name: greg raymond
age: 26
ht: 5'10"
wt: 181 lbs
location: kingston, ontario
experience: 7 1/2 years, off & on. playing solid since fall/winter '07.
mental state: absurdist sobriety
hiyo, footblogosphere.
2008 will be a year of change & a year of progress. nothing like a new year's resolution, which rarely adheres for more than a week before habitual nature returns us from whence we came.
this change began 1 month prior to 2008, with the abolition of ganja from my habitual process. there was a saying my friend's father used to use, "quitting smoking is easy! i've done it dozens of times." this is akin to how i felt, as i always relapsed back to the sweet, sweet aroma of the chronic ( or whatever delightful euphemism of your choice properly representing the marijuanas ).
this time i chose a more analytical approach, as i noticed all mental & physical activity was impacted by the habit of smoking. i would smoke before shredding one day, then play without smoking the next to properly compare. the difference was night & day. there is also the factor of burn out with overuse & the lack of social function.
i fear that my interactions with the footbag community in the past has been deeply impacted by dangerous personal habits, resulting in the image of being a jerk. and rightly so!
a year of change.
rather than discuss specific components or tricks being hit, this blog will consist more of impressions about personal progression & views of the sport in general.
i will often give opinions or views on things i have witnessed. i ask that they please be accepted in context, although i will not do something so silly as to ask people to not be offended, as such a thing is impossible to control. what's that line from pulp fiction?
"No, no, no. You can't promise something like that. I have no idea what you're gonna ask me. So you can go ahead and ask me what you're going to ask me, and my natural response could be to get offended! Then, through no fault of my own, I would have broken my promise." - Mia
not to say i will seek to post controversial things, but stream of consciousness is absolutely a component of this process, and who knows what will come out? i certainly don't.
k-town is a pretty good place to live & a pretty good place to shred, thanks to mr. john bagi & mr. derrick ogden. they provide much needed positive reinforcement for progression & are hip folks to boot. work is also going well, which is a first in this fair city for me.
tentative footbag goals include without limitation the attention to creativity in strings & component diversity. if footbag is truly a form of artistic expression in addition to an exhibition of athleticism, then being limited by component selection will inhibit that expression to a great degree.
tentative scheduling goals ( tough to stick to during the winter months without shred space in the homestead ) are 1 hour of barefoot in the AM, then 1.5 hours in g-units in the eve.
a year of change. welcome to the blog-o.
greg raymond
greg raymond
Last edited by abstract on 25 Aug 2011 07:59, edited 14 times in total.
greg raymond, kingston
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
reflections on 1.5 hr shred, 01.03.08:
4 man shred circle. huge! jack wei ( sp? ) is in town from london for a few days & we harassed derrick to show up as well, was a good shred.
derrick commented on how his new climas ( hotness ) keep him forward on the balls of his feet, which reminds me of my old army broomball shoes that i used to play in.
it also made me think of andrew grant's style, which is ridiculously strong. the shoes don't make the shredder, but i'll keep climas in mind for potential future purchase.
that led to me focusing on how i position myself for a large part of the session, and i realized how much the stress was reduced on my shoulders by keeping on the balls of my feet. chains reactions are a beautiful thing.
i was pretty sore this morning & reflected my lack of protein intake over the holidays. i skipped out on the barefoot shred this morning & focused on stretching, crunches, leg lifts & push ups.
daily protein schedule:
4 eggs ( 28 grams )
1 can of albacore tuna ( 28 grams )
1 bowl of vector + vital harvest supplement ( 12 grams )
3 oz. peanuts ( 21 grams )
my brother ( a registered nutritional consultant ) recommended that i integrate creatine into my routine as it will assist in the rebuilding of muscle tissue on a regular basis.
hopefully we'll all hook up again this aft for some more shred. plenty of work to be done!
all in the name of good times.
4 man shred circle. huge! jack wei ( sp? ) is in town from london for a few days & we harassed derrick to show up as well, was a good shred.
derrick commented on how his new climas ( hotness ) keep him forward on the balls of his feet, which reminds me of my old army broomball shoes that i used to play in.
it also made me think of andrew grant's style, which is ridiculously strong. the shoes don't make the shredder, but i'll keep climas in mind for potential future purchase.
that led to me focusing on how i position myself for a large part of the session, and i realized how much the stress was reduced on my shoulders by keeping on the balls of my feet. chains reactions are a beautiful thing.
i was pretty sore this morning & reflected my lack of protein intake over the holidays. i skipped out on the barefoot shred this morning & focused on stretching, crunches, leg lifts & push ups.
daily protein schedule:
4 eggs ( 28 grams )
1 can of albacore tuna ( 28 grams )
1 bowl of vector + vital harvest supplement ( 12 grams )
3 oz. peanuts ( 21 grams )
my brother ( a registered nutritional consultant ) recommended that i integrate creatine into my routine as it will assist in the rebuilding of muscle tissue on a regular basis.
hopefully we'll all hook up again this aft for some more shred. plenty of work to be done!
all in the name of good times.
greg raymond, kingston
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
Overdue, Tom? This is Greg's blog so I'll leave it to him to describe how much of an understatement that is. 
