Kankeri Japan

[C-Fan]

Props on going back to basics. I know how hard that is to do when you've played over 10 years, but I think it's a great idea. I should do that this winter...but I wonder if I have the resolve. So props to you for doing that, and being dedicated.

Top post painting:


One of Hiroshige's views of Tokyo. Classic ukiyo-e, woodblock art at its apex.

[Tjuggles]

TOP POST PAINTING! Glad this has now started in my blog too; it feels official.

Props on going back to basics. I know how hard that is to do when you've played over 10 years, but I think it's a great idea. I should do that this winter...but I wonder if I have the resolve. So props to you for doing that, and being dedicated.

Thanks, Ken. It's nice to hear that, to keep one motivated. Speaking of motivation, here are a couple of influences that have pushed me to return explicitly to the basics. My footbag game started (officially?) with Greg Nelson, Adam Keith and a couple more of the OG MI crew. I kicked with them mostly in Ann Arbor. I still remember GF being a bit one-sided, with his left toe being weaker. Adam worked on balance, which I appreciate much more now than I did then. Recently I have been listening to Chali 2na and one of his lyrics in "Step your game up" is "Foolish is the student who don't surpass their master". That has resonated with me. Before Chali 2na, but after Greg, Adam et al., I remember talking with Dan Ednie when he was in Japan about doubles and how he and Ales used to practice all tricks both sides, almost a bit surprised that he even had to say that, as though practicing both sides was of course the only way to practice. Similarly, I was talking with Rene when he came to Japan and he said he started to get good after he decided to start playing smart. I am now trying to play smart.


Kicked for about 45 minutes in the dance studio today. Sunny outside and warm but a bit windy. I ate too many cookies and so was a bit lackadaisical. I don't like cookies yet still eat them from time to time. Sugar = addiction.

Fundamentals:

- op toe stall x25 bs
- ss toe stall x25 bs
- op lil toe stall x25 bs
- ss lil toe stall x25 bs
- 2-bag one foot x25 bs
- 2-bag two feet x25 bs
- illusion x25 bs
- ss illusion x25 bs

7582 + 600 today = 8182 adds!


I noted that everything before the illusion stuff took about 15-20 minutes to complete. That includes walking aimlessly, staring aimlessly, etc., i.e., the footbag meander. I also noted that the 2-bag was pretty weak on my left side, and also 2-bag 2 feet. Practice what I am weakest at first.

I don't really have shred footage from today, but here is a short run/clip anyway.

[Tjuggles]

Kicked for 30 minutes today in the dance studio. Overcast outside

Fundamentals:

- op toe stall x25 bs
- ss toe stall x25 bs
- op lil toe stall x 25 bs
- ss lil toe stall x 25 bs (ss symple toe)
- 2-bag one foot x25 bs
- 2-bag two feet x50
- ATW i-o x25 bs

Addometer: 8182 + 500 today = 8682 adds!

2-bag two feet is definitely weak.

Managed to hit flip DATW (i-o) x3. That felt nice. I also managed to get a run on video, and also a one shot:

A run: A one shot:

[Tjuggles]

I have played pretty regulary the last week or so, but haven't posted because 1. haven't taken video footage, and 2. my thesis has taken priority. Still keeping notes though, so I am going to post the last 4 sessions which I wrote down but haven't posted here yet.


12/19/16 - Kicked for maybe 30 minutes? Didn't write down the end time so hard to know. I was in the long room.

Fundamentals:

- op toe stall x25 bs
- ss toe stall x25 bs
- pixie op toe x25 bs
- pixie ss toe x25 bs

Addometer: 8682 + 300 today = 8982 adds!


I wrote down to ask about how others practice or train. I know recently Nick Landes was talking about revisiting the basics in the (awesome) calendar video he made so I should talk to him to see how he is approaching it.

I also wrote down 'goals', and thinking about it now I think I was thinking about how important goals are for one's game. Footbag is physically and mentally demanding; it takes hours and hours of drops to get to the level many of us are at, and hundreds and hundreds of battling with your inner demons about whether or not to keep going, or to just say fuck it and give up. Have a goal helps maintain concentration. Setting the fundamental stuff as I have been doing has really helped my mental game. A lot of the basic stuff is still giving me trouble, but even though I may have shitty form for 80 percent of the drillage, I know that if I keep concentrating, and keep with the time on task, I will improve. It is also a sense of accomplishment, satisfaction, and relief to be able to check off a drill that I told myself I would practice each time I shred with the aim of becoming more both-sided.

