falling is the fun part

as children we spend more time falling out of balance while as adults we're desperately striving for balance. yet the reality is, children are more balanced individuals while adults, well... less said the better. do you remember how many times you fell learning to walk on two legs?

your first time standing up on two legs was a journey of many failed attempts. falling repeatedly everyday was never a matter of shame, nor was it a matter of pride when you eventually did it. every moment was a giggly celebration, whether you fell on your arse or stood on your feet.

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why are we so averse to falling, especially when what sets motorcycles apart from four wheelers is the propensity to fall at the drop of a hat? isn't this what excites us about these magnificent machines that challenge our balance in every moment? to experience the triumph of rising up we must first embrace the pain of falling down.

since they’re two sides of the same coin, i’m always oscillating between my fears and my desires. there seems to be no escaping this contrasting yet constant interplay of these two forces. detachment from the avarice associated with ambition always felt sterile and impotent to me. and i was always hunting for a way that reached out to me without engulfing me like my hedonic past.

of all the skills and traits needed for adventure, i'd rank comfort with discomfort the highest. and that begins with falling. my obsession with failing and falling is obvious for all to see even if you've met me just once in your life. how might we transform this aversion with falling into a welcome excursion with balance?

baby steps

yup, quite literally that. baby steps. imagine reversing your journey back to infancy. from bipedal to quadrupedal to crawling around on your back or belly. it's that simple really. practise dropping down on fours from a standing position. then from there attempt falling flat on your belly or back. once there don't be in a hurry to get back up. enjoy the view, kick your feet up and giggle 😁 to yourself.

sure, it sounds silly but i'm not here to help you work out. we're just here to play around with balance and imbalance. to find that balance point, lose it and find it again! rinse and repeat. challenge your creativity to come up with more obscure ways to fall each time, cuz why not? remember we're still doing this without a pair of wheels between us and the ground.

the real deal

i think i fell a few times everyday for weeks when i first started riding a motorcycle. sometimes in challenging conditions, sometimes in the safest of situations. even today i don't feel like i'm playing on the edge if i haven't fallen a few times this week. one reason why i'm so fall happy is my ease with getting up (picking my bike up ie).

so here's what you could do. drop your motorcycle and pick it up. everyday. well, you don't have to actually drop it! you can gently place it down on it's side and proceed to pick it off the ground. there's a zillion videos on youtube showing you different ways to do so. try 'em all or just drill one way. doesn't really matter. what truly counts is that you do so every single day.

fall together

a fun way to play together as riding buddies is exploring ways to challenge each other's balance. be each other's best frenemy forever. build up your balance skills and your buddy can attempt to distract you into losing that balance (no contact allowed).

there's not much else to falling really but your comfort with it will vary according to your health and fitness levels, and your spiritual resilience to get back up with a smile. for you will fall when riding on off-road adventures. and that's the fun part really. no kidding! you'll find out soon enough if you haven't already. if you feel like sharing your blooper reel, don't be shy... flaunt those falls 😆😎

this is my journey with motorcycles and mud, wanna ride with me?