Greg, forget about that list of protein % in different foods that you were going to give me. I'm just goina jump on your bandwagon of healthiness that you listed above. Looks like you've got your 70grams covered easy.
I really can't believe that I'm 6 pounds lighter than you (yep, I'm 175, confirmed today). We'll talk nutrition soon.
Oh yah. For all of you who don't know; Greg Raymond is the smartest man ALIVE....... Well the smartest man I've ever met...... well he's real smart. He might take over the world one day, don't worry it would be a good thing.
Greg, forget about that list of protein % in different foods that you were going to give me. I'm just goina jump on your bandwagon of healthiness that you listed above. Looks like you've got your 70grams covered easy.
I really can't believe that I'm 6 pounds lighter than you (yep, I'm 175, confirmed today). We'll talk nutrition soon.
Oh yah. For all of you who don't know; Greg Raymond is the smartest man ALIVE....... Well the smartest man I've ever met...... well he's real smart. He might take over the world one day, don't worry it would be a good thing.
First think about how to practice or don't bother practicing.
John Bagi
John Bagi
in the spirit of honesty, i have a few things that must be said.
first and foremost, tom, your dedication to the sport has enriched many people's lives & your unbridled enthusiasm allows for spirits to soar where they would otherwise have faltered.
i am grateful for your harassment during my injured years to keep me motivated to have footbag as an element in my life & a goal for the future.
that being said, please accept what i say in context...i have never considered myself a part of the KFM, as it is not an image that resonates well with my spirit.
i believe at the heart of it, it is the "hardcore" image that is presented by the crossbones logo & the designation of "militia".
it's a small thing, i know, as it is the people that make something great. in that spirit, i have greatly enjoyed your fellowship & the time i have spent in the circles with you & others that have been brought to kingston by your influence. for that i am very grateful, tom, and i greatly wish to throw down with you in the circle many times to come.
in that vein, please come to kingston! derrick always speaks very highly of how he never progresses so quickly as when he is shredding with you. you are a force to be reckoned with in the world of footbag!
the following is a somewhat related tangent non-specific to KFM but thoughts on the relationship of footbag & culture.
to me, footbag is not a hardcore sport & attempting to adhere it to that "street" image is taking a step backwards in how footbag is accepted in our culture.
all too often i see footbag attempting to grab on to the popularity of hip hop culture without proper respect of what we, as representatives of the sport, are taking away not only from hip hop, but from ourselves as well.
we have this inclination to abandon the roots of the sport due to the unseemly image of "hacky sack", and instead opt to replace that image with something more aggressive in order to properly represent how we feel about the intensity of our dedication.
however, to do so is to lie to ourselves. i believe that the sport should speak for itself so that its advancement from its primitive form can be properly appreciated. promoting an aggressive or hardcore image has the tendency to overstep the appreciation that someone may have by creating a dichotomy of opinion.
that is to say, when you correct someone when they say you are playing hacky sack by saying "no, this is freestyle footbag", it puts a seed of pretention in their mind that hurts their first impression of both you & the sport, & is also indicative of us abandoning our roots.
EVEN IF they call it hacky sack, just seeing what we are doing with our bodies will create a strong impression of progress. above and beyond that, if you introduce what you are doing AS hacky sack, most people have an idea of what that is due to its cultural history.
THEN, when they see long strings of complicated tricks, they will think to themselves, 'hey now, this isn't hacky sack,' without you even needing to say or correct them at all.
