How do you practice?

[Rieferman]

OK, I'll start for those of you that don't read my blog.

The average week, by me:

FREQUENCY/DURATION:
I practice 3 times per week for 45 minutes each time.
And I shred 1 additional time per week for about 2 hours.

PRACTICE STYLE:
I have "flash cards" that include all the tricks I can hit, should be able to hit, or dream about hitting and it's a distant possibility. The cards are separated into piles according to hittability.

Each practice, a certain set of piles are focused on. So today might be a lot of time spent on tricks I can already hit very well. Or today might focus on stricks that are a stretch for me. Or unusual tricks. Etc.

Since each practice is different, it pushes my comfort zone, makes sure I don't forget about things I want to work on, and overall improves my coordination and progression.

[PoisonTaffy]

I have great interest in how other people practice, and would love to hear more people share their methodology.

I warm up with kicks, stalls, a specific bop practice of my choice and then easy shred.
Then I usually choose a specific concept I want to work on, work on it both sides, and take a break with a harder shred.
Then I repeat the work on the concept, and then work on long strings. I try to finish the session with a run I'm satisfied with.
I work on a certain concept anywhere from two weeks to a month.

This method takes about 45 minutes from start to finish.

[C-Fan]

Some general thoughts on practice.

When I was younger, I didn't think too hard about how I trained. My body was so good at healing, I didn't place much importance on stretching, rest, hydration, etc. As I got older, I found that it was harder to recover from sessions, so now I'm more careful about how I approach sessions.

1. Warm-up. I don't do stretches when I warm up, since the recent science I've read on the subject says it doesn't help. That said, making sure your muscles are warm before attempting anything hard is a good idea. So I always start my session off by doing lots of kicks. At least 200, and using every surface (instep, outsteps, toes, knees, and fliers). I find that outside kicks warm up some of the same muscles used in whirls, and that knee kicks use the same range of motion used in many dexes. Freeze frame an atomic or quantum set, and you'll see what I mean.

2. After I finish with kicks, I do a long tiltless warmup, focusing on doing everything both sided. Another warmup I use is doing osis-ss clipper repeat as much as I can.

3. BOP comes next, then downtime threes, then finally sets.

4. I make a point to drink water when I play. If I'm really sweating a lot, I'll mix gatorade and water. If I'm competing that day, I'll have some caffeine. But yeah, stay hydrated throughout.

5. When I'm almost done playing, I try and do a long easy tiltless run to "warm down."

6. When I'm done playing, I have easily digestable protein within the first 15-20 minutes of finishing. Milk, yogurt, and peanut butter are good, and if I'm not at home I'll have a protein bar. Having protein that quickly after a workout helps your muscles recover quickly. I also used to eat a banana, as the potassium helped me avoid cramps.

7. I usually stretch when I'm done, often as I'm eating my protein.

I also think it's a good idea to not overdo it with the playing, and get in enough rest days over the course of a week that you feel sharp when you play.

[Anz]

Training programs all the way. (I made a thread about this like a year ago)

The main idea is to focus on certain things you want to get better at or learn for 6-10 sessions in a row. You plan ahead what you're going to do. Usually drills, harder single tricks or what I call "marathon" tricks for those sessions. Besides warm up and cool down you don't do anything else than the program. You also don't have any shred sessions before you've had all the program sessions. In these programs single tricks have only a small part. You always need a couple freestyle sessions after a program.
By marathon tricks I mean doing consecutives of a single back-to-back trick (Ripwalk for example) for certain amount. If you drop you continue counting where the drop was instead of starting all over.
I think this is a very efficient way to practice basic tricks.

[CIC flurry]

Yeah I tried to find Anz's thread to post in your blog, Bob. I thought it should be stickied.

I'm really interested in this topic as well.

I like 2-3 move repeatable combos right now. I would go into more detail, but it's been a while.

[Rieferman]

Anz,I remember your thread about the training programs. Very well thought out.

Although, I'll say honestly, it doesn't sound like much fun to me. (of course, everyone's definition of fun is different, so this is NOT a knock against the program in any way).

I'm of the mindset that programs need to match your expectations and goals.

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CIC Flurry - 2-3 move repeats.. maybe a few examples?

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Ken, you didn't indicate how you attack new concepts etc. But I know you do that..

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PoisonTaffy - what frequency do you play like this?

[CIC flurry]

Sure,
For example I wanted to hit Zach's drill of blur>atom smasher>blender>RPT

depending on how good I was at the combo I might need to work it 2 moves at a time (blender>blur, atom>blender, etc), then all 3 moves, then back to back
each stage like 10 or 20 times

then I might want to do gyro mirage>paradon>RPT

then atom>egg> sp mirage - but not repeat yet b/c I'm not there yet.


and in a session I'd do a few combos like that,
then maybe end with some mobii, vortices and gyro dlos

oh and I start with single moves that I need to work on that aren't too dexxy and good for warming up. like zooming clipper b2b, sp clp>sp butter>gy mirage, blender>ss butter

[Zac Miley]

I warm up with like 20 toe kicks, then toe>atw (both directions) rpt for a long time.

