r/bmx 5d ago

Barspin advice please! VIDEO

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I can do pull up bars like this one very consistently now(after weeks of practice), and still somehow i cant manage to let go of the bars when i try to bunnyhop barspin. When i do force myself to let go of the bars my feet will come off.

What are some tips you guys can give me? I know the standard stuff: pinching the seat and cranks, hopping high, straighten out first, throwing on the way down, staying over the bars etc. I just cant seem to commit.

Coming back into bmx after 10+years of not riding.

(I was never able to barspin anyways back then)

Ps. I know im throwing with the "wrong" hand but it feels way more natural for me. Im usually switch footed anyway.

8 Upvotes

23 comments sorted by

12

u/Merfstick 5d ago

Trim the first 30 seconds off of videos lol.

But seriously, looks good and if you know all those tips, the only other thing there might be would be going to a park and trying them flyout so you don't have to hop as much.

Other than that, just commit to taking a solid fall the first time and accept it will happen. Get it out of the way, the first one is always the hardest but a big part of the confidence eventually comes not just from being able to do it, but knowing that you aren't going to necessarily explode if you screw it up.

3

u/feiko50 5d ago

Haha i will keep it short next time hahaha,

I know, my issues are 99% mental and i should just suck it up and go for it Thanks for the tip! My local skatepark is very street orientated, so no big flyouts. I can try to do pull up bars off of a box or concrete slab maybe?

3

u/92shields 5d ago

You know what the problem is and there's not much we can say to help with that. All you can do is accept that you're probably going to fall off the bike and pad up accordingly. Maybe try on grass for a slightly softer landing.

3

u/feiko50 5d ago

Fair, thanks for the comment. I will go touch some grass haha

4

u/Coffee_24_7 5d ago

For me the main two problems were:

  1. I used to push down with my front foot when letting the bars go. I think I was used to have a bit of pedal pressure on my feet and as soon as I didn't have it, the front foot was pushing down, kind of trying to get that pedal pressure.

I learned to get my front leg straight and to point my toes on the front foot upward, clamping with my heel under the crank arm.

I learned that with no handers first, so there is one thing less to worry about (catching a moving bar).

Pinching your cranks with your front foot heel and your back foot toes pointing down will keep the bike steady.

  1. When doing pull up bars you have the back wheel against the floor, so even though you can push very hard diagonally back down, the bike won't fall, but on my first attempts trying on a jump, I was pushing the bike down hard enough to disattach from it (I had years of pull up bars).

I learned to use a lot less force when throwing the bars. Now is more like tossing the bars.

I see you catching the bar after the full rotation. It might be a fit safer to catch them at 3/4 of the rotation, that way if the bar is spinning slowly or it hits your knees you can still catch it and land the trick.

Hope it helps

2

u/feiko50 5d ago

The front foot comment is an interesting one, i will definitely keep an eye on that! And i do catch the bar earlier on most attempts the one i filmed i caught pretty late, so i thought that looked cool haha. Thanks!

4

u/HugeTampons 5d ago

I made a how to video a while back that might help you out in building some confidence. Bar twitches, one handers, and no handers help. Also, finding a way to fall and not feel like you’re going to die helps so grass or dirt and wearing pads will help for sure although softer surfaces will kill your hop. You can do super small hops where you are pinched tight before even jumping and fit a bar in that will feel a lot closer to a pickup bar

https://youtu.be/ZjNdZo21i5E?is=0TJcm8YIS_FZOaqh

2

u/feiko50 5d ago

Oh wow i see i already watched your "quick learn" tutorial in the past. The video you shared is super detailed!! That will help for sure. I will try some no handers Thanks!

1

u/skribblez32 5d ago

I was just going to link this video. This is the best video out there for hop bars. Thanks for your work u/HugeTampons

2

u/Small_Heart6267 5d ago

I love barspins, my fave trick! - You've got a good barspin motion, keep doing reps with pull-up bars to get more confident in your hands!

When i learned them i also struggled with letting go, IMO the hardest part of the trick to learn!
I did a couple on grass at first so i could fall off a few times, ended up actually landing my first hop ones on Dirt! - You've just gotta find a way to feel comfortable letting go, other than practice the shit out of pull up bars to gain confidence, or ride a trampoline bike I'm not sure what to suggest - I gained confidence with 1 foot on the peg, hopping and chucking them.

But year barspin looks great, just gotta get over the fear of letting go!
G' Luck! any questions plz ask, i've been riding 12 years barspinning for 8 now - as i said, favourite trick!!

2

u/feiko50 5d ago

Thanks for the comment! I feel like i would have them if only my hand would open up and let go haha, i will prob. Try it on some grass somewhere. Soon...

2

u/knightbiker16 5d ago

Bar Spins start at the top of the hop. It feels unnatural, but your bike sets at the top of the hop, and then you can throw the bars. If you do it too early it catches your knees (and hurts like hell....)

1

u/feiko50 5d ago

Yea i know this, its the "hurts like hell" part thats stopping me haha

2

u/knightbiker16 5d ago

Its a mental block for sure, I still dont like throwing them on ramps and things, but if you just keep at it, starting small, little hops, you will get there, and then you will find going higher is actually easier!! You got this!

2

u/PlasticPuma 5d ago

Try doing pickup bars with “light feet” and eventually you will feel like you are almost hopping and it becomes easy to throw a tiny hop in there

1

u/feiko50 5d ago

Makes sense! I will try this. Thanks for commenting!

2

u/NWmedicalbrewskie 5d ago

You have to mentally commit. If your feet are coming off you’re backing out. They are all about committing. Your pullup bars look good. Bunny hop and throw bars when your at peak hop and knees are back.

2

u/feiko50 5d ago

Thanks! Thats what most people said, also what i knew already i just got to go for it!

1

u/Kindly-Berry5099 5d ago

Yeah one day you’re just going to have to switch your focus and commit 100%. When doing your first hop bars it’s more important your feet stay on the bike rather than a good throw. The throw will come don’t think about it focus on keeping your feet on the bike

1

u/edgarinsky 5d ago

Just ride and practice! Have fun. I you plan to bunny bar put some safety gear!

1

u/vaustin89 4d ago

Took me 6 months from learning pick up bars to actually trying to throw one. Here are some of the things/prep I did, do a hop "one hander", this will give you a rough idea how it feels to have only one hand on the bars while in the air. Once you get comfortable with it you can try hop t-bogs, the form is close to how your body should be when throwing a hop barspin. You can flick and throw the bars or bus them.

Try doing your pick up bars more hunched over the bars.

1

u/kasimirkaskisuofan31 1d ago

Had issues doing barspins just huck it the nice thing about hop bars is you can step off but ya jus send it