Begin Phase 1 again

Post by **Zac Miley** » 24 Oct 2007 19:35

Sporatical_Distractions wrote:you're always talking about the triforce drill in thie blog and I still can't figure it out. what is it?

Clip>Op Clip>Op Clip x 2>Op Clip x 2>Op Clip x 3>Op Clip x 3... etc. all the way to 10, then you can go back down if you want.

EDIT: Shit, now I feel like an asshole... Sorry Ben.

pips · Post by **pips** » 25 Oct 2007 07:08

Hey. Happy birthday, Ben!

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 30 Oct 2007 13:58

Thanks yo. So the birthday was pretty good, I'm 26 now. Red Sox won the world series which was nice, but not nearly as nice as it was back in 2004. Patriots are still kicking lots of butt... all this really doesn't matter too much to me, professional sports at their core, are stupid to me. They are too commercial, that's why I love footbag. Following the Boston teams is much more about my connection back to my hometown. I haven't been back in Boston since Aug 06, so it will be good to come back in January.

Financial situation is pretty good, I was actually able to dump a few hundred bucks into my savings account this month which was nice. Been searching for new jobs, but it's hard finding something that I like and I'm qualified for. I could take some hot shot job working a lot more hours, traveling a lot, making a lot more money, but it's just not worth the sacifice in my mind.

Little brother is doing well, we went canoeing last week. He had never been and had a great time. He learned really fast. My gf and my doggie are doing well too.

I set up browser filters on my laptop to make modified available only from 4:30-5:00 each day, so I got about 7 more minutes to finish up this blog entry.

Been playing as much footbag as time will allow. Unfortunately I don't have very much to show for it. I've just been schooling clippers (100+ a session), but with not a lot of results.

-Form on flip is getting better, but still has a long way to go. 6 months ago I would have told you it was my strong clipper cuz I was doing them completely wrong. That's still an ingrained habit, but I'm chipping away at it.
-SPINS are much easier. I hit spinning clipper BSOS probably 7 times on Saturday which was fun
-Butterfly form is absolutely terrible. Once I fix clippers I need to start over on butterflies too. I revert back to crappy clipper form when I butterfly now. Yuck.
-Osis has stayed constant, but I was expecting improvement
-I've been working on flip toe crank and flip toe pointing, but it hasn't yielded any results as far as better sets. In fact I've kinda lost flip DLO which really sucks, cuz for a while it was stronger than strong side.
-Went back and fixed illusions AGAIN but got work to do, they're aren't where they were 6 months ago.

I'm pretty frustrated with footbag right now. Progress feels slower than usual. I feel like i am doing the same runs every time, like I just can't pick up any new concepts or links, so the game is getting a little boring.

Good news is that there are a couple new players in Austin signed up on footbag.org so hopefully they'll come out to sessions. One sounds really interested. I really love teaching footbag (and teaching in general), I wish I were better at it so I could teach more people.

Well my time on my filters is almost up. Take care everyone!

Darkshredder · Post by **Darkshredder** » 30 Oct 2007 14:05

happy birthday, man! No fault in going back and reworking things. But new tricks are always fun so I hope you can smooth things out so that you can have some crazy epic sessions. How are your torques? by the way.

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 03 Nov 2007 17:13

Thanks Pat. Torque? I've only hit that trick twice, ever. Osis needs to be better before I can really work on them.

I got the flu on Thursday. That SUCKED for about 6 hours. I was totally incapacitated. My muscles from the back of my neck down to my feet all ached like crazy. I had chills but at the same time I was rolled up in bed with the covers over me sweating my balls off. I was too nauseaous (sp?) to eat anything. Despite feeling very fatigued, I was in too much agony to fall asleep. I bounced back pretty quick though, I have great immune system. It's now Saturday and I'm about 90% percent better

8am woke up
9am picked up little brother and went to the dog park with my doggie
10am we went canoeing on the river with my dog. tons of fun
11am took little bro back home
12pm went to footbag
2pm finished early, didn't want to play too hard

Session was decent. Still not hitting the runs I want though.

