"How-To" Cordova

[The Snitz]

The Cordova is one of those tricks that has been around since the dawn of Freestyle, it first started out as just a little more extension of a Shin-Scraper with the rider looking up and back whilst doing a shin-scraper. Now the Cordova's are getting very extended themselves and they look great, but the good part for us Freestyler's is that it's not all that difficult to do.

As mentioned above, the Cordova is simply an extension of the Shin-Scraper which needs to be mastered first before attempting the Cordova.

Shin-Scraper:

To do this trick, when you leave the ramp all you have to do is pull your knees up towards your chest, and kind of keep your boots poking forward a little so they catch under the handlebars.

When you do this for the first time, it won't look like anything amazing what so ever, so you have to keep extending the shin-scraper. Now you want to, when you leave the ramp, keep your arms bent a little and try to push your body above the seat with your arms whilst bringing knees up and tucking your feet under the handlebars. You will be starting to feel your body up above the bike more and more and this is the beginning of starting a Cordova.

Pic - I've looked around the net for a pic of a Shin Scraper but couldn't find any so here's one from a long time ago, Sorry about quality of this, it was late at night. Anyway, you can see my Feet are tucked under the bars, and knees are bent, which I've pulled up towards my chest and my arms are also straight. This is the first stage to getting a Cordova

[The Snitz]

Ok, So now you have mastered the Shin-Scraper, piece of pie :)

Now when you want to begin your cordova, it's best to take it in little steps at a time. The best way to do these steps are to get in the "Shin-Scraper" position and then extend when you feel comfortable.
Try these couple of things first whilst doing a Shin-Scraper:

+ Tilt your head back and try to look as far back as you can.
+ Push your knees FORWARD instead of pulling them UP - Push them towards your front fender
+ Straighten your back

When you have a good feeling of doing these things, you can begin to link them together to get a full Cordova. You will probably do them all in this order:

1. When you leave the ramp, pull yourself up with your arms above your bike whilst bringing your legs up and locking your boots under the handlebars into the shin-scraper

2. Once you're here, you now want to push your knees as far forward as you can, kind of pointing your knees to the front fender. You will automatically feel that your back will start to straighten on it's own - This is great!

3. Whilst your knees are forward and back is straightening, you now want to help your back and actually arch your back, try to think of it with you pushing your ass up to the sky as high as you can. The further you can push your bum up, the better and easier the cordova will be

4. All the while you've done this whilst still looking forward, you can now, when feeling confident enough, begin to point your head up to the sky vertical, and then try to look as far back as possible until you can see the horizon.

Points 3 and 4 should be done almost simultaneously, so when you point your knees forward you want to arch your back and look backwards almost all in one single movement to achieve a great looking Cordova.

Alot of people find that arching their backs is hard, and it all comes down to practise, and building up the strength of your back muscles.

This is where most people when beginning Cordova's get too and then find it hard to actually extend their back's. Notice in this Picture that my knees are pointed as far forward as possible over the front fender and that I'm looking back with my head as far as I can. Don't feel down because this is as far as you might get -

[The Snitz]

To Arch your back the best, I find it better to pull with your arms. You really have to use your shoulders and back to help with this. When you've almost pulled the trick, your looking back but just not there, you just have to give your arms and shoulders one hell of a "yank" back. This should be able to get everyone into the perfect position.

Then when you want to land, it's as easy as pie, just pull on your arms again, and just push your bum back down to the ground and your body will follow. Point your feet back down towards the pegs and you should be fine :D

Note **** - When doing this trick, you may feel a little disorientated the first time when you actually look up to the sky and backwards. Don't fret too much if this makes you go all funny, the bike will more than likely still be going straight in line, if you feel strange doing this pull out of the trick immediately to land so you don't muck up landing. After a few attmepts you will get your bearings whilst looking upside down and will absolutely love this trick. Good Luck

Pic - Fully extended Cordova - Knees pointed forward, back arched (using my arms to pull my back up as you can my arms are a little bent) and my head back as far as possible to see the ramp that I just launched off
Taken by Lisa Dennis (Pic_takin_chick)

Copyright © Steve Sommerfeld 2004 All Rights Reserved.

[mulisha_mike]

thats a hell of allot easier then i thought, i will have a whole day learin new tricks this weekend, i will try and get some pice

thanks again snitz

[The Snitz]

No worries at all mate :) Glad I can be of some assistance. Can't wait to see these pics :D

[ALLEN]

wheni do shinscrapers,i just tuck my legs up then push them foward a bit so they sit on the hangers and my feet are tucked back.

[The Snitz]

Here's a sequence shot of the Cordova

Has this helped anyone else out? Post your successes :)

[ozzy_mulisha]

hey does anybody have any video footage of a cordova i am landing shin scrapers and i just need to extend mi legs and arch mi back.

[The Snitz]

Hey chief, I'll get one made for you ;)

[ozzy_mulisha]

sweet thanks

[mulisha_fmx]

lol doesnt look like you got that vid stevie ?

