Frank Sinatra Lives

Frank_Sinatra · Post by **Frank_Sinatra** » 11 Jan 2010 16:12

Thanks guys, I'm glad you had a good time. That makes the more stressful parts of the event worth it.

So, I now have an indoor spot:

This is in my building's laundry room. I've got a 9' x 11' space, the carpet there is 9' x 12' so it fits pretty well. I have plenty of space for drilling and working individual tricks. And I got a very bright overhead lamp from Reile that helps supplement the limited ambient light from the windows. And of course I've got my portable speakers. I set everything up before each session & take it down after. So far three people have been down there doing laundry while I'm practicing, and nobody has had any problem with me being there. I'm hopeful that this continues. I don't see why anyone would have a problem with it.

So I've played six of the last seven days. I'm spending a big chunk of each session, like 30 to 45 minutes, warming up. I do inside kicks, then toe delays, then inside delays, and that usually lasts through the first two songs. Then I do clipper and osis, then toe tiltless. I've started including fairy and illusion into my toe tiltless drilling. Clipper, osis, fairy, and illusion have been getting the most attention. The other toe tiltless stuff is so locked down I don't think about it. My strong clipper now definitely used to be my weakside, and my former strong side has some bad habits & inconsistency that I'm working on cleaning up.

I spend a little time on BOP and pixie drills but haven't done much work on guiltless this past week. Then I do some spinning clipper attempts, then I work on Ripwalks. The ripwalks are partially inspired by the bothsided request comp at NYJ. Ripwalk is totally within my abilities to hit, but I never do it, so I should start doing it more. And I want to school stepping ss clipper but my set just isn't there yet, so hopefully Ripwalk is a good intermediate step.

At any point in my practices I might think of some link or new trick that I want to try, and I try it. For instance, flip fairy legover, flip fairy muted clipper, flip pixie ss illusion, flip pixie ss osis, swirls, paste> terrage> plo rpt, and swerve> terrage have all gotten some attention. Sometimes I stick with it until I hit it, sometimes I just try three or four times and decide to come back to it later. I haven't hit any of those things I just listed yet (except pixie ss osis, but it was crappy), but maybe I will soon. I really want to get swerve> terrage> rpt on camera. But every time I post something like this I come back and read it a year later and I'm like "yeah I totally had to give up on that idea."

I'm feeling more at peace with footbag than I have since I got into freestyle.

Highlights:

fairy x12 (probably more than this since then, I just wasn't counting)

illusion> pickup rpt

illusion> fairy rpt

osis> ss legover bsos

osis> ss illusion bsos

pixie ss clipper> ripwalk BS

pixie muted clipper> ripwalk BS

ripwalk> dyno BS

ripwalk> blender one side

ripwalk> osis> butterfly> rpt

smudge weakside (maybe for the first time)

spinning clipper

Asmus · Post by **Asmus** » 11 Jan 2010 16:46

In my opinion Stepping SS Clipper is the key to good Ripwalks not the other way round. As you have noticed yourself, the set is way harder for SS Clipper than Opp Butterfly, but it is also harder to accidently pull the set. Since a pulled set will most often pass from one side of the body to the other more than a straight good set.

We really should play sometime.

Maybe I get a job one day and can go to NYJ!

CIC flurry · Post by **CIC flurry** » 11 Jan 2010 19:27

pahf, nice ripwalk rpt combo and link and SP CLP! booshj all over that

Reid · Post by **Reid** » 12 Jan 2010 06:33

Glad to hear you found a shred spot and you can wash your shorts right after a session.

My advice on the stepping set would be to work stepping far clipper and stepping same clipper. Both those reinforce a good set at least above the knee. With ripwalk or sidewalk the butterfly can be low and one can get away with a sloppy set.

Enjoy your shred spot!!!

Zjeezy · Post by **Zjeezy** » 12 Jan 2010 15:40

You also have a stripper pole to practice on if you get bored with footbag

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 13 Jan 2010 06:07

having a solo shred spot that you can depend on (i.e. can't be reserved by someone else, weather doesn't matter, time of day doesn't matter, time of year doesn't matter) is huge. Being at peace with this often-frustrating sport is huge too.

