Holy bejeezus! You must own that trick by now!
Bleeehhrr. So good.
Jay's Blog.
Well, today I woke up and was ready to find a certain Matt Cross. I ate a few bagels, a bowl of berries and was on my way with two pairs of quantums in hand. 2 hours of smooth sailing, mindless driving later I find myself at a house I have only seen once before. You may recognize this house's front porch by Matt's "Reverse swirling symp torque" video of 5 seconds length. I walk up, knock a few times, no answer...Check the time, I'm an hour early. This was pleasant, as today was far cooler than the last time I had been at Matt's house, last november I believe with Tom Mosher. So, to solve this problem I knocked on a few different spots around the door area, in hopes to find a nice sweet spot of knocking heaven. Turns out, my hopes were shattered by no sweet spot, so I just tried the door knob and let myself in... I peep a little "Matt?" with my sheepish voice, in hopes for his room mates not to see me. I imagine that his room mates wouldn't recognize me, and they might get hostile at some random kid in their doorway.
Another, louder voiced tone of "Matt? You there?" and nothing. I can HEAR people talking, but apparently they can't hear me. Now, here is a choice that separates the mules from the unicorns. Do I grow a pair, Stealth it to Matt's room and hope he's there, and have no room mate see me? If I get caught in the act, I'd have some awkward explaining to do as to why I'm in the middle of someone's house. Or do I simply sit like an ostrich in his front doorway just hoping that I can say "Matt" enough times that someone will just see who's there.
A few moments later, I cruise through his humble abode, knock on "High Plains Drifter" [the poster on his door] and see Matt at his computer eating some cereal, watching some TV. He gives me an honest greeting, remarks how I'm an hour early and I just shrug my shoulders, since the former 3 minutes of being in his doorway just turned the page of a new chapter in my life. We talk, we see some guitar action, and head to the campus for shred.
Turns out my Quantum 3.1 (white) pair needed to be retired for the session. The clipper area was coming unglued, and thus I had a hard time curling my toes and getting the crank that I don't have to work. Also, since I do need to curl my toes so much for crank, I had stretched the toe box stitching and material above my big toe enough that I had no resistance left to push against. I dropped alot. I play, very, mediocre at best today string wise, but I guess that is to be expected. When you drill for hours on end, your stringing balance and abilities seem to depreciate, which is why I think I'm going to start "drilling" routines year round. 2 minute strings should exercise that ability, especially when trying to go dropless everytime. Matt had some great strings that I haven't seen from him in a while. He kept it at his level, and had some good breathing and must have had a few 30+ contact runs, consistently and in a row.
I switched to my pink Quantums (yet to be coloured) and had that "hey, these aren't broken in yet" type feelings at my disposal. I hit some, yet again, mediocre stuff. Not my worst, but I didn't have a run all day that I would say "I want to see that on video" too. So, when Matt was getting ready to retire for the day, I decided I'd try some 6's. I still suck at PS whirl, and it took me the according amount of time to get my whirlwinds. I footed 7 big, monstrous Vasek'03 whirlwinds in a row, so, jump as high as possible and dex that bag style and it felt cool. However, as I realized as I started to hit whirlwinds, a SUPER tight spin that starts a little bit more behind you is what you need to get that bag in a better whirl spot. Really, the key is tight spin with bag starting a bit more behind.
I then hit my first strongside superduperfly, grabbed my camera and hit it again 2 tries later.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGACiI55GtY
[/youtube]
About a dozen more attempts on my flipsideo get one finally sealed but I had no idea if it was clean, and therefore it probably was the. So, I struggled, +struggle a bit more, and then took a break from it. Matt played some barefoot, and then I just HAD to hit flipside. Some tweaking, some playing with the spin later, and I still had no progress. Matt suggested Torch-r-rack, and I found them to be way easier. I guess I should say that I hit my first torch-r-racks too, and they feel really nice. Really easy too, on the scale of superflies. I got flipside superduper fly just after these, and Matt said it was deep ankle-y and perfect, and I'm happy to take his word for it.
I think that a really, really fun beast to hit would be whirlwind->superduperfly->spender. I would like to think that one day I would be able to control my legs in such a manner that this would be possible, and I look forward to that. Anyway, once Matt and I got back to his house he played some guitar, I stretched a bit and we watched a bit of the footage from the day. We had some typically footbagger discussions, oh-so-deep (pun intended) and of course non of it would ever really amount to anything. All in all it was a good day, and I'm glad I made the trip down to Fredonia New York. Obviously one's surroundings are going to be what dictates their perspective, and I'm really fortunate to have people like Matt Cross in my 'surroundings' and to have my view of footbag be honoured by that.
Another, louder voiced tone of "Matt? You there?" and nothing. I can HEAR people talking, but apparently they can't hear me. Now, here is a choice that separates the mules from the unicorns. Do I grow a pair, Stealth it to Matt's room and hope he's there, and have no room mate see me? If I get caught in the act, I'd have some awkward explaining to do as to why I'm in the middle of someone's house. Or do I simply sit like an ostrich in his front doorway just hoping that I can say "Matt" enough times that someone will just see who's there.
A few moments later, I cruise through his humble abode, knock on "High Plains Drifter" [the poster on his door] and see Matt at his computer eating some cereal, watching some TV. He gives me an honest greeting, remarks how I'm an hour early and I just shrug my shoulders, since the former 3 minutes of being in his doorway just turned the page of a new chapter in my life. We talk, we see some guitar action, and head to the campus for shred.
