Ryan's Footblog: JOULUKALENTERI 2018!

[Ryan_Morris]

Yo, I've really been slacking off. Been having a lot of bummer solo sessions lately and haven't hit anything cool enough to blog about. Feels like my gyros and spinning have gone backwards since my last post, so I've been looking at example videos--mostly TJ. My back has also been acting up, once while kicking last Friday, and another time a week before while brushing my teeth

On the bright side (pun intended), the sun is out and the weather is finally getting better! Here's a few clips from Michigan Footbag's first outdoor session of 2018:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhfesAkARmc/

Going outside for another session in an hour or so. I'll report back if anything awesome happens. If you don't hear from me, assume I am pouting in a dark corner of my apartment icing my back.

Edit: Oh shit, top post! A while back I designed a tattoo for Nick Polini to celebrate his induction into BAP. He hasn't had it done yet, as far as I know, but he seemed pretty stoked on the idea. We went back and forth for a couple months to get it just right. Really fun project and makes me want to design more tattoos!

[Ryan_Morris]

Good news everyone! My back is okay, for now, and I did a pixie thing!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh4nNuUg5zv/
PLO > smear repeat, 9 contacts

That's a personal best for this drill. Had some other decent strings, but nothing special. It was nice to play in the sun, though, and soak up some good vibes from the passers by who took notice of me and Sean.

[Muffinman]

Awesome runs from both posts. Looks like you're improving a lot!
Also, nice drawing, great dynamic perspective on that box.

[Ryan_Morris]

Thanks, Erik!

Sup! Sean and Adam, my two main shred partners, are both away on vacation this week. Lonely times

But last week I had a drill session with Adam and he coached me on drifters. A couple days later, I did this:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiaX6M_g5qa/
Drifter b2b x3 (new personal best)
Toe drifter > DLO repeat (5 contacts, per Lon Smith's standards)

My drifters need more consistency, but I'd say this progress is good since I haven't drilled them in many months! Drifters will be mine!

Also, this got a tiny bit of traction on social media, among footbaggers at least:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiSp3D-gp1W/
DLO war x2

This string was pretty nice, too:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiQfEnwANnY/
BSOS gyro mirage

My right-side clipper is having a lot of trouble with 'locking up'. When I try to hold the stall, my stalling leg feels like it's going to give out and I can't set more than a couple inches. This has been a problem on and off for more than a year but I don't understand why it happens. Maybe certain muscles just aren't strong enough to hold the stall steady? I guess I need to drill clippers on that side obsessively until it's fixed. Fun

[Muffinman]

Awesome. I guess next up is DLO x3 > near DLO x3 repeat!

[Ryan_Morris]

I guess next up is DLO x3 > near DLO x3 repeat!

I actually got pretty close today! Missed by just 2 contacts, and since that was at the end of the session, I'm pretty sure I could nail it with fresh legs. I'll give it another go on camera this Thursday.

My clipper woes continue. It really does feel like my left leg lacks the muscle to firm up my crank and hold a clipper stall. Despite that, I did a couple good things:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi0W-J_geUi/
The first string came after two false starts where I had to bail to toe stall out of bad clipper sets. The second string starts with 7 no-BOP guiltless, which is a lot for me (unless you count consecutive DLOs )

In other news, like Josh Gayhart, I too have a secret video project I won't say much about it for now, but I've got big plans! Yesterday, I even bodged together a lighting rig:

This thing is fucking bright and way less expensive than something store-bought. Plus, I didn't even electrocute myself! Yet.

[Ryan_Morris]

Hey Erik, I did it!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi8GU-4g6cO/
ss DLO x3 > DLO x3 repeat



That is all.

[boyle]

Looking forward to the video, you are really improving a lot!

[acxel22]

great stuff! Been seeing the good progress keep it up!

[Tjuggles]

yay! Great stuff. I should do more DLOs.

Also, sorry about the lack of output/vids recently. Life. Rest assured I still am kicking 3-4 times a week.

[Muffinman]

Hey Erik, I did it!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi8GU-4g6cO/
ss DLO x3 > DLO x3 repeat

I commented on FB, but congrats! So awesome!! That takes so much energy and stamina.
How are your eggbeaters?...

[Ryan_Morris]

How are your eggbeaters?...

Awful!

It's funny, I get asked that almost every time somebody sees me do a DLO drill. You're the second person this week ! Maybe this time I'll finally commit to learning them. During last year's Joulu one of the intermediate LOTDs was pdx illusion > eggbeater, which I actually managed to get on one side. Gotta just bite the bullet and train the shit outta them.

[boyle]

I find eggbeaters much harder than DLO. I have been working on them a little bit lately but I really struggle with them. Great stamina to get that DLO run. Awesome improvements.

[Ryan_Morris]

It's been a while and I have a lot to say. But for now, just this: I HIT GYRO DLO!!!!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BkOn94sAl-0

[Tjuggles]

YAY!

[acxel22]

gyro dlo was the trick I learned that opened up my game, I remember the location when I hit it as well as so many tricks that came after, I loved it so much I kept trying to hit it every run haha

congrats!

[Tjuggles]

gyro DLO > tapping butterfly > rpt

That was a fun combo, I remember trying to hit it with Kenzo in Japan.

[Muffinman]

Props on the gyro DLO! So huge. I left a comment on your thing, so not gonna repeat it, but looks great. How's flip?

Also, I remember someoe challenging me to a similar drill, TJ. It's sooo hard to atomic out of gyro dlo!

[boyle]

How about spinning dlo for the next challenge? I find that much harder, have only hit it a few times.

[Ryan_Morris]

How about spinning dlo for the next challenge?

Ok
https://www.instagram.com/p/BkeHXZgAzOR/
Thanks for the challenge, Dan! I'm super stoked I got it! It took me a lot of tries and I couldn't get it flipside, so you'll have to settle for a flip spinning pdx mirage while I work on my spins. By the way, spinning dlo is a 5-add, right? Because paradox?

How's flip?

Flip is trash I gave it a lot of attempts, probably too many, but couldn't quite get it. Probably need to work on things like flip gyro legover to train straight, medium-height sets.

gyro DLO > tapping butterfly > rpt

That is a badass combo that I cannot hit! Hey, sorry I haven't been posting videos regularly. I guess I lose the challenge Rest assured I've been shredding a shit ton, despite the lack of evidence.

gyro dlo was the trick I learned that opened up my game

It sure feels like a big boy trick! I hope my gyros get good enough to use tricks like that and vortex in my regular game.

Oh yeah, did I mention I hit vortex twice at Jamps? It wasn't on video, though, and I can't seem to get it again Soon...