SS Butter > Osis > PDX Mirage RPT

SS Butter > Osis > PDX Illusion RPT

Clip > Spinning Clip > op clip > RPT x 2

Diving butterfly, like 2nd try

Drifter mid run sealed with an osis

Eggbeater BS and DLO BSOS, welcome back dear friends

20 contact tiltless run with Osis and PDX illusion BSOS

Footed flip atomsmasher while warming up just screwing around. Couldn't clear a single strongside atomic or quantum set all session.

Illusions are coming back. Although sideadge has totally reversed. My old flipside is now totally dominant. Its form is really good, much deeper than on my old strong side.

Vegetarian Chili cookoff tomorrow!! W00tw00t!!!

I'm very happy with my life right now. I don't mean to boast. It's all about how you let yourself feel about things. I'm very fortunate and very grateful for everything that I have.

Lackey82 · Post by **Lackey82** » 03 Nov 2007 18:31

Hey, I like to see you're playing lately, but even more I'm happy for your life situation. While I haven't been able to save up much, I have been feeling good about my life. It's a great feeling, no?

Funny how having a place to live, a good girl and a dog can help a man more than one would think. And a job helps too, for sure.

Keep it up. The bag and the life. Happy (belated) birthday too. Have a good one buddy.

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 10 Nov 2007 19:54

Haven't shredded since last Saturday. Played with Cody today for maybe about 90 minutes. Neither of us were feeling it. I was totally off my game. I hit a great 25 contact run during warm up, but that was it. Couldn't do barely anything after that. Although I did manage to hit toe blur once. But I was dropping on incredibly stupid stuff like clipper and mirage.

Work has been really busy and stressful and a result, I haven't gotten any exercise. I've been anxious lately too. I've been getting enough sleep, but not enough exercise. I couldn't focus at all today. I was just frustrated the whole time. I think I'm gonna have an early am session tomorrow. I need to find my inner peace.

If you haven't checked it out yet, we have a new video up.
http://modified.in/footbag/viewtopic.php?t=17540

Cody did a really good job with the editing. I think under request by Ceiling Fan I may have to make a Codexterity special, assuming he'll let me.

CLUTCH concerts next weekend in Houston, Dallas and Austin. Definitely catching the Austin show, possibly maybe Houston... we'll see.

Bedtime

EDIT: Like most adolescent males, if you're into Guitar Hero, you should know that my favorite Austin band, LIONS has a song on the new Guitar Hero III. It's definitely not their best tune, but if you're interested check them out at www.myspace.com/lionstheband because they ROCK. You will also understand the whole "No Generation" thing.

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 15 Nov 2007 19:58

Typing this from new work laptop. It's pretty sweet.

Session last night with Cody and 2 Andrews. My string length was not nearly as good as it usually is. I managed to hit some cool 1-offs though. Would rather have hit some nice strings though.

Highlights:

Toe Blur first try, sealed

Tripwalk walk sealed

strong eggbeater and flip bubbabeater in the same run

Flip pdx egg first try

Drifter > run

Dimwalk mid-run a few times. I think I may have figured out pixies finally

Red Ribbon sealed with osis to handcatch. Witnessed clean. Booyah

That was about it.

Post by **Zac Miley** » 15 Nov 2007 20:07

Props on all those hard tricks.

Is Toe Blur easier for you than tripwalk? If so that's really weird.

Sporatical_Distractions · Post by **Sporatical_Distractions** » 15 Nov 2007 20:25

Isilwar wrote:Props on all those hard tricks.

Is Toe Blur easier for you than tripwalk? If so that's really weird.

agreed.

red ribbon?

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 17 Nov 2007 13:28

Toe blur is way easier than tripwalk for me. Probably because I'm way better at mirages than butterflies.

Red Ribbon is zulu clipper. I came pretty close to zulu butterfly today. Too bad I can't flip dive and I've almost lost flip ducking

Pretty good solo session today:

Highlights:

100 clipppers BS (not fully consecutive but 20-30 each time)

(legover x 3 > mirage x 3 > RPT) > RPT > tiltless run with lots of clippers

Triforce level 4

Toe blur several times, once mid run

Broke headphones trying flip quantum (tough to explain)

Smear and Dimwalk each a few times, close to flip smear

Blur > Butter > Blur

Butter > PDX Mirage > Toe DLO > RPT love that drill

SS Butter > SS Mirage > RPT x 10

SS Butter > DLO > RPT > SS clipper > DLO > RPT

Crispy DLO BSOS. Not sure if I've ever hit flip before. Not even sure which side would be flip.