/end rant! feel free to challenge me on my thoughts, as i have a deep rooted history of being a watcher as opposed to a man of action, and i still have much to learn from others with more cultural experience.
bagi, it's not a big deal per se, but be careful with peanuts if you choose to follow in my footsteps. they have twice as much fat as they do protein, & it's slow burning fat as well. i'm not so worried atm since it's winter time & i spend a lot of time biking in the cold. if you enjoy almonds, they have the same level of protein with much less fat content.
also, i'm not very smart, my thoughts are just a little verbose is all. intelligence comes in many forms, & my worldly smarts have a long ways to go yet.
work hard, play harder. peace to all.
first and foremost, tom, your dedication to the sport has enriched many people's lives & your unbridled enthusiasm allows for spirits to soar where they would otherwise have faltered.
i am grateful for your harassment during my injured years to keep me motivated to have footbag as an element in my life & a goal for the future.
that being said, please accept what i say in context...i have never considered myself a part of the KFM, as it is not an image that resonates well with my spirit.
i believe at the heart of it, it is the "hardcore" image that is presented by the crossbones logo & the designation of "militia".
it's a small thing, i know, as it is the people that make something great. in that spirit, i have greatly enjoyed your fellowship & the time i have spent in the circles with you & others that have been brought to kingston by your influence. for that i am very grateful, tom, and i greatly wish to throw down with you in the circle many times to come.
in that vein, please come to kingston! derrick always speaks very highly of how he never progresses so quickly as when he is shredding with you. you are a force to be reckoned with in the world of footbag!
the following is a somewhat related tangent non-specific to KFM but thoughts on the relationship of footbag & culture.
to me, footbag is not a hardcore sport & attempting to adhere it to that "street" image is taking a step backwards in how footbag is accepted in our culture.
all too often i see footbag attempting to grab on to the popularity of hip hop culture without proper respect of what we, as representatives of the sport, are taking away not only from hip hop, but from ourselves as well.
we have this inclination to abandon the roots of the sport due to the unseemly image of "hacky sack", and instead opt to replace that image with something more aggressive in order to properly represent how we feel about the intensity of our dedication.
however, to do so is to lie to ourselves. i believe that the sport should speak for itself so that its advancement from its primitive form can be properly appreciated. promoting an aggressive or hardcore image has the tendency to overstep the appreciation that someone may have by creating a dichotomy of opinion.
that is to say, when you correct someone when they say you are playing hacky sack by saying "no, this is freestyle footbag", it puts a seed of pretention in their mind that hurts their first impression of both you & the sport, & is also indicative of us abandoning our roots.
EVEN IF they call it hacky sack, just seeing what we are doing with our bodies will create a strong impression of progress. above and beyond that, if you introduce what you are doing AS hacky sack, most people have an idea of what that is due to its cultural history.
THEN, when they see long strings of complicated tricks, they will think to themselves, 'hey now, this isn't hacky sack,' without you even needing to say or correct them at all.
/end rant! feel free to challenge me on my thoughts, as i have a deep rooted history of being a watcher as opposed to a man of action, and i still have much to learn from others with more cultural experience.
bagi, it's not a big deal per se, but be careful with peanuts if you choose to follow in my footsteps. they have twice as much fat as they do protein, & it's slow burning fat as well. i'm not so worried atm since it's winter time & i spend a lot of time biking in the cold. if you enjoy almonds, they have the same level of protein with much less fat content.
also, i'm not very smart, my thoughts are just a little verbose is all. intelligence comes in many forms, & my worldly smarts have a long ways to go yet.
work hard, play harder.
peace to all.greg raymond, kingston
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
-
mosher
- brutal footbag cronie
- Posts: 6177
- Joined: 22 Jan 2004 23:30
- Location: Toronto, Ontario
- Contact:
I appreciate your views Greg. One thing worth mentioning is that I wasn't trying to project anything in particular, I just thought "Kingston Footbag Militia" sounded cool and kinda fell in line with the militaristic history of kingston.
It's not like anyone seeing us playing has any idea what we're called, remember.
Also, your footbag career long precedes the KFM so it's understandable to not feel much attachment to the club.
I was never trying to paint footbag as something it wasn't, or to latch onto something dissociated with the sport. Again, I just thought the name sounded cool.
I think your point on the initial pretension of telling people what they think they are seeing is wrong is noteworthy. I am going to just start saying "yeah, I am hacky sacking and I love it!".
Also lastly, the footbag and crossbones logo has nothing to do with the KFM it was just a logo I made and it's never actually been used as a KFM logo. It was a play on the iconic and classic image of something&crossbones.
It's not like anyone seeing us playing has any idea what we're called, remember.
Also, your footbag career long precedes the KFM so it's understandable to not feel much attachment to the club.
I was never trying to paint footbag as something it wasn't, or to latch onto something dissociated with the sport. Again, I just thought the name sounded cool.
