1. Old School BMX
Sports evolve when young, creative people take up the mantle and add their own twists to the old techniques. Nowhere is evolution so intrinsic as in BMX, or Bicycle Motocross. These days, ramps and skate parks with pipes and tunnels and tubes are a major component of the sport. However, there are those who prefer the good old days, when they made their own tracks through woods and fields. They call themselves old school BMX riders and prefer to tackle the obstacles set out by Mother Nature, such as hills and fallen trees, curves and narrow paths.
2. Building With Dirt
The BMX riders are often asked to leave natural areas for the community, as many people resent bikers who roar by on their 20-inch Stingray bicycles. Environmentalists and community authorities regulate certain areas and ban tricksters and racers. To compensate, those who prefer dirt riding will build their own tracks of dirt, complete with hills and ramps. If you plan on building your own dirt tracks, make sure to follow the same building principles that guide cement track builders. Injuries can be just as serious when you fall on dirt.
3. Eat Dirt
Dirt jumping is a recognized event at most BMX races, and involves riders jumping over mounds ranging from a few inches to many feet off the ground. The dirt rising requires different skills because the bike needs to maneuver over various surfaces, even within a single performance. Dirt shifts and adjusts to use and weather. Riders need to make sure they have rugged bikes that can handle the slides and falls they encounter on the dirt hills.
4. Off-Road Bliss
BMX riders who prefer dirt trails and jumps often take their bikes off-road and get into mountain biking. Because they practice on short rides and trick work on the bike, they are well equipped to handle the many obstacles a cyclist encounters in the wild. Unless you are entering uncharted territories for experimental riding, you should follow the guidebooks to get the most for your riding pleasure. You don't want to try cruising at downhill racing speeds on trails designated for hikers, or jump over a hill to find a cliff that could plunge you 100 feet.
5. Train Off the Bike Too
Athletes who want to stay in the sport, pushing their bodies and bikes to new limits, should train off the bike as well. Overusing muscle groups, in the back and wrists especially, creates stiffness that leads to injuries if a biker doesn't balance his riding with cross training that gives other body parts a workout. Floor exercises are a good compliment for bikers because they can bend and twist the body in positions they don't use when riding.
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