"How-To" - HeelClicker

[The Snitz]

The Heelclicker is one of the earliest tricks pulled, but you are almost guaranteed to see it at any FMX event and in any FMX Video. Pro riders pull this trick in competitions usually as part of a combo, but some even pull the heelclicker as a single trick on its own.

Having the Heelclicker in your bag of tricks will always be a good step, as it is the basis of getting your confidence with pushing your body up above the handlebars and holding on only by your arms.

When wanting to do a heelclicker, you need to be able to do No Footers, preferably be very confident with no footers and be able to throw your legs out a fair way.

1. When approaching the ramp, stand in the normal attack position when hitting the ramp, you want to hit the ramp straight up the centre to keep the bike in a straight line. This will hopefully keep the bike in a fairly neutral position all through the jump.

2. As you leave the ramp, you want to let your feet up off the pegs and hold onto the handlebars tight. Pull your body up closer to the handlebars.

3. When your up close to the handlebars, spread your legs out wide, and lift them up high, you might have to crunch your belly a bit to get your legs up when you're first learning.

4. When your legs are up a bit higher than the handlebars, all you need to do now is wrap your legs around your arms, and try to touch your feet together. This is the Heel-Click.

5. Now you just need to spread your legs back out and bring yourself back down for a nice safe landing.

Too easy!?? - Here's ways to extend the Heelclicker and make it look better.

Extension tip #1.
When you leave the ramp, instead of pulling your body up closer to the bike, how about trying to push your body up so you feel like you're above the handlebars. This will make the heelclicker look much more extended!!

Extension tip#2.
Also, another way of extending the heel clicker is to try and get your feet up as high as possible. Some people can get these so extended, they're almost doing a heelclicker over and behind their heads (Like you would see a 2 year old kid with it's legs behind it's head)

Extension tip#3.
Now that you have the Heelclicker down... Why not do 2 clicks? You can either go up, get your legs around and click once and then simply click again, as if you were clapping your feet.
OR you can go up, legs around and click, then bring your feet back down to the pegs, and then go back up, legs around and do a second heelclicker, and then down for landing. Both are considered a Double Heelclicker.

To make this trick more fun when out with mates and you are all starting to get heelclickers down (Or you're advanced riders) You can try to see how many heelclickers you can pull in one jump :)

When you become a more advanced rider, and you are pulling other tricks, you can incorporate the heelclicker into these other tricks to make "Combo's" Which look alot better, and score much higher in a competition. Example, you can pull a Catwalk and then before you land, come back to the centre of the bike and pull a heelclicker.

Good Luck and hope to see all you beginners post your new pictures of your heelclickers :D

Edit - Better PicPic - Here is a standard heelclicker - You can see my legs wrap around my arms. Usually you'll find your legs will be about the height of your elbows.

Copyright © Steve Sommerfeld 2004 All Rights Reserved.

[stavross]

i think i need to do some stretchs, and loosen up a bit more... plus not give up after one failed attempt...

i have been wanting to pull this trick for ages, but i kinda need some better jumps damit

[The Snitz]

Hehe, Callum's right, to do this trick you do need to feel fairly loose in your legs. Stretch your Hamstrings (Muscles at back of your upper legs) and Adductors (Muscles on inside of your legs). Just stretch your legs from side to side. And for Hamstrings, put one leg forward and straight, and squat down until you feel the stretch.
Because you're in a funny little position doing the heelclicker, you need to be fairly limber :) Thanks for reminding me mate :thumbsup:

[stavross]

pic of steve.. doggy quality unfortunetly

[METAL_MULISHA13]

ohh and steve forgot to mention that if u cant really get even close to clicking ur feet together, maybe cut 1 inch (2cm) or more from each side and go try it then, it may get u closer and closer everytime:D

and im gunna try a heelclicker soo when i get my downie built, get used to my ramp, bring it back a lill and try it then;) what great timing too, im gettin my downie built soon and i can try these tricks,

WELL DONE STEVE FOR THESE GREAT TIPS!!! :D:D:D:D:D

MM13

[ALLEN]

thanks heaps steve,id say ill die tryin some of this shit on the weekend,but thats what you get.

