Shirtless shred in public

gangsta · Post by **gangsta** » 17 Jul 2006 16:02

Bruce Lee doesnt need a shirt

sen · Post by **sen** » 17 Jul 2006 16:36

Isilwar wrote:Now, contribute something relevant to the topic.

Personally, it's a lot more comofortable for me to not wear a shirt because the damn things always get in the way. If people are scared by me not wearing a shirt... then I need to work on my "bod" some more.

Tight shirts would be fine with me, I guess...

What do you mean by that?

Ken was contributing to what the thread is about. You weren't. It's not about what's "comfortable" for YOU to play in. It's about how the general <b>public</b> see the sport.

zach4th · Post by **zach4th** » 17 Jul 2006 17:48

If you got it flont it!!

pips · Post by **pips** » 17 Jul 2006 18:00

This is a good topic, but what about girls? In sports bras, that is. Like you guys, I do it a lot at my house, but not so much out in public. I never did it out of respect to the public, it was just because of just guys...staring at me. I am just curious how you guys feel about a girl wearing a sports bra out in public when representing the sport. They are SPORTS bras...

ashleyd · Post by **ashleyd** » 17 Jul 2006 18:21

When I shred shirtless in public, I seem to draw a lot of attention.

Jk, I usually rock a tank top or shirt. I think sports bra's are really good for shred too. I haven't ever used a sports bra in public, so I dunno if the men would be... all starring or something. I would imagin they might.
I've also never had a problem shredding in regular tee shirt. So basically whatever suits you. If you prefer shirtless than I don't think you should use one.

HooD · Post by **HooD** » 17 Jul 2006 18:30

Well, me being a guy and knowing guys and public, shredding in a sports bra probably isn't the best way to go. No matter how good you are, there is only a couple thoughts initially that will go through a man's mind that doesn't know about footbag. Look, *it's a woman jumping around in a sports bra.* Anyways, sports bra with something light over top would probably be good for breathability and cover up. And yes, even though I have a slight resemblance to bruce lee, I don't want to scare away the kiddies because I may look like I will Judo Chop them to the ground.

I think come this pay check, I'm gonna get a nice breathable sleeveless shirt. People that don't live in an area of high humidity wouldn't really understand. With this type of weather, and it seems to be getting worse, I can shred for 10 minutes...that's right, 10 minutes, and I'm near soaked. Humidity is a killer. Another idea Brad and I had was every outdoor session, we were going to place a soccer ball next to our stuff. That way all the questions would already be answered. *We're training for soccer*. * Oooooh neaaaat !!!

shreddaily · Post by **shreddaily** » 17 Jul 2006 18:43

I don't agree with the idea that we should modify our behaviors and shred habits to impress or attract other people. The fact that we are doing an irsih jig with a hacky sack is what turns most people away from shred, not the lack of shirt.
This is much further reaching than this "shirt" thread. Posting habits, move selections, party habits ect... WE are the comunity and should do what make us feel most comfortable and I personaly don't care what the rest of the world thinks.

Pengu · Post by **Pengu** » 17 Jul 2006 20:40

As a female, I personally have no opposition to shredding shirtless. In fact I shred in just a sports bra and short shorts a lot... very visibly in public. If it's hot, my shirt comes off. It doesn't make me feel intimidated to approach people when they are shirtless, but then again, everyone has different comfort levels. I find that with or without a shirt, there are only so many people who are willing to talk to us. I think it has more to do with us approaching people who look interested rather than whether or not we scare them away with our shirtlessness. I really like having a beginner bag I can toss someone who looks interested just so that they can try. This usually increases their comfort level if they can attempt some things on their own off to one side before Tom approaches them and show them a few basics. It doesn't make much difference how much I'm wearing or how much Tom's wearing. If it were for a performance or demonstration, I may consider putting a shirt on, but the keyword is may and really, function first. I'd surely put a shirt on if it's a demo at a school or seniors home or some other place where I have to be conservative. After watching us play for awhile, I'm sure the people in public watching would understand why.

On the topic of function first, I hope everyone wears adequate sun protection while playing shirtless. I don't want to hear of anyone getting skin cancer.

Mahood, I've found yoga clothing the most breatheable, flexible, and perfect for shred. It's expensive, but it's worth the investment when the fabric wicks away sweat and dries extremely quickly. I used to be very opposed to the label Lululemon Athletica just because it's like a high-priced fad item for all the barbies at my school who don't even excercise or do yoga. They all have the same pants. But after buying a pair of their shorts, I've realized that they actually have a valid product that is beyond a fad. They have a menswear shirt called Gear Tech that a lot of my jogging buddies swear by that wicks away moisture, is anti-stink, and feels really nice on the body. I have a similar shirt in a female version and a sports bra made of the same material. I really like them because they don't chaffe, don't stink, and best of all, they move with my body and fits close to it like a second skin. If I were to put on an actual demo with a shirt on, I'd most likely be wearing this shirt.

brian relly · Post by **brian relly** » 17 Jul 2006 21:14

Sorry, but, having grown up in the South, we *never* wore shirts in the summertime. We'd run around doing the shit that boys in the south do in the summer, and nobody cared. I mean, it's not like people are freaked out by guys in a swimming pool - what's the difference? There's no difference in wardrobe. I mean, it's just what people do when it's hot - basketball courts - coughKen- shirts and skins.

