Buzz
The 8 most exhilarating seconds in sports. If you're brave enough to face down a snorting, bucking, furious bull, you must train correctly. That means getting the experience of riding the bull, becoming familiar with its movements, and—above all—learning how to hold on tight. Bull riding has ancient roots in Greek culture, and it's clear that men have been drawn to this challenge as long as ranches and horseback riding have existed. It's an adventure and rush like no other. Refer to Step 1 for further details.
Steps to Take
Training
Learn from a seasoned bull-rider to master the art of bull riding. While a single bull ride lasts only 8 seconds, mastering the sport of bull-riding demands years of practice and guidance from an experienced rider. They will show you the essential skills, help you access the right bulls, and teach you to develop the correct technique and animal connection. This isn't something you can pick up overnight. Just like any other craft, it's crucial to find a coach who will mentor you and help you improve.
- Rural stores and feed outlets often have bull-riding magazines that list open competitions, coaching opportunities, and clinics with professional bull-riders to help you learn the basics.
- The sport has deep roots in traditional equestrian contests, such as the Mexican Charreada, which challenged ranch hands in a range of skills. Today, the sport is professionalized, with major organizations like the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and Championship Bull Riding (CBR) governing the sport in the US.
- For younger enthusiasts, programs like Born to Buck provide an introduction to bull-riding. Bull breeders often hold events where beginners can try their hand at riding top-tier bulls and see if they have what it takes to compete.
Get used to riding a horse bareback. Becoming comfortable riding an animal with a flat back is a crucial skill for anyone wanting to master bull riding. It teaches you how to shift your weight and use your legs for control, all while riding an animal that's not actively trying to throw you off. Building solid basic riding skills is the first step in bull-riding success.
Wear the essential gear. While bull-riding doesn’t require much specialized equipment, showing up in the basic cowboy attire is necessary to blend in and compete in most rodeos. This includes denim jeans, a button-up western shirt, sturdy cowboy boots, and, of course, the iconic cowboy hat.
- In addition, bull-riders always wear a leather glove and use a braided bull-rope to secure their hold on the animal. Choose a glove that offers enough flexibility for a tight grip but provides protection. The rope is typically coated in resin to improve grip as it heats up from use.
Consider additional protective gear. While helmets and protective vests aren't required at most bull-riding events, they are becoming increasingly common, particularly in training. Some riders opt for a helmet similar to a bicycle or motorcycle helmet, along with a protective vest designed to shield vital organs.
Build strength in your upper and lower body. A successful ride demands excellent balance, coordination, and the physical strength necessary to cling onto a bucking bull that might outweigh you by a thousand pounds. Bull-riding training will focus heavily on upper body and core workouts, as well as leg exercises like squats.
- For strengthening your grip, bicep curls are an effective way to build the muscles needed for holding onto the bull.
- Regular squats will help develop the leg strength to maintain your position and hang on tight when the bull is in full motion.
Maintaining Your Hold on the Bull
Get to know your bull. One often overlooked but crucial step before a bull ride is getting acquainted with the bull you'll be riding. Spend a few minutes observing the bull in its pen to understand its behavior, aggression, and tendencies. Watch how it reacts to other riders. Bulls typically buck in two ways: head-down spinners and straight-ahead buckers.
- If your bull lowers its head and turns after leaving the gate, prepare yourself for a spin, and adjust your weight accordingly.
- If the bull heads straight forward, you can anticipate more of a straight-line bucking motion.
- It’s a common myth that bulls’ testicles are responsible for their bucking. In reality, their flanks are gently strapped to encourage higher kicks, but their testicles are untouched and unharmed. They're primarily bred to buck in this manner.
Get a firm grip. When mounting the bull, have an experienced bull-rider show you how to properly grip the bull rope. Most riders use an underhand grip with their dominant hand, though other techniques are also becoming more common. Let a helper tighten your rope, wrapping it once around the base of your hand.
- For a basic grip, place your riding hand in the rope with the back of your hand facing down. Your pinkie should be positioned close to the bull’s spine.
Sit properly. Position yourself so that you’re nearly sitting on your hand, and maintain this position throughout the ride. Keep your weight centered in your thighs and lean forward, ensuring that your chest is aligned with the bull’s shoulders.
- When mounting, grip the sides of the chute, ease your toes onto the bull's back, and slide them down his side. Only use your spurs when you’re ready to ride.
Stay calm and focus. Many bull-riders claim that the hardest part of the ride is waiting in the chute. When you're atop a massive, angry bull, with its flank strap secured tightly, it may dawn on you that this is not the best idea. Keep calm and focus on the balance and movements required, rather than worrying about the animal. It’ll be over before you know it!