Then I do tiltless and mix in pdx mirage/ill. Usually the tiltless builds into guiltless in the same run and I do bops/whirls.

After that my runs are very heavy in pixie and then later I'll work on whatever specific concept.

Lately, it has been atomic and fairy. So I'll do drills like Eggplant>Pixie ss Mirage and Fear>Fairy ss Mirage.

I mix it all up, however, with lots of freestyle runs between drill attempts, while I still focus on midstring fairy and atomic tricks. This way I can keep the tricks that I am good at still solid while also working concepts I am bad at.

Sorry for the awful organization of this post.

[Donovon]

Well, seeing as how my list of tricks is quite limited, my solo sessions are usually intimately intwined with my music playlist. I'm usually at it for 45min-1hr and try to focus on either a trick, a side, or a concept for each song. This adds variety so that i can work on all aspects of the basics and makes sure that im not just working on one trick (in an attempt to build my rep.). Also keeps frustration with something limited to 5-6min, lol. Warm up and cool down with kicks. Trying a lot of toes and knees atm. And i stretch a million times a day, its a habit.
~Donovon

[CIC flurry]

I always have better sessions when I do one stretch in particular or ride my bike.
The stretch is a front stance with your foot on an elevated surface. So imagine just standing with your feet together in front of a table and putting your foot on it. your feet are parallel. The height of my car hood is perfect.

[Anz]

it doesn't sound like much fun to me.

Yeah it most certainly is not fun. You need to work to get better. If one always just has fun when playing they do not progress, and playing without progressing is also not fun.

Here's the training program article I wrote:
http://www.modified.in/footbag/viewtopic.php?t=17541

[Rieferman]

I agree that you need to work to get better, but I disagree that work cannot be fun.

I'm working hard, progressing, and still having fun.

[Frank_Sinatra]

A friend of mine who teaches gave me a brief overview of motivational theory a while back, and I've been trying to apply it to footbag. One idea that makes a lot of sense to me is flow. So I'm passing it along in the hopes that other people get something out of it.

Progress is satisfying and enjoyable. Unless the steps taken to progress are not. The key is finding the right level of challenge - not pushing so hard for a goal that I can't achieve, and not pushing so little that I don't learn anything new.

[Rieferman]

no other modified users practice footbag? is it top secret? too cool to post?

[g00d33]

I usually start off by stretching, then with a typical warm-up consisting of consecutives. Depending on temperature, I do 50-100+ kicks, trying to even spread them among all surfaces. After that I move onto 50 toe stalls to 50 insides to 50 clippers. The main goal with those is to go without dropping long as possible. From there I move to infinity and osis. Lately, I haven't been decreeing a certain number be hit of each (I probably should again though). When I remember, I also warm up with some ducking. From there I move onto tiltless strings. I make sure to get a few longer strings (20+ contacts). At this point, I'll either move onto working a concept or shred. Most of the time, I'll work with a concept first, trying to link it in various ways. While I don't always finding myself dedicating so much time to it, this video (take out the whirling swirls and stepping far swirls) shows how I practiced barrages one day when they clicked:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2QurY7kUlA[/youtube]

I definitely don't do this every practice but would love to. I generally always use the last segment of my session to string. I usually have goals of hitting a certain number of strings with a certain number of contacts guiltess. And I only work on challenges the days I look at them and realize they can be done (like the first repeat combo in that video)

Then, more times than not, I'll fool around with some new trick. But I usually end with a DATW (even if I practiced it earlier in the session)

[Frank_Sinatra]

no other modified users practice footbag? is it top secret? too cool to post?

Yes, both.

Ok, I'll break down how I've been practicing in excessive detail now:

Super basic warmup - while performing any of these I keep at them until they feel dialed, reliable, and easy. If I notice something mechanically off or if I'm not happy with the results, I just keep at them. There's no set number I'm going for but a lot of times it works out to between 50 and 100 on each side. IMO this is the most important part of my practice, if I rush through any of these & let myself maintain less than optimal results or bad form (relatively speaking), I'll have a crappy session.
Inside kicks and light stretching to limber up - usually two or three minutes of this
Toe delays - I practice different footwork, like with and without hops, or symple legover style footwork, and different set heights
Inside delays - I try to make myself do more of these than I want to
Clippers - consecutive same side, alternating, clipper> ss clipper> op clipper> ss clipper rpt, triforce, bringing delay to a complete stop, etc. I really don't like to move on to other stuff until my clippers both sides feel really stable and controlled.

