Top Player Unwilling

Laroche · Post by **Laroche** » 12 Apr 2008 10:55

I dont get it. Why is there never news from Vasek? Why doesn't he play? Why only routines?

Why why why?

Is is suppose to be secretive? Secretive shred is pointless and sucks.

I want answers. As do you.

C-Fan · Post by **C-Fan** » 12 Apr 2008 11:32

I think Vasek does play. And last year at Worlds he competed in Circle (I think he made it to finals) as well as routines. I don't really see where you're going with this?

As for why he doesn't post on modified, there are plenty of possible, reasonable explanations. He may be very busy, he may not be that interested (frankly, beyond the video section and a few blogs, there isn't that much of interest going on here), and he might not be confident with his English. I dunno, I guess I never really noticed/cared that much that he isn't more out there.

Ian Brill · Post by **Ian Brill** » 12 Apr 2008 14:43

I think it's pretty cool that people are paying $30 a pop to watch older footage of him. If he is intentionally keeping the demand up I feel it's smart. More power to him.

RawSko · Post by **RawSko** » 12 Apr 2008 18:05

Same as the idea of batman wearing his bat-suit. He's less human. He's merely a symbol -- mysterious and invinsible...

not actually. Ken's prolly right. ...and I don't really care either. He's cooler as a superhero.

Benzilla · Post by **Benzilla** » 12 Apr 2008 18:28

ui've always thought of the same exact thing. I guess he just would rather spend his time shredding or doing other stuff than be online so much.

Asmus · Post by **Asmus** » 13 Apr 2008 03:43

Footbag doesn't exist on modified. It exist out at the sessions, jams and tournaments.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 13 Apr 2008 04:53

Lets face it, the majority of footbaggers (at least the majority I've met in person) don't post on modified. Doesn't that make it statistically likely that the any particular individual footbagger won't either? No reason to be surprised by individuals following larger trends.

Laroche · Post by **Laroche** » 13 Apr 2008 09:02

Well, my point is less that he doesn't post on modified, and more that he doesn't seem to kick at all at tournaments. If he does, we certainly never hear of it.

I've heard the same thing about a bunch of other top freestylers... they just go to worlds, and sit like a bump on a log the whole time.

Doesn't make any sense to me.

mc · Post by mc » 13 Apr 2008 09:18

at my first worlds (2000), I asked ryan mulroney about this issue as him and sunil jani were sitting and watching the late night jam session.

he said that top level freestyle takes a LOT more out of you than non-top-level freestylers, so you have to conserve your energy if you're at the top.

of course, it doesn't seem like dave, jorden, and jim see it like that

Anz · Post by **Anz** » 13 Apr 2008 09:41

Like other athletes, if you want to win, you don't strain yourself for days before the competition. Simply as that.
I seriously think it's stupid for a top player to shred in circles at Worlds before your comps are over.

Laroche · Post by **Laroche** » 13 Apr 2008 15:04

I suppose energy conservation is a good reason, but still, I think 30 minutes a day to keep your form would be pretty important.

I mean, Worlds lasts a week, right? 2 minutes of routine for 4-5 days before finals isn't really enough to keep you form, is it?

Tsiangkun · Post by **Tsiangkun** » 14 Apr 2008 13:57

Just because one isn't seen playing publicly, does not mean they are not working on their routine in private on their own schedule.

mitko · Post by **mitko** » 14 Apr 2008 14:39

I don't think this was Nick's point.

I see this kind of tendency in some top players to save their powers for the competition BUT (

)
I think my opinion is very subjective, because of my experience. I've been to 3 tournaments -
Todexon 7 - First day was a shred on the sleeping site, it was perfect. Felix came and played in the circles with other, he did it the other days as well. Honza and Vasek also did the same, so on that tournament I didn't see the issue you are talkin about Nick, but then again this isn't sucha big tournament for Vasek...I think.
Euros Vienna - Vasek played in circles but a little bit...and he showed really amazing routines. The day before the last day he shredded really hard in a circle after the competition.
9th French Open - Serge Kaldani (sorry if i spelled it wrong) that dude always shreds like it's his last time, he also shredded really hard on the Euros in Vienna.

Laroche · Post by **Laroche** » 15 Apr 2008 04:22

Could be I'm wrong then, I mean, I haven't really been to a major tournament in years, except for NYJ 08.

