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| The starting gate is the most important part of the race. The starting gate is at the top of a hill which gives you speed for the rest of the track. If you get a good gate you will have a better chance of winning the race. If you get a bad gate you will have a tough time winning the race. To improve your gates you can practice them at your local track. |
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The first straight is were most of the action in the race takes place. All eight riders are trying to make it to the first turn first. One way to practice getting down the first straight faster is by doing sprints in the street. This will make you be able to explode out of the gate faster. Once the riders get to the first turn they usually stay in that order for the rest of the race. That is why the first straight is so important. |
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There are usually two or three big jumps on the truck. When jumping you should try and stay as low as possible because staying low is faster than going high. When at a track you will see different kinds of jumps. One kind of jump you might see is a table top, which is a jump with a flat top. You might also see a step-up or a step-down, which are like steps. A step-up is a jump in which the landing is higher than the takeoff. A step-down is when the landing is lower than the takeoff. |
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Manualing is a fast way to get over jumps. When you get to the top of the jump lift your front wheel slightly so that your back wheel stays on the ground. Most riders prefer to manual jumps because it is faster and you will be less likely to fall unlike when jumping a jump. An easy way to practice your manualing skills is to practice doing wheelies out in the street. Once you have mastered the skill you can go to your local track and find a small jump and practice manualing it. |
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There are turns on each track and each turn is a little different. Banked turns are very fast and while going through them riders can pedal to keep their momentum going. Some turns are to sharp for riders to pedal through but experienced riders slide around the turns at top speed. Sometimes riders even put their foot down for balance for going around the turns. However if you take your foot off there is a chance of not being able to get it back on in time and someone might pass you. |
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Crashing is just part of BMX. Everyone crashes from time to time. There aren't many serious wrecks but that is why you wear safety equipment. When you are about to fall to should not stick your hands out because that makes it easier to break your wrists or hands. |
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