Tiltless & BOPs
consecutive osis to 4 or more contacts five times
toe tiltless drills, like atw> pixie> rpt> mirage> atw> legover> rpt, or whatever other toe tiltless drills I think of, not including fairy and illusion. I try to run through each trick on both sides and if it works the first time, I move on, but occasionally I'll have to put a little time into something
fairy & illusion - sometimes I do illusion> pickup> rpt, sometimes consecutive fairies to 4 contacts or more, sometimes fairy> illusion> rpt, usually a mix of all three, and generally if I do a repeat drill I try to complete it five times
osis again, same as above
consecutive infinities to 4 or more contacts five times
butterfly> pdx mirage> rpt completed at least five times

The sections above can take me anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, average is around 40. Sometimes after this I do some pixie drills, sometimes I don't, depends on if I feel my pixies were inconsistent last time I played or if I want to put time into some other concept.

Then I work on one or two concepts that I want to get better at. If the concept is brand new to me I will do 20 attempts on each side and try to figure out what to do to start landing the trick. Once I hit it with some insight into how I hit it, I put goals on how many times I'll hit the trick in one session. Usually at first its two to five times each side, then if that goes well the next day I'll try for ten, and if that's going ok then I'll up it to twenty each side. Usually I'll keep the reps around twenty but start increasing the challenge after a week, like instead of hitting a trick twenty times I'll work on hitting it to something else twenty times.

And I've been throwing some spinning clipper attempts every session but only like five to ten each side. And I do let myself try different things I think of, and evaluate my chances of hitting the trick/combo. Either way, its important for me to get back to the plan after trying whatever it is I'm trying to do.

Another caveat is if I'm having some pain or soreness in a joint I try to avoid moves that will aggravate it. So even though some days I may have every intention of working on paradox whirls, if I try a couple and my knees or hips are pissed at me, I do something else instead.

The most important thing for me mentally is to always be aware of where my successes are coming from and try to emphasize those successes, to keep a mental checklist of what is improving, what is locked down, what is realistic to hit in the near future, and what I should postpone indefinitely.

EDIT: I should mention that a typical session for me is between 1:15 and 1:30. If I don't play for at least an hour I don't feel like I did anything. I play when I have time & a place to play. Lately that means six times a week, last summer it was four times a week.

[Reid]

Duration of each session- 1-2 hours solo.

Sessions per day- 1-2 depending on time and how I'm feeling

Music- None currently due to lack of computer, but preferably listening to Bob Dylan or Queen Radio on Pandora.

Warm up- Two adds I don't usually use like pickups and reverse mirage from every set (not really set, but bubba far toe etc) with clippers, osis, reverse swirls and around the worlds (both directions) thrown in. I do that for about 60 contacts and then I do about twenty contacts of butterfly infinity drill. I then do variation of gyro mirage legover pickup etc. to either toe whirl, butterfly, paradon repeat. Then I do the whirl war drill.

I then shred for fifteen to twenty minutes with concepts I know I can hit regularly making sure I hit the move I drop on before I start a new run.

I then spend 15-30 minutes working 2 or three concepts (Usually a set, a downtime component (non symposium), and a symposium move.)

Working a concept- Clipper moves that go back to back. I do that move>clipper>move>clipper>... eg. pardox whirl> clipper> repeat
or paradox drifter > far clipper> repeat. After working both the far and same side move I do the far move> same side move drill to twenty contacts.

Clipper moves ending in toe, I simply do that move to the other side clipper and repeat. eg. flurry> clipper> repeat For the toe> toe variety I just try to drill. eg. Eggbeater> same side eggbeater> repeat

Sets- work repeatable sites that go side to side and four move drills eg. atomsmasher> atomsmasher, or ripwalk> sidewalk> repeat

I then shred for another 10-15 minutes trying to incorporate the concepts I worked on.

Then I work a concept I don't have any real grasp of yet, (eg double spinning) and try both sides for five minutes.

I then work swirls every session for about five minutes

And lastly shred for 5 -10 minutes making sure the last run is at least 30 contacts (I tone down shred level if need be).

edit: I stretch after each session holding each stretch for thirty seconds. I really only do the butterfly stretch and the one where you sit with one foot in and the other stretched out and try to touch your extended toe with both hands.

[Rieferman]

Wow Reid, that's impressive amount of footbag. Am I correct to guess that you're less than 25 years old?

[Reid]

yeah 24

[F[uns]tylin' Eclectic]

I agree that you need to work to get better, but I disagree that work cannot be fun.

I'm working hard, progressing, and still having fun.

I def. agree with Bob here, that style may work for some people, but it reminds me too much of Hacky Sack Boot Camp or something. I like to mod my practices; drills to a music play list (most recently), really been working the flipside lately, getting better at it, then just not really following any shedule, practicing what i wanna practice for the most part, i write down the tricks i'm getting, and the ones i can't get, and check them off as i go.

Another fun way to practice while while shredding with friends; Say my friend has the bag first, I name 1 easier trick he can usually hit, 1 medium trick that he may sometimes miss, and one hard trick that he's never hit or he's only hit a few times, normally only hit a few times. I tell him to string those together in any order they please. After a few tries we switch off and he makes 3 up for me. It's a really cool and really fun way to practice, i've noticed, because it makes you link tricks that you normally wouldn't think of yourself.

I love footbag, because it IS fun. I take it serious, but not too seriously.