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Balance?
Jun 17, 2007 by Locke

I've been grinding ledges almost exclusively, mostly because I can't jump high enough to hit handrails. However, this makes my balance all out of whack, because whenever I hit a rail, I'm leaning sideways like I'm on a ledge, and I can't stay on it very long. Any tips on how to counteract this?
Replies

Jun 17, 2007xJeremiahx

It's all in practice. Pick up a practice rail or a piece of PVC pipe and practice grinding on those round grinding surfaces. Your ballance will improve with time. If you watched the video of me doing that backside on the 20 foot rail, that took me a lot of tries. I did 1/2 the rail over 30 times.

Jun 17, 2007RamenRadio

Get a practice rail, and keep on raising it higher and higher. Try that.

Jun 17, 2007sam

Ha, I had that exact same problem when trying to hit my very first shopping cart rail.

First, I found this sick table in my tech class with a metal side bar that was about hip-height, and learned to jump on that.

Then I found a hip height rail and could jump on it but only grind it for a few seconds untill i learned how to go back foot first.

Jun 17, 2007SapAuthor

Umm...the guy was talking about ledges not rails :P

Ledges are harder to stay on because your shoe has to be at an angle, and that usually means you are at an angle too and fall off. Watch some of the SOAP vids, one of them the guy goes down a large stair ledge. The secret i think (and this isn't from expreience) is to try to have ur feet bent as far up as possible, so you are straight up and ur feet are bent at an angle.

I know they do some good ledges in the video, i say it's better to see than read.

Jun 17, 2007Locke

Actually Trey, I was talking about rails. I've gotten used to bending my feet at an angle for ledges, but I instinctually do the same thing for rails, which makes me fall off them. :v

Jun 18, 2007Rynasty

A good way to make sure that you're getting on top of the rail is to jump so that if you do have to bail, you bail on the other side of the rail.

Jun 18, 2007RamenRadio

Take it from Rynasty, he knows what he's talking about man.

Jun 18, 2007SapAuthor

Sorry for the mistake.

As for rails, i found that the best way for me to do it is to try to land on the rail straight up (run almost parrallel to the rail and jump way above it and don't connect till i'm at the top of my jump). Meh, seems to work better than going at more of an angle and having to deal with momentum, but it's only possible for not extremely high rails.

Jun 18, 2007MusicSoaper

The first thing that you do could be a little dangerous if you are trying that with a non-inclined rail, but that's just my thoughts. But you might want to get used to the fast speeds for just experience and getting better at grinding a lot of things.

Jun 20, 2007Slidey

If your having problems with regular balance, It might be a good idea to try some of the balancing excersizes that traceurs or freerunners do to improve thier balance. I know it greatly improved mine.
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