" I don't want to get a knee down at the track," said which rider ever?!
I know how complex and hard it seems to get a knee down but it really isn't. Follow these 5 simple and easy steps for your next track session and say hello to one of the best feelings and coveted experiences on the track!
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Step 1: Body Positioning
Upper Body Alignment: Your upper body should be aligned with the bike’s lean angle. Lean your torso towards the inside of the corner, keeping your head low and close to the handlebar.
Head Position: Your head should be positioned roughly where the inside mirror would be if you were riding on the road. This positioning allows you to look through the corner and anticipate the exit, which is crucial for smooth cornering.
Shoulder Position: Keep your shoulders relaxed and aligned with your upper body. Avoid tensing up, as this can lead to fatigue and reduced control.
Common Mistakes
Hanging on the Bars: Avoid gripping the handlebars too tightly. Your hands should be relaxed, with your legs and core providing the primary support and stability.
Insufficient Lean: Don’t be afraid to lean your body into the turn. Insufficient lean can result in wider turns and reduced cornering speed.
Step 2: Foot Positioning
Ball of the Foot on the Peg: Place the ball of your inside foot on the peg. This positioning allows for better control and flexibility, enabling you to extend your knee out towards the track.
Heel Slightly Inward: Turn your heel slightly inward towards the bike. This helps in rotating your hip and extending your knee further out, which is crucial for achieving a knee down.
Stable Base: Ensure that your foot placement provides a stable base for your body. This stability is essential for maintaining balance and control during the turn.
Firmly Planted: Keep your outside foot firmly planted on the peg. This foot acts as an anchor, providing stability and balance as you lean into the turn.
Locking into the Tank: Use your outside leg to lock into the tank. This helps in anchoring your body securely on the bike, allowing you to focus on extending your inside knee and maintaining the correct body posture.
Common Mistakes
Incorrect Foot Placement: Avoid placing your feet too far forward or backward on the pegs. Incorrect foot placement can lead to instability and reduced control.
Tension in the Feet: Ensure that your feet are relaxed and not tensed up. Tension can lead to fatigue and reduced flexibility, affecting your ability to extend your knee properly.
Step 3 - Approaching the Corner
Smooth Braking: As you approach the corner, begin by smoothly applying the brakes. This helps in reducing your speed to a manageable level. Use both the front and rear brakes to maintain balance and control.
Controlled Deceleration: Gradually decelerate as you get closer to the turn. Avoid abrupt braking, as it can unsettle the bike and reduce traction. Aim for a smooth and controlled reduction in speed and avoid abrupt throttle inputs
Look Through the Corner: Focus on the exit of the corner rather than the apex. This helps in guiding your line and maintaining a smooth trajectory. Keeping your eyes on the exit point allows you to anticipate the turn and adjust your speed and lean angle accordingly.
Visual Markers: Identify visual markers for the corner such as cones or painted lines, to help you gauge your entry and exit points. These markers can serve as reference points for when to start leaning and when to begin accelerating out of the turn
Gradual Lean: As you approach the corner, start to gradually lean the bike. Begin with a slight lean and increase it progressively till you are comfortable.
Step 4 - Executing the Knee Down
Hip Positioning: Slide your hips off the seat towards the inside of the corner. Some riders move less or more than a cheek inside which is personal preference but one cheek is a rule of thumb you can follow. This weight shift is crucial for achieving the correct lean angle and maintaining balance.
Consistent Lean Angle: Aim to maintain a consistent lean angle throughout the turn gradually increasing and decreasing the lean angle when getting closer to exit and in entry respectively. Sudden changes in lean angle can disrupt your balance and reduce traction.
Balancing Speed and Control: Use the throttle to balance your speed and control throughout the turn. A smooth and consistent throttle application helps in maintaining a steady lean angle and ensures a smooth exit from the corner.
Head Position: Keep your head aligned with the bike’s lean angle. This positioning helps in maintaining balance and control.
Knee Out: Extend your inside knee out towards the track. Aim to touch the knee slider to the ground.
And thats it! You've got a knee down and a badass picture for your Instagram story!
Common Mistakes
Avoid forcefully trying to get your knee to touch the track. This was my mistake and I almost lost control while forcefully trying to touch my knee, extend only as far as you feel stable and comfortable, and even if you don't get a knee down on your first try it is absolutely fine (remember that they don't matter much in a race or getting faster laps), retry getting the knee down the next lap if you have to.
Step 5 - Practicing
Regular Practice Sessions: Just like any other skill knee down may seem hard to achieve on your first try but after trying again and again you will get it.
Focused Practice: During each session, focus on specific aspects of your technique, such as body positioning, foot placement, or throttle control. This targeted approach helps in refining each element individually.
Medium Speed Corners: Start with medium speed corners. These corners are not too fast to be intimidating and not too slow to make it difficult to hang off the bike.
Overcome Fear: One of the main reasons why we are unable to get a knee down is our fear which is normal for riders who are trying to get a knee down and this fear goes away each time you practice getting a knee down.
Gradual Progression: Start with small, achievable goals and gradually try to get your knee slightly lower each time passing that corner, and soon you'll be with a scraped slider in no time! This approach helps in building confidence and reducing the risk of mistakes.
Video Analysis and Feedback(optional): This advice is not limited to just getting a knee down but in every aspect of track riding, getting a video replay and feedback from other riders is extremely beneficial.
Summary
Align your upper body with the bike’s lean angle, keep your head low and close to the handlebar, and ensure your shoulders are relaxed. Correct foot placement, with the ball of your inside foot on the peg and your outside foot firmly planted, provides a stable base for your body.
Foot positioning plays a vital role in maintaining balance and control. Place the ball of your inside foot on the peg, with your heel slightly turned inward, and lock your outside leg into the tank.
Approaching the corner correctly involves managing your speed, using visual cues, and maintaining a consistent lean angle. Smooth braking and controlled deceleration are essential. Focus on the exit of the corner and use visual markers to guide your line. Gradually start leaning as you approach the turn.
Shift your weight towards the inside of the corner, extend your knee out, and aim to touch the knee slider to the ground. Smooth throttle application helps in maintaining balance and control throughout the turn.
Consistent practice is key to mastering the knee down.
Before getting a knee down I highly suggest you guys take the opposite approach of what I initially did which was trying to learn how to get a knee down before learning about body positioning!
Luckily my mentor caught immediate notice of this problem and snipped it in the bud. When you learn and implement correct body position you won't even have to make a conscious effort to get a knee down which is why I made the only guides you need (for both basic and advanced riders) on body positioning (lower and upper) which you can check out down below.
Let me know if you have anything about racing, track days, or more, and I'll respond immediately if you would like us to cover any topic on your mind, let us know in the comment below, and I'll see you guys next Monday!
Faster. Better. Safer
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