I'm probably just subconciously hounding for moir videos... I NEED MOIR VIDEOS!!!!!

(ps: Apologies to Jorden for the bad pun-related jokes with his name... the videos can be of anyone)

Actually, this is maybe a reflection of the sport finally getting taken seriously from some of the players, who actually do like pro-athletes do, in terms of energy conservation, schedules, eating right, etc.

There's a new generation of top players it feels like who aren't party monsters... maybe that's why they're so good?

sniikeri · Post by **sniikeri** » 15 Apr 2008 06:40

Anz wrote:Like other athletes, if you want to win, you don't strain yourself for days before the competition. Simply as that.
I seriously think it's stupid for a top player to shred in circles at Worlds before your comps are over.

Laroche wrote:I suppose energy conservation is a good reason, but still, I think 30 minutes a day to keep your form would be pretty important.

I mean, Worlds lasts a week, right? 2 minutes of routine for 4-5 days before finals isn't really enough to keep you form, is it?

Yeah shredding for hours every day for the whole week isn't very likely the best way to prepare for the competition. Runners don't do two-hour runs each day with their maximal capacity if they're about to run a marathon next week.
To a top athlete in any sport (Vasek in footbag), a few days' pause has a very minimal effect to your physical form. In a technical sport playing some is of course useful as you need to maintain your touch, but that doesn't really take that much.

Anz · Post by **Anz** » 15 Apr 2008 07:46

In physical sport, a four-five days break before important competition is a must. Only strain that would be helpfull is warming up, stretching and leaving it to that.
For professionals, in a technical sport a five day break doesn't have any effect on technique, nor does muscle memory learn barely anything in that time.
In footbag I would see it important to get used to the footbag you're going to compete with, so for example just kicking for ten minutes on a couple of days before the comp would be enough.

hacksterbator · Post by **hacksterbator** » 15 Apr 2008 08:37

Anz wrote:In physical sport, a four-five days break before important competition is a must. Only strain that would be helpfull is warming up, stretching and leaving it to that.
For professionals, in a technical sport a five day break doesn't have any effect on technique, nor does muscle memory learn barely anything in that time.

Anz is right. Periodization of training is very important in any sport. far from competition you train at a high volume with a lower intensity and gradually increase the intensity and decreasing the volume untill right before the competition, where you rest for a few days. Chances are pretty low that you'd be able to make any kind of significant improvement in that short time period. That being said, i have trouble holding back before a comp, even though i know i should really be resting. I just really want to kick with everybody!!!
I think you are right nick, in your belief that the sport is evolving and people who are serious competitiors are starting to set a higher value to proper training techniques in hopes of achieving a greater level of performance.

professor · Post by **professor** » 15 Apr 2008 10:55

Sure resting before competition is important, but everyone seems to be forgetting about after competition shred. This is when the best shred SHOULD be happening because there is no worry of injury/soreness/competition.

krawallier · Post by **krawallier** » 19 Apr 2008 06:03

i'm sure he's saving some energy, but that's not the only point.

i'd guess it's also because once he starts kicking, he'll have a crowd of 10-100 players around him expecting some crazy shred, giving props for stuff that for him might be really easy. asking him to try ridiculous tricks and not letting him shred.
might be cool once in a while to be the coolest kid around, but always? i'd think he doesn't shred at tournaments cause he finds it boring and/or annoying. last time i really saw him shredding a lot was in '03, at footjam.

sniikeri · Post by **sniikeri** » 19 Apr 2008 08:04

Anz wrote:In physical sport, a four-five days break before important competition is a must. Only strain that would be helpfull is warming up, stretching and leaving it to that.

That isn't completely true. You won't find a runner who does nothing but some jogging 4-5 days before a competition. Sure they change their training in the comp season but even right before the comp they don't pause totally. They still do 1-2 exercises a day, but basically do nothing else than that and rest. To a professional athlete that kind of training doesn't mean long-lasting strain, they can easily recover in time for the comp. Although the training isn't as straining as normally, I wouldn't call it just warming up either...

Andrew brought up a good point about periodization: is there any footbag players who don't train exactly the same way every day around the year? I wonder what kind of results could be achieved if real freestyle training existed. I'm eager to hear the results of your program, Anssi.