Using legs to keep stable?

[corksil]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Went for a ride this morning thinking about this stuff -- in leathers finally. WOW the leathers really stick to the tank. Made me realize that boots are much thicker than sneakers and I need to raise my shifter so I can get my toe under it with boots on.

Think I'll add some reverse situps to my workout routine. Whatever you call them. You hook your legs around something and do pushups without your hands.

Anyone have any better ideas for muscle soreness in the lower back after lots of riding far back in the seat with a very aggressive tuck? Obviously holding weight up with your core, instead of laying your chest/mass on the tank..

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by corksil

Think I'll add some reverse situps to my workout routine. Whatever you call them. You hook your legs around something and do pushups without your hands.

Anyone have any better ideas for muscle soreness in the lower back after lots of riding far back in the seat with a very aggressive tuck? Obviously holding weight up with your core, instead of laying your chest/mass on the tank..

I climb up onto a chin up bar flip around a bit to get my legs hooked onto it then as I'm dangling upside down get some situps in. They're the most intense situps you'll ever experience if you do it right. Is that what you're talking about?

For the muscle soreness I'd say that focusing on abs/lower back in your workouts is probably the key, it's not a position that's particularly well known for being comfortable though.

[csmith12]

TC, keep at it and you will build the endurance needed to ride as you like. There are plenty of exercises you can do, I will post a few ideas in a bit.

Originally Posted by Misti

Great exercise, you sound like a California Superbike School coach

After some long hard thought, maybe I will try out next year or the year after. I have some personal goals I have to accomplish first. But... I have given it serious consideration. After all, I am a teacher at heart. I do note the call for coaches on the CSS forum every year. I have known since I was 14yrs old I would end up teaching one of my primary interests as a profession. I kinda fell out of teaching after only being home one day a week while teaching Microsoft Certification courses and technical college courses when I wasn't doing that. It was a tough schedule on a young family, but that time has now passed as I have gotten older.

Until then, I am still looking forward to that day at Laguna Seca for that tow. I'm going to hold you to it.

[Sirref]

^ chris, if you become a css instructor I'm going to save up the dough and sign up then request you to be my coach. Can you actually request coaches? It would be well worth the extensive savings that the school would require. As it is I don't see that happening anytime soon, that school is expensive and I'm sure it's worth every penny hahaha.

[csmith12]

I am not sure if you can request coaches, that question would be for Misti or directed to CSS directly. I don't think it wouldn't matter much though, the base expectation of coaches is high enough you would be served extremely well by any of their staff.

[Sirref]

Yea I think I remember reading about their rider coach testing. They basically test that you know everything about everything that any potential numbskull student could ask about

[csmith12]

I would bet that is the low bar. What about questions and such from the high level riders? Think about how a CSS coach would talk to AMA Pro Josh Hayes. While the instructional content may be the same, the delivery to the rider must be different.

[Sirref]

Who's to say that a high level rider isn't a numbskull?

[csmith12]

Well here you go then;

Lesson one for you... There are no stupid quesitons.

[Sirref]

ah, but of course! I feel like a CSS coach would be coaching someone of great skill like josh hayes in a far more specific manner than anything else. I can see the difference as a rider of that skill likely has only very minute flaws remaining in their riding while a less skilled rider's flaws are far more glaring. "ah kid, you're turning in way too early, didn't need to teddy bear brake, and you didn't roll on the throttle consistently through the corner" vs "dude, you've got to work on your knee to knee transitions in the chicane real quick" or "your braking points are consistently a split second early, with a better feel for trailbraking you can extend the space before you need to brake by a few feet on average"

[choneofakind]

Lol @ TC's 'bearings'

Glad you're finding how to make it work for you. It's good seeing newer riders going through the same realizations I did.

[corksil]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Lol @ TC's 'bearings'

Glad you're finding how to make it work for you. It's good seeing newer riders going through the same realizations I did.

Yeah bro, sucks having a massive pair. We're talking grapefruits here..

Just took the bike to the firing range and I wore jeans because I couldn't bear a few hours of standing in direct sunlight with no wind in a full track suit.

Have to figure something out. A middle ground.

My leathers are too bulky, uncomfortable, unruly to wear riding and then around town/in stores etc.. Not to mention the squeak. Taking them off and chaining them to the bike would be a royal pain and require another long cable lock.

On the other hand, my every day jeans are paper thin on one knee, ripped out completely in the other knee, and skin showing through the seat area. They would provide about as much protection as spandex in a crash. Not to mention they are slippery as hell and I can't pinch the tank with my knees over bumps/braking so I end up sitting on my nutsack every time I come to a stop which is very uncomfortable.

Maybe I need to invest in some riding jeans w/kevlar etc. And tank grip pads. And put my fairings back on and get some grippy tape on the spots I squeeze the bike with my legs. I had to stop quick today and WHAM it felt like getting punched in the groin as I colided with the tank and scuffed my knee when the bare skin broke loose from the painted tank and skidded 5 inches forward.

I'll have to figure this out before I become sterile. Then again, maybe that would be a good thing.

