gripping bike with legs

[oilspot]

When I went out riding this weekend I made it a point to try to "grab my bike with my knees/ legs"
I wasn't using a death grip on the bike but within no time at all my legs felt like jelly.
It's wednesday afternoon and my legs are still a little sore.
What am I doing wrong???

 

[Okiewan]

Building leg muscle? Keep it up.

 

[oilspot]

ouch!!! I guess I don't pinch much between my legs so those muscles probably aren't worth a crap.

 

[whenfoxforks-ruled]

Need more practice,it will help the soreness! Mark Barnett used to run up and down the sand dunes at lake michigan,with Walter Payton! They had some big thighs.

 

[150rguy]

Just do ot every time you ride and it will go away after a while.

 

[mandark1967]

When I went out riding this weekend I made it a point to try to "grab my bike with my knees/ legs"
I wasn't using a death grip on the bike but within no time at all my legs felt like jelly.
It's wednesday afternoon and my legs are still a little sore.
What am I doing wrong???

Sounds like you're working muscles that aren't used to being worked. You're doing it right. As previous poster said, keep it up.

 

[SteveinSpringHill]

Just keep at it, you can also get a smaller workout ball and do isometric work with it. Using those knees and squeezing is a big part of bike control. Here's a couple of photo's (links) showing my son jumping. 1st shot was the 1st lap on a groomed track earlier in the day he was hitting the jumps with kickers, leaning back and hitting them. His position was bad but he came out ok (but front wheel high).
http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts...hoto=02UH003C000027&start=0&album=0&adjust=-1

This photo you can see where he was squeezing and pushing the front back down (with knees) and he hit the downside perfect. No need for brake tapping when you can stay up in the attack position.
http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts...hoto=02UH003C000034&start=0&album=0&adjust=-1

 

[150rguy]

IS your son hitting the big tripples?

 

[SteveinSpringHill]

No not yet he's only 9 and been riding right at a year. Those pictures were taken on a 25' table going into a corner. There's a 35' table before the one in the photo's, he's doing that one also. But the photographer had good light at the top of this table.

I've never pushed him to jump, I knew it would take time for him to build his confidence. Every kid is different some were jumping big before mine BUT once the track get's rutted up and jump faces get kickers most won't. Jake is confident in his body position and technique that that will get him thru some of those rougher areas and jumps.

You have to know you have full control of that bike and can move it how ever needed in every situation. If there's a doubt keep working and look for good instruction, if there's an A rider at a track ask him to watch you where you think your sketchy. Around here these guys are willing to help and like that younger kids look to them for advice.

 

[150rguy]

Do you guys have a private track to practice at or anything?

 

[SteveinSpringHill]

Yes a couple of private tracks and Croom Forest, which is pretty much a whooped out big sand pit. We hit that in the evenings, it's mainly older kids training for racing in there at that time. Way better than the nut jobs on quads going in every which direction, on the weekend afternoons.

He does 2 MX schools a week, one in St. Pete and the other is at Dade City (FL.) And I try and get a couple hours of private instruction every couple of weeks.

 

[150rguy]

Your son sure sounds like hes gonna get fast, with all the training and things you guys are doing. How old is he? 9?

 

[CHR!S]

Your son sure sounds like hes gonna get fast, with all the training and things you guys are doing. How old is he? 9?

No not yet he's only 9 and been riding right at a year

 

[SpeedyManiac]

For a great leg workout, add Hindu Squats to your routine. Easy to do, requiring no equipment, and they're extremely effective.

 

[knowiam]

Then Thar'z that Suzanne Sommer's Thigh Master thing... err was that the "7minute abs"? [comes with the gaarrentee that if you're not satisfied, you get the extra minute free!] :rotfl:

Keep gripping the bike the way you are... :nod:

Ken

 

[150rguy]

He does 2 MX schools a week, one in St. Pete and the other is at Dade City (FL.) And I try and get a couple hours of private instruction every couple of weeks.

I bet thats not cheap! I raced this afternoon in supermini,
my dad said I could since im not supposed to be riding yet. At the start I was comin around the first corner, about to get the holeshot when some kid on a suzuki comes out of no where and hits my back wheel, making me crash into a kid on a yamaha. Our bikes were tangled up for a minute, but I started mine and got it going. I passed a kid, ten fell again then passed the kid again. I eneded up getting third to last place, So Im hoping to do A mx school soon.

 

[fisco]

Some guys grip with their knees more than others. One of my riding buddies, uses mostly his hands. He tends to come off a lot. Especially in cornering whilst accelerating.

Plus you get much nastier hand blisters.