How to remove bicycle pedals the easy way

A lot of guides on the Internet are overly vague as to how to position the pedals to get good mechanical advantage. Here's my easy no-fuss method that allows you to use your weight effectively and doesn't require a repair stand:

1. Move the pedal crank you're working on so that it's pointing towards the rear of the bike (i.e. 9 o'clock or 3 o'clock depending on the side).
2. Place a block under the pedal itself so that it won't move downwards. An upright brick works well.
3. Stand over the back wheel of the bicycle, leaning over the bicycle seat, to keep the bicycle steady.
4. Place your wrench over the axle of the pedal, with the wrench towards the back of the bike, and push downwards with your weight.
5. Repeat for the other side, also with both crank and wrench pointing backwards.

If at first you don't succeed, try the following:

1. Check you're going the right way.
   • The pedal should move freely downwards if you remove the brick (on a normal bicycle with a freewheel). If you're pushing against the drive system, you're going the wrong way.
   • The right pedal unscrews the 'right' way (anti-clockwise) and the left pedal unscrews the 'wrong' way (clockwise).
2. Apply a rust-penetrating lubricant to the pedal thread from the inside of the crank. Wait a while and try again.
3. Check again you're going the right way.
4. Hit the end of a wrench with a hammer.
5. Check again you're going the right way.
6. Use more leverage, e.g. by putting a pipe on the end of the wrench.