on the actual run, I said "what the hell", pedaled my ass off and prayed that I would just clear it. And sure enough, i did, landy was a bit sketchy, but dammit, it felt great. the gap was no more than 15' but the point is, you can stick around the small ones all you want but there's a big difference between hitting the big ones and the small ones regardless of how many times and how good you are on the small jumps. doing this makes you understand just how badass the bmx dirt jumpers are.
like everyone said, launch off the jump, be confident and anticipate the landing. also expect to get hurt.
like everyone said, launch off the jump, be confident and anticipate the landing. also expect to get hurt.
Originally posted by Echo
Yeah, my pond jumping memories go like this:
Me: "Dudes! Did you see that tabletop I just did?!"
Buddy #1: "It didn't look like you did anything."
Buddy #2: "I don't know what that was, but it sure wasn't a tabletop."
Buddy #3: "Maybe you should try a backflip!"
I went to my local dirt jumps and just started doing it. There was no one there for me to watch before trying, so I was really doing it blind. Fortunately, I didn't crash, and was able to clear the first two jumps in the set by the end of the day.