• BMX tricks range in difficulty from beginner to professional.bmx image by claude wolf from Fotolia.com
  
  BMX is practiced as both a recreational and competitive sport and involves performing a variety of stunts on lightweight bicycles. There are two different types of stunts in BMX: road stunts and ramp stunts. Road stunts are performed on solid ground without the aid of ramps. Ramp stunts use ramps and are often performed in the air. There are hundreds of BMX stunts, but they are all composed of a few basic tricks.
  
  

Bunny Hop

• The bunny hop is the basis for dozens of different BMX tricks, including grinding, stairs and jumping obstacles. The bunny hop consists of two moves: a wheelie and a hip hop. The first step involves leaning backward and pulling the front tire of the bike off the ground. The second steps involves a quick pedal forward and thrust of the legs, lifting the rear tire off the ground. When perfected, the move will lift the entire bike smoothly off the ground as if it were jumping.
  
  

Manual

• The manual is a long wheelie that is performed without pedaling and is often used for setting up road tricks or gliding along the top edge of a ramp. To perform a manual, the cyclist must pull the front end of the bike upward and hold it in that position while rolling across the ground, grind bar or ramp edge. You can maintain proper balance while performing a manual by alternating between extending and bending your legs. A good manual will last for at least six feet but can last for 20 or more with practice.
  
  

180

• The 180 is a technical beginner's trick that involves performing a bunny hop while pedaling, rotating the bike 180 degrees while it is in the air and then continuing to roll along the pavement after landing backward. This trick can be used for both road and ramp tricks and can be used to set up ollies. This trick is performed by pulling the handle bars upward, thrusting against the pedals so the rear tire lifts off the ground, twisting the bike so it rotates 180 degrees and then continuing to roll backward after landing.
  
  

Tail Whip

• A BMX tail whip is a road and ramp trick and can be used as part of a compound air trick. The tail whip can be performed with a BMX bike that doesn't have wheel pegs, but is easier to do with BMX pegs. To perform a tail whip, you must perform a high-clearance bunny hop. While the bike is in the air, the biker lifts one leg and kicks the rear of the bike with the opposite leg. The bike makes a complete revolution, and the biker regains his position on the pedals before the bike lands on the road or ramp.