Did you know that the kick scooter can be an ideal mode of transportation for an adult. If you ride a scooter for long distances and regularly, then you probably already noticed how quickly the kick-off leg gets tired. Therefore proper technique is very important when you use scooter. A lot of people who use scooters don’t know with which foot they need to push-off after they get on the scooter, and does that even matter? In this article we will talk about which foot do you put on a scooter and how to switch foots during the ride.
So Which Foot Do You Push On A Scooter? The proper technique for riding a kick scooter is to use the stronger leg for push off, while the weaker leg needs to be placed in the middle of the scooter deck. The knee of the weaker leg needs to be slightly bent while the body needs to be lean forward to get a better momentum.
Those who already have some experience with using a kick scooter are slowly developing their own technique on which foot do you put on a scooter and which foot to use to push off. Therefore choosing the right foot to kick-off will determine the technique on your ride.
You need to use a proper stance before you start your ride. The first step is to choose the foot that provides you the most comfort to push off. Place your weak leg on the scooter’s deck and slightly bent your knee. Your hands should grip the handlebars and your body needs to slightly lean forward. Use your stronger leg to push off the ground. After a few kicks, you will gain momentum.
The Basic Kick Scooter Riding Technique
Scooter is controlled by feet. The most important thing when using a kick scooter is to properly stretch your legs before the ride. When you use a kick scooter, you need to put one foot on the platform and use the other foot to push-off the ground. In this case, you need to transfer the body weight to the leg, which stands on the deck, and after the push, put the second one on the platform behind the leading leg. Starting from the ground, again and again, you gain the desired speed.
It is advisable to perform soft shocks by rolling the foot from heel to toe, and not to hit the heel hard on the ground – this may cause the knee to suffer. The pushing should be powerful, this will allow you to spend as much time as possible, standing on the platform with two legs, and this is much more useful for the spine. When using the foot to kick off, do not put your whole foot on the ground, because you will expend more energy and you will lose momentum. You should be as comfortable as you can while driving, because in the end this is why you use a kick scooter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VF1XVdu52I
Why Changing Legs is Important When Riding a Scooter?
If you use a kick scooter for long distances, you need to know that leg changing is the must-do. Many people who use kick scooters do not stick to this rule. You need to regularly rotate the legs while driving. When applying this technique, at first, it will really be unusual, but after a couple of days you will appreciate the result – you will better keep balance, become faster and more resilient.
Why is this necessary? Usually, the entire load that our body has to cope with is distributed between the muscles. When walking, we do not notice this distribution, but it helps us to stay in shape longer. Using the same foot to push-off, you shift all the work to just a few muscles. And of course, they get tired! However, the most affected is the inactive, supportive leg. That leg takes on the whole load of your body weight, while the knee is in constant tension, which can be very dangerous.
How to Change Legs on A Kick Scooter?
Having explained how important it is to change legs while you are riding kick scooter, let’s look at the ways we can do it. When you use kick scooter you start with the most comfortable foot, but after a while you need to change foot and leg so you don’t get tire. It has been proven that people who most often use one leg to push-off, they exhaust one side of their body and this leads them to injury over time. There are two ways to switch a leg when you use scooter. One is by „twisting“, while other way is by „jumping over“. The main difference of these two methods is what contact your foot will have with the deck of your scooter.
Try one of two ways.
- Twisting Method: This method is most commonly used and it’s much safer and easier to apply. When you are applying the „twist“ method you need to sink your weight into the heel of the standing foot, while the other foot is doing a push-off. Therefore, to perform this method you need to move the standing foot and then place the other foot in its position. By that, you will transfer the weight to the new standing foot.
- Jumping Over: This is a more complicated technique, however, when you master it, it will allow you to change legs quickly without losing speed. After the push, one leg immediately jumps onto the deck, while the second, supporting one, jumps from it and makes the next push. It doesn’t sound so easy, but you will learn this trick in a few attempts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vTFAqjzZr4
How To Correctly Push Off a Scooter If You Race
Sometimes you will be challenged with a kick scooter race. If you plan to win such a race, choosing the right technique is a very important key. The first thing you need to do is to properly stretch your legs, especially your kicking leg. After you warmed up you have to work on the technique to get the better momentum:
Place one leg on the scooter and prepare the other leg for pushing it off. Start by lifting your push-off foot as high as you can but at the same time try to stay in comfort zone where you have a lot of balance. Your next move is to swing as fast as you can with your push-off leg and to use as much force as possible to push off.
Most experienced scooter users use a technique where they keep their push-off leg upfront and slightly bent. Another important step is that you need to lean your body as far forward as possible where you will gain acceleration. Using this technique you will make the most of it.
How to Get Less Tired?
On a flat road, push your foot parallel to the board – so you will move faster and not lose balance. Make a push, touching the ground with only your toe, then the load will be distributed between the hips. Calories are also burned during the ride. For better support, stand on the deck with your whole foot, in the direction of movement. With a steep climb, change your legs more often – every 3 pushes. Do not put a lot of effort into the push, otherwise you will quickly get tired. To reduce the load, rotate the supporting leg at an angle of 45° to the repelling one.
Going down the hill, straighten your legs and body, reducing the load on the muscles. Use this time for rest, do weak tremors only if necessary. Following these tips, soon you will achieve the so-called balance of power – this means that the muscles of your legs will cope with the load equally easily. Moreover, riding correctly, you can correct your posture and will always be in great shape.
How Do You Ride a Scooter If You Go Uphill?
If you decide to use your kick scooter to go uphill, know that it will be much more difficult and demanding than it is on a flat surface. When you start to go uphill, you want to use shorter and more frequent foot push-offs. This is because by using shorter push-offs you will keep your speed constant and you will not lose the momentum.
Place one foot on the scooter and hold it in the middle to have a better balance. The second foot (that is used to push-off) must be placed near to the foot that is on the scooter because you want to have as small a swing radius as possible. You will get a sense of how often you have to push yourself after a couple of push-offs when you see how much energy you need to maintain a constant speed and get a more effective climb.
Conclusion
In this article we have described what is the correct way and which foot do you need to use to have a proper technique while riding. We all know that kick scooters are a fun, easy, and safe way to transport. If you use a scooter for long distances on a daily basis, knowing the proper technique is key so you don’t get too tired to get to your destination. Also, control is a very important thing while driving as well as speed. We pointed out that it is not good to use only one leg while riding and that they need to be balanced to avoid injury. If you have any more questions, feel free to leave a comment below.