[The Snitz]

Naaa and I haven't ridden either because of tractors broken down in front of the downramp :p... I haven't forgotten ;)

[ozzy_mulisha]

is your tractor still in front of the ramp

[The Snitz]

Nope, but the ramp is in at the Speedway at Maryborough for the Demo this Saturday night ;) You should come up for it mate. I will get someone to take vids and pics of it though, don't you worry :D So there'll be a vid on here soon ;)

Steve:afro:

[ozzy_mulisha]

I am still having trouble bringing my knee out infront of the bars instead of just up which they are not doing anyways so i just have to keep practicing

[dane]

Here's a sequence shot of the Cordova

Has this helped anyone else out? Post your successes :)

Hi where is this place in the photo because in the latest edition of freerider there is a picture with the exact same backgriund as in your photo.

[The Snitz]

lol, cause its from the exact same place as in Freerider ;)

That's Adam's property, and by the looks of it I posted that September 04, so there you go... still looks much the same lol. Keen eyes though

[METAL_MULISHA13]

im glad this thread got brought back to life :) yeeeeees haha

[dane]

lol, cause its from the exact same place as in Freerider ;)

That's Adam's property, and by the looks of it I posted that September 04, so there you go... still looks much the same lol. Keen eyes though

Yeah the photos look tuff i wish I had a place to keep a permanent ramp spuin man...

[AdrenalneJnky]

So we going to see part 2 of this one Steve where we see how to Cardova backflip:bounce:

*still shocked over that being landed*

-pete:Z1:

[cr125_rider]

hey snitz just wonderin how bigger jump does it have to be to do a cordova cheers

[GStylEr]

Steve I can't get the pop part... Maybe I'm not pushin my knees forward quite right or somethin, but they do seem to be a bit closer together than they should be which wouldn't be helpin. I can do em like off the bike, but on the bike seems like an entirely different thing and it all just feels different and quite wrong. I can look back but I'm not getting straightened out to pop through...

[METAL_MULISHA13]

hmmm... i havent done cordovas before grant.. but im thinking you maybe need to push your knees heaps more forward and push your *cough* ;) *cough* up there.. maybe try putting your legs there.. and then just push your knees forward.. i might give them a try today actually..

dalt

[The Snitz]

Hey Grant my man, it would be pretty hard to do if you're knees are actually together while doing it... you need to sort of spread your legs apart a bit to do it aswell. When you put your knees through make sure your knees are a long way forward, that'll make it heaps easier. Then it's a matter of rolling your back up, and throwing your head up and then back. I guess... the best way I thought of doing it, was to push my arse through my belly button haha.
But yeah, knees through, spread your legs a little if you're not doing that now, make sure you knees go forward as far as you can and then look back... should improve pretty quickly from there mate :)

[FREESTYLEMX17]

off of a aus comp how big would u jump to start learnin cordovas u reckon 40ft would be big enough

[The Snitz]

Ohhhh, if you're really quick.. I'd say 50-60 feet when you're learning. Cos when you learn you're taking things alot slower than someone who can do it, so give yourself the extra time, and especially when you're not looking where you are, you need that extra time to figure out how to do the trick:)

[gloverfmx411]

scotty got these upside down cordova's going on steve. what u reckon?

kade

[thumpsta boy]

thats sik good work scott :Z440:

[rip_jp]

scott is one insane boy !! good work man thats insane extension for upside down!!!

[Bones]

thats looks sik as. i have a mini too, cant wait till im actually good enough to be able to try that. few years off though i think ha.

[zach991]

is this considered a shin scrape or whatever?
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/4667/zach80xk1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
if so, it was off a 15 foot stepdown so i would definetly have time off our 45 foot kicker we are getting on the go

[Rexy_fmx]

HOw do i finish this trick do i just push my chest out??

[dial000]

hey rexy your cordova is almost there, all you need to do is to throw your head backwards and look back as far as u can( basically till ur looking at the ramp upside down) and then just push out your torso a tiny bit more. im no expert on it but thats the only problem i can see with urs

[Rexy_fmx]

Thanks to Snitz and other peoples help i can finaly get my cordovas good i got my body pushed out n my head back im really happy with em.

[Rexy_fmx]

well i got them like this now so im happy

[The Snitz]

great to see mate!! All you have to do is now try and look back and find the ground behind you :) Your body position is pretty spot on, so just try and bend your neck back further and it'll be perfect!

[Rexy_fmx]

great to see mate!! All you have to do is now try and look back and find the ground behind you :) Your body position is pretty spot on, so just try and bend your neck back further and it'll be perfect!

thanks man yer ill try that next time i ride, ur ssg how to also helped me n can small ones now ill get a pic up soon catch ya

[The Snitz]

ah awesome, glad to hear it helped mate :)

[2000-cr125-92]

hey this how to guide is good just i have a bit of trouble exstending
so heres a pic
if you could help me out that would be awsome

[jayden warner]

bring ure feet right up to the bars .. and the further u push ure knee's the more extension u will get .. then all u have to do is look back

but yeah further ure knee's are over them bars the better the extension....
and also push with ure hips , it's kinda hard to expain... but it just happens sumhow...
hope i helped ..

[The Snitz]

Ay mate, yeah basically push those knees of yours as far Forward as you can. When they're forward you'll have heaps better balance and alot more room on the bike to pull on your arms to extend your hips up. So basically you want to get your arse as high as you can to the sky. Your arms are there to stabilise yours in the air on this trick, so when you do it, hold your arms out straight and push them back as hard as you can while feeling comfortable, and just keep tilting your head back - if you can see the tree's behind you, you're getting close... when you can see the horizon and the ramp behind you, then you have done the cordova :D

[2000-cr125-92]

thanks jayden and steave
does it look like im on the right track tho?