Getting better at footbag

jpaige · Post by **jpaige** » 27 Jul 2007 15:16

I'm curious to know if there is a difference between players that have learned from other players at better levels than themselves and those that mostly play by themselves and learn through these forums and online videos. I would imagine that you would progress faster playing with people that are better than you instead of trying to figure the moves out on your own. So do you find it easier to hit moves you've been struggling with or haven't hit before when you are shredding with someone that can hit them cleanly?

Psilocybe · Post by **Psilocybe** » 27 Jul 2007 15:32

Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

With others:
Get tips
Be social / community
Encouragement
Etiquette

Alone:
Shred harder, better exercise
Develop your own style
Progress faster (?)
Music w/ headphones!

I'm not sure about the progressing faster bit, but let me make a case.

Lets say theres a local 4-player footbag club that plays 4 times a week for 2 hours each. You attend diligently, thus spending 8 hours playing footbag but only getting 2 total hours of play time a week. 25% efficient.

Or - You play alone for an hour a day. Doesn't seem like much, but for the total 7 hours playing footbag a week, you get 7 hours of practice. 100% efficient. It would take the club dude roughly a month to play as much as the loner plays in a week, even though the club dude dedicates more time to the sport.

I play alone 95% of the time. I'd rather that be at 60-70% but theres nothing I can do about it.

I feel that in the end we're all just playing alone anyways.

jpaige · Post by **jpaige** » 27 Jul 2007 17:30

Yea, one of the reasons I asked was because there is nobody around me that plays footbag seriously enough to want to shred on a regular basis so any new moves I try I have to study video's hardcore. I would say that drilling is best done alone, and find myself not willing to sit and try to land 10 clippers in a row when im kicking with a group. Trying to land a new move I would think might be easier when someone who has hit it before can show you. Another reason why I'm so stoked to go to worlds...

CIC flurry · Post by **CIC flurry** » 27 Jul 2007 20:00

I think you get better faster if you play alone a lot. Someone told me Ryan Mulroney once said that you'll never get really good unless you play alone a bunch.

That being said. Some people can't play only alone. They lose interest. I'm down for having a good balance.

Cass · Post by **Cass** » 27 Jul 2007 21:06

Playing alone is great for drilling stuff, but I find that I don't try for bigger moves/cool strings as much because theres nobody there to see them. 90% of the time I play with just one other person, which I think is ideal. You still get to shred hard, but you don't get exhausted nearly as quickly. And having someone there to encourage you and give you new ideas/tips is always a plus.

DJJAZZYJEFF · Post by **DJJAZZYJEFF** » 28 Jul 2007 17:16

I'm still learning my basics, but i find that i feed off the energy of the group i play with. When i play with others i'm more on form.

When I play alone i get tired way too fast. I'll be dripping with sweat within 5 minutes and usually can't play for more than 30 or 40 minutes. But i think you definitely need that alone time to drill things in order to get better.

ericksonj · Post by **ericksonj** » 01 Aug 2007 13:33

I really don't like playing with more than 3 people in a circle. It's too easy to cool down while waiting and it seems like you never get the bag. Unless it's at a tournament, then it's lots of fun. That being said I think the ideal to get better is a mixture of alone and small circle shred. Hard to do runs when alone, but you don't feel like a jerk if you try a move over the course of 20 minutes and miss it almost every time. I like to have someone there to watch my new stuff though and give me pointers. That really helps things move along faster.

Sporatical_Distractions · Post by **Sporatical_Distractions** » 01 Aug 2007 15:25

ericksonj wrote: I like to have someone there to watch my new stuff though and give me pointers. That really helps things move along faster.

Agreed.

But HenryG is a great example of someone that improves vastly by playing solo

jpaige · Post by **jpaige** » 01 Aug 2007 16:15

Thanks for the insight guys. I was curious because I've never played with anybody with footbag experience except one of my friends and we are about equal skill level. I've been dying to get help from some more experienced shredders (which is basically everbody on modified

) Going to worlds should be good for my game.

james_dean · Post by **james_dean** » 03 Aug 2007 19:36

I think playing alone helped me a lot... I still played heaps but I got addicted to drilling

I still get to shred with the Melbourne crew semi-regularly... basically whenever I can be bothered going down, so I get as much group shred as I allow myself really.

solo shred 4 the win!!

Drew · Post by **Drew** » 04 Aug 2007 11:11

When I first started I only played with other people, maybe 1 or 2, but still

. Now that I've the basics and stuff down, I definitely LOVE playing by myself, gives me time to drill what I need to and work on new aspects.

I think it's best to have a share of playing by yourself and also with more advanced people than you. Both are great