LOTS of lonnnnnnnng tiltless runs

Nice to get flip stepping back. Schooling clippers has really helped.

Spinning and ducking weren't cooperating at all today. Neither was osis.

Got really sweaty and definitely had a good workout.

Saw something. Must remember link:
www.freelineskates.com

Found my dream job today. Putting together a resume for it. Gonna give it everything I got.

CLUTCH tonight! W000h0000! This is like my 20th time seeing them. Awesomeness

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 19 Nov 2007 18:49

No footbag update. If you want to read about footbag come back next time. I might have a solo session tonight after I am done writing my thoughts down here.

I have some things on my mind and feel like expressing them here. Normally I'm not one of those people who goes on and on about life stuff in their footblog but I feel like tonight I have some things to say. I hope I'm able to articulate it all into some coherent sentences.

The universe is an infinite place. It has the capacity to be good, bad, gentle, evil, mean, forgiving and everything else.

I was turned on to gratitude journaling a few weeks ago. While I haven't started one formally yet, I realize as days go by more and more how many things I have to be thankful for. It's a really fulfilling and joyful process to go through all the things that you are grateful for.

More and more I realize how fortunate I am. In this next paragraph it is not my intention to be boastful, either explicity or implicitly. If I come off that way, I deeply apologize. I am grateful that I have a capable body, good health and the desire, motivation and means to keep it that way. I am grateful that I have a capable and creative mind. While sometimes I do not have as much motivation as others around me or as much motivation as I would like, I am grateful for the motivation that I do have. I am grateful that I come from a family that had the means and the connections to provide me with a great education. At my snobby ass university I was on the bottom of the socio-economic totem pole, but I was looking at things in a vacuum. I did not have REAL understanding of how fortunate I was to even be there. I did on a superficial level, but now I really do. 4 years after I've left. I have had the fortune of so many advantages in my life that I took for granted for so long. I was always looking at and being envious of people who had it better than me. I had so much more to be grateful for than envious of but I couldn't see it right in front of my face. I was so short-sighted. Sometimes I felt guilty that I wasn't doing everything I could with the potential I had. Then I realized that the guilt was holding me back. It wasn't helping me, and it wasn't helping me reach that potential. I am a human being and I am going to do what I can. I will make mistakes and I will learn from them and move on. I've tried to get involved with what I can to give back. That is probably why I got involved with the IFPA board, even though my contribution is minimal. I'm doing the big brother thing now, but it's just one kid who's life I'm making a difference in. I feel like I owe so much back to society and to the universe for all the benefits I have enjoyed. I am repaying what I can, but there is always more to do.

Sometimes I get sad or I get angry. It happens less than it used to. When I stop to realize all that I am grateful for I can't help but feel happy and humbled.

I feel like I am at a pivotal crossroads in my life right now. Since I was 16, all the way through college it had been my dream job to work at this one company. I applied there relentlessly trying as hard as I could to get my foot in the door. After a years of trying I finally gave up. I gave up on that dream and moved on to other things. Just the other day I checked their website and found a job listing for something that matches my skillset perfectly. A job I could definitely do, and do well. Before, everything had been a stretch for me. I wanted to work there, but it just wasn't in the cards. I do not want to get my hopes up too soon this time. This week I have off work and I am doing a super deep dive to get all the information I need to find out more about what this company has been up to lately and custom tailor my resume and cover letter to show them that I am the man for this job. There will be no smoke screen, no BS, no false presentation of myself to make me something I am not. I just need to be able to articulate how my skillset and passion for what they do are a perfect match. Completely honest I believe I am right for this, I believe it as sure as I believe the sun will rise again tomorrow. I have everything they are looking for on this job. The only issue is that the company is very popular and they get thousands of applicants. But a skillset like this is very specific and I think I really have a good shot. I will give it absolutely 110% and go after this with everything I have in me. If I get the job, fantastic (it will mean a big move, a big change, selling my house and many other things). If I do not, I will be able to accept that, learn a great deal from the experience and move on. The beauty of the universe is that there is infinite opportunity. The corollary to that is most of the opportunities are hidden, you have to look for them, hunt them down and go after to get them.

