Different BMX Jumps

BMX, which stands for "bicycle motocross," has come a long way from being just a mere racing sport. Racers strive to push the limits of what they can accomplish with their bikes. Today, exhibition jumping dominates the sport, allowing bikers to take the ground sport to the air. Several varieties of BMX jumping have become common, just remember to focus on safety whenever attempting any type of BMX jump.

  1. No-Handers and -Footers

    • "No-handers" and "no-footers" showcase BMX jumps that require taking off the hands or the feet from the bicycle, something few sane people want to experience. Examples of these kinds of jumps are the "tuck no-hander" and "suicide no-hander," in which the biker lets go of the handlebars and uses the legs to pinch the seat to maintain contact with the bike. A popular example of a no-footer is the "superman jump," which features hyperextending the bike to the front and extending the legs to the back to simulate Superman's famous flying style.

    Whips

    • Whips come in a variety, each depending on the rider's style; many whips are simply throws of the bike to the side and make up the simplest BMX jumps, but others feature much more complicated maneuvers. An example of a simple whip is the "basic whip" where the rider flicks the back of the bicycle to the side. A more complicated form of this jump is the "tailwhip," where the rider kicks the bike to the side while firmly holding on to the handle bars such that the bike makes a 360° rotation then returns to the original position. Maneuvers such as this require extensive practice and should never be attempted by amateurs.

    Tables

    • Like whips, table jumps exist in many different styles, all of which feature tilting or tipping the bike to one side, usually more than 90°. The simplest is the "tabletop," featuring a simple tip. The "euro-table" involves the rider's pushing the handlebars downward instead of the usual sideward direction. The "invert," which is a more extreme form of euro-table jump, extends further and makes the back tire touch the rider's shoulder.

    Combination Jumps

    • There are also BMX jumps that just can't be combined into a single category; these combination jumps usually feature an assortment of moves, most involving all the techniques mentioned above. The more jumps combined, the less time left to recover before landing, which makes these jumps the riskiest of all. An example is the "cannonball," wherein the rider takes his feet off the pedals and grabs the bicycle's seat. Another trick includes the "toboggan," which features tilting the front of the bicycle down with one hand on the seat and the other turning the bars 90°.