Chronicles of a Footbagger

[PrunusAberration]

Salutations ladies & gents. Welcome to my historical records of kicks and tales. The name [Andre] was given to me on my name day. Sadly, I'm a slave to our monetary world, giving counsel to the Informational Technology gods. I have bore witness to twenty-eight summers since my conception. However, lately daylight escapes us.



Links:
My Humble Beginnings
Challenges/Goals

[PrunusAberration]

Past:
My story didn't truly begin until 2006, when my friend, Max, introduced kicking back into my life. We kept pushing each other, but they were not stalls, they were kicks. Our pallet included inside, L-shape toe kicks, outside kicks, and those ridiculous behind the back outside saves.

The first time I was introduced to freestyle was when my buddy hit a toe stall to around the world and caught it with his toe again. This blew my mind; literally, I did not think this was possible. I couldn't even speak, wha... how... why... oh my lord, that was amazing. We started kicking harder, trying to get those around the worlds. He could also hit mirages every now and then.

However, as time went on, so did footbag....without us. Fast forward to the next year, 2007, when I met CIC. I started kicking with them. I didn't learn much, just stuck my around the worlds and flip-side toes and maybe a mirage or two. And yeah, I was that one-sided trick show. After no further research into the sport and getting burned out, I left footbag for good.

Well...almost. Bam, it's just about August of 2014 and I start to get this itch, this uncontrollable itch to start footbagging again. But this time, it's different. I need to kick, I want to shred, and I desire to learn new tricks and become an excellent player.

I am soaking up everything on the net that is related to footbagging. I started kicking 5 times a week, for at least 15 minutes a session. Well, that was my goal initially; a goal that was far exceeded. I moved on to 30 to 45 minute sessions in the end of July and went crazy in Boston with hour plus sessions and kicking almost twice a day. I get back to Chicago and my brand new Rod Lavers are waiting for me. I rip open the toe box and lace my new shoes. They stall quite well and I am able to do most of my tricks right off the bat. [Kicking still feels a bit odd, but that won't stop me.]

Everything is different this time around. I refuse to produce sub-par results. Right now, I can't move on to anything new until I learn everything on my flip-side and get my hands under control, the claw and princess hands. I have almost completed both goals already.

[PrunusAberration]

Goals:
This will be a location for short and long term goals I want to conquer. It will always be updated and it will be open to challenges. Message away.

October Goals:
-50x toe stalls b2b [already completed]
-50x insides stalls b2b [14-10-15] [40x@14-9-29]
-50x clipper ss [14-10-15]
-50x clippers b2b [14-10-15]

Pending Challenges:
-50x toe flicks b2b [14-11-30] 15x
-50x inside kicks b2b [14-10-30 21x
-50x outside kicks b2b [14-11-30]
-50x outside stalls b2b [14-11-30]
-50x around the world b2b [14-10-30]
-50x orbits b2b [14-10-30]
-50x legover b2b [14-10-30]
-50x pickup b2b [14-10-30]
-50x mirage b2b [14-11-30]
-50x illusion b2b [14-11-30]


Open Challenges:
illusions b2b [14-8-22]

Badassery: [tricks that just look awesome when you hit them]
-Oasis b2b
-Drifter
-Spirl
-Double Around

Completed Challenges:
-50[total contacts] toe stalls b2b [14-9-15] Completed 14-8-22

Long term goals:
-No preference to either leg
-Hands under control

Updated/Old Challenges:
2014-08-30 & 2014-09-15 Challenge
2014-09-30 Challenge


Shred session from 14-8-9
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ7DWKl3-ks

[PrunusAberration]

8-17
Got to kick with Tom & Tim from CIC today. I started the session with hurting my right thigh muscle/right leg right off the bat trying to kick the bag with my sole performing a forward karate kick. I used to be able to get those. :/ However I pushed through the pain and kept kicking for about a good two hours. I am glad I did: I hit a couple of legovers b2b, mirage b2b, and clippers b2b. I finally started hitting my flip-side clippers a week ago, and to be able to hit it b2b is worth celebrating. Also, I found out today I have been hitting pixies for a little while. However they look horrible and I am trying to correct that.

legover b2b
legover > op toe > op toe > op legover
mirage > op toe > op toe > op mirage
mirage > op mirage [maybe...]
clipper > ss clipper > ss toe > op toe > ss clipper > ss clipper

Biking home hurt a bit [about 15 miles in total], but I went to the store to pick up chicken and a few other ingredients for Japanese/sweet curry. Man, I love that meal. I can't recommend it enough. Hopefully tomorrow I can kick again.



