advice: practicing

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SpOnGySaCk22
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advice: practicing

Post by SpOnGySaCk22 »

What is a better way to practice? example: one trick at a time till u get it down pat or a few tricks little by little? (I am working on 2 add tricks)
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mosher
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Post by mosher »

In order to string the tricks you have to be able to hit them on their own, right?

So the best way is to always be trying strings to some degree, but try to learn each different concept and then work them into your strings.

You're always going to have to drill any trick to really learn it. But remember that once you have it figured out sorta you can start trying to use it in strings and combos.

I find a good way to learn different links between tricks is to drill combos too. This will help with variety and creating creative links.

Hope this helps.
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Post by Air »

Learn one trick at time both sides.
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Post by AIvanyo »

I'd say, if you just started, learn a few tricks on both sides then string them all together. Then you can move on to adding more tricks to your strings.
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Shredster
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Post by Shredster »

Just for future reference:

James Erickson told me once to not go for really large moves. The more you drill the basics and the essential stuff, the big moves will come easy to you.

I didn't believe this at first and got quite mad at him (because I was stupid, what else?). But now that I realize it and now that i've played longer, I realize that this advice was very true.

SOOO...Don't go trying to large ass moves if you know you can't hit them.

As for the actual thread though, as mosher stated somewhat:

You can't string tricks together if you can't hit them by themselves.

Go for the single move first. Then link them.
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Stuge47
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Post by Stuge47 »

AA wrote:Learn one trick at time both sides.
So true. Get all basics down, both sides, and you'll be hittin' all the good stuffs.
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JFootbagger
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Post by JFootbagger »

Another thing is, you have to know what tricks TO learn. If your'e a begginer, make sure you learn ALL of the basics. I can't stress that enough!!! Basics=tricks=strings.

Then learn some 2 add tricks. have them DIALED on bothsides! And by dialed (I mentioned this before) should be like...You can hit it BSOS, midstring, and 99.999% of the time...(Dialed is also dependent on one's preference, some people dont' feel it's TRULY dialed unless they can hit it like...30x in a row, but for me, I think as long as you can do it by Those 3 as mentioned, you should be fine.)

then learn how to string them ALL together, and try to go for long runs.

KEEP KICKIN'! :D
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BalinorNZ
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Post by BalinorNZ »

Lol jordan if your hitting a trick 99.99% of the time then that means you drop once in 1000 tries, a little bit unrealistic, especially if you can only hit 30 of them.
I think basicly if you notice your dropping on a certain move, make a drill for it (eg mirage>legover>repeat) and hit that 30 times or 20 or whatever you feel comfortable with.
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Post by Jeremy »

I guess it depends what level you're at.

These days to me it feels like I hit a new trick - then I won't really try it for a few weeks or even months - then I'll go back to it and think "why did I stop doing this" and drill it on it's own heaps - then try to link it with easy moves and then harder moves.

To answer your question - I'd say the best thing is to do both - first get the single trick to a stage where you can hit it at least 50% of the time. Then try linking it to easier moves (moves that you can hit more consistantly anyway) and slowly work your way up until you can hit a hardish move into and out of the move.

I'd say it's better to have a few tricks that you work on at each session - mainly because doing the one trick over and over is really boring.

The most important thing is to learn about your own game and the way you learn things best - the way I practice might not be best for you - so experiment and find the way of practicing that seems to the most for you - either is the most enjoyable or leads to the most improvement or the most satisfaction.
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Post by King Monkey »

some moves can be learnt at the same time as others, esp when starting out. eg. legover and pickup... these two are very similar moves, can be linked together to make good practicing drills, and they improve your leg movement in both directions. so in this instance you could learn legover and pickup at the same time
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Post by shreddaily »

One thing I'm finding to be benificial in my training is this:

On days when you are working new moves don't play till you are dead. For me that means after an hour I quite, even if I still feel good. I'm finding it more rewarding playing fresh every day, rather than hard one day, two crappy days, day off , repeat.