[csmith12]

Perhaps a jock strap or compression shorts would help with your wedding tackle problem.

Any of these options strike your fancy?

option 1: Tank grips with textile overpants
option 2: Tank grips with riding jeans with underarmor (CE rated)
option 3: When you don't feel like messing with the gear, don't ride, take the cage

[Misti]

Originally Posted by csmith12

After some long hard thought, maybe I will try out next year or the year after. I have some personal goals I have to accomplish first. But... I have given it serious consideration. After all, I am a teacher at heart. I do note the call for coaches on the CSS forum every year. I have known since I was 14yrs old I would end up teaching one of my primary interests as a profession. I kinda fell out of teaching after only being home one day a week while teaching Microsoft Certification courses and technical college courses when I wasn't doing that. It was a tough schedule on a young family, but that time has now passed as I have gotten older.

Until then, I am still looking forward to that day at Laguna Seca for that tow. I'm going to hold you to it.

You should, worth a shot as they are always looking for coaches. It's a lot of work, lots to learn but it gives you the opportunity to better your own riding and there is nothing more rewarding then seeing people improve their riding! It's an awesome job. Of course I'll tow you at Laguna one day, I'll let you know if I end up coaching there. With the kids getting a bit older I'm hoping to get away for coaching a little more often.

Originally Posted by csmith12

I am not sure if you can request coaches, that question would be for Misti or directed to CSS directly. I don't think it wouldn't matter much though, the base expectation of coaches is high enough you would be served extremely well by any of their staff.

Yes of course you can request coaches but good point about it not mattering much The coaches are all trained in the exact same manner to very exact and specific standards. UK and Australian coaches all have to run through the same program as the USA coaches so no matter where you take the school in the world the coaching will all be the same. Of course each coach can add their own unique personal flair that may jive better with some than with others. I get super excited, I'm smiley, energetic and exuberant...some more serious students may not love a giant bear hug from me when they get it right

Originally Posted by csmith12

I would bet that is the low bar. What about questions and such from the high level riders? Think about how a CSS coach would talk to AMA Pro Josh Hayes. While the instructional content may be the same, the delivery to the rider must be different.

What is interesting about the CSS method is that we essential talk to the students the same, whether they are beginners or Pro AMA riders like Josh Hayes we tend to use the same method. What is different though is the detail we get into about the certain skill we are working on. A beginners throttle control is a lot different from that of Josh Hayes so while we might have both the beginner and Josh working on their throttle control for turn 1, the level of specifics for Josh would be different than the beginners. If that made any sense....

Originally Posted by Sirref

ah, but of course! I feel like a CSS coach would be coaching someone of great skill like josh hayes in a far more specific manner than anything else. I can see the difference as a rider of that skill likely has only very minute flaws remaining in their riding while a less skilled rider's flaws are far more glaring. "ah kid, you're turning in way too early, didn't need to teddy bear brake, and you didn't roll on the throttle consistently through the corner" vs "dude, you've got to work on your knee to knee transitions in the chicane real quick" or "your braking points are consistently a split second early, with a better feel for trailbraking you can extend the space before you need to brake by a few feet on average"

Kind of what I meant. We had Leon Camier come to the Superbike School a few years ago and he ran through the EXACT same level 1 exercises as the level 1 students. We had him working on throttle control, turn points, quick turning, relaxing and 2-step. Mind you his ability to quick turn the machine was a lot different than a beginners

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by Misti

You should, worth a shot as they are always looking for coaches. It's a lot of work, lots to learn but it gives you the opportunity to better your own riding and there is nothing more rewarding then seeing people improve their riding! It's an awesome job. Of course I'll tow you at Laguna one day, I'll let you know if I end up coaching there. With the kids getting a bit older I'm hoping to get away for coaching a little more often.

In due time.... due time.... Not afraid of the work and it's not about me, it's about the students. I am sure you feel the same way. FYI, I will need at least a months notice for Laguna.

[Misti]

Originally Posted by csmith12

In due time.... due time.... Not afraid of the work and it's not about me, it's about the students. I am sure you feel the same way. FYI, I will need at least a months notice for Laguna.

Hahaha, me too

[Joshua763]

Originally Posted by Motofool

Learn the basics well and everything else will naturally follow.

Learning bad riding habits, just to have to unlearn those later in order to improve is much more harder than taking it as slow as needed to learn the proper basic techniques from good coach, experienced friend or virtual advise.

Of course, at the beginning, none of us knew what was important and what not.
Two books can help you greatly:
"A twist of the wrist 2" and "Proficient Motorcycling"

In my opinion, if you want to become a good and old street rider, these are the very first skills to master to perfection:

http://www.msgroup.org/Tip.aspx?Num=249&Set=

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=310

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=109

http://www.msgroup.org/Tip.aspx?Num=267&Set=

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=540

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=258

http://www.msgroup.org/Tip.aspx?Num=230&Set=

this was good reading.

[ally99]

Hernan always posts "good reading". He's our Ninjette.org hidden gem!

[csmith12]