Freestyle Motocross

Freestyle Motocross (also known as FMX or Moto-X) is a recent variation on the sport of motocross. It concentrates not on speed or racing, but on the acrobatic ability of the rider in the air. Riders perform jumps and stunts ranging from 80-150 feet in length (24-45 meters). The two main types of freestyle events are Big Air and Freestyle Motocross.

Big Air (also known as Best Trick) is a best-of-three competition in which each contestant is allowed three attempts at the same jump. The best trick or variation of the three attempts gives the rider his score. The event is judged by a panel of ten judges scoring on a 100 point scale, judging for the style, level of trick difficulty, best use of the course. The rider with the highest single score wins the competition. The jump is usually over 100 feet (30 meters) in length). Big Air requires a rider who is capable of channeling all his intensity into a single maneuver.

Freestyle Motocross is the older of the two disciplines. Riders compete in a series of two routines of 90 seconds to fourteen minutes in length on a freestyle course. The course consists of multiple jumps of varying lengths and angles, and is usually one to two acres in area (.4 to .8 hectres). Like Big Air, a panel of judges assigns each contestant a score based on a 100 point scale. In order to please the judges, riders must have the ability to execute difficult tricks and employ a number of variations over different jumps. Notable Freestyle motocross events include Red Bull X-Fighters, the X-Games, Gravity Games, Big-X, Moto-X Freestyle National Championship, and Dew Action Sports Tour

Freeriding is the original freestyle motocross. It has no structure, and is traditionally done on public land. Riders look for natural jumps and drop-offs to execute their tricks on. Some freeriders prefer to jump using sand dunes. In many ways, freeriding requires more skill and mental ability. Notable freeriding locations include Ocotillo Wells and Glamis Dunes in California, Beaumont, Texas, and Cainville, Utah. You should be prepared to get dirty if you are trying this yourself.

Freestyle motocross employs many tricks of varying difficulty.

• The most controversial trick is the “Backflip” first attempted by Carey Hart in 2000.
• Backflip Can-Can
• Backflip Candy Bar
• Backflip Cliffhanger
• Backflip Cordova
• Backflip Heel Clicker
• Backflip Lazyboy
• Backflip Nac-Nac
• Backflip Nac-Nac to Heel Clicker
• Backflip No Footer
• Backflip No Hander
• Backflip No Handed Lander
• Backflip One Footer
• Backflip One Hander
• Backflip One-Handed Nac-Nac
• Backflip Saran Wrap
• Backflip Superman
• Backflip Superman Indian Air (Also called Indian Air)
• Backflip Superman Seat Grab
• Backflip Superman Seat Grab Indian Air
• Backflip Whip
• Backflip Whip No-Footer
• Backflip Whip No-Footer to One-Hander Lander
• Perhaps the most difficult of all tricks is the “Body Varial,” also called the “Carolla” after its inventor Chuck Carothers.
• The 'Can-Can' is one of the simplest FMX tricks. It involves the rider taking one of his legs and sticking it out on the otherside of the bike in front of him.
• The 'Cliffhanger' consists of the rider placing his feet on top of or underneath the handlebars and than reaching up towards the sky as if he were standing on the edge of a cliff. Variations of this include the 'Jackhammer' and the 'Christ Air'
• The "Coffin/Dead Body" involves the rider sticking his legs between his arms and stretching back so he is laying flat above the bike, as if he were in a Coffin.
• The “Double Backflip” was completed by Travis Pastrana. This trick was pulled off for the first time ever in competition during the 2006 X Games.
• Double Grab
• Fender Grab
• Hart Attack
• The “Heel Clicker” is another elementary FMX trick. It consists of the rider clicking his heels together over the handlebars while in the air.
• Holy Grab
• Holy Man - (Superman no handed let go)
• The “Kiss-of-Death,” where the rider moves his body straight up and his motorcycle straight down, is one of the more difficult tricks.
• Ladder
• The “Lazy-Boy” was invented by none other than, Travis Pastrana. The trick has been pulled by many freestyle motocross riders, and is often used in competition. It involves the rider lying flat on his back with his legs under the handlebars and his arms out behind him. It resembles a man lying down on a couch or Lazy-Boy chair, hence the name.
• The 'McMetz' involves the rider lifting himself off the bike and taking his arms, placing them underneath the handlebars and than pulling them out by taking his hands of the bars. He than sits back down on the bike before landings. Variations include the 'Double McMetz' were the trick is performed twice in one jump.
• Another difficult trick is “The 360” A.K.A “Mulisha Twist,” a complete full spin first landed by Brian Deegan in the 2003 X Games Freestyle MotoX competition.
• The “Nac-Nac,” invented by supercross star Jeremy McGrath, is one of the original FMX tricks. It is executed by dismounting the motorcycle while in the air.
• The Moonwalk
• No Footer
• No Footed Can
• No Hander
• No Hander One Footer
• No Foot Nac-Nac
• Nothing
• Rock Solid
• Rodeo Air
• Ruler
• Sidewinder
• Stale Fish (Saran Wrap)
• Suicide Can
• Superman
• Superman Indian Air (Indian Air)
• Superman Seat Grab
• Surfer
• Topside No Footed Can - (known as the switchblade)
• Tsunami
• The Whip
• Turntable

Types Of Landings

• No Hander Lander (First landed by Mike Jones)
• Sterlizer (First landed by Clifford Adoptante also know as the Flyin Hawaiian)
• Side Saddle Lander (First landed by Brian Deegan)
• Standard lander ( standing up on pegs )