Need some help with my jumping form... (pics)

**Savage_Animal** · 03-09-2008, 05:18 PM

So heres the deal:
Ok well this has been on my mind for looooong time. It seems like when I dirt jump, I just basicaly boost everything off the lip and then push the font down and lean over the bars. A few people I ride with have commented on how ****ty my jumping looks.

Here are a few pics from saturday:

But its not just on those jumps, here is another pic form a long time ago at sand hill:

Now I really wanted to fix my jumping style so I could get the basics down. Long story short, I met a really nice guy at the park today that gave me a ton of usefull advice on jumping. He told me about how if you pull the rear brake in the air your front end will dip down (which I did NOT know). He basicaly told me the most important part of dirt jumping is to

a) be able to roll over anything
b) being confident on your bike

So we wnet to some medium jumps and he showed me how I should manual them and kind of get a feel for that. He said its kind of like hucking, where you do like an air manual.

But I am really confused! I was trying to do some of the stuff and fell really hard. I got a minor concusion and split my lip really bad. So I am very frustrated at this point.

If you can see from the pictures, what should I try to chang? Can someone describe to me the right form for jumping. And help would be great!

**yesimaddicted** · 03-09-2008, 05:49 PM

its just sorta loosening up when in the air, how are rudger jumps?

**spacemanspiff06** · 03-09-2008, 05:59 PM

relax in the air. try turning the bars a little in the air or something to loosen you up.
it might be that your compensating for something funky with your launch. are you popping off the lip front then back tire or both at the same time?
you should be able to rotate naturally to get the front end down, it shouldn't look/feel forced.

**Savage_Animal** · 03-09-2008, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by yesimaddicted

its just sorta loosening up when in the air, how are rudger jumps?

Its the best they have been in years.

But serriously, I don't think it has anything to do with losening up in the air. I am perfectly loose, its just my actual form, like what I am doing and moving my body from the time I take off until the landing.

**Savage_Animal** · 03-09-2008, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by spacemanspiff06

relax in the air. try turning the bars a little in the air or something to loosen you up.
it might be that your compensating for something funky with your launch. are you popping off the lip front then back tire or both at the same time?
you should be able to rotate naturally to get the front end down, it shouldn't look/feel forced.

I have tried a few things like that, I am so far forward from my bad jumping style thant there is no way i can get the clearence for an x-up, so all i can do is turn the bars 90 degrees, I also can take my left hand off the bar about three inches, but no matter what I do I still look like **** in the air.

**freeridekid** · 03-09-2008, 06:24 PM

what do you mean you "boost everything off the lip?"

**Savage_Animal** · 03-09-2008, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by freeridekid

what do you mean you "boost everything off the lip?"

Like I try to get as much air off of it, like pulling the bike off the jump with me instead of letting the lip thow me in the air and flowing with it, and its hard for me not to do that.

**pHeller** · 03-09-2008, 06:38 PM

Can you guys try pushing the bike forward after launch?

I'm comfortable in the air but I'm not going nearly as big as you guys.

**freeridekid** · 03-09-2008, 06:43 PM

do you do that because you think you aren't going to clear the jump unless you yank it or what?

the best way to get through a jump safely is to pump the transition really well then just relax and let the jump launch you. if you want to boost it, just kind of pull the bars up with the lip, but not very hard.

maybe you need to think about leaning back a little to correct your leaning forward too much.

**Defenestrated** · 03-09-2008, 07:08 PM

get a few pics of yourself in the air when you are letting the lip do the work and see how they stack up.

**pHeller** · 03-09-2008, 07:24 PM

The bike looks as though its not in an upward motion.

If the jump is doing all the work, the bike should naturally want to tuck up under you. At least that's what I've felt, but I haven't done anything quite as big as your jumps.

**Savage_Animal** · 03-09-2008, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by Defenestrated

get a few pics of yourself in the air when you are letting the lip do the work and see how they stack up.

But what happens is if I am doing a set of jumps I let the first one do the work but my speed doesn't carry into the next one.

When I get better I will post some picts while I am trying to improve my form.

**demo 9** · 03-09-2008, 07:45 PM

you should practice on a small jump and just roll off it faster than u need to go. when u jump the bike should do what it would do with u not on it. (think of how it would go if u ghost rode it) also if u are afraid of casing and cant do that when u jump bronco and "pull" the back up. think of it like an ollie on a skateboard. and ya it looks like u are trying to hold a marble in ur ass so i would say to loosen up.

**Savage_Animal** · 03-09-2008, 07:54 PM

Thanks for the advice everyone. Can someone post a pic of someone with perfect form doing a jump from the side angle with no tricks or anything just so I can see what I should look like. thanks.

**demo 9** · 03-09-2008, 08:13 PM

think of the way a baseball has an arch. your bike should do the same.

sometimes a whip will help because as u throw the back out you can lean down toward the tranny to get it back