[mulisha_mike]

I can get my feet up above the bars out on the sides but I just have problems just startin the actual click. For some reason I feel as if I won't get back on in time even though I am goin for them over a 90 foot table top/step down thing. Any sugestions Steve?

[mulisha_mike]

Well now I can't get my feet above the bars but I can click them in front of the number plate. Any help would be appreciated.

[The Snitz]

Sorry mate, I must have missed your first question. When your about to click your feet push your body up off the bars. You almost want your arms to be vertical, and your feet straight out in front of you. The secret is to push up higher off the bike. You will definetly have enough time over 90 foot I should imagine, just get used to the jump and being able to push off the bike as soon as you leave the ramp

Let me know how you go trying that

[mulisha_mike]

I will, I know I got the time I got no footed cans off it today and last time I did that trick It put me in the hospital so I was doin them kinda slow, know that should make me go faster but I guess it looks cool slower too. Thanks again

[wicked]

sweet as

[sik_50]

hey snitz....i can do heelclickers on my big bike but not on my 50...im gettin my leg's up to my elbows but i cant get them to come in and click????wat do i need 2 do??????

[FoXRaCiNG.2]

thanks for the tip steve. time to go out and try

[ozzy_mulisha]

this pic was taken today. I am doing heelclickers properly its just the camera take so long to take the photo that it is a bit miss timed butr still good.

Edit - Resized Image - Steve:afro:

[kawa909]

that pic is a tad big

[ozzy_mulisha]

yer steve is resizeing it for me just hold on a tick

[kawa909]

okelly dokelly

[The Snitz]

Lookin good big man!! Congrats :D
Hope to see some even bigger tricks soon ay hehehehe maybe next week or so hehe;)
Steve

[kawa909]

lookong good there, oh and congrats snitz for making freerider. :)

[Freaky_FMX_Star]

oh man i took your advice and try'd it the other day, the only problem was wen i went to bring mi legs in to click, i kicked my arm off the handlebar and landed on the side of mi bike.mi peg stabed me in mi groin. so im house bowned for a week or too. but ya thanks for the advice anyways. it sure as hell helped.

[The Snitz]

Originally posted by Freaky_FMX_Star
mi peg stabed me in mi groin. so im house bowned for a week or too. but ya thanks for the advice anyways. it sure as hell helped.

:p Well I'm glad I've helped in some way :)

Na mate, thanks for that, I hope you enjoy the other guides aswell.

When you go for the heelclick, remember to get your legs up above your elbows, that way you have a better chance of clicking without actually hitting your arms at the bottom and hitting them off. :) That might help that little problem

Steve:afro:

[ozzy_mulisha]

yer i have the whole elbow problem sometimes i go up do a heel-clicker ad when im doin it i wak my elbow whit my egs and it really hurt. Just gotta stretch more i guess. and yer steve you will probably see bigger air this weekend lol wink wink hehe

[twothreesix]

Hey steve, how do u pull ur body up towards the bars? i can get both legs up high over the bars, and then i try and click them but my ass is still over the seat so they cant get around my arms, i cant work out how i can get my body closer? do i pull on the bars or do i just jump closer to the bars when i jump up???

Any help would be great...
Cheers...

[The Snitz]

G'day Mate, when you leave the jump, and you know you're going for the heelclicker, when you lift your feet up off the pegs, you need to pull hard on the bars to bring your body up high off the seat. You almost want to feel like your ass is sitting above the handlebars. When you do that, you will easily get that click of your heels. Look at the picture of me right up the top. You'll notice my body is like a foot or so high off the seat, and my arms are straight up. Thats where you need to be :)... Any lower and it makes it quite difficult... Also remember to try get your knees above your elbows when you are clicking. Try it on the ground to see what I'm talking about, and then go out on the bike and have a crack

Hopefully that helps mate, let us know of the success ;)

Steve:afro:

[twothreesix]

cheers man, that sounds good, its raining so no rampin today. I will deffently keep u informed of my progress lol, mayb even post pics...

