alright, so i wrote out a bunch of stuff on this and some of it seems to go in circles. so i'll just write out my original thoughts.
Why bothsidedness is important to me...and you.
freestyle is called freestyle for a reason...is what i used to say.
that you are free to pick the tricks to hit and when...there are no musts*
i learned based on what came naturally to me and had fun and progress doing it.
But tonight i had another thought about this. that the tricks you learn or are learning add to the understanding of the fundamentals. <--- this is where i would go in circles.
thinking its not only the fundamentals that benefit but basically all other tricks would too. example, i believe i understood swirl so well because i always loved to try flapper/anchor.
and the stance, crank, and balance of the ankle developed while learning these tricks easily transferrred into swirl. but it also just allowed me to learn about my leg which greatly developed the understanding of my basic clipper.
i have not given my left clipper enough experience!
Why is bothsidedness important to you?
Why bothsides?
I think it's important because it greatly increases your opportunities of what you can hit. I agree about your comment about "freestyle" but I think there is a difference between being able to choose what you do, and being forced by your (lack of) abilities. A person who could hit everything well is much more free to choose how they play than a person who can only hit some things. I think the best example of this is Vasek, and the way his game evolved, especially in his later years of playing.
Two reasons for me:
1. Working on flip ALWAYS helps improve my strongside. If you understand a trick well enough to do it on flip, it'll improve your strong as well. Anytime I learn a trick flipside, I feel like I've learned 1.5 tricks: the flip trick is 1, and the 0.5 is the improvement on my strong.
and
2.
1. Working on flip ALWAYS helps improve my strongside. If you understand a trick well enough to do it on flip, it'll improve your strong as well. Anytime I learn a trick flipside, I feel like I've learned 1.5 tricks: the flip trick is 1, and the 0.5 is the improvement on my strong.
and
2.
Jeremy wrote:A person who could hit everything well is much more free to choose how they play than a person who can only hit some things..
Both sidedness gives you more options for links and doesnt just limit you to your one side. Improvisers must master many skills to be able to play freely without being limited to a small group of ideas or tricks, so both sidedness can only help. It is one thing to choose to do links on one side after you have mastered both sides, but it is another thing to be forced to only do things on one side because of a lack of technical ability.
Also....ALLAN......yes I have experienced this alot...Sometimes the side the gets the trick first isnt nessasarily the correct way or the best way to hit a trick, it was just the more natural feeling side to hit it or it came easier. The flip usually takes longer and more focused attention so after I while my flip became my strong side with many tricks. I do believe however that flipside is largely because of the upper body and its balance preferences. I have made both sidedness a BIG part of my game and can hit at least 90% of my game bs.
Also....ALLAN......yes I have experienced this alot...Sometimes the side the gets the trick first isnt nessasarily the correct way or the best way to hit a trick, it was just the more natural feeling side to hit it or it came easier. The flip usually takes longer and more focused attention so after I while my flip became my strong side with many tricks. I do believe however that flipside is largely because of the upper body and its balance preferences. I have made both sidedness a BIG part of my game and can hit at least 90% of my game bs.
yea, the opportunities definitly increase, and i think that is a necessity for tripless play and above.
i also find myself wondering if i should be comparing one side to the other? for a while that is how i would learn my "flip" side. but, like allan says there are these conversions so it might not be smart for me to do this. plus with comparisons there will always be a weakside...recently I like the idea of discovering how to make the trick happen independently of the other foots "correct" way. the copy will never be the original and will probably not give you a complete understanding.
mark, the upper body positioning has always been tough for me. natural and seemingly injury free on one side, and the other is still being worked on. head, arms, torso, hips...for me its been hard to not slump over. I've had 1/2 dozen back injuries. i'm definitly working on some of moirs form tips.
allan, the conversion is an even bigger deal in tennis ... because you really only have 3 types of shot on each side. Topspin, flat, and backspin. so when your weakside...usually the backhand finally becomes stronger than your forehand it is a good day. i can see why vaseks and others way of picking one trick per weekish is a must in freestyle. bc there is an ENDLESS list of tricks to pick! Tennis is limited with only slight variations on each shot, more emphasis on stance and movement. i had a huge conversion in footbag ... my entire clipper game shifted after 3 yearsish?!! crap...
i also find myself wondering if i should be comparing one side to the other? for a while that is how i would learn my "flip" side. but, like allan says there are these conversions so it might not be smart for me to do this. plus with comparisons there will always be a weakside...recently I like the idea of discovering how to make the trick happen independently of the other foots "correct" way. the copy will never be the original and will probably not give you a complete understanding.
mark, the upper body positioning has always been tough for me. natural and seemingly injury free on one side, and the other is still being worked on. head, arms, torso, hips...for me its been hard to not slump over. I've had 1/2 dozen back injuries. i'm definitly working on some of moirs form tips.
allan, the conversion is an even bigger deal in tennis ... because you really only have 3 types of shot on each side. Topspin, flat, and backspin. so when your weakside...usually the backhand finally becomes stronger than your forehand it is a good day. i can see why vaseks and others way of picking one trick per weekish is a must in freestyle. bc there is an ENDLESS list of tricks to pick! Tennis is limited with only slight variations on each shot, more emphasis on stance and movement. i had a huge conversion in footbag ... my entire clipper game shifted after 3 yearsish?!! crap...
Ryan Thomas
No matter what we do we're going to look weird. We are playing footbag after all. 
On topic: I agree with kens idea about learning a move on your flip helping your goodside. A couple tricks (flurry, barfly) never really clicked goodside until I was able to hit them flip as well.
Also....BSOSing big tricks is aesthetically awesome.
On topic: I agree with kens idea about learning a move on your flip helping your goodside. A couple tricks (flurry, barfly) never really clicked goodside until I was able to hit them flip as well.
Also....BSOSing big tricks is aesthetically awesome.