Turns out my Quantum 3.1 (white) pair needed to be retired for the session. The clipper area was coming unglued, and thus I had a hard time curling my toes and getting the crank that I don't have to work. Also, since I do need to curl my toes so much for crank, I had stretched the toe box stitching and material above my big toe enough that I had no resistance left to push against. I dropped alot. I play, very, mediocre at best today string wise, but I guess that is to be expected. When you drill for hours on end, your stringing balance and abilities seem to depreciate, which is why I think I'm going to start "drilling" routines year round. 2 minute strings should exercise that ability, especially when trying to go dropless everytime. Matt had some great strings that I haven't seen from him in a while. He kept it at his level, and had some good breathing and must have had a few 30+ contact runs, consistently and in a row.
I switched to my pink Quantums (yet to be coloured) and had that "hey, these aren't broken in yet" type feelings at my disposal. I hit some, yet again, mediocre stuff. Not my worst, but I didn't have a run all day that I would say "I want to see that on video" too. So, when Matt was getting ready to retire for the day, I decided I'd try some 6's. I still suck at PS whirl, and it took me the according amount of time to get my whirlwinds. I footed 7 big, monstrous Vasek'03 whirlwinds in a row, so, jump as high as possible and dex that bag style and it felt cool. However, as I realized as I started to hit whirlwinds, a SUPER tight spin that starts a little bit more behind you is what you need to get that bag in a better whirl spot. Really, the key is tight spin with bag starting a bit more behind.
I then hit my first strongside superduperfly, grabbed my camera and hit it again 2 tries later.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGACiI55GtY
[/youtube]
About a dozen more attempts on my flipsideo get one finally sealed but I had no idea if it was clean, and therefore it probably was the. So, I struggled, +struggle a bit more, and then took a break from it. Matt played some barefoot, and then I just HAD to hit flipside. Some tweaking, some playing with the spin later, and I still had no progress. Matt suggested Torch-r-rack, and I found them to be way easier. I guess I should say that I hit my first torch-r-racks too, and they feel really nice. Really easy too, on the scale of superflies. I got flipside superduper fly just after these, and Matt said it was deep ankle-y and perfect, and I'm happy to take his word for it.
I think that a really, really fun beast to hit would be whirlwind->superduperfly->spender. I would like to think that one day I would be able to control my legs in such a manner that this would be possible, and I look forward to that. Anyway, once Matt and I got back to his house he played some guitar, I stretched a bit and we watched a bit of the footage from the day. We had some typically footbagger discussions, oh-so-deep (pun intended) and of course non of it would ever really amount to anything. All in all it was a good day, and I'm glad I made the trip down to Fredonia New York. Obviously one's surroundings are going to be what dictates their perspective, and I'm really fortunate to have people like Matt Cross in my 'surroundings' and to have my view of footbag be honoured by that.
Jay Boychuk
Grumble, BOTH "quantum 3.1's" have now had their sole come undone. I'm at a cross roads of saying "Fuck this, lets play with a shoe designed in the 1970's which is the worst for your body in every way" or "Ok, I'll shoe-goo my $80 shoes which broke in a matter of sessions and forget about it"...
I recalled a certain someone's Worlds routine this year. Mid-routine their shoelace came undone and there certainly wasn't time to stop and tie it, but with 1 foot laces dangling everywhere it is also basically a hazard. So, with a "I paid 1000+ dollars to fly here, just to find out that EVERYTHING I've been training for was lost due to a shoe malfunction". I can only imagine playing in the Q3.1's one day, going for that epic clipper and having it pop out or apart from my dear shoe.
Plus, wait! The Quantum has THE worst sole ever! If you play on anything less than diamond grits glued finely ontop of sandpaper, you'll have a grand time trying to zoom out of torque with no crank. You think you've got that blender->zoom? Nu-uh, no way hosannah!
So, there is always the option of going for the Gunit again, instead of switching to lavers. But going to the Gunit is basically subjecting myself to playing footbag while thinking about golden girls reruns on tv-land. "Hey, did you put no effort into that stall? Heck yes! You caught it, and then hit something fabulous out of it as a result". I don't want that anymore.
So yeah. I'm going to see if I can lace my lavers to have a toe-box which is big enough to actually stall the footbag, because at a size 8 laver the toe is really only adequate to stall a chick-pea. Hey wait, the toe on the laver also points DOWNWARDS! Did you think you caught that eggbeater? Yes you did, but gravity still works and the coefficient of friction between a silky surface and that facile footbag just isn't going to cut it today. Hear hear for 70 degree sets!
If I don't like lavers after 1 week, I'm going Gunits for the rest of eternity, hiding in a hole and hoping that the Queency shoe solves all our problems.
I recalled a certain someone's Worlds routine this year. Mid-routine their shoelace came undone and there certainly wasn't time to stop and tie it, but with 1 foot laces dangling everywhere it is also basically a hazard. So, with a "I paid 1000+ dollars to fly here, just to find out that EVERYTHING I've been training for was lost due to a shoe malfunction". I can only imagine playing in the Q3.1's one day, going for that epic clipper and having it pop out or apart from my dear shoe.
Plus, wait! The Quantum has THE worst sole ever! If you play on anything less than diamond grits glued finely ontop of sandpaper, you'll have a grand time trying to zoom out of torque with no crank. You think you've got that blender->zoom? Nu-uh, no way hosannah!
So, there is always the option of going for the Gunit again, instead of switching to lavers. But going to the Gunit is basically subjecting myself to playing footbag while thinking about golden girls reruns on tv-land. "Hey, did you put no effort into that stall? Heck yes! You caught it, and then hit something fabulous out of it as a result". I don't want that anymore.
