How to Jump a BMX Ramp

When you jump your bicycle over a BMX ramp, you get to experience moments of weightlessness, as though you were flying under you own power. Perhaps that's one of the aspects that draws you to this activity. Gravity, however, must be taken into account, and the proper play of force and skill over that gravity will allow you to lift your bike into the air.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Gauge your speed by practicing on a double-sided ramp. Practice getting up to speed, running up the one side of the ramp while lifting up slightly on the front wheel, and riding down the other side. This will help you get an idea for the skill and the force that you need to apply to get "lift off" during an actual jump.

2. Run up to the ramp at a proper speed, depending on how much distance you want to cover. 2 to 4 pedal strokes is good for a moderately-sized ramp, and it can be enough to get you into the air.

3. Lean a bit forward as you go up the ramp, standing on the pedals rather than remaining seated. Get your center of gravity forward before the actual jump, in order to place yourself correctly while in the air. Visualize your favorite BMX riders as they've gone through these motions, and imitate what you've seen.

4. Leave the ramp while applying up-and-back pressure to your handlebars. Get the front wheel up, vertically higher than the back wheel as you head into the jump, so that you don't fall forward too fast. If you do that, you could do an end-over-end crash; and no amount of skill can protect your skin from the concrete.

5. Remember that the momentum of the jump will give you the proper arc in the air. Once at the top of the arc, look to the landing ramp (or to the ground, if landing on a flat surface) with the goal of getting both wheels to hit at about the same time. Push down on the handlebars just enough so that the front wheel comes down in time with, or just after, the rear wheel.

6. Maintain steady pressure on the handlebars to keep yourself going in a straight line during the jump and landing. Any swerving as you come down on the BMX ramp can be dangerous to your skin and teeth.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice the "bunny hop" as much as necessary first, so that you can get a good feel for the bike, and for your ability to control the height and direction of the front wheel.
• Keep aware of your center of gravity at all times; this will help you maintain proper control. Think of that center as the constant fulcrum of the jump, a fulcrum that changes as it moves through the arc.

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