jumping on the balls of your feet

[YZ125motoracer]

NY has some good tracks. Walden, ACE, Diamondback, Claverack, Southwoods, Rockey Hill (in CT), are all within driving distance for me

[oppo]

Originally Posted by mxmama

I know, I have yet to figure out if thats a good thing or not

Hope it helps you in the future... it helped me! (well US)

lots of good info. that will save a few people from buying overpriced boots that dont meet their needs (me being one) deffinitly wont be getting a pair of alpinestars, lol

[CRF_Carnage]

Just to touch on this old topic... You should ride on the balls of your feet through rough sections and as well over smaller jumps. A good practice to get into is to ride on the balls of your feet going up the face of the jump and lifting your feet and moving the peg to the arch in the air. Unfortunately some basic riders do not have the strength in there calf muscles to land on the balls of there feet. The reasoning for riding on the balls is so you don't get your foot jammed if it comes off the peg and goes forward... If you are on the balls of your feet you have the natural pivot of your ankle to help allow you to absorb the terrain without being harsh on your legaments and such.

Just my input hehehe.. NEWBY info ...

[dhighlan]

Originally Posted by YZ125motoracer

"A general rule is that if you are not using the shifter or the brake, you should be on the balls of your feet. When you need to use the shifter or brake, move to the arches of your feet, then back to the balls of your feet when you are done." --Gary Semics

This is a mis-quote of Gary Semics (little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing) I his video #3 "The Art of Jumping and Whoops" He specifically states to move your feet so that the arches are to be on the pegs when landing off a hard jump so you don't hurt or brake your ankles.

Moving is a constant thing back and forth from arches to balls of your feet.

[YZ125motoracer]

Originally Posted by CRF_Carnage

Unfortunately some basic riders do not have the strength in there calf muscles to land on the balls of there feet.

i must have strong calf muscles

[grides]

Having injured both ankles several times in the past 2 years, once a slight talus fracture - I really wish I had read this earlier. Ride on the balls of your feet, land on the middle of your foot.

[Grieby54]

Originally Posted by ossagp1

Some of you may remember watching Jeremy McGrath lift his foot off the peg and raise it up to press against the side of his machine to position it in mid air. Most of us shouldn't do that, and most of us shouldnt land really large jumps on the balls of our feet either.

Why shouldn't we? I have very few pictures where my feet actually are on the pegs mid air...






And when they are on the pegs, they're generally on the arches


Maybe that's just my style though...

[dhighlan]

Operative word being most of us.
Glad you're landing with your aches on the pegs or you will be walking like I do (Penguin) at an early age.

[Grieby54]

Originally Posted by dhighlan

Operative word being most of us.
Glad you're landing with your aches on the pegs or you will be walking like I do (Penguin) at an early age.

By saying "Most of us" I assumed he was referring to the average rider, or those who aren't exceptionally talented. And I'm definitely no Jeremy McGrath...

[dhighlan]

Well by the looks of things your mastery of jumping seems to be coming along just fine.

I think the point was not to teach a jumping technique that could sway inexperienced riders to think this is a technique to replicate in order to become a better jumper. To teach it would be sort of irresponsible, and as you said it is more of a style.

[Grieby54]

Originally Posted by dhighlan

Well by the looks of things your mastery of jumping seems to be coming along just fine.

I think the point was not to teach a jumping technique that could sway inexperienced riders to think this is a technique to replicate in order to become a better jumper. To teach it would be sort of irresponsible, and as you said it is more of a style.

Gotcha

[ossagp]

that right foot off the peg definitely "looks" Mcgrath. The first time I saw him do that he looked to me like he was using his foot to fine tune the attitude of the bike. (He was up there so long that you could see it really well). So I think he would like it.

Guys like Bob Hannah made being on the balls of your feet famous. He wasn't the first one to use it of course, but he was one of the first ones that I saw quoted on it. He used it for virtually any landing. Bikes changed (suspension) and tracks too. Like Dhi, I think Semics is misquoted. If you listen to his videos his narration sometimes leaves things out in ONE place too. Like many things you have to listen to the whole thing or read the WHOLE thing in it's entirety, and digest it there.

[dhighlan]

I watch a video with MC and he stated he could do just that. He stated he could control the height of the front and by hooking his heel under the number panel and lifting the rear thus lowering the front end exactly where he wanted it to match his landing. He said it had way more control than using the rear brake to lower the front end...Talent.

[ossagp]

Yeah, when I saw him do it the first time it was like watching a chef put the finishing touches on something just before sending it out.

[dhighlan]

Yeah was working along and doing this myself but something happen......the alarm went off and my wife told me to get my lazy butt up it was time to get ready for work!

[Grieby54]

Practice makes perfect... it's really easier than it may look.

As a disclaimer though I hope you have a company to sponsor you for number backings, because I am very hard on those things with my wandering feet.

[The Baron]

I don't generally take my feet off the pegs in the air unless I need to. If the bike kicks I will take a foot off and move the rear end around as needed, like Griebster does. Actually I'm usually hooking my heels more than I am on the pegs, but the feet are normally not very far from the pegs.

I had one incident where I hit a gnarly rut as I left a step up triple. The rear kicked hard to the left and I instinctually used my left foot to push the rear of the bike back underneath me.

I guess it just becomes second nature after a while.

Oh, arches for landing, toes while standing through rough straights.

[ossagp]

Yeah, I wondered why McGrath's always looked nice and fresh.

[dhighlan]

Sam
Old dogs have a hard time with new tricks. The jumping revolution took place after my hiatus. So huge air now just kinda freaks me out...I know it is kinda stupid but I can go through trees at 40mph but 30ft in the air make it so a jackhammer wouldn't have a chance.

[ossagp]

Even back in the days of short suspension, there was jumping. Actually some pretty big ones, that took lots of speed. The difference was the approach, the landing (a big percent of the time, lots of room). The difference now is that even on the outdoors and even in Europe the amount of big jumps you find. It sells, and with the developement of the bikes it works.

Supercross jumps used to require more speed to clear things than it does now. For safety reasons the jumps were changed for the better. The speed that I feel is greater is vertical descent. It takes a different type of developed skill for that. The downward force, no matter how well damped has increased. Getting that landing attitude right has changed in it's importance to where you might need it 12 times a lap instead of low single digits, especially at the SX/National level.

In my opinion a guy looking for more speed could spend his time better at the amateur level than trying to perfect something you do with one foot off the peg. If however what you do with that one foot gives you confidence and fits a rider's style, then it is more worth it. One size doesnt have to fit all.