[freestyler_kris]

hey steve, would cutting like an inch off ur handle bars help me get mi legs around the handle bars??, i hve got Tag T2's standard CR Double high, but for sum reason i find it really hard, or should i just pull up on the handle bars more??

[tuts89]

Sorry steve if i am ansere, yes it helps a great deal, i couldnt get my legs around i cut about 1 inch off and i can click them just about every time. But that ur time in cutting them a little is a lot on handle bars. so to a little bit at a time and dont cut them to small. :)

[freestyler_kris]

thnks tuts i might hve to try tht aye, ill c if i can get the heelclicker this sunday, adn if i cnt ill give em a cut

[The Snitz]

Yeah mate, I've heard of people cutting their bars, my mate Adam (5th Pinned) cut his down an inch both sides... he loves it.
I personally wouldn't cut mine, I'd find it better to stretch the inner muscles of my legs before i cut a set of bars. Try stretching your legs alot, and that will help you so much you won't believe :)

[GStylEr]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned in this thread, but try jumping standing on the balls of your feet... The bit that your toes connect to. Don't land like it, but try taking off like it, it's so much easier to jump up off the bike cause it's a natural jump position. Then just sorta jump up as you leave the ramp, pull the bars down under your bum a bit, and click em. You'll get the feel for what I'm talking about after a while, and you'll feel so confident doing clickers you'll seriously wonder why you ever had troubles with em. I promise. It's a jumping technique I swear by, and now do it for every trick, it's better for preloading as well I find, cause you have a lot more control over what your legs are doing to the pegs. I'm 99.99% sure you can do a heelclicker without cutting your bars. My arms are short and so are my legs but I now have no troubles. The higher you jump the easier it is to click them together.

Try it out, see what you think...

[freestyler_kris]

sweet g-styler thanks for the motivational tips!!
lol i will give em a go 1 day

[I_Bleed_blue]

anybody think this jump is to big/ to small? ive tried a heelclicker and didnt get it, im not sure if im not quick enough or the jumps to small.....you decide:)

[tuts89]

nah not to small, what is it 30ft that what i leant my heelclcikers on. just keep workin on em

[sik_50]

i rckon u jst need to jump higher..case the higher u jump the easier it is to click...thats probably just cause im flexible.but you should get them over that gap..i use to heelclicker my ds 80 over 20 foot

[motoxxx]

i cant get the click. help????

[I_Bleed_blue]

ok i can only heelclicker a trampolione bike, but i think it applies for both: get your ass up off the seat lol, get as high and as close as you can

[The Snitz]

G'day motoxxx, that heelclicker is looking quite good to that stage, all you need to do is push yourself up higher off the seat, that will then get those legs higher up, above your elbows. Then it is much easier to just kick your heels into the centre to get that click. Also stretch your legs before you ride, that will give you a better chance :)

Let me know how you go after your next ride, get a picture and we'll go from there :) Just re-read the guide and try figure out in your head what you're doing. If you can, get a video and you can see exactly what you're doing :)

Steve

[motoxxx]

cheeres man im goin ridin on sunday ill try some more thanks for the help

[fmxcht]

can somone tell me how to do a heel clicker

[sik_50]

get used to your jump, so your comfortable. start doing no footer and bringing them up higher and higher. then once your ready for the heelcicker jump as high up as possible and move your body forward a little bit cause it makes it easier to click.once you have clicked snap your legs back down as quick as possible for a smooth and safe landing.

[The Snitz]

Hey mate, if you check out the "How-To Forums" theres actually 2 pages, and you'll be able to find about 30 or more different trick guides, the Heelclicker is in there somewhere :)

Or, check out my site, I've got a few of the tricks up there too, here's the Heelclicker:
www.stevesommerfeld.com/heelclicker.htm

[fmxcht]

thanks you guys

[#000]

Here ya go buddy go check this out...

http://www.rfdmx.com/main/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=136

Steve's guides will give u the exact same info but he smells funny and has a wierd fetish with marcupiuls :D

Love Joel.