I think your point on the initial pretension of telling people what they think they are seeing is wrong is noteworthy. I am going to just start saying "yeah, I am hacky sacking and I love it!".
Also lastly, the footbag and crossbones logo has nothing to do with the KFM it was just a logo I made and it's never actually been used as a KFM logo. It was a play on the iconic and classic image of something&crossbones.
Tom Mosher
hate is a waste of passion!
hate is a waste of passion!
thank you for the response, mr. mosher.
i'm glad to hear your thoughts behind the creation of the image, they help me to place it in context as well. i hadn't made the connection to kingston military.
i hope my tangent wasn't taken as directed at KFM's image in particular. i know you've always loved footbag for exactly what it is, which i highly respect.
peace out & shred soon, yarr? i'll be frequenting the t-dot more regularly these days ( once a month-ish ), i'll give you a better heads up this time so we can plan something out.
i'm glad to hear your thoughts behind the creation of the image, they help me to place it in context as well. i hadn't made the connection to kingston military.
i hope my tangent wasn't taken as directed at KFM's image in particular. i know you've always loved footbag for exactly what it is, which i highly respect.
peace out & shred soon, yarr? i'll be frequenting the t-dot more regularly these days ( once a month-ish ), i'll give you a better heads up this time so we can plan something out.
greg raymond, kingston
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
session: jan 6, 2008
john bagi & myself.
we've been talking a lot lately about reforming our sessions to be more productive re: training, as well as bouncing things back & forth about nutrition & health.
the last two sessions have had a more intensive warm up period & a stronger emphasis on working fundamentals. while we haven't been hitting huge strings, we end up feeling better about these sessions due to a marked improvement in the little things.
we've been playing on wooden floors out of the public eye, which helps both in being softer for the feet & better psychologically for training. ie. we don't have the urge to bust out the strings for passersby.
bagi's body is still holding him back atm.
derrick has also missed the past few sessions due to a pinched nerve in his back. i wish the best of luck to both of them in their recoveries.
after consulting with the local health expertise, i've learned a bit more about pinched nerves.
it is essentially a muscular concern. a muscle gets tightened then begins to press on a nerve ending, causing sharp discomfort. in addition to stretching the muscle groups concerned, the following elements aid greatly in a speedy recovery:
1500 mg / day of both Calcium & Magnesium
Bananas
Cheese
if that high dosage of cal / mag does not cause diarrhea ( ie. proceed with caution ), then possibly taking an even higher dosage is possible until the muscle is corrected.
today may be a solo session. good luck with the recoveries, compadres!
john bagi & myself.
we've been talking a lot lately about reforming our sessions to be more productive re: training, as well as bouncing things back & forth about nutrition & health.
the last two sessions have had a more intensive warm up period & a stronger emphasis on working fundamentals. while we haven't been hitting huge strings, we end up feeling better about these sessions due to a marked improvement in the little things.
we've been playing on wooden floors out of the public eye, which helps both in being softer for the feet & better psychologically for training. ie. we don't have the urge to bust out the strings for passersby.
bagi's body is still holding him back atm.
derrick has also missed the past few sessions due to a pinched nerve in his back. i wish the best of luck to both of them in their recoveries.after consulting with the local health expertise, i've learned a bit more about pinched nerves.
it is essentially a muscular concern. a muscle gets tightened then begins to press on a nerve ending, causing sharp discomfort. in addition to stretching the muscle groups concerned, the following elements aid greatly in a speedy recovery:
1500 mg / day of both Calcium & Magnesium
Bananas
Cheese
if that high dosage of cal / mag does not cause diarrhea ( ie. proceed with caution
), then possibly taking an even higher dosage is possible until the muscle is corrected.today may be a solo session. good luck with the recoveries, compadres!
greg raymond, kingston
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
session: 01.07.08
solo styles. i had planned on busting some strings for queensfolk last eve, but alas the biosci had some sort of function going on. i'm really digging the wooden floors anyhow.
the emphasis on basics is paying off. played to the rhythm of Justice, minus "D.A.N.C.E." ( it's a solid track, but overplayed for me as of late ). hit some tricks i haven't touched in a long time, plus a few new ones.
i have planted the seeds recently for some kind of social shindig / festival this summer @ market square. DJs, BBQ, live music, footbag, freestyle soccer, breaking, chalking, and whatever else people bring to the table. it will be interesting to see how / if this comes together. i need to make a visit to city hall this week to see what the procedure is for gaining access to the square for a day.
gearing up for another session this eve. hopefully the posse will be in full force.
