Do you want to learn how to ride a one wheel? If so, this is the article for you! Suppose you’ve ever looked at a onewheel or are planning to get one. In that case, it’s fair to say that onewheel is totally different from ordinary or electric skateboards.
The only familiar part is that it has a deck and can be used for transport. Rest are all differences. Riding a onewheel isn’t as easy as an electric skateboard. You need to change your stance and your riding habits altogether.
We’ll be discussing the tips and details to “How to ride a Onewheel” in this article.
Let’s start.
Riding a Onewheel: Steps to follow
Let’s consider that you’re a professional skater but are now looking to try a new device or looking for a unique experience. A onewheel is perfect equipment to do that. The same is the case for a person trying to skate for the first time. You just need to follow these simple steps:
1. Wear protective gear
Safety comes first, and you need to have some sort of protective gear on. I’m sure that you want to avoid bruises and broken bones while riding a onewheel. The perfect way to ensure safety is to first get a good quality helmet.
Some people might think that they have become pro at riding a onewheel or a transport device like this, but most of the time, an accident takes place due to the fault of others. You need to make sure that you’re doing the right thing.
The second thing you need is padding for your elbows and knees. These protect you from any road rash or cuts. The fact that falling from a onewheel rather than a skateboard is more common and dangerous makes taking these precautions even more necessary.
Additional stuff for a safe ride is gloves and wrist guards that can be even better for your hands.
2. Find your front foot
Finding your front foot means the foot you’ll be placing forwards while riding a onewheel. Leading with your left foot is normal and common while using your right is unique, but whatever suits you is best.
Deciding which foot you should put on the front is easy, and you don’t need any traditional tests. The simplest tip to decide is by riding your onewheel both ways.
You need to go forwards and backward with the different feet in front. The ride that feels more natural and less awkward will determine your front foot. It’s important to note that riding a onewheel will initially feel unusual. You might think that you don’t know what your front foot is, but you’ll eventually get your answer after riding a while.
You should always have that foot leading, which feels more stable and gives you more comfort when moving on your onewheel.
3. Selecting the right stance
With a wheel at the center of the deck, standing on onewheel isn’t the same as on an electric skateboard.
It’s all about balance with onewheel. Most people feel that a wide stance will help them have a stable stance. However, it’s totally the opposite because it is easy for you to speed up or apply brakes when you keep your feet closer to the wheel.
With a wide stance, you feel the jumps with more intensity. It gets difficult when you accelerate or decelerate onewheel.
The best way to select the right stance is by starting from the middle. Move your front foot from the middle and point it forwards along with its toe. This will provide you with a comfortable and steadier ride.
4. Getting on the Onewheel
To mount onewheel is the first step, and you need to make it perfect to continue. Getting on is very simple. It is recommended that you should take support of an object like a wall or even a person. This will give you support, and you can balance yourself on the onewheel.
If you’re alone, it’s better to practice it on the grass, where any potential injury is minimized in case of falling down.
Now step up on the onewheel with your front foot slightly higher. Then push your front foot down. This will activate the motor.
Sometimes the motor doesn’t start because two sensors need to be activated. Ensure that you keep your foot flat so that the board starts and doesn’t stop during a ride. This might take some time at the start, but with practice, it gets better.
5. Getting off the Onewheel
Once you get on onewheel, you obviously need to get off as well. However, it is simpler than mounting onewheel.
Once you decide that it’s time to get off, simply bend your knees and jump with both feet. It is better if you jump backward. Sometimes you won’t jump with both feet, which may disturb your landing. This gets better when you regularly practice.
Getting off is more like a knee-jerk action. You can practice it even on the ground. Just stand with your right stance, and once you bend your knees, hop-off. Do these steps on onewheel, and you’ll master the art of getting off onewheel.
6. Accelerating and Braking
Accelerating or slowing down depends on how you lean on onewheel. If you want to move forwards or go uphill, lean forward, and when slowing down, lean backward. The more you learn, the more your onewheel will go in that direction.
Braking too hard will lead to tail drag, which isn’t bad as you might need it for emergency stoppages. You just need to practice the right way to lean while in your stance.
Some people suggest that you stand on onewheel with your body upwards. Still, leaning moves your center of gravity downwards, providing more stability.
Once you’ve learned this, start using your hips more than the whole body. This is easier for the body and will save your energy.
At first, these movements may seem awkward, but gradually your mind and body will accept them.
7. Making turns
Turning on onewheel is similar to accelerating it or using brakes. You just need to tilt your hips toe-wise or heel-wise. It’s suitable to learn to move straight and then go for turns.
As you often practice on a onewheel, the motion gets stable, and taking turns gets comfortable.
8. Practice
It is probably the most common saying, but practice makes things perfect. As you give more time to tide on a onewheel, your body starts accepting the changes, and the movement then becomes automatic.
Start giving more time to this process, and you’ll become a pro at riding onewheel.
Final Words – Wrapping It Up
Riding on onewheel and a skateboard are pretty different, but practice makes it better if you want to learn on either of them. Just get the movements mentioned above right, and you’ll master the art of riding a onewheel.
Keep in mind that adjusting your body to this new method of transport will take some time, but there’s no denying that it is beneficial. You shouldn’t forget to wear protective gear every time you ride a onewheel.