[fmxcht]

ok thank you

[bucholtz69]

u defenantly dont need a big jump 2 do it.. heres my friend landing his first couple...

[fmxfox]

here's how I learned to do them. First do a bunch of heelclickers sitting down on the seat of your bike as you ride around. it's good to get stretched this way. Then jump and try to bring your boots up above your bars and wrap your legs around your arms and click. The easiest way to do this (for me anyways) is to keep the front end level and push your bars down as you bring your legs up to click. And it's pretty safe if your arse lands on the seat before your feet get back on the pegs (it happens to me all the time) you will ride it out no problem as long as your feet are not hung up on your bars (which has never happened to me) hope all this junk helps!

[Tanti]

Throw your legs up and click em ;)

brahh outtt

[Tanti]

Actually to think of it I did it on trampbike 1st

[Kiewa boyz]

yeh heelclickers are pretty easy that pic that bucholtz posted is me and i bein tryen them for a while but u just gotta learn to flick your legs around ya arms

codie

[j-man#58]

i leanrt them 2 weeks ago all i do is when jumping the jump i learn abit near the bars then in the air i jump as close to the bars as i can but wile jumping near the bars i bring my legs around and because your close to the bars your feet hit really easily

[glewy_kx]

yer u look to close 2 ure seat push off at bit more get ure arms straight and get ure legs up round ure elbows and b4 u no it u will be clikin them!!!and strecth b4 u ride and get nice and flexable it makes all tha triks alot easier!!

[fiddy_freestyle]

yeh its like exactly doing it on tramp bike exept ur progressing forward just do wot u wuld do on tramp bike n stretch ur groin b4 u do it coz u might b sore the nxt day

[ollie 67]

yeh i done em on a bmx first try into a foam pit, heaps easy ay

[RM_madness31]

dude if u've got a tramp

grab a stick or somethin and heelclicker on that. Thats how i learnt to get mine.

Hope it helps cheers

[Scotish]

Hey all, I have been practacing no-footers and can do them really big now and I am wanting to now learn how to do a heelclicker. I Do everything right exept that i can't get my feet up high enough over my handle bars to click my feet together. I really want to learn this trick so any help will be muchly appriciated,
Scott

[METAL_MULISHA13]

the key to do a heelclcker..

is to jump UP and FORWARD in order to click those little leggies of yours :)

dalt

[The Snitz]

Hey mate, I made a thread about it with alot of people's problems much similar to yours, have a read all through the thread :)

http://www.fmxaustralia.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3403
Check it out

Stevey S :afro:

[fiddy_freestyle]

when i do its its a piece of piss just o exactly wot u do on tramp bike thats wot i do ive been clikering for ages but on fiftie and all but yeh i heelclickered full click off my ramp on the fourth hit.

[fmxfox]

Hey man! Yeah when I was learning heel clickers what helped me out was trying them on a jump that had a super smooth landing (one that wont buck you over the bars if your butt hits the seat before you make it back to the pegs) and also a jump that isn't really big. I learned them on about 30 feet or so, but can do them on anything over 15 that has a pop to it. Once you find a jump like the one I described, start working on jumping off of your pegs as early as you can and push down on your bars to lift your body up and try to gradually work on trying to get your heels to click. If the jump isnt very big and the landing is smooth, even if you land with your feet over your arms still you wont crash. I have never even come close to crashing on them regardless of how late I get my feet back on the pegs! Just relax, and do it. Also practise clicking you heels together while you are riding around on flat ground. THis will get you used to the feeling of having your feet up and also helps stretch you out. Good luck! (this is an old picture of me after I first learned them. The pic sucks, but you get the idea!)