solo styles. i had planned on busting some strings for queensfolk last eve, but alas the biosci had some sort of function going on. i'm really digging the wooden floors anyhow.
the emphasis on basics is paying off. played to the rhythm of Justice, minus "D.A.N.C.E." ( it's a solid track, but overplayed for me as of late ). hit some tricks i haven't touched in a long time, plus a few new ones.
i have planted the seeds recently for some kind of social shindig / festival this summer @ market square. DJs, BBQ, live music, footbag, freestyle soccer, breaking, chalking, and whatever else people bring to the table. it will be interesting to see how / if this comes together. i need to make a visit to city hall this week to see what the procedure is for gaining access to the square for a day.
gearing up for another session this eve. hopefully the posse will be in full force.
greg raymond, kingston
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
wheeeeeeeeee footbag. for serious!
so apparently i am overstepping my limits with a 40 minute "set", but holy hell was it exhiliarating!
i could barely pedal home afterwards.
another exhiliarating moment was this morning when a gust of wind almost took me off my bike into the side of a van. riding the fine line gives a greater appreciation for what we have.
diligence is key to keeping stagnation free from one's life. routine is important so long as it contains stimulation & growth. i've had a few missteps so far, but pinpointing them has allowed me to learn.
i've been reading a lot lately, which has really been helping to keep my mind sharp. heinlein has very interesting views on the relationships between men & women, & it almost seems like he uses the science fiction medium as a convenient means to discuss forward-thinking ideas moreso than tell a story.
the mythologist joseph campbell was highly recommended to me from a number of people recently as well, i hope to sink my teeth into that soon. i'm still working my way through 'ultimate sports nutrition', which is enlightening with every page i read.
i've also been talking with folks at my work about my future goals, & it seems like i may be on the road to becoming a freelance journalist of sorts. with the work we are doing, mainstream media exposure is next to impossible to realize, & i've always enjoyed writing & presenting organized material.
the two jobs people have always thought would suit me are: detective & news anchor ( due to my voice, apparently ). investigative journalism could be just the ticket.
i hope stefan enjoyed the fancy dinner shenanigans. john, derrick, let's shred! ( and stefan too, when you're ready! )
so apparently i am overstepping my limits with a 40 minute "set", but holy hell was it exhiliarating!
i could barely pedal home afterwards.
another exhiliarating moment was this morning when a gust of wind almost took me off my bike into the side of a van. riding the fine line gives a greater appreciation for what we have.
diligence is key to keeping stagnation free from one's life. routine is important so long as it contains stimulation & growth. i've had a few missteps so far, but pinpointing them has allowed me to learn.
i've been reading a lot lately, which has really been helping to keep my mind sharp. heinlein has very interesting views on the relationships between men & women, & it almost seems like he uses the science fiction medium as a convenient means to discuss forward-thinking ideas moreso than tell a story.
the mythologist joseph campbell was highly recommended to me from a number of people recently as well, i hope to sink my teeth into that soon. i'm still working my way through 'ultimate sports nutrition', which is enlightening with every page i read.
i've also been talking with folks at my work about my future goals, & it seems like i may be on the road to becoming a freelance journalist of sorts. with the work we are doing, mainstream media exposure is next to impossible to realize, & i've always enjoyed writing & presenting organized material.
the two jobs people have always thought would suit me are: detective & news anchor ( due to my voice, apparently ). investigative journalism could be just the ticket.
i hope stefan enjoyed the fancy dinner shenanigans. john, derrick, let's shred! ( and stefan too, when you're ready! )
greg raymond, kingston
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
i've got protein covered in my diet, now i need to focus on proper carbo loading & get more rest. soon creatine will be added to the mix as well, which means i'll need a lot more healthy water.
current supplementation:
Bone Basics ( whole bone material from organic grazing bovine )
BambooSil ( silica, facilitator for proper mineral absorption )
Flax Seed Oil
Vital Harvest ( barley-based nutrient compound )
Glucosamine Sulphate
i'm sad i didn't get to play yesterday. the wind was insane. power lines were pulled down all over town, & several roads were closed due to trees across the roads as well.
but thursday is the night to shred!
current supplementation:
Bone Basics ( whole bone material from organic grazing bovine )
BambooSil ( silica, facilitator for proper mineral absorption )
Flax Seed Oil
Vital Harvest ( barley-based nutrient compound )
Glucosamine Sulphate
i'm sad i didn't get to play yesterday. the wind was insane. power lines were pulled down all over town, & several roads were closed due to trees across the roads as well.
