How to Bunnyhop a BMX Bike

What is a Bunny Hop?

Learning to bunnyhop on a BMX bike is a fundamental skill that every rider needs to master. The bunnyhop is the most basic movement in BMX freestyle, enabling the rider to lift both wheels off the ground simultaneously. This essential technique opens the door to a wide array of tricks, including flatground maneuvers, various grind techniques, and hopping over gaps. Understanding and perfecting the bunnyhop is crucial for advancing in BMX riding, as it forms the foundation for many more complex tricks. Let’s dive into the basics of the bunnyhop and why it’s a must-learn for every BMX rider.

Using Correct Posture By Hinging At The Hips

Proper posture is crucial when learning to execute a bunnyhop on a BMX bike. Hinging at the hips while keeping a neutral spine is essential, not only for executing the trick correctly but also for maintaining back health and absorbing the impact of riding.

When preparing for a bunnyhop, start by bringing your buttocks further back during the hop/tuck phase. This helps to get your knees out of the way for tricks and provides better control over the bike. Hinging forward at the hips gives you additional control, especially when you need to remove your hands for tricks like barspins.

The motion of a bunnyhop is similar to that of a squat jump. With a squat jump, you compress your body and use your glutes to propel yourself upward. However, in a bunnyhop, you also need to pull or row the bike upwards. This movement is akin to an upright row or a high pull, but with the added complexity of pushing the bike back out while tucking your legs to lift both wheels off the ground.

Maintaining a neutral spine throughout this movement is vital for back health. It helps distribute the impact of landing more evenly and reduces the risk of injury. Proper posture not only makes your bunnyhops more effective but also sets a strong foundation for learning more advanced tricks in BMX freestyle.

How To Bunnyhop

Executing a bunnyhop on a BMX bike involves a series of coordinated movements that rely heavily on proper posture and technique. Here’s a step-by-step guide to mastering this essential trick.

Begin by hinging at the hips and compressing your arms and legs to create potential energy. This compression is crucial for generating the momentum needed to lift the bike off the ground. The key here is to compress just enough to build sufficient energy for the jump, similar to winding up a spring.

Next, initiate the bunnyhop by lifting the front wheel off the ground. This is achieved by extending your body briefly, allowing it to straighten for a moment. As you do this, you should be rowing the bike upwards and pushing it forward. This motion involves pulling the handlebars up and towards you while simultaneously tucking your knees, much like the action of a squat jump. This combination of movements helps lift the rear wheel off the ground.

As you reach the peak of your hop, focus on tucking the bike upwards by bringing your knees closer to your chest. This action helps maximize your height and control during the jump.

Finally, spot your landing and prepare to absorb the impact. As you descend, compress your arms and legs once again to cushion the landing. Maintaining a neutral spine throughout this process is vital, as it helps distribute the impact evenly and reduces the risk of injury. Proper posture not only ensures a smoother landing but also enhances your control over the bike, making your bunnyhops more efficient and safer.

Understanding The Rowing Motion In Bunnyhops

Rowing is a fundamental exercise that directly correlates to the pull phase of bunnyhopping, a critical step that involves lifting both the bike and your body weight off the ground. To fully grasp the mechanics of a bunnyhop, it’s essential to understand how rowing plays a pivotal role in this process.

A bunnyhop consists of four interconnected phases: compression, explosion, pull, and tuck and press. The compression phase is where you hinge at the hips and maintain a neutral spine, much like the stance used in split squat jumps. This posture helps create potential energy, setting you up for the explosion phase. The explosion phase involves dynamically extending your legs and arms, transitioning from a compressed state to initiating lift-off and generating upward momentum.

The pull phase is where the rowing motion becomes essential. Similar to a rowing exercise, you pull the bike’s handlebars up and towards you while lifting your body. This action engages your back muscles and mimics the mechanics of an upright row, allowing you to lift both the bike and your weight off the ground in a controlled manner.

Finally, the tuck and press phase involves tucking your knees towards your chest while pressing the bike forward. This counteracts the pull phase, enabling you to achieve maximum height and control during the hop. By tucking and pressing, you keep the bike aligned with your body, ensuring a smoother and more controlled landing.

Understanding and mastering these phases, especially the rowing motion, is key to improving your bunnyhopping technique. By focusing on the mechanics and coordination required, you can perform bunnyhops with greater height, control, and precision.

Watch the Video on How to Bunnyhop a BMX Bike

Check out our latest creation, a short and snappy video titled “How to Bunny Hop in Two Minutes.” In this video, we’ve condensed all the essentials you need to know to master the bunny hop on your BMX bike. Whether you’re a newbie looking to nail your first hop or a seasoned rider aiming to refine your technique, this video has got you covered.

Further, we break down the bunny hop process step by step, providing clear instructions and demonstrations to guide you through each stage of the maneuver. From getting your posture just right to executing the perfect lift-off, we’ve included all the crucial details to help you elevate your bunny hop game.