footbag slump?

h0ag3yb3atZ · Post by **h0ag3yb3atZ** » 22 Jan 2010 19:40

I consider a slump a series of bad sessions with minimal highlights and bad vibes leaving the session. To be immune from a shit session is probably impossible but how do you overcome a slump?

I'm sure nearly everyone who plays seriously goes through them every so often. For me, I'm the most pumped about footbag I've been for awhile but session after session I'm been throwing down complete garbage and its very discouraging and I feel like I haven't gotten any better despite playing nearly everyday.

Anyone have general advice, slump stories or ways to muscle out of a slump? I suppose as long as your playing footbag and putting tricks on the shoes its good, but it sucks when you can't string 7 moves your good at together.

mtoolan · Post by **mtoolan** » 22 Jan 2010 22:29

Don't get me wrong, putting tricks on the shoes is definitely important, but if you've been playing everyday and you're in a slump just take a break. If you force yourself you risk burning yourself out on footbag, and that's definitely worse than missing a day or two of kicking.

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 23 Jan 2010 05:32

Most of my slumps come from either having too many shred sessions without some drill sessions mixed in, or having too many drill sessions without some shred sessins mixed in. I need to just freestyle to be good at stringing tricks, but I need to drill to improve my form/trick selection etc.

Right now, I'm slumping from too much drilling, so I'll just freestyle for awhile.

Also, energy is important (hence the other thread "the importance of rest") so maybe just take a break for a week.

edit: Keep in mind that most slumps are followed by a breakthrough.

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 25 Jan 2010 05:21

Interestingly, I'm soooooo in a slump right now, so hopefully my own advice is the correct advice.

PoisonTaffy · Post by **PoisonTaffy** » 25 Jan 2010 05:42

+1 for taking a break. Sometimes playing through a slump just isn't worth it.

A change of scenery could also help. Find a new spot, shred in front of people,
maybe even change your bag. Sometimes playing too much at the same spot can burn me.

Also, when seeing the session's not gonna be big on the shred side, I may make the session one of working on control. Working on clippers, all sorts of combos involving only stalls, etc. Stuff you can easily hit but can still make interesting by finding different ways to combine them, and pay extra attention to hitting them in the best form you can.

Reid · Post by **Reid** » 26 Jan 2010 12:47

Work cross body rakes with tiltless links in between for a few days and then come back to real shred.

I'm being serious. Rakes are a fun move that gets your mind away from standard shredding of clipper and toe game and the tiltless will keep your dexes and clipper game solid during the break.

h0ag3yb3atZ · Post by **h0ag3yb3atZ** » 26 Jan 2010 19:19

Rieferman wrote:
Right now, I'm slumping from too much drilling, so I'll just freestyle for awhile.

edit: Keep in mind that most slumps are followed by a breakthrough.

I hear you on both of these. I did nothing but solo session for 2 weeks just schooling stuff so string length took a hit for sure.

sidekick · Post by **sidekick** » 27 Jan 2010 14:50

Reid wrote:Work cross body rakes with tiltless links in between for a few days and then come back to real shred.

I'm being serious. Rakes are a fun move that gets your mind away from standard shredding of clipper and toe game and the tiltless will keep your dexes and clipper game solid during the break.

+1

This was the exact advice I was going to give, but I would also suggest doing some BOP strings as well.