If you are willing, I would appreciate any good vibes you could send my way this week. Please no blog responses. Send me a PM or simply wish me luck in your thoughts and the universe will pick up on it. I believe that everything happens for a reason. If the universe is willing, I will see this dream through and the collective consciousness of those that have read this will be among those to thank.

If you read all that, then that is really something. Not to be selfish but I wrote that much more myself than anyone reading. I am normally a terse, deadpan person. I pride myself on being to the point with no BS or filler. But in this case I could not help but be verbose with all the things that I had to say.

May the universe be good to all of you, and may you find what you are looking for (even if you don't know what that is right now, which is OK). Take care,

Iron Clad out--

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 20 Nov 2007 20:49

Had a session last night after that post. Remember I did the whole 100 clippers BS, but that's about it.

Session tonight 1 hour. Didn't hit some stuff I wanted, but hit a bunch of stuff I didn't intend to hit.

Highlights:

48 toe tiltless warming up. Mirages, legovers and pickups only.

LO > DLO > RPT first try

Butter > PDX Mirage > RPT 12 contacts. I can do better.

SS Butter > Osis > PDX Mirage > RPT sealed 1st try and I was happy
==Screwed around with stepping==

Ripwalk BSOS

Blur > Butter > RPT sealed

Stepping far LO BSOS
==But then it made my shins hurt so back to basics==

Butter > SS Butter > PDX Mirage > Toe SS Butter > PDX Mirage >RPT

off the foot first try, sealed with a few more BOPs 2nd time

Butter > Osis x 2 > PDX Mirage > RPT sealed

Could not hit, need to try next time:
-from toe : Osis x 2 > PDX Mirage > RPT
-Butter > Osis > Infinity > PDX Mirage > RPT

Flip osis is definitely behind strong. Need to skool both.

Didn't school spins or ducks at all. Stepping stuff was fun, especially hitting all that flipside stuff, but it made my shins hurt, so no more until clipper/butter form is better.

Gotta run. Peace out and good night

Sporatical_Distractions · Post by **Sporatical_Distractions** » 22 Nov 2007 16:10

nice hilights Ben. Especially the long tiltless warm up.

did you break your headphones on flip quantum by catching the cord with your knee? The only time I tried wearing headphones while shredding they kept flying off. especially with spins

against your rules, but i'm sending you good vibes my man!

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 24 Nov 2007 16:55

Thanks dude. I did want good vibes sent my way.

Made some progres on my resume this week. Still got a lot to do.

Car battery was dead this morning. I think I left the lights on. It's been raining all day so there really hasn't been an opportunity to jump it. So as a result I couldn't make it to our usual Saturday session.

Tuesday has been really sick. He threw up 8 times since last night and refuses to eat anything today, even treats

I'm very worried.

Just had a solo session with Anssi's training program

Mirage x 30 bs (took 3 tries on flip, 2 on strong)

Legover x 60 (took about 5 tries)

Infinity x 30 (took 3 tries, happy abt that)

Osis x 30 (took a lot of tries, but osis is feeling better)

ss Butter > Osis > PDX Mirage > RPT 30 contacts (took only 4 tries)

Stepping ss Clip BS

new trick

-- was supposed to do 20 of these but only could manage 3 after about 40 attempts.

SS Butter > PDX Mirage > toe SS Butter > PDX Mirage > RPT 2nd try.

Butter > Blur > RPT 5 contacts

By this point I was pretty worn out. I was supposed to do PLO x 20... heh pretty tough with no flip pixie. I was also supposed hit a long tiltless drill which I didn't get to either.

Pretty stoked about this training program. Even more stoked about the possibility of Jorden coming to Austin for Famecast finals.

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 30 Nov 2007 10:04

Pretty good group session last wedensday. We had 5 people at one point.

Koller was going OFF! (Pixie Spinning Butterly, Ducking+Diving Butter BSOS, DDD BSOS, cleared the dexes for Cripwalk

)

I played pretty well too.