So yeah. I'm going to see if I can lace my lavers to have a toe-box which is big enough to actually stall the footbag, because at a size 8 laver the toe is really only adequate to stall a chick-pea. Hey wait, the toe on the laver also points DOWNWARDS! Did you think you caught that eggbeater? Yes you did, but gravity still works and the coefficient of friction between a silky surface and that facile footbag just isn't going to cut it today. Hear hear for 70 degree sets!
If I don't like lavers after 1 week, I'm going Gunits for the rest of eternity, hiding in a hole and hoping that the Queency shoe solves all our problems.
Jay Boychuk
-
Eric Chang
- Fearless
- Posts: 567
- Joined: 29 May 2006 23:16
- Location: San Jose, California
-Thanks for reminding me about that Jay, now I hate Worlds 08 again. Also you want to also put in that some piece of shit was hammering nails into the ground DURING my routine so a nice hammer on metal sound good for distraction. Whats worse is that it was my best start of any routine Ive done so far (well dismissing the drop on Whateverjay7 wrote: I recalled a certain someone's Worlds routine this year. Mid-routine their shoelace came undone and there certainly wasn't time to stop and tie it, but with 1 foot laces dangling everywhere it is also basically a hazard. So, with a "I paid 1000+ dollars to fly here, just to find out that EVERYTHING I've been training for was lost due to a shoe malfunction".
-Haha how do you think I feel with size 6.5jay7 wrote: So yeah. I'm going to see if I can lace my lavers to have a toe-box which is big enough to actually stall the footbag, because at a size 8 laver the toe is really only adequate to stall a chick-pea.
-You and me bothjay7 wrote: Hoping that the Queency shoe solves all our problems.
By the way, your sarcasm/intense imagery always makes me glad to read this blog.
Look a BLOG! That I never update
http://modified.in/footbag/viewtopic.php?t=16244
http://modified.in/footbag/viewtopic.php?t=16244
I'm agreeing with most of what you think
I played in Q1 for 8 months, I was "okay" and did'nt really go crazy over them, and they died. I switched back to units.
Then caught Q2, 2 sessions and it was enough.
Now I walk with quantums 2 sometimes, I bring lavers to session once out of 4 months for fun and make sure I'm still trying to stall and not lazy!
G-Units are still the most efficient shoe in my opinion. Be a gangster.
I played in Q1 for 8 months, I was "okay" and did'nt really go crazy over them, and they died. I switched back to units.
Then caught Q2, 2 sessions and it was enough.
Now I walk with quantums 2 sometimes, I bring lavers to session once out of 4 months for fun and make sure I'm still trying to stall and not lazy!
G-Units are still the most efficient shoe in my opinion. Be a gangster.
Mathieu Gauthier
Played with Jorden today, and it was a pretty calm session. We chatted, and mostly fooled around. I don't think I had a run over 5 contacts to be honest, but this was partially due to a mild injury that I didn't have any interest in ruining.
I'll cut to the chase of why I wanted to post here on this rainy sunday here in Hamilton Ontario; I love footbag. There have been some times in my career that I have wondered "Why do I actually enjoy it? There isn't a grand prize at the end, the outside world couldn't care less, and other aspects of my life certainly suffer because of it". I mean honestly, I could be having the social time of my life, hanging out with friends getting drunk and really fulfilling my university experience to it's most traditional sense. As we were walking back, by we I imply me and Jorden, from the YMCA I sort of asked him some questions about what he thought of my university career. I mentioned that, since it is almost a quarter over, if I would feel like I've wasted it by playing footbag. I think this year would have gone alot slower if I sat back and smelt the roses with a girlfriend once in a while, and friday nights wouldn't have been spent sleeping from the weeks exhaustion. I compared the life I could be having with TV, and stories you hear on the internet. Jorden reminded me that the ideal world that I was describing is commercialized and put on tv more like a fantasy, and that the life of a "university student" on collegehumour.com really isn't what it's cracked up to be.
I drove home, I showered, pondered, made some fresh orange juice, cut my 3 layer salami/ham/lettuce/caesar dressing/melted cheese/salt+pepper sandwhich in half straight from the toaster oven, sat down and wathced Lappi. Lappi, as Anssi says "The Lappland" is an area in northern Finland where that day 25 of this years christmas calendar was shot. This video always puts me in a great, inspired mood for some reason, despite the fact that it contains about 12 seconds of shred. Something about that battle between the fronts of responsibilities and shred, and the self-driven actions of dear Juho kind of remind me of myself, in a less completely badass way.
No matter where I was in the time before footbag, I couldn't feel at home. I went through several hobbies, including paintball, tennis, piano, archery, and skateboarding with intensity, but I felt like I was getting no where. It seemed like the more effort I put into the activity, the more I felt myself getting pushed away into the land of boredom, and unsatisfaction. Everytime I went out and drilled, or stayed in and learned I felt as if I was doing it for someone else's satisfaction, and the grand prize at the end. Something just didn't cut the mustard, until I found footbag.
The people, places and atmosphere that is created by footbag just feels like home. I was talking with my sister yesterday about how hard it is to have "friends" in University, and in times when you have responsibilities. It seems that in highschool, since you have so much time on your hands you have to fill it with friends and socializing; but once you get to university or into the workplace, so much of your time is spent that you just need your alone time; and space. However, the people I communicate with in footbag are what I would consider friends now. Having that issue in common with someone, someone who completely understands puts your in a secure zone that no one else can easily get into. I feel as if when I meet a new stranger for the first time, it takes months of constant exposure to feel comfortable and open to express whatever I truly have to say to them. But, even with someone like Jorden, Johnny or Tom, I've probably seen them all less than 40 times in my life, and because of footbag I feel like they are really the closest people I have in my life alone at university. Hell, even my close family doesn't compare, I see them at christmas and say occasional hello's in Gmail, but when I see them face to face, what are you even supposed to think and say?
