Procedural Memory - Learning How to Ride a Bike - Essay Example

Understanding how to ride a bicycle is a process that can be learned by people of all ages and sizes in society (Donaldson, 2013).

There are different approaches by which a person to learn how to ride a bicycle. Many people are accustomed to learning from the traditional method where a person huffs and puffs while running behind the bicycle while the learner is on it. The teacher in this case releases the bike and watches anxiously as the learner takes his or her chances. Unfortunately, the chances of falling and instilling fear in the learner are high in this approach. However, better and modernized approaches can make it easy for all learners to grow in confidence. In that, the learner needs to find a gently sloping and grassy hill and a beginner’s bike with a foot brake and single gear. This bike requires less coordination and is suitable for learners.

According to (Hopsicker, 2010), soft grass reduces the likelihood of obtaining skinned knees. The learner should have a fitting helmet, tucked shoe laces, and well-fitting clothes. The tires should be well-inflated to ease the movement. The saddle should be lowered using a wrench such that the feet rest on the ground flatly while seated. From a hilly position, the bike should be well-positioned with leveled pedals. The learner should be seated on the saddle while holding the handlebar straight with slightly bent arms. The bike can then roll down the hill with the feet lifted and use them to control the speed by putting them on the ground. This should be reaped until the learner can coast down the slope with both feet on the pedals. This enables the learner to gain balance.

While rolling down the slope, the learner can brake as the hill levels out. By the time the learner can stop safely, he or she can learn to steer left and right. This can be repeated while rolling down the hill and combining all the procedures. Afterward, the pedal and saddle are raised to allow the legs to bend slightly during the bottom stroke of the pedal. The learner can try to climb the hill to exercise their paddling skills. They should also learn to pedal in circles on a level ground. This enables him or her to combine the balance, steering, and pedaling skills at the same time and finally break to stop the process. While the learners can start and ride a bicycle, it is important for them to understand the importance of the helmet. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, helmet-wearing can reduce the risk of head injuries by about 85 percent (Donaldson, 2013). It should be worn at a level without being tilted or at an angle while the straps are well tied. Read More