Frank_Sinatra · Post by **Frank_Sinatra** » 20 Jan 2010 20:51

Originally I thought I'd be defending my idea re: Ripwalks. But then I started throwing some stepping ss clipper attempts at the end of my practices, and they started getting better, then these last three days I've done 20 both sides, so...

Thanks for your help, guys.

Asmus wrote:We really should play sometime.

Maybe I get a job one day and can go to NYJ!

Or maybe Worlds one of these years? Like maybe this year?

CIC flurry wrote:pahf, nice ripwalk rpt combo and link and SP CLP! booshj all over that

Rrrrank you! They felt great.

Reid wrote:Glad to hear you found a shred spot and you can wash your shorts right after a session.

Yes, and I can keep my dexes clean. Har har har

Zjeezy wrote:You also have a stripper pole to practice on if you get bored with footbag

And thank god for that. I footbag, then I strip, and I strip my clothes straight off into the washer. Its modern living at its finest.

Rieferman wrote:having a solo shred spot that you can depend on (i.e. can't be reserved by someone else, weather doesn't matter, time of day doesn't matter, time of year doesn't matter) is huge. Being at peace with this often-frustrating sport is huge too.

Yeah! I am really happy with the spot and with being able to play footbag basically whenever I want. Every day, no matter how shitty it is outside, I can say "I get to play footbag today." Not "I have to play footbag today" or "I should play footbag today." I'm even trying to enjoy not hitting tricks that I'm working on. Weird, I know.

So a couple things I don't think I mentioned - that last update recapped six sessions. I've had another seven since then. Also, I've got this big tub of whey protein, I've been choking down protein drinks immediately after every session. I recommend it to everyone.

Still spending between 30 minutes and an hour warming up each session. No real changes in the training plan since last time, except I've gone back to basics on BOP drills - now I do consecutive osii, consecutive infinities, and butterfly> pdx mirage> rpt. I was doing lots of 4 or 5 move drills, but I don't think it was that effective. Then I work on whatever my chosen concepts are. Lately stepping and ducking.

Highlights:

all the toe tiltless tricks bsos a couple times (mirage, pickup, atw both directions, pixie, legover, fairy, illusion)

infinities x18 contacts a couple times, but I can do better

osis> ducking clipper> drifter bs

pixie muted clipper> ducking clipper> osis> pdx mirage> rpt

pixie muted clipper> ducking clipper> osis> pdx illusion> rpt

flip fairy muted clipper

first time, first flip fairy trick, though its more like toe ss grifter

stepping ss clipper> drifter one side

osis x32

butterfly> pdx mirage> rpt x20 contacts

ducking clipper x6 (finishing up one of Reid's challenges from way back)

Yes.

My classes start Feb 22nd & I've got some job interviews in the pipeline. So we'll see how much free time I have in the near future. Probably not much. But that's ok.

Frank_Sinatra · Post by **Frank_Sinatra** » 28 Jan 2010 15:42

Seven more sessions. I've continued to work on stepping and ducking. Highlights:

ducking clip x6 a couple more times

butterfly> pdx mirage> rpt to 32 contacts> handcatch (I feel really good about that handcatch!)

footed spinning clipper a few more times

flip pdx whirl midstring

ducking clip b2b> osis> infinity> drifter> osis> infinity> drifter

osis> ducking clipper> drifter> rpt

clipper set ducking legover bs

pixie muted clipper> ducking clipper> osis> pdx illusion> rpt again

pixie ss clipper> ducking clipper> pdx mirage> rpt again

whirl> ducking clipper> rpt (Zach challenge)

flip stepping ss mirage

stepping ss rake (one side)

stepping ss clip bsos

stepping ss clipper to osis, pdx mirage, whirl, infinity, ducking clipper, ps mirage bs

stepping ss clipper> drifter one side, drifter got weird on my other side at some point

stepping ss clipper> whirl> drifter one side

Also threw in some flip FLO attempts, a couple Freak (Fairy muted xbod rake) attempts, tried blurry whirl & blurriest, and of course spinning attempts every session. Footed weaving ss pickup on one side.