----------------------------------------

12/21/16 - Kicked for maybe an hour? didn't write the stop time down. oops.

Fundamentals:
- op toe stall x25 bs
- ss toe stall x25 bs
- lil op toe stall x25 bs
- lil (symple) ss toe stall x25 bs
- 2-bag two feet x25 bs
- 2-bag one foot x25 bs

Addometer: 8982 + 350 today = 9332 adds!


----------------------------------------

12/24/16 - Kicked in my office for like 10 minutes, then went downstairs by the Ian Scott painting. Started at 2:25pm, didn't write when I finished. I assume at least 30 minutes.

Fundamentals:
- op toe stall x25 bs
- ss toe stall x25 bs
- lil op toe stall x25 bs
- lil (symple) ss toe stall x25 bs
- 2-bag two feet x25 bs
- 2-bag one foot x25 bs

Addometer: 9332 + 350 today = 9682 adds!

----------------------------------------

12/25/16 - Kicked in Kirk building, to change things up again. Started at 3pm played for an hour. The weather was warm but a little windy.

Fundamentals:
- op toe stall x25 bs
- ss toe stall x25 bs
- lil op toe stall x25 bs
- lil (symple) ss toe stall x25 bs
- 2-bag two feet x25 bs
- 2-bag one foot x25 bs
- left inside > ss legover x 25 (so 1 add plus two adds)

Addometer: 9682 + 425 today = 10707 adds! YES!

I noted that my ipad's memory was full so couldn't film more than the first 5 minutes or so. That is evidence that I have been kicking and recording a lot! Great! It's nice to get little reminders like that to show that you are putting time into something which you enjoy.

I also noted that I hit swirling toe both sides, a first for each side. Cool! Rev swirling toe is much more difficult for me; my muscle memory is such that I almost instinctively go for rev-up.


I got 10,000 adds of fundamental practice in, officially. That is nice and am looking forward to next year to have an entire year of add counting! Speaking of end of the year, I have used up my shred notebook! The first dated entry (on page 3) is July 30 2009. That means 7.5 years I have had the notebook. Wow. Page 2 has drills that Dan Ednie suggested I practice to get good. I will likely post about the notebook separately if/when I find time to; it's 3:30am here and I need beauty sleep.

Here is a little easy drill that is helping me with balance and toe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaV1RS5JsPY

[Tjuggles]

Just an update.

Things have been a bit more relaxed over the new year, as they should be. I have kicked fairly regularly, not taking more than a couple of days off between shreds. However, I took some time away from straight drilling for the holidays. That being said, yesterday I hit

- fairy ss mirage x11

which is possibly a personal record. I would like to keep track of my PRs more systematically.

On an academic side, I have finished the first draft of my thesis. It is a magical feeling, so relieving. That means that my free time will start to increase and if things go my way I will have like 6 months of no work and low expense life to feed to footbag.

I, like others, am enjoying the conversation on judging and look forward to see how it develops. I think it would be great for the game to have a judging system in place for circle.


The weather is perfect for outdoor shred today, so I will be kicking outside. If it is possible to take some video I will. Maybe a one-shot or something. For lack of a video, here is a picture of my old motorcycle which I enjoyed riding around NZ.

bike_full_1.jpeg (567.78 KiB) Viewed 10490 times

[Tjuggles]

The weather is perfect for outdoor shred today, so I will be kicking outside. If it is possible to take some video I will. Maybe a one-shot or something.

Outdoor shred happened, video didn't. Long runs and good vibes.


I took Wednesday the 11th off to relax. Today I am back at it. Since it's windy out, like Welly windy, I will kick at the gym. Will most likely take some video.

On a side note, I like how the quoting functionality has changed in the most recent update of the forums. Now, you get a link back to the post which was quoted (after the *wrote: * bit), as well as a time stamp when the quoted post was posted.

[Tjuggles]

Kicked Thursday the 12th of Jan for about 40 minutes. It was raining outside with gale force winds, i.e., a mostly normal day in Wellington, so I kicked at the gym. Finally got back to fundamental work. Felt good.

Fundamentals

- ss toe stall x25 bs
- op toe stall x25 bs
- ss lil toe stall x25 bs
- op lil toe stall x25 bs


Addometer: 10707 + 200 today = 10907 adds!

I also hit reverse swirling toe both sides for the first time. Cool trick.


I didn't film Thursday, and took Friday the 13th off to focus on my thesis and to rest my legs. Instead here is my first real taste of five-ball mill's mess from Friday (or maybe it was Saturday). Don't have it yet, but this whet my appetite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ear3p4UP-dU



Kicked for 45 minutes on Saturday in the long room because outside was windy as.