but thursday is the night to shred!
greg raymond, kingston
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
lemons -> lemonade.
i was expecting to throw down in a circle on thursday, but due to locale mishaps, i ended up with another solo session.
i was disappointed & cursed the names of bagi & ogden many times during the session, but i made a few really good realizations & paced myself much better than the previous solo session this week.
i read the thread in health & injuries about proper form & put lon's advice to good use in correcting my flip clipper form. everything is getting more relaxed & my shoulders are loosening up a lot. i ended up hitting 3 new tricks & a few combos i was happy with.
ogden called me later in the eve to let me know that everyone was shredding at the same time but in different places. blargh! i heard stefan was playing as well.
here's to hoping for a convergence of shred on saturday!
the new addition to the sports diet:
http://www.nicemuscle.com/ultra-fuel-liquid-79603.htm
i was expecting to throw down in a circle on thursday, but due to locale mishaps, i ended up with another solo session.
i was disappointed & cursed the names of bagi & ogden many times during the session, but i made a few really good realizations & paced myself much better than the previous solo session this week.
i read the thread in health & injuries about proper form & put lon's advice to good use in correcting my flip clipper form. everything is getting more relaxed & my shoulders are loosening up a lot. i ended up hitting 3 new tricks & a few combos i was happy with.
ogden called me later in the eve to let me know that everyone was shredding at the same time but in different places. blargh! i heard stefan was playing as well.
here's to hoping for a convergence of shred on saturday!
the new addition to the sports diet:
http://www.nicemuscle.com/ultra-fuel-liquid-79603.htm
greg raymond, kingston
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
"Say you are a 5,000 meter runner doing repeat 400s. Given that you have a decent coach who has you on the right training progression, the last repeat should always be the best. If it isn't; then likely your carbs are wrong. Say you are a weight lifter training on repeat snatches. The last snatch should always be the best. If you can handle only a lower weight on the last rep, then likely you are running on empty.
The point is, your training & your carbohydrate nutrition must be designed to fit your body exactly, so that you finish every training session with the best performance of that session. To do so is critical because your muscles & brain always register & remember the last rep. If you are slower & weaker & out of energy towards the end of training, then you will be slower & weaker & out of energy in the final, crucial minutes of competition. To grow faster & stronger & a whole lot happier, you have to arrange your carbs so that you finish exercise with fuel to spare."
- Michael Colgan, PhD, CCN
beyond the carb advice, i've been taking it to heart to always finish every session on a strong note. if i'm nearing the end of my session & i hit an objective solidly, i finish up there as opposed to pushing on further.
last night was a crazy good session with mr. bagi. plenty of positive publicity for the sport, as we played outside the queens pub & received a lot of positive feedback from the inebriated & sober alike.
a group was having a meeting in the cafeteria area & turned around to ask us to turn the music down. they continued to watch after the disruption instead of going back to their talks. we queried whether the music was still too loud, but they said they were simply admiring.
a few of them came over to talk & we showed them some basics, then they asked about where to buy some bags. i pointed to john. the entire time they spoke with john, i went dropless ( about 60 seconds, just doing simple stuff, 1s, 2s & 3s ), & john got an order for 6 footbags.
john hit a ton of atom smashers & his datws are crazy smooth, both ways. i ended the session thinking about a genuine string then hitting it first try.
today i'm crazy sore, but tomorrow we'll be back at it again.
footbag. it's a good thing.
The point is, your training & your carbohydrate nutrition must be designed to fit your body exactly, so that you finish every training session with the best performance of that session. To do so is critical because your muscles & brain always register & remember the last rep. If you are slower & weaker & out of energy towards the end of training, then you will be slower & weaker & out of energy in the final, crucial minutes of competition. To grow faster & stronger & a whole lot happier, you have to arrange your carbs so that you finish exercise with fuel to spare."
- Michael Colgan, PhD, CCN
beyond the carb advice, i've been taking it to heart to always finish every session on a strong note. if i'm nearing the end of my session & i hit an objective solidly, i finish up there as opposed to pushing on further.
last night was a crazy good session with mr. bagi. plenty of positive publicity for the sport, as we played outside the queens pub & received a lot of positive feedback from the inebriated & sober alike.
a group was having a meeting in the cafeteria area & turned around to ask us to turn the music down. they continued to watch after the disruption instead of going back to their talks. we queried whether the music was still too loud, but they said they were simply admiring.
