David Ambrose
Body by Trikke and Tai Chi?
David Ambrose is a fitness coach who, in 2009, discovered the Trikke and attended the Trikke Academy. Now a certified, level 2 Trikke trainer, David gets his “swerve on” in Portland, OR, where he organizes demos and rides in an effort to get more people involved in the sport of carving.
After eight weeks into Tai Chi with the Tai Cheng program, the connection between Trikke carving and Tai Chi balance and agility is amazing to me. I decided to do a quick Google search, and found a forum thread, in which a man named Ivan posted: “Met a nice couple today and demo’d the trikke, husband did well, wife got on and carved, not just getting the T-12 to move, but carved, moved her body like she had been taught by a Trikke trainer. I asked if she had ever ridden a Trikke before, she said no, but she does Tai Chi.”
See the resemblance?
As a Trikke trainer, I work with a lot of people new to the sport, and it is extremely rare to find an adult who can just start carving. There is definitely a learning curve. Kids can pick up the skill pretty quickly. However, adults in general take at least a few sessions.
The point is, this woman just started riding and attributed it to her Tai Chi practice! It sounds random, however, I have to say, I agree. The movements all come from the core. We are taught in Tai Cheng that the hips are the keystone of the body. Movements need to almost initiate from the hips. As a bonus, the glutes are the main muscle which means … bonus: butt workout!
The other day I was carving and a friend who was watching commented that the carve comes from the hips. I think its true.
Last Saturday at the Portland LSM Ride, I was giving tips to my friend who takes Tai Chi classes. I told her to “remember your Tai Chi,” because her posture and stance needed to be more vertical with a solid steel spine.
Tai Cheng is really helping my riding and helping me to teach others because I can share the adjustments very easily.
Another example is the the arches. I am so impressed with the importance of arches. With Tai Cheng, we pry our knees apart slightly with correct foot position. This forces the aches up. Very simple adjustment, and I have never been taught that before. No-one ever talks about arches except at the shoe store when you are looking for the correct arch support. Arches are so important for athletes and anyone who is on their feet, yet they get ignored. Have you ever been asked to raise up your arches for any activity? Unbelievable because it helps in everything from surfing to standing, to dancing and yes, Trikke riding! Try the adjustment and be sure to comment and share!
A version of this article was originally published on David Ambrose’s blog, Get and Stay Fit.
Also by David Ambrose:
Better for the Body: The Trikke, P90X or Insanity?
Click here for details