The journey of footbag was well described to me by a certain Jim Penske, and I feel really fortunate that because of footbag someone like him could even talk to some kid, years younger and in a different country about something that his life is heavily founded upon. Being able to love to practise, to love the every movement you make in footbag is where you can start being successful. After my sometimes 12 hour days at the school/library, during the little breaks in one's day the only thing on my mind is the 8th floor of 1686 main st west, where I can lace up some shoes and kick a little bag. I don't get any high fives, there isn't some achievement point to unlock at the end, but I just love to practise. It's where everything comes together, and that feeling is what I want for as long as I can hold onto it. Nothing else is comparable, any other activity I have to take breaks, but footbag is the thing that I can't get enough of.
My favourite moves in footbag are the ones that come closer to me learning to fly. The really big, long airtime height filled tricks are the ones that really capture all of what I want the most. Currently symp butterfly has been giving that to me, and I love every moment I'm doing them. Jorden was teaching me the efficient ways of hitting them today, which, granted may look better and be more efficient in everyway, but doing spinning symp butter and just launching is comparable to nothing else. Hitting that symp bent, whirlwind, superduperfly, symp egg or nova just feels so natural and powerful. I know you must use all these tricks in moderation, so I cherish when they are my reality. Not even something like bs clown feels as mentally stimulating when passed through my head as a superfly.
So yeah, dear Reader. Do yourself a favour and the next time you lace up those 'kicks', love what you're doing. Think about it, every single thing you've ever learned or done, has amounted to you being right there, right then. Take advantage of how awesome footbag is, like nothing else.
I'll cut to the chase of why I wanted to post here on this rainy sunday here in Hamilton Ontario; I love footbag. There have been some times in my career that I have wondered "Why do I actually enjoy it? There isn't a grand prize at the end, the outside world couldn't care less, and other aspects of my life certainly suffer because of it". I mean honestly, I could be having the social time of my life, hanging out with friends getting drunk and really fulfilling my university experience to it's most traditional sense. As we were walking back, by we I imply me and Jorden, from the YMCA I sort of asked him some questions about what he thought of my university career. I mentioned that, since it is almost a quarter over, if I would feel like I've wasted it by playing footbag. I think this year would have gone alot slower if I sat back and smelt the roses with a girlfriend once in a while, and friday nights wouldn't have been spent sleeping from the weeks exhaustion. I compared the life I could be having with TV, and stories you hear on the internet. Jorden reminded me that the ideal world that I was describing is commercialized and put on tv more like a fantasy, and that the life of a "university student" on collegehumour.com really isn't what it's cracked up to be.
I drove home, I showered, pondered, made some fresh orange juice, cut my 3 layer salami/ham/lettuce/caesar dressing/melted cheese/salt+pepper sandwhich in half straight from the toaster oven, sat down and wathced Lappi. Lappi, as Anssi says "The Lappland" is an area in northern Finland where that day 25 of this years christmas calendar was shot. This video always puts me in a great, inspired mood for some reason, despite the fact that it contains about 12 seconds of shred. Something about that battle between the fronts of responsibilities and shred, and the self-driven actions of dear Juho kind of remind me of myself, in a less completely badass way.
No matter where I was in the time before footbag, I couldn't feel at home. I went through several hobbies, including paintball, tennis, piano, archery, and skateboarding with intensity, but I felt like I was getting no where. It seemed like the more effort I put into the activity, the more I felt myself getting pushed away into the land of boredom, and unsatisfaction. Everytime I went out and drilled, or stayed in and learned I felt as if I was doing it for someone else's satisfaction, and the grand prize at the end. Something just didn't cut the mustard, until I found footbag.
The people, places and atmosphere that is created by footbag just feels like home. I was talking with my sister yesterday about how hard it is to have "friends" in University, and in times when you have responsibilities. It seems that in highschool, since you have so much time on your hands you have to fill it with friends and socializing; but once you get to university or into the workplace, so much of your time is spent that you just need your alone time; and space. However, the people I communicate with in footbag are what I would consider friends now. Having that issue in common with someone, someone who completely understands puts your in a secure zone that no one else can easily get into. I feel as if when I meet a new stranger for the first time, it takes months of constant exposure to feel comfortable and open to express whatever I truly have to say to them. But, even with someone like Jorden, Johnny or Tom, I've probably seen them all less than 40 times in my life, and because of footbag I feel like they are really the closest people I have in my life alone at university. Hell, even my close family doesn't compare, I see them at christmas and say occasional hello's in Gmail, but when I see them face to face, what are you even supposed to think and say?
The journey of footbag was well described to me by a certain Jim Penske, and I feel really fortunate that because of footbag someone like him could even talk to some kid, years younger and in a different country about something that his life is heavily founded upon. Being able to love to practise, to love the every movement you make in footbag is where you can start being successful. After my sometimes 12 hour days at the school/library, during the little breaks in one's day the only thing on my mind is the 8th floor of 1686 main st west, where I can lace up some shoes and kick a little bag. I don't get any high fives, there isn't some achievement point to unlock at the end, but I just love to practise. It's where everything comes together, and that feeling is what I want for as long as I can hold onto it. Nothing else is comparable, any other activity I have to take breaks, but footbag is the thing that I can't get enough of.
