Comparing footbag to BMX and other trick-based sports.

Matt K · Post by **Matt K** » 18 May 2007 15:35

I used to ride BMX before I discovered footbag, and the issue of both sided-ness has bothered me so for a while. I just posted this on a BMX forum to see how the feel about it.

Hello all, about a year ago I was really into BMX and would ride pretty regularly, and I even lurked on these forums. However, last February I found a sport called footbag.

Footbag is similar to hackey-sack in that they both use small bags for kicking, but other than that they're totally different. I'm assuming most people understand what hackey-sack is, so a short explanation of footbag is that the aim is to delay the bag on your foot, going around it while it is in the air, and to link different tricks together. Here's a video of the top player in the world (Vasek Klouda) for reference: http://youtube.com/watch?v=eXKsCD-9lMI

As you may have noticed, he is doing nearly all of those tricks using each side of his body, which brings me to the point of the topic: How come a such a versatile sport like BMX has most of the riders only doing tricks using one side? How come there aren't more Danny Hickerson's (is that right, I've been out of the scene for a while) who don't have a preferred forward foot and can do Tailwhips both ways? I think saying that it's too hard is a pretty weak answer, since all it takes is practice. Nearly all of the top players in Footbag can do most, if not all of their tricks on their opposite side, save some of the most difficult in the sport.

Thanks to those who read, and more to those who reply, this has been an issue with me for some time.

What is your take on using both sides in other sports? Do you think it's as important? Do you possibly know why it's not as much of an issue?

Link to the other forum: http://www.bmx-forum.com/68721-comparin ... otbag.html

Cass · Post by **Cass** » 18 May 2007 16:26

I think that both-sidedness is less of an issue in other sports because you don't need to use both sides of your body in other sports to accomplish what you're trying to do. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I would assume that a tailwhip is going to look just as good done on one side as it would on the other, so why bother trying to do it the hard way?

Since esthetics is an important part of footbag, obviously being both-sided is going to be important. But in other sports, if your tricks look just as good whether you use your good or your flipside, I guess it would seem more practical just to use the one side.

crazylegs32 · Post by **crazylegs32** » 18 May 2007 22:35

I see bsos as a situation like seeing the trees but missing the forest. people are so concerned about bsos lately that if they dont see it they dont like the shred.
I think bsos leads to lots of better links and stuff but thats it, I could care less if people bsos shit for the most part because it leads to alot of duplicate styles.
Imagine if dancers ALWAYS did their movements bsos-LAME

Asmus · Post by **Asmus** » 19 May 2007 05:34

In snowboarding, surfing and skateboarding, you're a 'regular
foot' if you keep your left foot forward, a 'goofy foot' if you keep
your right forward. Here are three ways to tell which you are.

Some of the best skateboarders are decent both ways.. Paul Rodriguez is probably the best example.

Can you give a link to the bmx thread?

Matt K · Post by **Matt K** » 19 May 2007 06:00

Added to first post.

james_dean · Post by **james_dean** » 19 May 2007 06:08

Re: Crazyleg's statement - I agree. For me it's not so much about hitting bsos (although this is a great goal when learning a move) but hitting it regularly both sides in strings, with different uptime/downtime components involved. not just hitting tombstone bsos but maybe tombstone on one side and vortex on the other... or not even that but just hitting it both sides regularly I guess. It is easy to get sucked into bsosness though. It feels damn good.

Guest_1 · Post by **Guest_1** » 19 May 2007 12:50

Being good at bs makes my legs more coordinated and it's easier to have longer strings-i'm not so limited. That's why it's important to me

mtoolan · Post by **mtoolan** » 19 May 2007 13:56

sometimes i think about getting back into skateboarding a little, but keeping it footbag-esque. like just flatground tech stuff, maybe some curb stuff too. iv thought about it and if i ever did i think i would work on being more bothsided because some of the tougher/stylier stuff takes components from both switch and regular stance. frontside bigspin to manual for example. i used to come so close to this but my switch manny was crap. they're currently repaving my rode so well see what happens.

brinard · Post by **brinard** » 19 May 2007 15:43

when i skated, i couldnt, and wouldnt learn switch stuff (aka, flipside). i didnt want to, because if i could just go regular, then i could do better.

when i yoyo, it dosent matter, i dont want to learn that way, but it looks cool. its called 3a, but its with two yoyos at once. i do good enough to not bust my face with only using one throw hand.

but for bsos on footbag, i like to show i can be proficient (?) with both feet, and have long, flowing strings. (not that i do now, but someday). so i try to get everything to hit it bs, but bsos is not important when playing to me.

King Monkey · Post by **King Monkey** » 20 May 2007 01:03

I find working on tricks both sides helps you to expand your trick range, because developing different muscle memory throughout your body contributes to executing other moves, sometimes unrelated.

slapdash21 · Post by **slapdash21** » 20 May 2007 08:16

i just watched a luke santucci video they had linked on the bmx thread goddam that shit is so sick. i wish i could do that...

dyalander · Post by **dyalander** » 21 May 2007 17:39

It looks like many of you agree that both sidedness is important less for the spectacle fo seeing the same trick done on both sides, and more for the fact that it demonstrates a level of control necessary for high levels of shred. All long strings will have repeated components on both sides even if they don't have the same move repeated.
This translates to competition judging. A judge doesn't need to see the same move hit in both directions for the player to have demonstrated both-sidedness, there are more than enough moves to still maintain a high level of variety.
In comparison to freestyle BMX I think your point is valid, particulalry in vert comps, in which there is plenty of time to demonstrate both sidedness. Perhaps less so in dirt jumping comps in which there are only a small number of tricks performed on each pass.
I think the main difference between the two is that once you're shredding guiltless you're already combining 3 components into every move, while at the top level of BMX alot of moves are still stand alone or maybe two components, so to do it bothsides takes two moves and adds less variety.

Blue_turnip · Post by **Blue_turnip** » 22 May 2007 02:11

I don't know much about BMX and stuff but I think it might be to do with if you fail doing a trick flipside in footbag you drop the bag, if you fail on a BMX, you get fucked over royally. BMX is about thrill seeking, whereas footbag is about the satisfaction of progressing towards perfection. Maybe there just isn't much thrill doing the same trick when you just do it on your other side. I'd probably rather just doing a more epic trick.

michaelbailey · Post by **michaelbailey** » 09 Jun 2007 05:15

idk i skate and bmx besides footbag. most pro skaters like bob burnkwest (thats not how his name is spelled) can do switch just as good he can regular. i skate and first u get good at skating then u get good at switch. the better u are at switch and regular, the more u are respected as a skater. in bmx different sides are harder to compair because both of ur feet are facing the way ur going.

Asmus · Post by **Asmus** » 09 Jun 2007 14:55

Paul Rodriguez switch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcL0EiU7 ... ed&search=

CIC flurry · Post by **CIC flurry** » 09 Jun 2007 22:29