One of the most common pieces of advice given to rider’s who want to improve their cornering is to “twist the hips” or “point your belly button where you want to go”. I know this because that is the advice I have been given and, in turn, have given to other riders. And while this advice isn’t wrong, I have come to realize that it is incomplete.

While your hips may end up twisting in the process of cornering this twist is a symptom of good cornering technique, not the cause of it. The main thing I took from the book Freakonomics was to beware of confusing these two things and the false conclusions that you can draw when you do. And that, my friend, is exactly what is happening here.

In this video I explain the difference between “twisting your hips” and “laterally displacing your center of gravity”, which is what you are really after on the bike when cornering. I’ll also explain the fundamental movement behind the skill, which will allow you to focus on the true cause and not just a symptom of good cornering technique.

BTW, once you watch this video then my posts and videos on using the TGU Windmill and regular Windmill exercises to improve your cornering technique will make more sense. Apply these lessons to your workouts and your bike and you’ll see a marked increase in your speed and confidence while cornering.

-James Wilson-