I say, if you're a kid (~-20 maybe) and/or don't have a disgusting chest (no pot bellies; non-exorbitant amount of chest/back hair) then you're a-ok.
I mean, Vaesk has played mostly shirtless at 3 of his 4 world championships, and no one has said anything. You've just gotta have the right look to pull it off. it's only noticeably unattractive if youve got some hairy beer gut shit going on (mirken, nasty, Rippin'

).

In conclusion, it doesn't matter. Unless you're gross.

edit: and yeah, the whole even tan thing. no one wants a farmer's tan.

love,

dyalander · Post by **dyalander** » 18 Jul 2006 00:22

Living in Sydney I spend the summer shirtless, regardless of whether i'm shredding or not. Being really really ridiculously good looking, I spend alot of my winter shirtless too. Personally I fine with shirtlessnes in all walks of life.
Anyway - so Ken - are you against people playing Basketball shirtless (beyond the grossness factor of swapping sweat) on the same principle - that it is a bad representation of the sport. I don't think it necessarily reflects badly on the sport. I think the requirements of a sport designate what is acceptable attire, ie I think its just as acceptable to shred shirtless in hot conditions as it is to swim shirtless, or to play beach vollyball shirtless, because the conditions of the sport make it acceptable. So while I'd still personally be cool with shirtlessness at all times, I'd understand someone putting forward the argument that where possible footbaggers should wear shirts, but once it gets hot enough the shirt comes off - like when cyclists unzip their jerseys when its hot.

C-Fan · Post by **C-Fan** » 18 Jul 2006 00:43

dyalander wrote: Anyway - so Ken - are you against people playing Basketball shirtless (beyond the grossness factor of swapping sweat) on the same principle - that it is a bad representation of the sport. .

No I`m not. Basketball is a very popular, very well-established sport that doesn`t have a critical need to attract female players, or any new players for that matter. Footbag, on the other hand, is not well-established. In fact, I`d argue quite the opposite; if anything, footbag has a stigma of not being a sport. This makes it especially important for us to present the sport as professionally as possible.

While I am not against playing basketball without a shirt (I personally play shirtless at my local gym if I am on the "skins" team), I would certainly wear a shirt if I was trying to get sponsored, or get on a professional team. There is a reason why NBA players are required to tuck in their jerseys, and why they aren`t allowed to have shorts that go more than 1 inch below their knee.

Is playing shirtless more comfortable? I think the answer is undeniably yes. That said, there are shirts out there which don`t interfere with your vision, won`t hit the bag, and won`t overheat you.

I`m fine with people shredding at home shirtless, or at shreds where nobody but footbaggers are present. But when playing in public areas (where potential shredders may be watching) or on videos, I feel that shirts look better, and make us more approachable.

dyalander · Post by **dyalander** » 18 Jul 2006 01:46

OK so 100 years from now if footbag is 'accepted' then you would probably be dead but otherwise you would approve people shredding shirtless. That makes sense.
I'm almost there but not quite. Come summer I'll be shirtless - even a good b'ball shirt gets uncomfortable when I'm that hot, and I think after a certain temp is reached only the most discerning person who would probably disaprove of me even if i wore a shirt would care.
What about at the beach, are you down with shredding shirtless there? (I'm just interested in fleshing out the specifics of your views on the matter).

max · Post by **max** » 18 Jul 2006 03:02

I'm with Dylan on this one. It really is a question of surroundings. I just spent a week down in the south of France at the beach with my gf. It was roughly 35°C in the shade (95F) and EVERYONE was walking around shirtless. I played shirtless all the time. The gf wore a bikini top. No-one was shocked.

On the other hand indoor public places (train stations, malls etc) or big-city treets, this is another matter. I doubt my gf would play with a bikini top in Paris. Even in sweltering conditions.

Post by **Zac Miley** » 18 Jul 2006 13:48

sen wrote:
Isilwar wrote:Now, contribute something relevant to the topic.

Personally, it's a lot more comofortable for me to not wear a shirt because the damn things always get in the way. If people are scared by me not wearing a shirt... then I need to work on my "bod" some more.

Tight shirts would be fine with me, I guess...
What do you mean by that?