My favourite moves in footbag are the ones that come closer to me learning to fly. The really big, long airtime height filled tricks are the ones that really capture all of what I want the most. Currently symp butterfly has been giving that to me, and I love every moment I'm doing them. Jorden was teaching me the efficient ways of hitting them today, which, granted may look better and be more efficient in everyway, but doing spinning symp butter and just launching is comparable to nothing else. Hitting that symp bent, whirlwind, superduperfly, symp egg or nova just feels so natural and powerful. I know you must use all these tricks in moderation, so I cherish when they are my reality. Not even something like bs clown feels as mentally stimulating when passed through my head as a superfly.
So yeah, dear Reader. Do yourself a favour and the next time you lace up those 'kicks', love what you're doing. Think about it, every single thing you've ever learned or done, has amounted to you being right there, right then. Take advantage of how awesome footbag is, like nothing else.
Jay Boychuk
Jay, you are supercool.
That was a great post. I related to your feelings about having a bond with footbaggers, and also the part about trading a more traditional social life for the life of an obsessed footbagger. Oh well, footbag is fun. I wouldn't trade it. It's been a wild ride, and it's not over.
Matt
That was a great post. I related to your feelings about having a bond with footbaggers, and also the part about trading a more traditional social life for the life of an obsessed footbagger. Oh well, footbag is fun. I wouldn't trade it. It's been a wild ride, and it's not over.
Matt
BRICK!
rfa::never give up::
nyfa
rfa::never give up::
nyfa
Your passion for footbag really shines through in your writing Jay. I think it's great that you love footbag as much as you do.
That said, this paragraph stood out to me:
Regardless of which path you choose, it is only natural to wonder: "Am I taking the path that is best for me?" In order to answer that question, it can be useful to ask other people about their experiences. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but my impression is that Jorden took Path A himself (played a ton of solo footbag, no girlfriend or partying, etc.). Hearing him say that he is happy that he chose Path A is valuable information, and can help you feel reassured in your own choice of Path A. That said, it might also be worth getting feedback from somebody who took Path B. If the person who took Path B told you that they regret their decision and wish they had taken Path A...well then that would be a powerful argument in favor of A. However, if the person who took Path B said they were happy with Path B, and had no regrets about taking it, then that would also be useful information. Ultimately, somebody who only took Path A cannot tell you that much about Path B, and vice versa. While it may turn out that Path A is the best path for you, don't write off Path B or assume that it "isn't what it's cracked up to be" just because somebody from Path A told you so.
In my experience, Paths A and B are extremes, and you can strike a balance between the two. I had girlfriends through all of undergrad (4 years) and half of grad school (2 years), and still found some time for footbag. Did I get to play as much as I would have liked to? No. Would I be a better footbagger today if I had a less active social life in school? Probably. That said, university is a time where you meet some of the most interesting, enthusiastic people you will in your life. You can learn a lot about yourself by getting out there and interacting with them. Once university is over, a lot of those social opportunities are harder to come by. Don't get me wrong: skooling your ass off in footbag can be fun and rewarding too, and teaches you things you can't get from the dating scene or parties. But there are things you can learn there that you can't learn from a footbag. There are experiences and social opportunities you will only have in university. The footbag and solo sessions with it, well, those will still be around down the road.
I just wanted to provide a different perspective, and to encourage you to seek advice and learn from as varied a pool of sources as you can. As I said before, Path A may indeed be the best path for you, and the one that makes you happiest. I just wanted to throw out there that you may want to consider a more varied range of opinions, and not just get feedback from footbaggers.
That said, this paragraph stood out to me:
From your description, it sounds like you are taking one path/approach to university, where you are foregoing the traditional social experiences of university in favor of playing lots of footbag. Let's call this Path A. Now let's call the more traditional path where you would play less footbag but have a girlfriend, party, and do more traditional social activities Path B.jay7 wrote:I could be having the social time of my life, hanging out with friends getting drunk and really fulfilling my university experience to it's most traditional sense. ...I asked him some questions about what he thought of my university career. I mentioned that, since it is almost a quarter over, if I would feel like I've wasted it by playing footbag. I think this year would have gone alot slower if I sat back and smelt the roses with a girlfriend once in a while, and friday nights wouldn't have been spent sleeping from the weeks exhaustion. I compared the life I could be having with TV, and stories you hear on the internet. Jorden reminded me that the ideal world that I was describing is commercialized and put on tv more like a fantasy, and that the life of a "university student" on collegehumour.com really isn't what it's cracked up to be.
.
Regardless of which path you choose, it is only natural to wonder: "Am I taking the path that is best for me?" In order to answer that question, it can be useful to ask other people about their experiences. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but my impression is that Jorden took Path A himself (played a ton of solo footbag, no girlfriend or partying, etc.). Hearing him say that he is happy that he chose Path A is valuable information, and can help you feel reassured in your own choice of Path A. That said, it might also be worth getting feedback from somebody who took Path B. If the person who took Path B told you that they regret their decision and wish they had taken Path A...well then that would be a powerful argument in favor of A. However, if the person who took Path B said they were happy with Path B, and had no regrets about taking it, then that would also be useful information. Ultimately, somebody who only took Path A cannot tell you that much about Path B, and vice versa. While it may turn out that Path A is the best path for you, don't write off Path B or assume that it "isn't what it's cracked up to be" just because somebody from Path A told you so.