8-19
Biked over to meet up with Tim, Tom, and Matt yesterday. It was a pretty chill session. Nothing too crazy and no pains or sore muscles, which is always a wonderful happenstance. I hit a clipper to an op clipper for what I believe was the first time. Hit a couple of mirage b2b and a pickup to op pickup. It was a good two hour session that was broken up by lack of daylight and a bit of rain.

legover b2b
mirage b2b
clipper > ss clipper > ss toe > op toe > ss clipper > ss clipper
clipper > op clipper

Also, I biked about 21 to 22 miles in total yesterday plus the shred session caused me to be quite thirsty. XD

[MetZelRio]

I didn't even know this blog existed. I just skimmed through everything and I watched your vid. Cool story bro! (But honestly!)

Edit: I see why I didn't know, because it didn't, until now.

[PrunusAberration]

Haha! Yea, I wanted to include a bit of content for my first post. Any tips on how to correct balance and the claw/princess hands? I included a lot of sloppy moves in the video, but it's a real problem for me right now.

[F[uns]tylin' Eclectic]

Couldn't watch video on phone, but it will when I get home. I will even go to town and correct all form mistakes for you if you'd like?

[PrunusAberration]

I will even go to town and correct all form mistakes for you if you'd like?

Please! I feel extremely embarrassed uploading this video with horrible sloppy tricks. However, I want to get better and I know there are fundamental problems with my game right now. Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated.

[Cass]

Definitely take a look at this:

http://modified.in/footbag/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=20968


Looks like you're off to a great start. You should focus on learning the magic hop. It makes it way easier to hit tricks consistently.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpXqYeCsU9s


Try and keep your back straight as much as possible. As for fixing hand posture I don't have any great tips, just try to focus on it a lot and eventually you hopefully wont have to any more.

I'm sure Nick will have some more great tips for you but I think the magic hop and straightening up will help your game a bunch.

[Max Power]

You look like you are well on your way. I'm generally opposed to give too much advice to any player because I think that it makes it hard to hear any advice at all and you will just be come over whelmed. The one bit of advice that I will give is that you should never be flat footed while playing footbag, always be jumping into and out of your tricks. I would also recommend learning mirage from clipper and dialing those two tricks in first and foremost. I believe that these are the foundations of freestyle footbag and if you can drill them all day and do them in your sleep your game will open up like a rare beautiful orchid.



Just keep trying, it'll all come together.

[F[uns]tylin' Eclectic]

Hey man, just watched the video.

Cassy has some good advice above. I agree with all of that. Definitely learn the magic hop.

Drew also brings up a good point.

An additional thing is to keep your stalling foot off of the ground. For instance, when you do Legover dex with right leg, make sure you end the trick with your leg in the air. Also, same with ATWs.

I think it's a great idea for you to try to complete "Freestyle Footbag Badge Level 1"

Here is a link: https://www.facebook.com/notes/freestyl ... 9359946935

[PrunusAberration]

Cassy, thanks! I know we talked about this before. The straight back and the hand position. I worked really hard on the magic hop. I have noticed some really talented players don't always magic hop and sometimes flat foot. But shin splints though! Is this just lazy play by them?

Max, Thanks! The flat feet does look extremely bad now that I am looking out for it.

Nick, I usually use the stalling foot to balance myself. I think the magic hop helped some.

Today's session. It was all fundamental training. I don't think I hit a mirage more than 4 times in total.

