# Learning something new



## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

I worked with a coach today learning to jump tabletops, with some success... and a lot of tools for successive practice. Sure, I'm 55.5 and working on jumps, why the hell not?

The irony: I had to take and pick up the hub from the ER yesterday. Urgent care thought he might have a hematoma on his spleen but it's only a broken rib. He hasn't quite figured out how to fight the urge to ride hard and fast, and has to pay the price every now and then.

Gotta love the guy, he told me to go do my (planned) ride and he'd call me when he was ready to be picked up.

More irony - ran into an mtb friend who is an ER doc on the trail today, not literally.


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## Fuzzle (Mar 31, 2015)

I certainly don't have the courage to jump table tops. That's impressive! Post some pics and I will live vicariously through you...lol! 

By the way, don't make hubby laugh if has have broken ribs. No comedies for a while .


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## Ericmopar (Aug 23, 2003)

resisting...urge...to...make... joke...about...


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

Once you get some hang time, you'll be doing whips!

Healing vibes to your hubby. I fractured several ribs (in addition to several other major bones) a few months ago... and I know the pain. Rib injury hurts like hell, but the good news is no internal organ damage, which is great news for him! Time heals


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## miatagal96 (Jul 5, 2005)

Sweet (about the tabletops, not about hubby's injury)!

It sounds like your and my husbands are similar. Mine is pushing 60 and is like a little kid when he gets on his bike - no self-control.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

Fuzzle said:


> I certainly don't have the courage to jump table tops. That's impressive! Post some pics and I will live vicariously through you...lol!


No pics. You know that meme, "What I Think I Do, What My Friends Think I do"? Like, not photo worthy. Maybe once I get the hang of it. I need lots more practice. Lots. Maybe when I missed my approach and plastered myself into the dirt - that would have been interesting.

Also, working with a coach who knows me/my learning style is very helpful for really breaking down the components, practicing them piece by piece and then (trying to) put it all together.



Ericmopar said:


> resisting...urge...to...make... joke...about...


You are so predicatable.



miatagal96 said:


> Sweet (about the tabletops, not about hubby's injury)!
> 
> It sounds like your and my husbands are similar. Mine is pushing 60 and is like a little kid when he gets on his bike - no self-control.


What IS it with that? He finally quit running Class V high water. 
"I'm really careful on the rocky tech. This was a totally buff flat contour trail, but I was pumping the bike and going as hard as I could..."
When I bought him his latest bike, I told him if he got crazy I would take it away but I would never really do that. Like, I don't say "I told you so" either, it's bad enough that I have to live with him living with himself for the next six weeks.


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## Bail_Monkey (May 8, 2007)

Fuzzle said:


> I certainly don't have the courage to jump table tops.


Table tops is the way to learn compared to jumps with gaps. With gap jumps, you need enough speed to cross the whole gap, if your short you hit the ramp down which will lead to a 100% crash. If your short on a tabletop, you land on the top and roll down the other side.

I'm still getting the hang of tabletops on a new FS rig that I picked up a month ago. We have a flow trail at a place called Demo in Santa Cruz that has quite a few on the way down. Need practice, repetition and then confidence will come as you start landing them.


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## Ericmopar (Aug 23, 2003)

Just so everyone knows, the joking centered around table tops, not some poor person injuring him or herself.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

Ericmopar said:


> Just so everyone knows, the joking centered around table tops, not some poor person injuring him or herself.


I thought the joke was about DH riding hard and fast. But table tops work too.


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## lkfoster (Apr 2, 2004)

I subscribe to the famous American philosopher Harry Callahan's philosophy that "...a man has to know his limitations." I let the 30-somethings that I ride with do the jumps. Whatever sense of shame that I used to have in highly technical bits went away years ago.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

It's not necessarily about learning to go big. An important thing for me is that I teach mountain biking. I don't ride or teach at a "go big" level, but I feel it's important to understand the components. Plus, our trails around here have tons of fun little stuff on them and I want to feel more comfortable on it.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

formica said:


> Sure, I'm 55.5 and working on jumps, why the hell not?


Quite right. I was thinking about how I'd like to die the other day and I realise the answer is 'trying something'. Although I'm too big a coward to be in idiot about it! ;0) For example, I'll try jumping tables but no way I'll jump gaps. Seen too many YouTube videos of mid-life-crisis man face-planting his fat ass trying to jump a gap so no thanks.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

..and no one said that they have to be BIG table tops...


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

formica said:


> ..and no one said that they have to be BIG table tops...


I think what you're talking about is just called 'the ground' ;0)


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## miatagal96 (Jul 5, 2005)

Formica - about the husband. I finally achieved some success using the argument that I didn't want him to hurt himself because then I wouldn't have a riding partner and it would ruin my season. The "don't hurt yourself for his sake" argument got no traction.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

Hmmm, haven't tried that tactic. I usually just ask if the life insurance policy is still current.


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## Ericmopar (Aug 23, 2003)

That's true, they don't have to be large Tabletops, but the bigger ones do have more room to maneuver.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

Be 58 this summer and am working on drops. I am progressing quite well and no trips to the ER.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

Ericmopar said:


> That's true, they don't have to be large Tabletops, but the bigger ones do have more room to maneuver.


Our skills park guys are building three progressive learning lines, and I can't wait. Part of it is making the lines wider (not bigger) so you have a little more room to manuever.

I was there yesterday with a friend practicing... on the Hollywood line: the skills park is'nt done yet. I can hit (not clear the whole thing, but get air) off three in a row now.


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## Ladmo (Jan 11, 2013)

formica said:


> ...but it's only a broken rib.


Now that is spoken like a true mountain biker.


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## Skooks (Dec 24, 2008)

formica said:


> I worked with a coach today learning to jump tabletops, with some success... and a lot of tools for successive practice. Sure, I'm 55.5 and working on jumps, why the hell not?
> 
> The irony: I had to take and pick up the hub from the ER yesterday. Urgent care thought he might have a hematoma on his spleen but it's only a broken rib. He hasn't quite figured out how to fight the urge to ride hard and fast, and has to pay the price every now and then.
> 
> ...


Good for you for learning something new. Coincidentally I (55.5) also took a jump course recently. Hucking drops is never going to be my strongest skill, but I am already better at jumping off trail features and small drops. Like you say, practice practice practice. good thing it is so much fun!

Good luck to your Hubby.


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## Skooks (Dec 24, 2008)

cyclelicious said:


> Once you get some hang time, you'll be doing whips!
> 
> Healing vibes to your hubby. I fractured several ribs (in addition to several other major bones) a few months ago... and I know the pain. Rib injury hurts like hell, but the good news is no internal organ damage, which is great news for him! Time heals


Yikes! that sounds pretty serious. Bike crash? I sure notice how much longer it takes to recover now that I am older. I am sure you will be riding again soon!


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

Skooks said:


> Yikes! that sounds pretty serious. Bike crash? I sure notice how much longer it takes to recover now that I am older. I am sure you will be riding again soon!


My injuries were serious but I was riding trails (but not dh  ) within 3 months (typically the average healing time for major bones to knit ). Following the bike crash, I was worked closely and regularly with a coach and physio (consulting with the ortho specialist) to build strength and range of motion while healing. It was an individualized training program based on what I needed to do to progress. I was informed by ortho that my recovery was remarkable.

As for learning new skills after 50+, am currently working on and improving my climbing techniques eg picking better lines for improved traction


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