Downtime fairy & illusion are coming along well, fairy is becoming easy. With time I expect to see something like a fairy set emerge. Let me know if it doesn't really work like that.

I'm practicing ripwalks again (along with stepping ss clippers). The ripwalks help me focus on planting the stepping foot, with stepping ss clipper I'm doing it like my pixie ss clippers where I wait to put my dex foot down until right before the clipper. Stepping set is coming along fine, but its pretty hard for me midstring right now. It will get easier.

Frank_Sinatra · Post by **Frank_Sinatra** » 06 Feb 2010 15:27

You know how it is. I played eight more times, using the same format as before with minor variations from one day to the next. I've gotten to the point with ducking clippers where I'm working on incorporating them into my strings, instead of just doing them back to back. Stepping is still a work in progress. It isn't real comfortable midstring and I can only hit it semi-consistently out of pixie same side clipper so far. I'm aiming to hit it a couple hundred more times each side, then take it from there, maybe at that point I'll put it into a repeatable drill.

Highlights:

swerve> terrage

flip pdx drifter (first time)

inside set ss illusion bs

illusion> pickup> rpt x12 contacts (current personal best)

illusion> fairy> rpt x14 contacts (current personal best)

ducking osis> osis> ducking osis

pixie ss clipper> ducking clipper> pdx illusion> rpt

diving clipper> osis> rpt (starting from both sides)

pixie ss clipper> stepping ss clipper bsos a couple times

sloppy diving osis bs

lots and lots of runs with ducking clipper bsos

I've been working on ducking out of osis a lot. This is unrelated to ducking, but I've been able to get to 20 or more contacts of butterfly> pdx mirage> rpt almost every session, just wanted to brag about that. I also had my first attempts at quantum sets today, its kind of like a weird karate kick, except its my setting leg that gets kicked. Watch yourselves, would-be assailants. And I tried some atomic sets as well. Both sets were fun to try, but I think I'll work on toe set drifters & whirls before I try to learn quantum. Atomic did not feel like a natural motion for me, but I do want to learn that set, because it looks cool.

EDIT: One thing that is not coming along is spinning. I'm losing balance all the time, and not spinning in place. I think I had one day recently where spins felt on target. I kind of hate practicing spinning, because I get dizzy, so even on days where my attempts are good, I can only do so many attempts. Spinning is in that weird zone of mystery and futility. But so were whirl and illusion for a long time, and they clicked eventually.

Other than that, I've been enjoying what seems to me to be a very nutritious post shred meal immediately after each session, consisting of a protein drink, cottage cheese, a bigassed slice of whole grain bread, a glass of soymilk, and a banana. Not the most flavorful meal in the world but I get around 50 grams of protein, plus calcium, potassium, and fiber. I think its really helping. I've been able to increase the duration of my typical practice from 1:15 to 1:40. And I've lost most of the layer of blubber that encases and caresses my stomach. I feel good about my progress lately, as you can tell from this braggy ass post.

I start school in just over two weeks. On the job front I had a lot of interviews recently but only one of those was worth pursuing. I'm slightly skeptical/cautiously optimistic, but I know that things are gonna work out ok.

Asmus · Post by **Asmus** » 06 Feb 2010 16:25

What is swerve?
flip pdx drifter (first time) is nice!

Frank_Sinatra · Post by **Frank_Sinatra** » 16 Feb 2010 14:47

Hey Asmus, swerve is pixie muted cross body rake.

Eight more sessions since my last update. Ducking clippers are coming along well enough that now I just work on getting them into strings, instead of doing lots of reps of them individually. And I'm decreasing the amount of time I spend doing them. This gives me more time to practice diving, spinning, and stepping.

Stepping is not coming along quite as well as I had thought it would, its going to take more sessions, and more stepping ss clippers every session, before I start incorporating them into drills or runs. But I am getting more comfortable & reliable with the set, so things are moving in a positive direction.

Highlights:

triforce drill through level six + six more clippers

hit ducking clipper bs three times in a single string

had a session with 25 consecutive osii, 21 consecutive infinities, and 28 contacts of butterfly> pdx mirage> rpt. BOPs ahoy

infinity> infinity> osis rpt to 19 contacts

ducking clipper x7 (just barely a new personal best)

diving clipper> ducking clipper> rpt

pixie ss clipper> stepping ss clipper> ducking clipper bs

footed flip spinning clipper a couple times

Hmmm, no new tricks this time around.