Ken was contributing to what the thread is about. You weren't. It's not about what's "comfortable" for YOU to play in. It's about how the general <b>public</b> see the sport.

Shit... sorry. It was a typo. Meant to say "Now, to contribute something relevant to the topic" (as in, I hadn't done it before).

And for me, if the public isn't comfortable with what I'm comfortable in, I don't care. BUT, then again, I dontn't really play outside.

Spontaneous Spaz · Post by **Spontaneous Spaz** » 18 Jul 2006 14:37

Pengu wrote:They have a menswear shirt called Gear Tech that a lot of my jogging buddies swear by that wicks away moisture, is anti-stink, and feels really nice on the body. I have a similar shirt in a female version and a sports bra made of the same material. I really like them because they don't chaffe, don't stink, and best of all, they move with my body and fits close to it like a second skin. If I were to put on an actual demo with a shirt on, I'd most likely be wearing this shirt.

u mean like "under armor".. or at least that's what we have here

dyalander · Post by **dyalander** » 18 Jul 2006 19:43

To be fair the heart of what Ken says is that if wearing a t-shirt will make him more approachable and help get footbag to more people he'll gladly do it in spite of the heat. I guess I do understand and share that principle. He's not trying to force people to wear shirts at all times he's just saying he thinks it makes him more approachable and looks better in slightly more situations than I think is necessary. I certainly tend to agree more with Ken than with the "my shirt comes off and everyone else can stick it attitude" I think I fit into the middle ground somewhere between shirt on at all times in public, and shirtless with total disregard.
I argue that at some point temp wise or if you're at the beach the non-footbagging people won't care and so you don't need to perservere with your shirt. I think the point at which that becomes the case will vary greatly depending on where you are - you proximity to the coast, other cultural norms. Here in Sydney the shirtless tolerance factor is high.
On an ammusing side topic my mum's not really down with my shirtlessness and is always trying to get me to cover up. Last Christmas she bought me a fishnet singlet to shred in

As if that's less embarassing than shirtless. I mean it would definitly help us attract more men to our circles, and they'd definitly want to play with my sack, but not in the way mum envisioned. I make sure that I wear it every now and again when I shred at my folks house, and it is comfortable, but not really something I'll be wearing around town with short shorts.

BalinorNZ · Post by **BalinorNZ** » 18 Jul 2006 21:21

Dyalan is very smart.

In Dunedin where we are so close to antartica, it is like a giant ice cube all year long. We seldom get above lik 10 or 15 degress C

I'm pretty self concious about taking my top off just because it's so amazingly uncommon here and everyone is like wtf!?!? This is to such an extent that I go to the mens room to take my thermal singlet off so i'm not even half naked for a few seconds in public - I think this reluctance to public nakedness has something to do with the fact I have shoulder hair

.

It's much easier for people to accept what we are doing in my city atleast if we wear shirts, so we do, I think I have only kicked shirtless in public once, and that was with Johnny Murphy, and it was actually really hot for once and he took his off first - and I got sunburnt (sorry peng

!).

When I was fruitpicking up north where it's damn hot in summer last year, I managed to not wear a shirt for about a month, but that's just because it was the norm up there.

I would like to thank Pip, Peng and Ashley for giving your opinions on the subject

it's often something us guys wonder about - that is weather girls are offended by us not wearing tops.

As far as girls wearing no tops when shreding, well there is a video of Ellis Piltz misses (Caro) on youtube shreding in a bikini top, and most of the comments say things like "oh my gosh I have found the perfect woman! She is gorgeous and she is amazing at hacky! She must be the best in the world!" - I reguard that as a pretty good responce to footbag

CIC flurry · Post by **CIC flurry** » 19 Jul 2006 09:26

I get loads of interested people asking about the sport when I'm shredding shirtless publicly.

I'll keep my shirt on sometimes though - like in the mall

.

RawSko · Post by **RawSko** » 19 Jul 2006 19:01

I know that we've already mentioned that this is not exactly what this thread is about, but just FYI: it's shirtless shred that motivates me to hit to weight room after school. From that point of view, shirtless shred is very good for you. (I'm still too scrawny for my own satisfaction, but I'd be worse off if I didn't hit the weights)

With a shirt or without a shirt, what we do is VERY unorthadox and that makes us slightly less aproachable. This rings even truer if the spectators are far enough away that they cannot see the bag! IMO you're either going to have a spectator who will approach you, or one who won't. Being shirtless will just attract a slightly elivated amount of attention and MAKE YOU MORE COMFORTABLE. <--this point cannot be ignored! Comfort leads to focus and focus leads to massive strings and a place in the BAP.

shredzilla · Post by **shredzilla** » 19 Jul 2006 20:54

dyalander wrote:Last Christmas she bought me a fishnet singlet to shred in

LMAO!!!! Post your pic!