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Basic BMX Tricks
Bunny hop | X-Up | 180 | One Footer/No Footer | One Hander/No Hander
BUNNY HOP
The Bunny Hop is the basis of almost all BMX tricks and is essential to learn. To do a bunny hop you must pull up your handle bars causing your front end to lift off of the ground or jump, while your front end of the bike is elevated jump while having a solid grip on the bars to elevate your back end. While both ends are elevated try to straighten your bike out by pushing forward slightly on the bars. Try to land back wheel first and let your front end gently hit the ground. If you land both wheels at a time you could hurt your wrists. Bunny hops are used on either flat ground or to get as much air as possible off a jump. This picture shows a bunny hop off a jump in sequential order.
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X-UP
The X-UP is usually done off of a dirt jump or a park jump so don't try this on flat ground unless you can do a 3 foot bunny hop. First you have to know how to hit a jump with a bunny hop, once you have that down you can begin attempting the X-UP. Approach the jump with speed and hit the jump as you usually would but instead of keeping your bars straight turn the bars one half turn while keeping a hold on them. No matter what way you turn the bars your arms will result in the form of an "X" hence the name X-UP. The picture shows the beginning of an X-UP. Once you have made the "x" quickly bring the bars back and land clean.
180°
A 180° is very self explanatory If you didn't already guess it is when you and your bike perform a 180 degree spin or a half rotation. It doesn't take much explaining except that you have to bunny hop, turn and shift your weight in the direction you want to turn. 180°s are usually performed on banks or off of a jump. The picture shows a 180° being done on a bank.
One Footer/No Footer
Once again both of these tricks are self explanatory but it is how your feet must be set up in order to perform them. Both tricks must be performed off of a jump. The picture shows a no footer.
ONE FOOTER
For a one footer your cranks (arms pedals are attached to) should be vertical meaning that one leg will be straight one will be bent. After you are set up hit the jump and take the foot of the bent leg off the pedal and extend your leg. After you have extended your leg put it back on the pedal land and ride away clean.
NO FOOTER
To do a no footer your cranks must be horizontal or level. Once you are in position and have hit the jump take both feet off the pedals and extend both legs. After you have held the trick as long as you are comfortable put both feet back on the pedals, land and ride away clean.
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One Hander/No Hander
Again both very self explanatory tricks that must be performed off of a jump.
ONE HANDER
Of the two this one is considerably easier and takes almost no explanation. First approach a jump with speed, hit the jump, and while in air take one hand off of the handle bars and put it back on before you land. A variation of this trick is the "one hander lander." In this trick you do a regular one hander but instead of placing your hand back on the bars you land with one hand still off your bike.
NO HANDER
This trick is a little more difficult to do than a one hander so make sure you have one handers on lockdown before you try a no hander. To do this trick you must approach the jump with a good amount of speed, hit the jump and while in air pinch the seat between your legs and take both hands off your bike. It is very important that you pinch the seat between your legs because if you don't the bike will fall out from under you. After you have had your hands off for as long as you are comfortable put both hands back on the bike and release the seat pinch, land and ride away clean.
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