Toe flicks b2b 15 (this is so hard)
Inside kicks b2b 21
Toe stalls b2b 41
Inside stalls b2b 15 (way more difficult with the rods than my old pink vans)
Flipside clipper to ss clipper 3x
Stronger clipper to ss clipper 3x
Outside in out around (flipside & strong) 1x

So, everyone thanks for the advice. What should be my fundamental training? I was reading here and thought 50 toe flicks, 50 inside kicks, 50 toe stalls, and 50 inside stalls on command would be a good start. Is toe flicks really that important? Or should I move onto mirage, pick ups, clippers, etc sooner?

(Is it me or is rod Lavers really hard to do kicks and flicks with?)

[PrunusAberration]

The solo shred was oh kay today. Tried more fundamental training, but I got bummed out. So I hit some other interesting moves.

Toe flicks b2b 6
Inside kicks b2b 15
Toe stalls b2b 55 (I got tired, so I stopped. Lol will firm soon)
Inside stalls b2b 10
Legovers b2b 4x
Pickups b2b 2x
Mirage b2b 2x (this was really hard tonight)
No clippers :/

Question, if I hit a pickup b2b does that count as two or one? Because I count then as two hits.

[Cass]

Pickup b2b is one repeat but two tricks.

I challenge you to hit illusion both sides.

[PrunusAberration]

Woo, that will be interesting. I have tired working on them a bit. I still can't get the leg motion down yet. But challenge accepted.

[PrunusAberration]

Had a pretty chill session last night even though I wasn't feeling it beforehand, because I had little to no sleep the night before. But after I started kicking, it all went away. I see this being therapeutical mentally and physically. I hit one of my goals already. 60 toe stalls with magic hops. I will upload the video soon. Legovers and pickups are feeling more natural now. However mirages are a bit difficult still.

Quick question, am I doing toe flicks incorrectly? They are not coming along at all. I can barely hit six of them b2b and most of the time, they just fly off. Please see the video below. I have tried straightening out my back more and including the magic hop. Does it look better? I think, the hands are still a big issue though.

toe flick b2b 6
inside kicks b2b 15
toe stalls b2b 60
inside stalls b2b 20
legover b2b 2
pickup b2b 2
mirage b2b 2

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xASICQ6xUmY[/youtube]

[MetZelRio]

Certainly see improvements Andre. You're coming along. Good work. I'm sure I'm going to see more improvements from you. =)

[PrunusAberration]

This happen to me on Friday, the 22nd.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSdGcB8mCq0[/youtube]

[Cass]

Toe kicks are hard. Keep practising, you're doing fine.

Form looks good, keep it up!


Protip: people are more likely to watch your videos if you keep them under a minute and a half. Short attention spans are short.

[PrunusAberration]

I was actually worried I didn't provide enough footage. So, I include drops and longer cuts. This way everyone would be able to see a wider range of attempts. The shred video from 20th and 22nd was actually a minute or a minute and half. I will shorten them. Less editing for me.

Kicked for a while today. Probably a good two hours. I spent the whole time practicing toe flicks, inside kicks, outside kicks, toe & inside & outside stalls, and a few mirages, pickups, legovers, and even some illusions. I couldn't figure out the illusion until today. Still haven't hit it, but I understand the motion better now.


toe flicks b2b 7x
inside kicks b2b 25x
outside 4x ss strong & flipside [I can't really say my flipside is my weakest right now. Almost neutral at this point]
toe stalls b2b 30x
inside stalls b2b 20x
mirage b2b 2x
legovers 2x
pickups b2b 6x
[string of toes, insides, and arounds o-i]

By the way, the 50 toe stalls video is up. I have edited it to make it enjoyable to watch. Also, I didn't kick yesterday. I was jammed pack with friends visits, bike stuff-bought a pannier, cable lock, and nipple twister [spoke wench] for $14 , and an authentic ramen dinner. Wow, I just counted and I went two straight weeks of kicking everyday. No wonder it felt so weird not shredding yesterday.