In my experience, Paths A and B are extremes, and you can strike a balance between the two. I had girlfriends through all of undergrad (4 years) and half of grad school (2 years), and still found some time for footbag. Did I get to play as much as I would have liked to? No. Would I be a better footbagger today if I had a less active social life in school? Probably. That said, university is a time where you meet some of the most interesting, enthusiastic people you will in your life. You can learn a lot about yourself by getting out there and interacting with them. Once university is over, a lot of those social opportunities are harder to come by. Don't get me wrong: skooling your ass off in footbag can be fun and rewarding too, and teaches you things you can't get from the dating scene or parties. But there are things you can learn there that you can't learn from a footbag. There are experiences and social opportunities you will only have in university. The footbag and solo sessions with it, well, those will still be around down the road.
I just wanted to provide a different perspective, and to encourage you to seek advice and learn from as varied a pool of sources as you can. As I said before, Path A may indeed be the best path for you, and the one that makes you happiest. I just wanted to throw out there that you may want to consider a more varied range of opinions, and not just get feedback from footbaggers.
Thanks for the positive responses guys + Tina! I'm glad the words I wrote down affected you all in some way.
You're certainly right Ken, in that an outside perspective, or just more perspectives in general can make the most well rounded decision. Thanks for sharing your opinion.
As for shred. I switched to Lavers for a few days... I got used to the clipper, and the ANGLE of the toe box enough to be able to play, but I just can't stand how tiny that toe box is. The lavers I am using are black, so I don't want to Mod the toe box in some way to make the toe bigger, and have it turn out like shit. So, I modded some Gunits and played for a few days.
Oh inside glory, and toe fantasy galore. I did find something new that I (quickly fixed) with the Gunits though. The heel is far higher up that where the ball of your toe sits. So, if you use the spenco insoles I have, with a really thick heel, you start playing more "flat footed". The first few days I was clunking around and I had no idea why, and then I examined further. Playing with the stock GUnit insoles solved the problem, as the back is paper thin so you have a more balanced angle.
However, the weight just didn't seem right. I drilled some eggbeaters, and it just seemed to take too much effort to move these bricks around that little bag in a slicing fashion. In fact, all my dexterities in general started looking like crap, as I filmed this entire transition. I noticed that by day 3 of Gunits, I was catching and setting the bag on really poor positions on my foot, and getting away with virtually murder. So, today, I said "fuck it, lets go with some Quantums". I have 4 pairs of destroyed quantums, so I found the left and right shoe which were the least unglued, and played. The first time I tried eggbeater, like, I didn't even warm up with illusions, I got egg*3->ss egg*3*rpt. I simply COULDN'T get this with Gunits yesterday, at all.
One thing that didn't change about the Quantums, is the fact that they are a half size too big for my feet. This means I catch my clipper, with Quantums, on the same area of my foot, by a completely unsatisfactory position on the shoe. My natural place to catch a clipper in my half size too big Quantums is just where the toe box makes a V with the side of your shoe and the laces, which is definetly not where it is designed to stall with no crank. So, a few minutes later, alot harder cranking and I could play normally again...Except for the sole of course. WHICH, I decided I am going to experiment with, and fix. Some dremeling, some carving and some shoe goo + sandpaper, I think I want to make the best most grippy quantum sole ever. It will be a fun project as a first year Engineer
I hope I can order a replacement shoe for the 3.1's that died on me, that is a half size smaller. I feel that with that size of shoe, and my 'new' sole modification it would solve all the issues. I'd have the greatest weight, toe, grip, and a decent clipper.
So yeah, I didn't film today at all. I hit some new things, the most notable was Wonton Ducking butterfly bs. A new set ducked! First session trying it, and it felt good. I also got a few new wonton drills, because I've never done them before. I drilled some flails too, and tried them Kevin Regamey style. That is, super high, bouncy as rubber and PERFECT posture. I find that to get a Kevin flail, you need to set ONLY with your knee->leave knee in air, then bounce with one big momentum push upwards->set knee goes a bit under you, and your heel pushes you upwards with the rest of your body-> flail->catch->rpt.
I got some really nice pixie flails with that technique, pixie->really high->big bounce of death->dex->catch.
I'm excited to mod the sole of these shoes, I just hope that the mod will be long-lasting. I hear shoe-goo is pretty tough stuff though, so I figure if I leave it to dry long enough it will work. Meh, I've got 8 shoes to experiment on
You're certainly right Ken, in that an outside perspective, or just more perspectives in general can make the most well rounded decision. Thanks for sharing your opinion.
As for shred. I switched to Lavers for a few days... I got used to the clipper, and the ANGLE of the toe box enough to be able to play, but I just can't stand how tiny that toe box is. The lavers I am using are black, so I don't want to Mod the toe box in some way to make the toe bigger, and have it turn out like shit. So, I modded some Gunits and played for a few days.
Oh inside glory, and toe fantasy galore. I did find something new that I (quickly fixed) with the Gunits though. The heel is far higher up that where the ball of your toe sits. So, if you use the spenco insoles I have, with a really thick heel, you start playing more "flat footed". The first few days I was clunking around and I had no idea why, and then I examined further. Playing with the stock GUnit insoles solved the problem, as the back is paper thin so you have a more balanced angle.
However, the weight just didn't seem right. I drilled some eggbeaters, and it just seemed to take too much effort to move these bricks around that little bag in a slicing fashion. In fact, all my dexterities in general started looking like crap, as I filmed this entire transition. I noticed that by day 3 of Gunits, I was catching and setting the bag on really poor positions on my foot, and getting away with virtually murder. So, today, I said "fuck it, lets go with some Quantums". I have 4 pairs of destroyed quantums, so I found the left and right shoe which were the least unglued, and played. The first time I tried eggbeater, like, I didn't even warm up with illusions, I got egg*3->ss egg*3*rpt. I simply COULDN'T get this with Gunits yesterday, at all.
