Ask Evan..

[F[uns]tylin' Eclectic]

Evan and I were talking and we decided to do a thread where you ask Evan anything that's on your mind.

Anyone can post in this thread, Evan will see it and he will respond in due time. Questions will only be answered through Modified.in. Questions will be answered in chronological order.

So, let's try this out..

[DC Clinks]

My question is divided into two parts (both relating to the same thing):
1) What do you consider to be a good balance of "fun" regular footbag vs. training for the sole purpose to get better? Or are they one in the same to you?
2) Any advice for newer players still trying to solidify that golden ratio?

Much thanks to Polini and Evan for making this thread, very cool idea guys.

[Matt K]

How the fuck do you do a Ripstein?

[Asmus]

Related to Mr. Kemmer's question: Any smart ways of working on your crank? Yours is amazing - born with it? Something you can practice? Cross training? Strenght? Stretching?

[Lycanthrope]

Clinks:
That's something that I've been struggling with in the past couple years for sure. I recall once in Gdansk last year the tour was having a kick along the pier near Caroline's hostel, and I was just really negative, and I felt like I couldn't do anything right. Caroline reminded me to just have fun with it, and I felt like I was sufficiently good again in spirit and skill level. Similarly, at 2014 Vegas jam, I remember doing blurry mofly and Lon Smith asking me afterward, "was that fun? because it didn't look very fun".. I think growing and having fun are related, but they're definitely not one and the same. I tend to lean on the serious side, but I am getting a little better at having fun I think. Toe kicks, knee bumps, eclipses, more spinning, group play, and flapper kicks all help me have the fun that I need.
I find it very important for myself to push forward as hard as I can so that I can pull my potential more taut, but we all have different goals I think. Maybe a good way of accomplishing a good ratio would be to alternate sessions from pushing and having fun whether it's kicking vs freestyling or drills vs not drills or whathaveyou.

Kemdog9000:
So I'll break it down as finely as I can. First of all, clipper form is essential. shoulders toward the bag, hips away, and the location of the clipper as close to in front of you as possible. If your clipper is behind you or your form is not good enough, you'll have the set going too far behind you and it will be difficult. During most tricks.... double down, whirl, and even toe tricks, you have some kind of flexing of the ankle going on. During ripstein, you clipper, and then the swirling set involves a limp ankle and then it flexes again when you go to clipper. So the swirl set involves not flexing the ankle. I hope this helps!

Assmoose:
I feel that more often than not, the form is the key, not as much the ankle flexibility, although both are important. So improving clipper form by schooling it and watching advanced players to see the clipper position in detail may help. As far as stretches, I've seen players lay their outside surface on the ground from standing as a simple stretch. There is the pidgeon stretch in yoga which might help. Vasek recommends schooling reverse swirl and flapper to improve it. I believe many players move to clipper too quickly without being able to do many inside stalls which should be a fundamental prerequisite to clipper.

Thanks for the questions, guys. Hopefully I've answered them fully, but if you have any other questions, feel free to PM me or to just post again! =D

[F[uns]tylin' Eclectic]

Cool, glad this is off to a good start. Great questions, guys. I definitely learned some stuff already.

Evan's advice on Ripstein is really good. I also think it's important to hop a bit with your support leg. If you watch Vasek, he always hops during Ripstein. It helps give you an extra edge to get over the bag during the first dex.

I wanted to throw my 2 cents in on Asmus's crank question, too... As Evan said, Vasek recommends Reverse Swirl, and Flapper. I'd like to add Hopovers and Reverse Hovers. I did all 4 of these tricks at first, and I really think they built my crank. Also, I used to walk around with 5 lb ankle weights, and I believe those helped build calf muscle, which let's me crank more. Worth a shot.

Back to some more Ask Evan questions!

[Asmus]

Thanks for Evan.

Here is another question: What do you look most forward to about Worlds in Copenhagen?

[MetZelRio]

Do you think of Furious as stepping quantum or symp whirling mirage, or some other way?

[Kylescook]

I like that question Paul.

[C-Fan]

Here is another question: What do you look most forward to about Worlds in Copenhagen?

I don't want to speak for Evan, but knowing him I'm guessing:

[Lycanthrope]

I look forward to being immersed in the moments that I will have in Copenhagen. Footbag events always go so quickly, that I sometimes forget to really enjoy them. I also can't wait to see all of the shredders from across the world; It seems that there will be a pretty solid turnout this year. Thanks for your work and your team's work, Asmus.

I used to try furious as more of a whirling stepping set, and it worked for a little while, but I think the proper way to do furious is the double stepping or stepping quantum approach.

And Ken, aren't we rooming together?

[F[uns]tylin' Eclectic]

1) How do you do Pdx Torque in the most efficient way? I've seen yours and they look so damn small and tight...

2) What's your favorite part of Paul Blart: Mall Cop?

[Lycanthrope]

Sorry, Nick, but I haven't seen Paul Blart 1 or 2 =(

well pdx torque starts at clipper form, you set straight up and fairly high, ie rib level, Turn toward the bag as far as you can then turn away from the bag with the dex leg and hopefully that will give you the momentum to make it around. Also, I look at osis as more of a 'late clipper' as Ianek explains it. I don't really like to drag them or have them scoopy.

Is Paul Blark worth the time?

[Kylescook]

Is Paul Blark worth the time?

That depends on your taste and how valuable your time is. It wasn't worth mine.

[F[uns]tylin' Eclectic]

Cool, thanks man. Will try some ptrqs that way once my back recovers.

And if you have the right sense of humor, you'd like it. If you liked Billy Madison, you'd enjoy it.

[C-Fan]

Is Paul Blark worth the time?

That depends on your taste and how valuable your time is. It wasn't worth mine.

Here's a review of Paul Blark 2:

[Lycanthrope]

Haha best typo ever. Nice follow up with that, Ken.

[jaust]

When and where will you arrive in Europe?

It would be highly appreciated to shred with you again! I will be pretty busy during summer, but if it happens that you are somehow close to Hamburg, I would definitively make some way for a kick with you

regards
michael

p.s. i will be in copenhagen, but only thursday - sunday

[C-Fan]

When evaluating somebody as a candidate for BAP, what do you look for?

[MetZelRio]

How does one accomplish having fun playing footbag? (I'm accomplishment driven and sometimes when I'm not accomplishing anything in footbag, it's NOT fun.)