Sessions are still about an hour & 40 minutes, typically. Today's was cut short & rushed because I had stuff to do later. I think next time I know that I can only play for an hour, I will stick to warmup - no new stuff.

Oh so the thing I had to do today was go downtown to get my books and do some school-related paperwork. I'm supposed to get some assignments before classes even start, but they haven't been posted yet. I gotta be honest, I'm starting to feel a little nervous about going back to school. When I was an undergrad, sometimes I worked really hard, and when I did it was rewarding. But I had to want to do well in the class, and I had to enjoy the class.

A lot of times I took the easy way out. I had a 10am Sociology class, and it was super easy, so I decided just to coast, get a C, and sleep in. I can't do that this time around, I know I'll have to put in much more effort, and more consistent effort.

But my whole lifestyle is different now, too. Way less drama, way fewer distractions. I'm going to do things differently this time around.

Frank_Sinatra · Post by **Frank_Sinatra** » 24 Feb 2010 15:53

Well I've got about 15 minutes until my web development class starts, I'll have to keep this brief. Despite my new classes, and the reading and homework for them, and being sick for the last three days, and some knee pain, and various other stuff going on in my life, and blah blah blah, I've been able to kick seven more times since the last update. Still working on the same things, with only occasional attempts at new tricks. Highlights:

diving clip> osis> rpt to 7 contacts

osis> stepping ss clip both sides

blur bs

spinning clipper several times on my other side, one more time on my "good" side

4 consecutive diving clippers

2 consecutive stepping ss clippers

I could swear I had some other highlights but I guess not. Like today, BOPs were really good, even infinities were consistent, but I don't think I set any new personal bests or anything like that.

I'd like start mixing 30-50 spinning attempts (each side) into every session, but since I've been sick lately, its tough to push myself. Its tough to even stay hydrated, since the water I drink just turns into mucus to be expelled. I'm sure you wanted to know that, and I'm happy to oblige.

I guess, after looking back on the week, there have been a lot of ups and downs. But it'll all work out ok.

EDIT: This is for Bob.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y-KVWB2 ... re=channel[/youtube]

This is from last August I believe, so it doesn't include anything I've been working on lately (no shit). Five runs, lots of repetitive links (trying to cut down on that), nothing spectacular. But it is short.

Thanks Tom for putting this together & making it available.

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 24 Feb 2010 18:02

man, i'm sick too, i feel your pain.. i decided dayquil and beer was the solution this evening.. so far so good. of course, i have the next 4 days off so I wouldn't necessarily suggest my approach for everyone.

i continue to be impressed with your highlights. that diving clip > osis drill is cool too.

i continue to wish you'd post a video, say, once every 5 or 6 years or so

CIC flurry · Post by **CIC flurry** » 25 Feb 2010 07:33

Weow you play so much. Very nice.

So this girl woke me up over here, and I was tempted to make a story such as your own V-day story. I started by saying that while I napped she was in my dream, and this was true. I was going to say she was naked and we were getting it on in the dream, and then this would lead into the real life awesome forbidden Boss and employee coupling at work (titles have been renamed to protect the innocent, but it's of a similar nature).

But I was like, I don't remember what happened. She looked a bit forlorn, but I have to be here for a few days still, and very likely instead of getting it on in the bathroom, it'd just be HELLA awkward. Though that was the goal, I didn't have the gusto.

g00d33 · Post by **g00d33** » 25 Feb 2010 09:53

Those terrages look so nice!

Frank_Sinatra · Post by **Frank_Sinatra** » 04 Mar 2010 15:28

Hey thanks everybody for your comments here & elsewhere. Hopefully I'll have more chances to get video out this summer.

