Trial training session for beginner

[mess]

Hi I'm new here and new to trial. Have some enduro and street bikes background. Beta 250evo is my bike. Would like to ask how should look beginner training session? What exercises and how long or repetition during session should do to maximaze my learning curve?

Thanks for all inputs

[jonboy883]

If you are totally new, best way to get going is to find a more experienced training partner and start with follow the leader session around a small off road circuit, e.g around a wood or along a stream bed etc. 

 

This way , you see lines, body position and hear what the other rider is doing throttle wise. As you get a bit better then start to create sections and then practice.

do not start out on your own, you'll get demoralised too quickly, won't learn as quickly as you will from being given advice and the danger if you do something wrong.

where are you in the country?

 

[turbofurball]

If you contact some local clubs and ask for advice they may be able to find a volunteer to guide you - at my first couple of trials I had a 'minder' who helped me get started, and if I had the opportunity I'd love to do that for newer riders myself (I kinda do this for my other half, but she doesn't listen to me much, lol).  These days I mostly learn by watching and talking to other riders.

Entering trials is a steep but effective learning curve - expect not to be able to complete one right away.  You'll use muscles that aren't needed for street or enduro, and the riding techniques are very very different, so if you're unsure or nervous go for practice days first.

As mentioned above, don't go alone - you won't learn as much, and it's easy to come a cropper and get hurt.

[jonnyc21]

As above if you can find some riders to go with you will do best.

if you really can't get together with some other riders then you can start off with something like the Ryan Young training DVD and a video camera.  Watch the video, record yourself doing the moves, then compare that to the video.   Isn't as good as riding buddies but at least will show you more of what your doing good or bad at.  

[paulmac]

Ride ever tightening figure of eights slowly on flat ground without using the clutch then move onto a slope and do the same thing. Best training available 

[v1nn1e]

I'm in the same boat and doing the figure 8's, currently with my trail bike until I get a trials bike. Nearly got to full lock, leaning to the outside and with feet on the outside of the pegs and bike lent over a bit; it sounds ugly and it probably looks ugly too!

Also attempting wheelies using the fork compress/bounce technique; first time I've ever managed to get the front up standing up on the pegs but still miles away from finding the balance point.

Also very, very sloooooow riding heading towards stationary, but I've yet to get close to that!

The Western Districts Trials Club (Australia) videos on youtube are excellent - and very amusing too  just search for Basic Trials Training.

[turbofurball]

It's VERY different practicing that stuff on a trials bike, much closer to being on a mountain bike than a trail bike!

[v1nn1e]

Not got out on the TTR recently but just had it out in the driveway to practice static balance; engine off and tyre pressures right down.

Can only manage a few seconds but what I've learnt is that one tends to over correct. It reminds me of some other hobbies trying to control stuff and one has no 'feel' initially and one doesn't realise just how subtle are the required movements.

I've got to a stage were I'm butt-wiggling to try and reduce my movement and it's interesting how much moving your bum one way or the other can affect balance. But it's all about gaining that feel for what's required and just how slight the needed movements are to keep upright.

The problem for those giving advice is, I suspect, that the skill becomes subsumed into the sub conscious and becomes a muscle reflex to some extent, so it's difficult to explain to a beginner, where one is using one's conscious brain to determine what to do. This is why it is fatiguing until one has built up the brain patterns, as, to use a computer analogy, you are using real time CPU compared to just memory lookup to determine what to do.

[v1nn1e]

Here are some interesting links... (if you are in to this sort of thing that is!)

http://www.brainskills.co.uk/LearningMotorSkills.html

http://cobalt.rocky.edu/~paul.roper/Courses/PEH315/Engrams.pdf