a few of them came over to talk & we showed them some basics, then they asked about where to buy some bags. i pointed to john. the entire time they spoke with john, i went dropless ( about 60 seconds, just doing simple stuff, 1s, 2s & 3s ), & john got an order for 6 footbags.
john hit a ton of atom smashers & his datws are crazy smooth, both ways. i ended the session thinking about a genuine string then hitting it first try.
today i'm crazy sore, but tomorrow we'll be back at it again.
footbag. it's a good thing.
greg raymond, kingston
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
footbag is good. <- [understatement]
life, coincidentally, is awesome. in all it's forms, although i'm doing allllright.
had a good solo session today & got a little crowd going for a few minutes. constant entertainment for others is a taxing process! it was very good for the endurance though. 1 new trick, several new combos.
i've been eating baby spinach by the handfuls. so delicious. i had forgotten how great it was.
hopefully we'll have a group throw down tomorrow eve with the other hackster hooligans in full force.
life, coincidentally, is awesome. in all it's forms, although i'm doing allllright.
had a good solo session today & got a little crowd going for a few minutes. constant entertainment for others is a taxing process! it was very good for the endurance though. 1 new trick, several new combos.
i've been eating baby spinach by the handfuls. so delicious. i had forgotten how great it was.
hopefully we'll have a group throw down tomorrow eve with the other hackster hooligans in full force.
greg raymond, kingston
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
Thanks for the awesome hacky sackin fun tonight Greg. You played really well. I really want you to shy away from osis bails and start going to.....well anything toe related. I think it will strengthen your legs if you use more toe game.....well duh....I just know that when my muscles are sore after a good sack workout that it's due largely in part to my toe game movements.
Oh and remember that last thing I asked for you to try tonight, rhymes with "ztep wowta mucking plipper", can't wait to see it.
When you left I hit..... well I'll tell you tomorrow.
Can you bring the G-units? I would like to purchase them off of you.
Oh and remember that last thing I asked for you to try tonight, rhymes with "ztep wowta mucking plipper", can't wait to see it.
When you left I hit..... well I'll tell you tomorrow.
Can you bring the G-units? I would like to purchase them off of you.
First think about how to practice or don't bother practicing.
John Bagi
John Bagi
thanks for the reminders john. keeps me focused!
yesterday my game was kinda poopey, i think. i played fairly lazily & burned myself out in the first half of the session. the past few sessions i've been pretty good about avoiding osii, but when i don't focus on it, they come creeping back. lesson learned!
that being said, it was still good times to be in a circle again!
and yes, you will get your wish this evening with respect to linkage.
edit: & shoes!
yesterday my game was kinda poopey, i think. i played fairly lazily & burned myself out in the first half of the session. the past few sessions i've been pretty good about avoiding osii, but when i don't focus on it, they come creeping back. lesson learned!
that being said, it was still good times to be in a circle again!
and yes, you will get your wish this evening with respect to linkage.
edit: & shoes!
greg raymond, kingston
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
yesterday's session was extremely fun. 1 hour @ JDUC with the Baginator.
we both hit really solid stuff. more attention was paid to
a) not self-serving, even when it was understood that you would get another few attempts at what you were working on, &
b) catching pass backs with the foot.
giving up the bag after a drop, regardless of circumstances, gives you a way to mentally reset yourself for another attempt when the passback comes.
often while training we'll have the tendency to try something 3 to 5 times rapidly in succession. rushing a particular motion comes into effect due to both wanting to hit a certain trick / combo combined with a minor level of guilt due to depriving others in the circle of the bag for an extended period of time.
passing the bag onwards reminds the player of the social experience, & the passbacks show that others in the circle are paying attention to the tricks that are being hit / missed.
that minor level of guilt i mentioned earlier is also a large contributor to giving terrible passes, as one feels pressured after keeping the bag for several attempts to just get the bag away from him/herself as opposed to focusing on the next player receiving the bag properly.
catching the pass with the foot as opposed to the hand has a twofold effect. firstly it represents the quality of the pass.
second, when catching a pass with the hand, the player has a tendency to pause & think about what they are going to hit. not that this is a bad thing at all, but in most cases, players already have an idea of what they are going for, and the hand catch lends towards overthinking the next attempt.
catching with the foot puts you there right in the moment, ready to bust.
now that i've spent entirely too much time on this subject, it's time to go play.
we both hit really solid stuff. more attention was paid to
a) not self-serving, even when it was understood that you would get another few attempts at what you were working on, &
b) catching pass backs with the foot.
giving up the bag after a drop, regardless of circumstances, gives you a way to mentally reset yourself for another attempt when the passback comes.
