Jennifer Geens
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 28/05) - If you've ever dreamed of running away with the circus, now's your chance to brush up on one of the essential skills.

Unicycling guru Chris Taylor is again offering lessons through the city of Yellowknife's recreation department.

Unicycling instructor Chris Taylor demonstrates how to balance on the one-wheeled ride. His course for beginners starts tomorrow night at the Multiplex. - Jennifer Geens/NNSL photo

Taylor taught himself to ride the one-wheeled contraption five years ago in a basement in Edmonton. He won gold in the 1,500m and 10km races at the 2004 North American Unicycle Championships, and has taken up unicycle hockey. He usually plays goal.

"If someone's coming in on a breakaway, I try to hit the puck off their stick," he said.

He added that hockey on ice would seem crazy to someone who didn't know how to skate.

Taylor also practises mountain unicycling on the far side of the Frame Lake Trail.

He said hikers react in one of two ways when he passes them on his unicycle.

About half of them will comment on it, and the other half will try and pretend nothing unusual has happened.

Few easy steps

One can learn to ride a unicycle in a few easy steps, said Taylor, it just requires confidence to take the plunge.

Besides being an unbeatable conversation starter, learning to unicycle also provides some of the same benefits of a pilates workout, as you use core stabilizing muscles in your abdomen and back to balance.

But once you get the hang of it, it's your legs that work the most, said Taylor. After that it's simply a matter of learning to steer by adjusting your centre of gravity. By the end of the session, someone who has attended regularly will be able to ride a figure eight, make a sharp 90 degree turn, and ride down steps.

Juggling is not required.

Though helmets are recommended, Taylor said it's hard to injure yourself falling off a unicycle, as you usually land on your feet and there aren't any handlebars or frame to poke you on the way down.