(In no particular order)
1. Invest in a proper pair of shoes & follow online tutorials regarding how to modify these shoes to make them suitable for freestyle.
2. When kicking, always try to alternate feet whenever possible. Work towards having no preference of kicking leg, and try to make the left and right foot kicking techniques identical.
3. Don't learn the basic tricks from someone who is slightly more advanced than you. Learn from watching pros, whether it be in person or from a video. They have all spent countless hours refining their style and correcting mistakes.
4. Watch a lot of videos. Make a lot of mental notes. If someone has a mastery over a certain trick, try to figure out what they do that is different from what you do.
5. When learning a new trick, find out as much information about it as possible. See if anyone has posted tips on the internet. Watch several videos of the trick with different players and different angles. Translate the technique into a motion that is natural for your body.
6. It may seem obvious, but practice in a place with sufficient room to move around. Account for wayward footbags and the possibility of falling.
(Don't mess up your body by landing on furniture!)
10 feet X 10 feet of even, level ground with 8 foot high ceiling is a good start. The more room the better.
7. Try to eat healthy. Focus more on whole grains than white bread. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Include sufficient protein. Junk food is ok once in a while, but not all the time. Milk, water, and 100% juice are good choices, whereas soda and alcohol will dehydrate you. Choose wisely. It does make a big difference in your stamina and overall performance.
8. Find some sort of cross-training you enjoy. Anything that helps improve strength, coordination, endurance or any combination of these is a good choice.
9. Practice your form in front of a mirror as much as you can. And by that I mean air shredding. No, seriously! Pretend you are actually going for the tricks in real time. It's like watching live footage of yourself. If your motion looks unnatural or not smooth, you can pick up on it and experiment with new technique to make the move more efficient. I've discovered many unrealized errors when practicing this way.
10. Get used to picking the footbag off the ground and serving to another person. Let everyone in the circle get an equal opporunity with the bag. Yes, they do want to see your trick, but wait until they pass it back to you.
If you haven't been to a tournament before, this could be the difference between more advanced players being friendly with you or being angry with you. In other words: Don't self-serve.
11. If you aren't sure whether you hit a trick properly, ask your playing partner. If they aren't experienced enough to tell you, make a video of it and post it online or send it to someone that would know.
Doing clean tricks is valued very highly in footbag and is crucial for having an aesthetically pleasing style.
12. When you're ready, throw out your crocheted footbag and invest in one or more 4-panel sand footbags (ie. the Mr. Sandbag) or better yet, a 32-panel bag. Read the bags/equipment subforum for a list of stitchers and bag reviews. The choice is up to you.
13. Get in the habit of warming up. Develop a warm-up routine that works best for you. Good things to include are stretching (especially ankles), alternating kicks/stalls, pushups/situps, etc.
14. Have training sessions on a regular basis. A good start is 3-4 times per week. Depending on your schedule/intensity level, that can be increased. Don't have unnecessarily large gaps in between sessions -- it'll slow your learning progress.
15. Always finish your session on a positive note. Hit that trick you've been trying, no matter how many tries. You'll come out of it with good vibes that will likely carry on to the next session.
16. Don't play through pain. It won't help anything. Rest days are just as important as shred days. Wait till you feel refreshed again and then bust huge. If the pain reappears, try fixing your form.
17. Make goals for yourself. It can be a single trick, consecutive tricks, competition related, or whatever. For competing, a good goal is to perform better than your last competition in some way(s). A good overall goal is to be able to hit any tricks you want, when you want.
18. If you have any questions about this very difficult sport, ask a pro!
They will likely be more than willing to help.
19. Keep an open mind to new moves/new ways to hit a move. It may give you the edge you've been looking for. Always try new ways of hitting the same move -- then, simply choose the best way.
20. When on the forum, keep your posts concise and contributing to the whole. You'll make friends/connections faster -- trust me.
21. Practice!!!
Feel free to add your own. Any questions just ask.
Shred hard,
Jorden M
