>I learned to ride a unicycle about 25 years ago and haven't had one for
>about 20 years. I could ride forward, but never was able to ride
>backwards or idle. I tried idling with the pedals horizontal. I think I
>could easily brush up and be able to ride one again, but what would be
>the chances of learning to idle or ride backwards after all this time?
>Seems I read once that if you didn't learn these right away, you'd never
>be able to.....
Yes, it is best to learn to ride backwards soon after learning to
ride forward. This is due to the possibility of learning to ride with
poor posture and positioning of the legs. This can happen quite easily
when riding forward only. It can make subsequent attempts at riding
backward quite difficult. However, when learning to ride forward and
backward at nearly the same time, a posture and positioning of the
legs naturally develops that makes riding in either direction easy.
However, just because one didn't learn to ride backward immediately
after learning to ride forward, doesn't always mean bad habits were
learned. Even if poor riding habits were learned as a result of a
long period of forward only riding before attempting backward riding,
those bad habits can be over come with a little extra practice time
and determination.
Determination and persistence will overcome the backward riding and
idling wall to learning and any bad habits learned through prior
forward only riding. Just [try to] do it ... [Soon you will really be
doing it!]
Stay on Top,
Ken Fuchs <kfuchs@winternet.com>