[sik_50]

person above:

your actually ment to jum,p up of the pegs and move your but forward a little. a heelclicker should look like this

[fmxfox]

person above:

your actually ment to jum,p up of the pegs and move your but forward a little. a heelclicker should look like this


Well actually im pretty tall so all I gotta do is wrap my legs around my arms. Im happy with them. Not everyone's tricks look the same. Short riders I know do them like you do, tall riders do them like me. ANd both work fine. I can do multiple clicks my way, and they can do them your way too.

[fiddy_freestyle]

Well actually im pretty tall so all I gotta do is wrap my legs around my arms. Im happy with them. Not everyone's tricks look the same. Short riders I know do them like you do, tall riders do them like me. ANd both work fine. I can do multiple clicks my way, and they can do them your way too.
hey man i dont mean to bust y aballs but im 6 ft and clicker exactly like sik 50 its just getting use to it its a good start tho

[fmxfox]

hey man i dont mean to bust y aballs but im 6 ft and clicker exactly like sik 50 its just getting use to it its a good start tho


Well either way I was just trying to give some advise on heelclickers to help out. Im happy with how I do them, and it's an old picture anyways, but thats how they feel the most natural to me. I can do it the same way as you guys, but this way is funner for me, plus makes heelclickers to nothings easier (for me anyways) and it's all about the fun!

[sik_50]

Well actually im pretty tall so all I gotta do is wrap my legs around my arms. Im happy with them. Not everyone's tricks look the same. Short riders I know do them like you do, tall riders do them like me. ANd both work fine. I can do multiple clicks my way, and they can do them your way too.

im 6 foot 2 and i ride a 50 for god sake. dont go talking to me about tallness LOL. i was just saying i wasnt sayin yours were wrong i was just saying they look weird

[dial000]

yeah dude kade is fair lanky haha
i have no flexiblity at all so i cant really do heelclickers that well, i can do them, but i cant do them like most people.
yeah so anyway.. kade is ****ing lanky as a spider monkey so dont talk about how tall you are till you meet blake haha.

rhys

[fmxfox]

Yeah if your 6'2 and doing them like that then im talking out my ass! :drunk: It seems like most of the taller people I ride with that do them, just wrap there legs around like I do. BUt yeah, no big deal. I never claimed my heelclickers looked good, I was just trying to help out. My tricks all look sorta weird for one reason or another.

[honda rider]

when i first did a heelclicker it was off a 15ft jump...lol

cheers codie

[sik_50]

Yeah if your 6'2 and doing them like that then im talking out my ass! :drunk: It seems like most of the taller people I ride with that do them, just wrap there legs around like I do. BUt yeah, no big deal. I never claimed my heelclickers looked good, I was just trying to help out. My tricks all look sorta weird for one reason or another.

hahaha now worries just thought i would clear the height thing up for you lol.

[Scotish]

yo thanks guys I'll give it a go this weekend

[jesse frmx]

i push down a heep at the top of the ramp and try to push the bike down kinda instead of trying to jump up..hard to explain...i dont no if anyone else does that...im just a goon haha
jesse

[unhallowed]

YO fmxfox, no offense but in that picture when your learning you got some crazzzy monkey legs look at that reach, and yur butt is STILL touching the seat. did you rip ur shorts on that run mate?

[fmxfox]

YO fmxfox, no offense but in that picture when your learning you got some crazzzy monkey legs look at that reach, and yur butt is STILL touching the seat. did you rip ur shorts on that run mate?


Well not yet! It is an old picture, but looking at newer ones I still do them the same way I think. Being able to stretch like that is a huge plus though with doing other tricks. I could maybe click over my helmet if I tried! (not that its a big deal) But yeah here is another picture off the same jump on the same day as that older picture so you can see how they look from another angle. My heelclickers aren't textbook, thats for sure! Oh well, there still fun.