Fundamentals:

- ss toe stall x25 bs
- op toe stall x25 bs
- ss lil toe stall x25 bs
- op lil toe stall x25 bs


Addometer: 10907 + 200 today = 11107adds!

I also hit:

Forehead stall > sole stall > clipper. The first time I hit it was left foot sole stall to right foot clipper, and the second one was right foot sole to right foot clipper. I got both on film, but couldn't find the second one so only the first one is included in the video below.

I also noted that ss symple toe stall > lil (op) toe stall > rpt is a nice little combo.

Here are a couple of runs from the sesh. Thank you footbag.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ac0F9LgMHM

PS Hacked today (Sunday) with the crew.

[Tjuggles]

Kicked for just about 30 minutes in the dance studio today until the yoga class began. It was sunny out and warm (maybe 20 degrees Celcius?), but windy.

I didn't bring my music, so kicked without.

Fundamentals:

- ss toe x25 bs
- op toe x25 bs
- ss lil toe x25 bs
- op lil toe x25 bs

Addometer: 11107 + 200 today = 11307 adds!

After the sesh I wrote down that I felt good with the sesh. I also wrote that I want my left toe to get better. Remember to keep toes pointed up and stabilize from the knee down. In order to do that, remember that the support leg does pretty much all the work.

Here is a run from today:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7yOgVIjc00

[Tjuggles]

I was supposed to go to Tauranga but it got pushed back due to weather so I stayed home all day and caught up on stuff. I messed around barefoot throughout the day. I worked on toe sets, oh and hit swirl and rev swirl bs. Focus at some points was on mirroring my strong side, remembering to stay balanced on my right foot support leg for left toe stalls, to keep my toes pointed up, and to keep eye contact on the bag. I notice with my left toe I have a habit of looking away from the bag as I begin a toe set anything, yet don't do it on my other side.

Fundamentals:

- op toe x50 bs
- ss toe x50 bs

Addometer: 11307 + 200 today = 11507 adds!


I noted that I should work on some world records, but unfortunately .org is still down so I can't confirm any numbers. I wonder if there is another site?

[Tjuggles]

Kicked for about 45 minutes today in the long room. It was just becoming sunny as I decided to kick, after sheets of rain blew through, and the wind was still strong as hell so I went to the gym. I had been in Tauranga since last Thursday and didn't get a proper freestyle sesh in since then (got hack in though), so I didn't do any fundamental practice. Wow it felt good to shred! I felt confident in most of my runs, and managed to hit tapping legover bsos. I usually have trouble with the trick set from my left toe, but still managed to bsos it. It is a nice confirmation that things are improving.

I also hit reverse swirl > twirl bs. I tried for bsos but it isn't there yet. Here is a video of the rev swirl > twirl combos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?edit=vd&v=VtI53NwoXp0

...and here is a one shot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n823XBOIkow

[boyle]

What about to add in a swirl (regular) in that combo, probably after the twirl. That would be cool too.

[Tjuggles]

That would be cool. Will see what my legs think.

[Tjuggles]

It has been a long time. I am still waiting for my thesis defense, found my future wife, and JUST BOUGHT TICKETS TO PORTLAND!!!

See you fools there. More to come. Time to get serious.

[Cass]

Great news!!! See you this summer

[boyle]

That's awesome.

[Tjuggles]

Today, I have

1. Successfully defended my PhD thesis,
2. Secured a gig coding an online testing site for the university, and
3. Received confirmation that the rec centre will give me 1000 NZD to go to Portland!

Life eh?

[boyle]

That's so good! Awesome stuff. I guess that means you will stick around NZ a bit longer?

[Tjuggles]

Yep, I plan on getting PR here so will be around. We will definitely have to meet up.

[boyle]

I'm a bit uncertain about what will happen in the coming year (hopefully I get a job as a teacher, but we'll see if it's full time or whatever). I would like to make a trip to NZ, that would be quite fun. See what happens.

[Tjuggles]

All good. Get settled first then we can talk. If/when you do make it here we can go do one of the Great Walks. You will love them. I have never never been to Australia and so would be keen to head there as well.

On the footbag front, still been kicking about 2-4 days a week. Things will start to pick up next month when I hit it hard getting ready for worlds. At this point, I would say I am this prepared:

Routines: 15%
Shred 30: 15%

...where 100% would mean I have things memorized and ready to go.