One thing that didn't change about the Quantums, is the fact that they are a half size too big for my feet. This means I catch my clipper, with Quantums, on the same area of my foot, by a completely unsatisfactory position on the shoe. My natural place to catch a clipper in my half size too big Quantums is just where the toe box makes a V with the side of your shoe and the laces, which is definetly not where it is designed to stall with no crank. So, a few minutes later, alot harder cranking and I could play normally again...Except for the sole of course. WHICH, I decided I am going to experiment with, and fix. Some dremeling, some carving and some shoe goo + sandpaper, I think I want to make the best most grippy quantum sole ever. It will be a fun project as a first year Engineer
I hope I can order a replacement shoe for the 3.1's that died on me, that is a half size smaller. I feel that with that size of shoe, and my 'new' sole modification it would solve all the issues. I'd have the greatest weight, toe, grip, and a decent clipper.
So yeah, I didn't film today at all. I hit some new things, the most notable was Wonton Ducking butterfly bs. A new set ducked! First session trying it, and it felt good. I also got a few new wonton drills, because I've never done them before. I drilled some flails too, and tried them Kevin Regamey style. That is, super high, bouncy as rubber and PERFECT posture. I find that to get a Kevin flail, you need to set ONLY with your knee->leave knee in air, then bounce with one big momentum push upwards->set knee goes a bit under you, and your heel pushes you upwards with the rest of your body-> flail->catch->rpt.
I got some really nice pixie flails with that technique, pixie->really high->big bounce of death->dex->catch.
I'm excited to mod the sole of these shoes, I just hope that the mod will be long-lasting. I hear shoe-goo is pretty tough stuff though, so I figure if I leave it to dry long enough it will work. Meh, I've got 8 shoes to experiment on
Jay Boychuk
I kind of took the same route with filling in a social life with footbag. Footbag is so, so much to me and 99% of the time makes me feel awesome and makes crappy feelings go away (at least temporarily) and all of that. But I totally regret not holding onto and developing friendships in university. There were people that were totally into me and I just kind of blew them off and watched them make friends with others. Now I have no friends and in a few years probably no footbag. All I can think to do is go back to school and try again to make friends, because that is the easiest place to do that. If I could help someone else I care about avoid going through that and wasting valuable years and opportunities... I would post in his blog...
Thanks Eric, I appreciate your thoughts. You are a great guy
The drive to Albany was a smooth 6 hour drive, and I arrived at Will's around 10:30. We had a small living room session, and there was some style to be had.
Today's tennis court sessions were great, weather was PERFECT. I played pretty decently, I feel like I represented my level well enough.
Some highlights / new things.
Ps whirl->spinning clipper*rpt,
Dolomite swirl bs.
Blurry reaper bs,
Stepping ss dso bs.
dimwalk->dso*rpt
janiwalker->superfly->spinning clipper bs.
Blubberman->rubberman first try.
dlo->wonton leg*rpt*4?
Blurry whirl->Fog->dimwalk bs first try(s)
First steps out of superfly.
A zooming drill, that built consecutively, being called out as I shredded, osis->gyro->osis->spin*rpt->osis->spin butter->osis->spin butter->osis->spinning leg->butter->osis->spinning leg->butter->osis->gyro mirage->butter->butter->osis-> gyro mirage->butter->osis->spinning mirage->butter->osis-> spinning mirage->butter->osis->spinning whirl->osis->spinning whirl footed.
The drive to Albany was a smooth 6 hour drive, and I arrived at Will's around 10:30. We had a small living room session, and there was some style to be had.
Today's tennis court sessions were great, weather was PERFECT. I played pretty decently, I feel like I represented my level well enough.
Some highlights / new things.
Ps whirl->spinning clipper*rpt,
Dolomite swirl bs.
Blurry reaper bs,
Stepping ss dso bs.
dimwalk->dso*rpt
janiwalker->superfly->spinning clipper bs.
Blubberman->rubberman first try.
dlo->wonton leg*rpt*4?
Blurry whirl->Fog->dimwalk bs first try(s)
First steps out of superfly.
A zooming drill, that built consecutively, being called out as I shredded, osis->gyro->osis->spin*rpt->osis->spin butter->osis->spin butter->osis->spinning leg->butter->osis->spinning leg->butter->osis->gyro mirage->butter->butter->osis-> gyro mirage->butter->osis->spinning mirage->butter->osis-> spinning mirage->butter->osis->spinning whirl->osis->spinning whirl footed.
Jay Boychuk
I just had one of those "Hey, lets try and hit tons of new tricks and drills" sessions. Needless to say, it went very well. I may have hit some inventions, which would be a splendid accomplishment indeed. I have a few toe drills that I have yet to hit, but I think that within the month I could hit some toe "dream" drills, that just involve many basics.
6 new 3 dexes, with symps, and 2 new 2 dexes with symps.
As per inspiration by Byrin Wylie, I did my first pixie and fairy sets out of rakes, which, as he said, DO feel really nice. I obviously didn't hit superfly rake->pixie downtime locomotion or something rediculous of that sort, but stuff like clipper far symple rake->smear, and really "fun" stuff. I also got a new trick, cross body toe->duck->opp cross body toe. For a highlight teaser, one of the new 3 dexes I got was furious symp mirage, and I hit one side into dimwalk, the other merely a butterfly. I fear that the mirage is shoe-ey, much like what Vasek would hit in the middle of a 58 contact string out of a double spinning whirl, but it is certainly a start. I am just now learning how Jorden and Vasek rip out those barraging mid time half whirr type sets, and I got some nice combos with a flurry and that style today. Dimwalk->barraging style flurry->parkwalk->barraging style flurry->dimwalk was nice, but I wish I could make it a repeat combo. Maybe next time; which I sure hope is tomorrow. In fact, I don't think I'd let anything get in the way of a session tomorrow, footbag is so cool.