[fiddy_freestyle]

here is mine but its blury as so u prob cant make out the pic.meh

[ZappFMX]

i find that if you get your feet to start wraping after u hit ur takeoff they pick up speed and force ur heels togethr. i mean if you get good momentum in your legs when your wrapin they usaly have enought force to click

[ZappFMX]

im a lanky bastard too, so dunno if that will work. :headbang9

[fiddy_freestyle]

im a lanky bastard too, so dunno if that will work. :headbang9
hey im 6ft,1 easy and there not that hard at all for me just do exactly wot u do on tramp bike. works for me

[dane]

Its just practise mate. You will start getting your legs closer and closer together untill they touch. You will be stoked when ya feet touch for the first time. Better than sex rofl.

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/784/img02354mf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[flangin-muddy_1]

Hey evry1,
just wondering if any can tell me if it looks like i would have enough time to pull a heelclicker of this jump? ive attached a pic for u to chek out. its ova a 55foot jump at freeflight mx park, near louee. going there in a few days and was wondering if any rekons i would be able to do it..

[flangin-muddy_1]

heres a vid of it as well
cheers

[cat]

oooh kool noi footrer heel cloick er thing man kkeep it up[
love lots cat

[fiddy_freestyle]

Hey evry1,
just wondering if any can tell me if it looks like i would have enough time to pull a heelclicker of this jump? ive attached a pic for u to chek out. its ova a 55foot jump at freeflight mx park, near louee. going there in a few days and was wondering if any rekons i would be able to do it..
yeh u shudnt have problem off that jump but its betta to learn ova jump with a bit more hang time and then u can do em no wuriz ova small jumps..but prove me wrong go for it and c wot happens here is anutha clicker from me the otha day...

[fmxfox]

Hey evry1,
just wondering if any can tell me if it looks like i would have enough time to pull a heelclicker of this jump? ive attached a pic for u to chek out. its ova a 55foot jump at freeflight mx park, near louee. going there in a few days and was wondering if any rekons i would be able to do it..


Yeah you should be able to do it off of that jump, but if you have a jump with a bit more of a pop to it off the take off it makes it easier.

[flangin-muddy_1]

sweet ill give it ago, also goin to louee so ill try it off the 60 footer on the fmx trak if i get enough confidence. 8 days to go...cant wait
thanks

[freestyle_rulz]

hey im short sorta like 5"9 or sumthin, n i juz use the preload to get my feet off the pegs n i thin the best way if ur short is to extend ur arms up asmuch as u can.... yeh i learnt them ova a 60ft jump but i can do them on 15ft jumps now

[kistler]

crofty (freestyle_rulz) way is the easiest i lernt them off him and it took me like 3-4 tries and i got it!

[cr125_rider]

ok i got two questions..
how do u get pics to go on your profile and how do u get your lags to touch its just not working for me,
cheers

[kistler]

well i got my legs to touch by just streaching every nite or just push yaself higher off the seat! and for the picture u just go to ur user cp and click on edit avater and go down to the bottom and click browse for ur own pic and then u click upload!

[robb170]

iv been trying to do themm but i just cant get my feet over the handle bars and its hard 2 find the pegs once iv attempted it...
any suggestions????

[allbonesbroken]

just bring up feet up near your hands and keep doing the intill u can get your legs up high the wrap your legs around your arms

[Kawasaki_Mad]

Snitz i wanna thank you so F**kin much i was trying this trick all day yesterday with no luck then i was on here last night and today after a S**t load of trys i got it :) Posted via iPhone

[thormx683]

such a fun trick :)

[Kawasaki_Mad]

hey guys fmxauz thinks im one an iphone when im on my laptop atm wtf? i cant post a pic of my clicker ??? Posted via iPhone

[Kawasaki_Mad]

hey guys the problem fixed itself

Click!

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r25/jamester_2007/weee.jpg

[Kawasaki_Mad]

hey got it properly down about a week r 2 after that above photo

the better photos mi siggy!

this thread actually helped me thanks alot!.

[The Snitz]

Good on ya mate!! :) Great to see you nailed it

[Kawasaki_Mad]

Good on ya mate!! :) Great to see you nailed it

cheers thanks again!

[fmx_22]

do you have 2 bend your elbows kinda in wards so you can click ur heels