often while training we'll have the tendency to try something 3 to 5 times rapidly in succession. rushing a particular motion comes into effect due to both wanting to hit a certain trick / combo combined with a minor level of guilt due to depriving others in the circle of the bag for an extended period of time.
passing the bag onwards reminds the player of the social experience, & the passbacks show that others in the circle are paying attention to the tricks that are being hit / missed.
that minor level of guilt i mentioned earlier is also a large contributor to giving terrible passes, as one feels pressured after keeping the bag for several attempts to just get the bag away from him/herself as opposed to focusing on the next player receiving the bag properly.
catching the pass with the foot as opposed to the hand has a twofold effect. firstly it represents the quality of the pass.
second, when catching a pass with the hand, the player has a tendency to pause & think about what they are going to hit. not that this is a bad thing at all, but in most cases, players already have an idea of what they are going for, and the hand catch lends towards overthinking the next attempt.
catching with the foot puts you there right in the moment, ready to bust.
now that i've spent entirely too much time on this subject, it's time to go play.
greg raymond, kingston
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
a productively awesome shred, we had yesterday. learning much, we are, in the ways of hack'em sack'em. a bevy of new links occurred & broke a few records.
1 hour shreds for the win. also, coincidentally, blackalicious is also the win. i haven't had a computer of my own for almost 2 months now, so i haven't been able to make any new mixes for shred meets. bagi brought along his gizmotron of musicalities which brought some much needed beat-based refreshments to the pawty.
maintain pace, we must! forget not these things.
gearing up for a toronto visit soon ( 26th & 27th ) to throw down with anyone i can find. hopefully the oakville crew & FAT!
adios, muchachos.
1 hour shreds for the win. also, coincidentally, blackalicious is also the win. i haven't had a computer of my own for almost 2 months now, so i haven't been able to make any new mixes for shred meets. bagi brought along his gizmotron of musicalities which brought some much needed beat-based refreshments to the pawty.
maintain pace, we must! forget not these things.
gearing up for a toronto visit soon ( 26th & 27th ) to throw down with anyone i can find.
hopefully the oakville crew & FAT!adios, muchachos.
greg raymond, kingston
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
i am writing again. ( creatively, not blogatively ) it's a short story for a mailing list started up recently by myself & some friends, called Fanatic Regalia.
zest is more than a bar of soap; it's a necessity for life just as much as food, water, air & procreation. our modern culture has an endless variety of options, but a disturbing lack of motivation. sedentary lifestyles are becoming more & more the norm.
today's motivation for shred:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rpzXKoFt9d8
thank you, Evan Lovely.
i met Evan at my first footbag tourney ever, the Canadian Nationals in Vancouver, BC. i was very closed-minded back in those days, ensconced in the heart of my isolationist binging. needless to say, i missed out on getting to know some great people.
flash continually blows my mind. i love his genuine stringage.
lon's spinning / inspinning run made me burst out in laughter, then i watched it again immediately x 2. i will probably watch it again shortly.
jorden's creativity is always a pleasure.
time to shred.!
zest is more than a bar of soap; it's a necessity for life just as much as food, water, air & procreation. our modern culture has an endless variety of options, but a disturbing lack of motivation. sedentary lifestyles are becoming more & more the norm.
today's motivation for shred:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rpzXKoFt9d8
thank you, Evan Lovely.
i met Evan at my first footbag tourney ever, the Canadian Nationals in Vancouver, BC. i was very closed-minded back in those days, ensconced in the heart of my isolationist binging. needless to say, i missed out on getting to know some great people.
flash continually blows my mind. i love his genuine stringage.
lon's spinning / inspinning run made me burst out in laughter, then i watched it again immediately x 2. i will probably watch it again shortly.
jorden's creativity is always a pleasure.
time to shred.!
greg raymond, kingston
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
solid session.
derrick ogden is getting crazy good. his first string of the day had five 5 add tricks. john bagi has a new camera & hit his first 5 > 5. all good things. regular sessions are boosting everyone's growth like crazy.
every day is full of positive energy. keep it rollin', cats.
derrick ogden is getting crazy good. his first string of the day had five 5 add tricks. john bagi has a new camera & hit his first 5 > 5. all good things. regular sessions are boosting everyone's growth like crazy.
every day is full of positive energy. keep it rollin', cats.
greg raymond, kingston
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey
FB: Rocker Holliday
"What is it that makes a complete stranger dive into an icy river to save a solid gold baby? Maybe we'll never know." - Jack Handey