Also I am taking great strides in improving my tiltless form, which is doing wonders for some tricks (like Barrage) that have suffered for many months now. Just when you think you know how to do ss mirage, you learn that Jorden was right and that you have bundles and oodles of room to improve, with EVERY single trick, no matter how godly someone like Jorden is. Speaking of which, did we all read the Todexon results? I am so happy for Jorden, and that he did a show-ey routine for a footbag audience that was dropless. I can't wait to see the video of it. Truly.
Anssi is great at footbag. Most of my trick selection inspiration is a direct result of his influence, and I hope one day that shows. Double dexes, symps, and just hunting that footbag on every contact just looks so good for his style.
I wish I could go to every event and just take video of all my favourite shredders, and compile it into a "heroes" type film as some sort of a piece of my gratitude and appreciation. That or like, give them all a sprite for good effort.
6 new 3 dexes, with symps, and 2 new 2 dexes with symps.
As per inspiration by Byrin Wylie, I did my first pixie and fairy sets out of rakes, which, as he said, DO feel really nice. I obviously didn't hit superfly rake->pixie downtime locomotion or something rediculous of that sort, but stuff like clipper far symple rake->smear, and really "fun" stuff. I also got a new trick, cross body toe->duck->opp cross body toe. For a highlight teaser, one of the new 3 dexes I got was furious symp mirage, and I hit one side into dimwalk, the other merely a butterfly. I fear that the mirage is shoe-ey, much like what Vasek would hit in the middle of a 58 contact string out of a double spinning whirl, but it is certainly a start. I am just now learning how Jorden and Vasek rip out those barraging mid time half whirr type sets, and I got some nice combos with a flurry and that style today. Dimwalk->barraging style flurry->parkwalk->barraging style flurry->dimwalk was nice, but I wish I could make it a repeat combo. Maybe next time; which I sure hope is tomorrow. In fact, I don't think I'd let anything get in the way of a session tomorrow, footbag is so cool.
Also I am taking great strides in improving my tiltless form, which is doing wonders for some tricks (like Barrage) that have suffered for many months now. Just when you think you know how to do ss mirage, you learn that Jorden was right and that you have bundles and oodles of room to improve, with EVERY single trick, no matter how godly someone like Jorden is. Speaking of which, did we all read the Todexon results? I am so happy for Jorden, and that he did a show-ey routine for a footbag audience that was dropless. I can't wait to see the video of it. Truly.
Anssi is great at footbag. Most of my trick selection inspiration is a direct result of his influence, and I hope one day that shows. Double dexes, symps, and just hunting that footbag on every contact just looks so good for his style.
I wish I could go to every event and just take video of all my favourite shredders, and compile it into a "heroes" type film as some sort of a piece of my gratitude and appreciation. That or like, give them all a sprite for good effort.
Jay Boychuk
Watch "Intense Session", for around the 3:30->3:50 mark, where Jorden hits pixie rake-> swirl. SUCH style the way he hit it. If you try to hit it, no, I'm sorry, you wont understand. Just dig into your Jorden folder, pick out intense session and enjoy.
I feel sorry for those new players who don't even know what the session series is, have no idea what Felix Zenger looks like, and don't know how Flipsider impacted footbag, since they have no idea what it was.
I also feel similar to Dave from 2 years ago, in that I'm posting something like this.
All the "hard stuff" I'm not ready for has had it's way of telling me I am not ready. My knee's and ankles need a day off. First day not having a session in, I can't even remember. I guess I schooled ATW in->out for about 15 minutes, but I can't say that is a session. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't play every day. Maybe this is where I should explore the Ken post on the previous page (this page?).
Statement of the day: Vasek is a hero. I can't appreciate his ability enough.
I feel sorry for those new players who don't even know what the session series is, have no idea what Felix Zenger looks like, and don't know how Flipsider impacted footbag, since they have no idea what it was.
I also feel similar to Dave from 2 years ago, in that I'm posting something like this.
All the "hard stuff" I'm not ready for has had it's way of telling me I am not ready. My knee's and ankles need a day off. First day not having a session in, I can't even remember. I guess I schooled ATW in->out for about 15 minutes, but I can't say that is a session. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't play every day. Maybe this is where I should explore the Ken post on the previous page (this page?).
Statement of the day: Vasek is a hero. I can't appreciate his ability enough.
Jay Boychuk
As a 12 year veteran of the sport, it's weird (not bad weird) to see a post like this. Jorden's vids, Felix, and Flipsider all feel like they were just yesterday. They were all around like 4 years ago, right?jay7 wrote:I feel sorry for those new players who don't even know what the session series is, have no idea what Felix Zenger looks like, and don't know how Flipsider impacted footbag, since they have no idea what it was.
I think it's weird that most people today have no idea how good Ahren Gehrman was, or have never seen Sultans of Shred, etc. I could go back even further, but then I feel like only Chan and Riefer would understand what I mean.
Hope that didn't seem like a hijack. I just find it interesting when players I still consider relatively new to the sport (like you Jay) start waxing nostalgic. That said, my perspective is probably skewed because most people don't stay in the sport as long as I have.
Enjoy your day off Jay. I hope you make some discoveries.