Of course playing till you're dead helps prepair you for tournaments, since thats what you do until you've been to about 30.
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Post by Jas »

ok heres my way of learning tricks and getting better at footbag:
The way i think of it is like karate or something how u start of with a specific coloured belt and then move up a level and receive another different colour.
So first level is just learning all the toe stalls, insides and outsides until u can do them confortabley.
After u can do that, move onto the 'tiltless' level. Work the basic 2 adds until u can do all of the main 2 add tricks and be very consistent at them, putting all of the tricks into a string. When practising tiltless, i never learn harder moves. Only moves you should have a go at are the basic 3 adds such as butterfly, osis paradox mirage, symp mirage etc. Its alright to have a go at them, only when ur bored or something. later it will become good for u.
This goes for guiltless, tripless and so forth. So i basically gotta get all the basic tricks first before i move onto tricks worth an extra add. And i definately do all tricks boths sides which is very important.
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Post by JFootbagger »

BalinorNZ wrote:Lol jordan if your hitting a trick 99.99% of the time then that means you drop once in 1000 tries, a little bit unrealistic, especially if you can only hit 30 of them.
I think basicly if you notice your dropping on a certain move, make a drill for it (eg mirage>legover>repeat) and hit that 30 times or 20 or whatever you feel comfortable with.
okay yeah, maybe 99.99% of the time is a bit unrealistic. How about 85% of the time then :wink: But ya know what I meant, was just giving a generalization; when you learn a new trick, make sure you can do it with ease.
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Dave Da
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Dex Speed

Post by Dave Da »

I have trouble with dexing fast enough to transition smoothly into another trick. For example when I do a mirage, I set do the dex and the bag usually hits my foot before my dexing leg even touches the ground.

I have more trouble with toe set tricks than clipper tricks which I find to be kind of unusual.




Merged with advice:practicing -Erik
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Post by MatS21 »

Practice.

Sad to hear but it's not really a matter of speed, it's more a matter of timing.
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Dave Da
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Post by Dave Da »

Ok, I was pretty much asking people for suggestions. I could have told myself I just needed practice. I am more interested in different techniques people may use. I can do multiple Mirages in a row I just wanted it to be smoother.

I would rather have suggestions, that plainly obvious advice. Thanks though. So if anyone has any suggestions please reply. If practice is your answer than don’t reply, I already practice them all the time.
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Zac Miley
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Post by Zac Miley »

Dave Da wrote:
I would rather have suggestions, that plainly obvious advice. Thanks though. So if anyone has any suggestions please reply. If practice is your answer than don’t reply, I already practice them all the time.
There really is no other way to get better at them.

The beginning tricks like Mirage, Legover, Illusion, Pickup, Clipper, Butterfly, they all get better with practice. I think the only person who could do those consistently on his first day was Vasek, and I may even be wrong there. :P

For Mirage, here's a small tip. I don't know how you're doing them, but if you set it up, and then make a mini-hop over the bag, you will most likely have plenty of time to catch the bag. Probably, your mirages will progress to this on their own, but once again, it takes practice :wink:

The stage you are at is one of the worst in footbag. Once you start learning sets and all the crazy shit you can do to the tricks, it just becomes so fun. Doesn't mean you can stop practicing though. :P

Good luck.
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Dave Da
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Post by Dave Da »

Thanks Zac, I suppose.

I can do probably 90% of basic 2ADDs tricks and like five 3ADDs and like one 4ADDs

I just dont transition smoothly. I guess practice is what’s got to happen. I just get kind of bored with schooling mirages and flip mirages and all that kind of stuff all day. I know that’s what I got to do to be a more proficient player. I don’t really want to go out and hit like 5 adds and go fearless. I just wanna play smoothly and look natural rather than like I’m trying too hard.
Last edited by Dave Da on 06 Jul 2007 11:18, edited 1 time in total.
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Zac Miley
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Post by Zac Miley »

If you're having problems setting out of mirage, try raking it a little bit. Some people say it's bad form or whatever, but it doesn't really look bad and it helps you get control.

And there's no h in my name. :wink:
Jay (8:06:01 PM): Bu-bu-buu-buug--Looks up, and the feeling goes away like a sneeze-bu-buuuh-BULLLSHITTT
Jay (8:06:14 PM): *wipes bellybutton*
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Jeremy
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Post by Jeremy »

What you need to do is obvious. Start the dex much much earlier. If you watch a video of somebody good playing footbag, they don't stop moving ever. As soon as the bag leaves your foot, beginning moving the dexing leg for the mirage.
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