(Tips on Pumping)
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On 3/18/2002 john gilmour wrote in from 151.204.xxx.xxx:
Ryan- I certainly won't leave you out in the cold. Here is how I learned how to pump. First I learned the arm motion and timing from tic-tacking a regular kicktailed board. Then I got on a very short board with very loose trucks with quick turning geometry trucks. I used California slaloms at first- but Bennetts are a good choice as are Lasers. You'll have to buy an old junk deck to get these off ebay. if you try to learn to pump on a slower turning truck like a common street truck....I doubt you'll ever get it. indys turn slower than the above trucks and Tracker slower than that. Seismics would work well. If you want to make it easier you can run your trucks with both wedges thick ends pointed inwards- skinny sides to the tip and tail. Use soft grommets- hard urethane street grommets will make learning to pump almost impossible.
Then find an excellent surface..... note not a good surface but an EXCELLENT surface that is high traction. Some of that pink sidewalk stuff is really good- your street isn't a very good place to learn as it may have oil and antifreeze on it making it more slippery.
Try to turn the board while twisting the rear of the deck and pushing the board laterally.
If your timing is off you may have some difficulty getting this. To assist you can find a hill that is not steep enough to coast down.... but almost enought to keep going. Try pumping on this grade...if you can keep going- you are learning how to pump. your front foot tilts the deck and the back foot pushes it out to the side and down.
Then go to flat.
Then try an uphill.
If that does not work you may favor one side over another when pumping as many do.
So pick your favored side and try to pump in a very very very very large circle- at least 30 feet in diameter. your downforce has to match in timing to the lateral force and twisting motion and your hand motion. if that fails...... get a large deck like a fibreflex pintail- and bounce on that when you pump (this is bad habit though) once you get the rhythm you can go to a regular board.
Finally- and I feel this may or may not help....try a snake board. Finally tell us what worked for you- as we are all in suspense.
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On 3/18/2002 hc wrote in from 65.184.xxx.xxx:
funny you mentioned the snakeboard, i learned that before pumping, but watching 'pumping' at morro bay, recorded it on video, having others to slalom with and getting tips, have helped tremendously.
i feel that my experimental setup with an no RTC (springless seismic) frt truck is a great trainer, easy to pump, force you to point those toes forward...
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On 3/19/2002 john gilmour wrote in from 151.204.xxx.xxx:
Yeah that No RTC thing would almost force you to learn ankle angulation control and pump.
Ryan- think of how a snake moves in the sand. Or how a lizard walks. The lizard twists its body as it walks- we do the same thing standing upright on our boards. The snake has the tail lag behind the front in the way it moves its body and gerates "whip".
Watch the turner Downhill video and look at the bottom right panel at the start- there I am pumping fast and you'll see the motions come very close together in time..... this is not what you should be watching to get started and trying to start pumping like this will not result in forward motion- that is pumping in high gear.
First you have to learn some "low gear.. low speed pumping.
You'll see Dunn and I racing- Dunn is wearing light colors. He is riding a near parallel stance which is an advanced pumping stance. I am riding surf stance which is easier for beginners to learn. When I ride a course I will often change my stance in the course so it is good to know several styles. Dunns stance requires more force from the hips whereas surf style requires more from the legs.
Chaput is shown next in all dark colors. He is using his arms a lot- this is a really good thing to do when learning how to generate speed at first as everything has to help to get going. Chaput uses very little up down motion in this video- he uses mostly legs and arms to generate speed..
Jack Smith is next in Blue. He shows clean form and a powerful style using hips legs and glutes to generate speed even with a tighter stance. He does use some up and down motion. He has some of the better form for tight slalom.
The next shot of Dunn and I is no good for learning as both of us have stopped pumping and are preparing for the crack in the road. The next shot of my pumping in the right course shows the "whip" for fast pumping- you'll see Martin Drayton next in the left course using mostly hip and arm motion to generate speed. The next dual with Paul and I is really good because we have low speed at the start watch the movements and imitate those hand and hip movements we do in the first few gates to get your board going from a slow jog pace.
hope this helps-
...thank Glen Darcy....