Hang on. As the bull launches off the ground, lean forward while tightening your grip with your legs and maintaining a firm hold on the rope with your riding hand, which serves as your balance point. Keep your hips centered and aligned. As the bull comes down, push your hips toward the rope and use your riding hand to lift yourself.
- Try to remain as close to the center of the bull’s back as possible. A small misstep in balance will send you flying. Focus on core stability, which comes from your grip and hip positioning.
Control your free arm. Many beginner riders overuse their free arm, almost like they're performing a cowboy dance. While it's true that your arm can provide some counterbalance, it’s actually one of the least important elements of the ride.
- Watch professional riders closely. You’ll notice that, for the most part, their free arm stays fairly still. That’s because the real balance and control come from their hips and grip. Focus on these elements and try to keep your free arm out of the way.
- If you accidentally slap the bull with your free arm during the ride, it will result in no score. Maintaining control of your arm while still using it to help balance is key to staying on the bull.
Get out of the way. You won't be on the bull for more than a few seconds, so learning how to safely get off the bull and land without injury is essential.
- To dismount, wait for the bull to kick, then glance over your riding arm (the one you’re holding the rope with) and swing your opposite leg over the bull’s head.
- Try to land on your hands and feet, then quickly run toward the nearest gate. Stop, check where the bull is, and grab your rope to clear the area.
Scoring High Marks
Know how the scoring works. You’ll only receive a score if you stay on the bull for at least 8 seconds. The clock stops if your free hand touches the bull or your feet hit the ground, and it starts when the bull's shoulder passes the gate. Both the rider and the bull are given individual scores, which are combined to determine the total score.
- The bull is judged primarily on how difficult it is to ride. Judges will assess the depth of its drops, the height of its kicks, how often it changes direction, and the speed of its spins.
- The rider is judged based on their skill in controlling the bull, anticipating its movements, and maneuvering gracefully to stay in control.
- Both the rider and the bull are given a score between 1 and 25, which are added together to give a score out of 100 or divided by 2 to give a score out of 50.
Ride the buck, not the bull. Experienced bull riders are more like surfers than wrestlers. It's not just about controlling the animal—it's about feeling its movements and understanding its bucking pattern.
- In general, less thinking and more feeling will allow you to ride the buck with greater efficiency. The key to mastering this is relentless practice. Ride bulls and keep yourself healthy.
"Lose your feet, lose your seat." This is often referred to as the bull-rider's mantra. It serves as a reminder that your balance and control while riding come from your lower body. Grip the bull tightly with your thighs and feet, using your spurs to control the bull’s aggression when necessary. If you don’t do this, you're likely to end up on the ground. Remember this advice—let it become second nature to both your mind and muscles.
Stay on as long as you can. The longer you stay on, the better your score. 8 seconds may feel like a short time, but it's quite a challenge. The key is to focus all your energy into that brief period of time.
- Practice increasing your ride time and getting comfortable with different types of bulls. Some riders recommend starting with north-south buckers, as they are more predictable, before moving on to spinners, which are harder to ride. Once you're skilled at them, take on the spinners.
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Your free arm isn't just there for show—use it to maintain balance. Avoid letting it swing too far in any direction, as that will twist your hips and cause you to fall off nearly every time.
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When you hit the ground, get up quickly and run for the fence—because the bull will likely be coming after you!
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Once you're out of the chute, keep your seat off the bull's back, with your shoulders parallel to him. Use your spurs as a tool to help you maintain your position on the bull’s back.
The advice provided in this section is drawn from the real-life experiences of Mytour readers like you. If you have any useful tips that you’d like to contribute to Mytour, feel free to submit them in the form below.
- If you get caught up after being bucked off, the best course of action is to get back on your feet and let go of the tail of your rope so the bullfighters can pull it out of your hand, freeing you from your bullrope while hopefully keeping you in good condition. If you can’t get to your feet, you're in a dangerous situation as you could be stepped on and injured.
- Never hold on with both hands! This greatly increases the risk of injury and makes it impossible to maintain balance. Your free arm is crucial for maintaining stability.
- Ensure your toes are turned outward so your spurs get the best grip on the bull’s back.
Warnings
- There is a risk of injury when jumping off or getting bucked off the bull. Once you’re off, the bull may pursue you, so it’s essential to get up quickly and make a hasty exit!
Things You'll Need
- Bull rope
- Properly fitting riding vest
- Leather chaps (optional but offer additional protection from scrapes and bruises)
- Properly fitting riding glove
- Bull riding spurs with fixed rowels
- Riding helmet with mask (just to be on the safe side)
- Rock and powder rosin
- Leather straps
