Derek Thomas' father wanted his sons to learn how to ride a motorcycle safety.
So he encouraged them to jump, balance, bounce and occasionally teeter on various sized obstacles while riding their bikes.
It might seem counterintuitive, but it worked - after getting started at age eight, Thomas is getting ready to join the national motorcycle trials team for the second year in a row.
"My father, when he was young, he wanted a motorcycle and his parents wouldn't let him," says Thomas, 36. "They kicked him out of the house over a motorcycle. So he left at 16 at got a motorcycle."
Thus it was ensured that the sons would also become two-wheel enthusiasts, specifically in the sport of motorcycle trials, where riders try to navigate various objects 'cleanly' - that is, without touching the ground with their feet.
"The best training is on-the-bike training, because you have to have your balance," says Thomas. "If you're just riding your bike all the time, it's all taken care of. You don't really have to go out of your way to train those other muscles."
Thomas gearing up for Trial des Nations worlds
Thomas gearing up for Trial des Nations worlds
Moose Jaw rider to go head-to-head with bestMoose Jaw rider to go head-to-head with best
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