Earlier today I had my 50th indoor session. I've kicked seven times since the last update. Still battling congestion & the occasional pains in my legs, which generally seem to be moving downward. Maybe I'm sleeping in a bad position or something. But the sessions are going good. Here are the highlights:

pixie ss clipper> ripwalk BS

pixie ss clipper> blur one side

spinning clipper a few times each side

ten contacts of osis> diving clipper> rpt (new personal best)

17 contacts of illusion> pickup> rpt (new personal best)

spinning toe BS (new trick!

)

diving clipper x5 one side

stepping ss clipper bsos a few more times

diving osis BS

32 contacts of osis> ss clipper> rpt (new personal best)

20 contacts of fairy> illusion> rpt (new personal best)

pixie muted clipper> spinning clipper one side

pixie muted clipper> ducking clipper> pdx mirage> pixie ss clipper> ducking clipper> pdx mirage> rpt

diving clipper> diving clipper> osis> rpt

osis> ripwalk BS

37 contacts of butterfly> pdx mirage> rpt (new personal best)

School is a lot of work. I'm learning some good stuff, and so far I'm doing what I need to do to stay on top of things. I've got one assignment with CSS style sheets that I'd like to get done tonight, that's for the class that I like. I have homework in the other class too, but that class is really unfocused, the professor loses control of the class (it feels like high school not grad school) I don't like it, and for all those reasons I procrastinate. I don't feel like I'm in over my head or anything, just that I have to put in a lot of time. I've had to nix some interviews for full time jobs because I can't go to school full time and work full time. But I'd have a lot more peace of mind if I knew I'd be starting work soon.

I'm cutting back on social activities by 50 to 75% already. I've really enjoyed playing this much footbag. The fiftieth session is kind of symbolic I guess. Good week of footbag. But something's gotta give, and it might need to be footbag, or possibly moving back in with my brother & his wife. I'd love to go to US Open & Worlds, but that's not gonna happen. I might not even be able to go to Wine & Cheese.

Despite all this, I have faith that things are going to work out for the best.

colefieldhouse22 · Post by **colefieldhouse22** » 05 Mar 2010 03:45

That is very sad to hear you won't be able to make it to worlds

You will be missed.

That is good that you are not working and going to school full time. Even though sometimes is necessary, it is much better on the sanity levels to not do that.

Reid · Post by **Reid** » 05 Mar 2010 07:19

First, nice highlights. It seems that indoor spot is working out. I'm jealous of you, I have not played in a month due to still being sick.

Second, Don't talk like that about Wine and Cheese. You will make it. The weather is starting to get nice and those winter woes will hopefully disappear and you will start feeling more refreshed each day with an ability to accomplish more and more.

Keep up the good stuff, and let me know if there is anything I can help with.

Frank_Sinatra · Post by **Frank_Sinatra** » 15 Mar 2010 17:17

Hey Adrienne & Reid! Thanks for the encouragement & for stopping by to write.

So I said in the last post that footbag might have to give, and it has somewhat. The problem is I find other ways to waste my time, but none make me feel good the way footbag does. Anyway, I haven't played as much since my last update, but I did get to play outside on more than one occasion. Oh man it was so great to be outside in the warm sun on the first really nice day of the year. Course I've still got my indoor spot, just in case, but its definitely less appealing after getting outside.

Sessions are still pretty much the same format, still working on stepping set & spinning & ducking & diving, though my sessions are not always as long as they were a couple weeks ago.

Anyway, here are the highlights:

37 contacts tiltless w/osii mixed in

26 contacts of osis> infinity> infinity> rpt (personal best)

40 contacts of butter> pdx mirage> rpt (personal best)

That last one was incredibly satisfying. I've been pushing into the mid-30s on that drill lately & wondering if I had the endurance to hit 40. Yaaay.

st.stuart · Post by **st.stuart** » 24 Mar 2010 19:47

Wow 26 contacts being the lowest is great, I'm happy to get 15... 10 even! It sucks that footbag is losing time but I'm sure we've all been there. It's nice that the weather is getting better, makes it that much more tempting to get out there and kick a while.

As a relatively new player I must say seeing you play and progress inspires me to get out do the same. I saw you at the New Year's Jam and reading your highlights now, you have improved since then and will continue I'm sure. It's more fun for me to watch someone get better than it is for me to watch the worlds best, and just sit there going "When will I get there?"

Keep up the good work!