Possible to get good on your own?

mannel rox · Post by **mannel rox** » 09 Dec 2007 18:41

Hi I live in a place where it is impossible to find anyone into freestyle footbag. Everyone I know who does play footbag are total hackyslackers and they really aren't great.. The closest footbag place I live next to is 400 miles away from me..

I was wondering how good I could get if I didn't shred with anybody better than me..

Honest answers please..

Thanks

EoghanMcDowell · Post by **EoghanMcDowell** » 09 Dec 2007 18:52

While i think it's harder to play completely by yourself, it's not impossible to become good. Just watch a lot of videos and take a BUNCH of mental notes on form and trick technique. I did that for a couple of months and it got me started. Then i met someone else who lived near me who was just getting started to, so just hope for the best, and don't get discouraged because theres no one around to play with. You can get really good by yourself, just stay dedicated, and do it for yourself. Footbag is an awesome game, and it can take it's toll on you mentally and physically, but if you stick with it, it's rewards are are worth the struggle.

dp · Post by dp » 09 Dec 2007 19:13

I think you're saying this because you're not getting good enough fast enough.

I have no one around me and got guiltless in a little over a year.

Practice more.

Post by **Zac Miley** » 09 Dec 2007 19:15

Ooohhh, he went there!

I agree with Danny.

EoghanMcDowell · Post by **EoghanMcDowell** » 09 Dec 2007 20:07

Watch Anz's tricks videos. Those helped me a lot. Try to imitate the movements perfectly, and remember to do everything both sides, it pays off big time down the road.

C-Fan · Post by **C-Fan** » 09 Dec 2007 20:25

Jorden, Dave C, Ahren Gehrman and a bunch of other of the best players in the world got good despite playing solo. It's possible, you just have to stay motivated and take a studious approach to the game.

RawSko · Post by **RawSko** » 09 Dec 2007 20:53

Solo can be better, if you push youself hard enough. It's less social (obviously) so you have to be doing it because you want to be good, rather than because you want to hang out with your footbag buddies. Training solo is where you can school your basics and build truck-loads of endurance. This will give you a solid foundation.

That said, I think you should work your but off in order to pay for a trip out to a big tourney at least once a year. It's the community that makes footbag so great, so don't miss out on that. Any events you can attend should definately be attended. Solo shred is essential for repeated drilling of basics and building endurance, but a jam session every now and then will give you the chance to check your form. Also, playing with others will give you new ideas to expand your variety.

Seriously, if it costs you a thousand dollars to get out to one tournament, it'll be worth it. You'll love it.

PS: If you shred solo, everyone in your town will (stupidly) think you're the best in the world. It keeps me going...

Burrin · Post by **Burrin** » 09 Dec 2007 22:28

I think jorden is the biggest story about how he played. I am not going to tell it but let me just say he still plays alone. And look at him... He is amazing. So yes under the help of the interweb you can get really good by playing alone. It is not for everyone though

the Executioner · Post by **the Executioner** » 10 Dec 2007 12:09

The answer is "how bad do you want to get good?" If you want it bad, solo playing is, in my opinion, a much better way to go, but you have to have serious internal motivation. I played, and still play, solo all my life, for over 20 years. Playing solo with great motivation forced me to focus so deeply that I won 5 world singles titles. Most of the all time greats have played huge amounts solo, so be happy you have the opportunity to play by yourself.

Benzilla · Post by **Benzilla** » 10 Dec 2007 12:43

Its possible. It may be hard for others, and it may be easy for others. I used to play by myself. I play with one other person and i sometimes find that when we shred together i only practice what im good at whether we play circle or not. Shredding alone requires tons of motivation. I am starting to want to paly solo but i don't have a lot of motivation.

I believe you will get more done in a solo session, but grou sessions can be elpful for refinement and to clean up a few bad habits and such..

gMoney · Post by **gMoney** » 10 Dec 2007 16:03

If you play solo, make a couple videos and post them on here. That's helped me tons. My posture was shit and I didn't notice until I took a video of myself and fixed it. Everything else has pretty much been said.

janis · Post by **janis** » 10 Dec 2007 19:09

This is the way I see it
playing with a group = more fun
playing solo = more improvement

there are benefits both ways

Jorden · Post by **Jorden** » 10 Dec 2007 21:06

It is definitely possible to get good on your own.

I don't know what your definition of good is, but to get to a World class level, you'll need to obsess over:

1) form.
2) learning.
3) efficiency.
4) taking care of your body.
5) practicing.
6) developing muscle memory.
7) watching videos of pros.
8] progression.

If it's just a hobby or even something you take somewhat seriously, you won't become one of the best. It needs to become your life.

This mindset is too intense for most people. If you're down with following this guideline, then damn -- I wanna shred with you sometime!

JM

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 11 Dec 2007 05:43

Janis said what I was going to say, and of course Jorden's and Peter's advice is on the money as you'd expect. In a group setting, it's impossible (or at least very impolite) to obsess over tricks and components as you can playing solo. On the other hand, mixing in shred with others helps keep the fun level, motivation, and creativity up.

Personally, I like playing solo - it's a mind clearing event (even if I do throw the bag on the floor and scream at it once in awhlie).

Oh, and from someone that's not BAP and will never be BAP (i.e. I struggle to improve), I can say that an important thing for me is to remember: even in those solo practices where you don't make a big breakthrough (or even do worse than your usual self) remember that you're getting better. Sometimes it doesn't feel like it, but if you're concentrating on form etc. you are indeed improving.

Oh again.. And since it's sometimes hard to improve, I find that it's healthy for me to move onto another concept when I feel like I've hit a wall during a practice. Enforcing negativity (throwing ball, screaming) doesn't do me any good. Sometimes it's just better to come back to that concept later in your practice or in the next practice.

Damn I type too much

mannel rox · Post by **mannel rox** » 11 Dec 2007 08:04

Thanks people..

I really had no Idea...

Well now that I know all this I'll try 2x harder to get better..

Thanks