Body Positioning Tips

["Dangerous" Dan K]

For those of you with good body position, how do you do it?! If I make a really conscious effort to lead with my shoulder and not ride crossed up I can do it, but as soon as I start flying I get my hands full and forget, and end up crossed up again. Waiting for pics to confirm but I'm pretty sure.

I'm also dragging bike parts before my knee, every time. I probably drag the bike 6x/lap and my knee 1-2 times/lap. This is the #1 thing I want to work on right now.

6 Suggested I secure the bike upright and practice hanging off it without my hands, which I will do. Just wondering if anyone has any tips that helped them get over this. It's no big deal in the 30's, but running 27's it's becoming an issue.

Also, anyone who has or sees any pics of me doing this, I'd appreciate a link - or post them up for public critique. I am willing to take any shit that comes my way over it, I just want to fix this.

Here's the only picture example I have at the moment, but I assure you it gets much worse. I'm not sure which turn this is, but I think it's 1 (edit, it's the bowl, thanks Doc). You can see I'm basically on the bike, a bit crossed up, and generally looking like a guy that's running 35's. Thanks for the pic preteen.

[Doc]

That is the bowl.

See my avatar. I am no expert on body position.

Things I try and concentrate on. 1. Looking through the turn (doing this poorly in the avatar) 2. Getting body position set before the turn with a smooth transition. 3. Weighting the outside peg and locking the outside knee into the tank so I am not putting pressure on the bars and am more relaxed with my body inside the turn. (just coming to grips with this)

["Dangerous" Dan K]

So it is, so it is. Thanks for the catch. In that case I should definitely be knee down and WAY farther off the bike. Oh, and not crossed up.

When the hell was I that far off line in the bowl this weekend? I had to lift my knee for the curbing most of the time through there. The ones I remember anyway, this was probably a lap where I was focused 100% on going fast and making stupid mistakes as a result.

[Doc]

Oh and head over the inside triple.

[Pigman]

Hang off a more and loosen up a bit look up the hill as much as you can....but I am a Rookie soooooo...

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Oh and head over the inside triple.

When trying not to ride crossed up I think of it as "lead with the inside shoulder". Head over the inside triple is a nice addition, I'll add that to the things I try to do. The trick is remembering to do any of it when I'm going at a decent clip

[Doc]

Sometimes you need to slow down to practice this stuff and get it set in your mind, then increase the speed.

Another thing that helps is having reference points, ALOT of reference points. I think it slows the track down some.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Sometimes you need to slow down to practice this stuff and get it set in your mind, then increase the speed.

Another thing that helps is having reference points, ALOT of reference points. I think it slows the track down some.

I've got a ton of reference points, and it does help, just not with this. I know to slow down to practice it, I do a lot better when I'm going slow. Problem is I can't afford to slow down in races, or even 2nd race practice, since the people I'm racing are damn close in times. I'll probably spend Friday before the next race weekend working on it.

I'm also fat and not flexible. It's not my entire problem, but it can't help. I should probably stretch every day.

[Doc]

I'm also fat and not flexible. It's not my entire problem, but it can't help. I should probably stretch every day.

You and me both brother!

[Slyder]

I'm all twisted and crossed up too...and I'm not trying to thread jack but one part I have trouble with is foot position on the pegs. I have a feeling that relates to body position as well so figured I'd toss it out. Kinda curious what others do ?

[Loun]

for what its worth you looked pretty good coming through 10 into 11. Definitely off the bike and flying through there.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

for what its worth you looked pretty good coming through 10 into 11. Definitely off the bike and flying through there.

Sweet, thanks dude! That's awesome to know. I was doing a LOT of work through there this weekend. Where were you?

[Loun]

Was corner captain in T10. I was in T6 Saturday but dont really remember your lines in the bowl. I noticed you in T10 because you were hauling... I can keep an eye out next race weekend though to give you some more tips if you would like.

[Yknot]

QUOTE=Doc;911657]You and me both brother! [/QUOTE]



I resemble that as well...

I have the same issue getting crossed up, it's like my upper is fighting my lower. Good thing I don't go as fast as you...

["Dangerous" Dan K]

That's awesome! Thank you! I'd really appreciate it if you could keep an eye next weekend and give me some tips. Also, AWESOME to hear that I was doing well enough through 10 to be noticed as hauling. That's some good news right there.

[Pittenger5]

The thing that helped me is consciously think to slide my ass over instead of twist my body. Like every corner Id go in, and focus on nothing except sliding my ass. It helped a lot. My body position used to be shit, and Id drag hard parts everywhere. Someone actually did hold the bike while on stands once while I practiced sliding on it. Start with that, take a practice and work on nothing but proper body position, times be damned.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Thanks Dolla! You the man.

[Ken C]

Good body position is not as much of a science as a lot of people think. Look at Larry Pegram and his crossed up style. The goal is to find a position that allows you to feel balanced and firmly connected to the bike with the legs, not the upper body.

Here are a few tips that seem to help people:
Position your hip so that they are perpendicular to the bike's centerline, not twisted around the tank. This "open" position keeps the shoulders square. also, rotate your foot so that your toes point toward the turn, not toward the front tire.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Thanks Ken. I follow you on the foot pointing, and am pretty sure I've been doing that wrong. I'll see and work on it next time out. As for the hips being perpendicular and not twisted around the tank, I don't think I follow?

I am definitely connected to the bike with my legs and not my upper body, I keep my arms real loose since not doing so bit me. I think that's the only thing that saved me when I hit the T3 apex rumble strip with my front tire on Saturday.

Thing is, I'm dragging hard parts before my knee, so I know I'm doing it wrong. At the very least I need to get off the bike more, and I'm thinking not being crossed up would help.

[RyanNicholson]

It also helps to have your body position set before the corner in the brake zone. Practice what it feels like on stands in the garage and get a kind of system down for how you get into the right position. Then when you're coming into the corner (T3 for example) you can have your ass half off the seat, knee out, ready to go at turn in. I try to put my face where the rear view mirror would be or so and look through the corner from there. This not only gives you a consistent process but breaks it apart from the tipping in movements, allowing you to be more consistent and hit the right position every time. Theres a reason you see pros with their knee out way before they actually dive in.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Thanks Ryan. I'll keep that stuff in mind for next weekend. I was talking to Dolla about practicing in the garage before going out, and spending a practice or two working on it. Sounds like the thing to do.

[6 Fingered Man]

So you don't trust me when i tell you to practice on the stands... you have to wait for them to say it, I see how it is...

["Dangerous" Dan K]

I actually told DB I was going to build something to support my bike so I could practice on it on your recommendation. It was also suggested I try it with someone a lot better than me holding the bike. I'd ask you, but he recommended an expert

[zx1012r]

Dan, are you dragging "hard" parts like exhaust or engine guards? Or are you just dragging stock pegs?

If hard parts, you need to be sure of your setup. Rear shock length/spring rate and front fork height and spring preload are critical. You should never be dragging anything unless it is stock footpegs. Sometimes EX exhausts need to be trimmed where the 2 pieces fit together and "squeezed" inward if it is the pipes that are dragging.

The biggest thing over the years that helped my body position is getting my head down and to the side of the windscreen. This seems to make my body get off the seat, and also gives me a real "agressive" feeling.

[bdawkins20]

LOL.....Dan, did christian beat you in this race?!?!?!? I will tell you what Eric Wood told me in Penguin years ago....."GET OFF THE DAMN BIKE!!!!!"