Highlights:

Pixie ducking clipper

new (I refuse to hit Phoenix)

Drifter almost BSOS

Blur BSOS first attempt at stepping of the night

Flip ripwalk > run

DLO BSOS, it's been a while

15 contact BOP string > some tiltless

Ducking clipper BSOS

Spinning Butter BSOS off the foot

Osis EVERYWHERE b2b, BSOS, all that, hell yeah, thank you osis x30 drill

Ducking Butter and Spinning Osis both almost BSOS

BOPing out of osis instead of just near mirage

I think I still need to work on butterfly form. I felt the shins get a little sore (nothing like it used to be). Also, I need to cool it on the stepping, even though it's starting to get pretty darn consistent, it hurts teh shins.

Gotta go.

Zeb Jackson · Post by **Zeb Jackson** » 30 Nov 2007 13:20

Why refuse to hit pheonix, its a trick just like any other

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 01 Dec 2007 15:14

Zeb Jackson wrote:Why refuse to hit pheonix, its a trick just like any other

I just don't like it's cuz it's the quintessential n00b "hey look at me I hit a five !!!111!" trick.

Another good session today. I wasn't feeling too good to start out, so I warmed up really slow and it paid off.

Highlights:

Drifter > run > drop on BSOS attempt. I need to actually school drifters. It's nice to be able to hit it strongside close to on command. Probably thanks to reschooling of clippers. I haven't been doing them at all lately.

Tons of BSOS: Spinning clip, ducking clip, blur, ripwalk, DLO

Gyro clipper BS. Pretty easy on strong side now, hit that mid run a few times.

close to spinning osis BSOS again.

Butter > clip SS Butter > PDX Mirage > toe SS butter > PDX Illusion > RPT... rolled off the foot on the last pdx illusion, grr!!

run > Butter > Blur > Butter > blur > Butter > stepping drop

flip ducking clip > run > diving clip > ducking clip> run

Stepping SS clip BS

I made another realization on flip clipper. A lot of times my support foot has already hit the ground before I start the delay. After fixing that, flip clips/butters felt much more controlled and less exertion.

I think I'm finally getting close to getting good butterfly form, such that I can step/duck/spin out of them as easily clipper. Also, after a 3 hour session of lots of butterflies, I don't have any shin splints. I think I'm also getting stepping better in that regard too. I'm delaying the bag more, and using lots of support leg.

Progress feels really good. I need to take the time to figure out flip diving at some point. I'm starting to really like diving and want to be able to do it both sides.

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 05 Dec 2007 21:44

Group session tonight.

My clipper form/rhythym/game was totally off tonight. Crap. It was so on last week. I need to have a solo session. I'll do that tomorrow night. My magic hops just didn't have any magic... or hop.

One good highlights is that I $%#* FINALLY hit some flip pixie stuff tonight!! YES!

Highlights

Butter > PDX Mirage > flip smear (1st time ever) > a few contacts > PDX Mirage > Strong smear > clipper > diving clipper > bails > drop
First time on flip and I went on to BSOS it in the same run with diving clipper in the seal!! BOOYAH!!!

run with PLO BSOS ending on flip Smear > handcatch!

PDX Mirage > PLO BSOS a 2nd time

Ducking Osis BS, almost BSOS. Haven't tried that in forever.

Flip pixie Effing finally!!! Now I need to skool it to keep it. For some reason, pixie is easiest for me to hit out of paradox mirage. No idea why. Just sooooo glad to have a semi functional flip pixie!

I really didn't play all that well other than that. But that breakthrough made me sooo happy I don't care that I couldn't anything besides BOPs and tiltless today. HOORAY!

Goodnight.

Pyroman924 · Post by **Pyroman924** » 06 Dec 2007 09:13

Iron Clad Ben wrote:
Zeb Jackson wrote:Why refuse to hit pheonix, its a trick just like any other
I just don't like it's cuz it's the quintessential n00b "hey look at me I hit a five !!!111!" trick.

Well you've hit a five or two correct? This is just my personal opinion but straying away from a trick because everybody hits it and proclaims that they have hit a five is kind of a lame excuse. It works three semi-fundamental, not to mention very valuable, skills to have. Pixie, Ducking, and Butterfly. Now if you were the one acting the way you stated above then I would understand. But you wouldn't so you have nothing to hate about it buddy. Don't refuse to do it because everyone else is and then gloating about it, do it because it will help multiple aspects of your game simultaneously. Just make sure you don't become what you hate about it, which I'm sure you won't have any trouble with that. Now, stop being silly and try it out for shits and giggles.

Hope all is well.[/quote]