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BEGINNER TRICKS
| Introduction Around the world Orbit/ATW-out Switch/legover |
Pickup Mirage Illusion Clipper |
Tiltless run 1 Tiltless run 2 Tiltless drill 1 Tiltless drill 2 |
Introduction
By this point, you should be fully comfortable with the basic kicks and stalls. If you're not, this is going to be exceptionally frustrating and unproductive. Every trick that you learn from this point forward will depend on your mastery of those kicks and stalls. We will only be practicing the same tricks with added components of difficulty. For example, around the world is simply a dexterity added to a toe stall.
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Around the world
1) Start from a toe stall
2) Set the bag straight up, to about waist height, as if performing consecutive toe stalls with only one foot
3) Quickly follow the bag upward with your leg as it ascends, beginning the dexterity right away
4) Circle the footbag with your leg moving from the inside of your body outward (if dexing with the right foot, dex clockwise -- henceforth referred to as an in-to-out dexterity)
5) Continue the dexterity as the bag peaks and descends, bringing your leg down at the same speed as the falling bag (remembering toe stall training)
6) Exaggerate the stall, cushioning the footbag on the toe of your foot
It's important to focus on separating the toe set from the beginning of the dexterity; they should not be performed as a single motion, but slightly punctuated. Remember to always be looking straight up and down on the bag, and, hence, set the bag straight. Balance is key, but alternating toe stalls should have prepared you. Remember to practice both sides! For more tips on around the world, visit the Modified.in thread here.
Video: Footbag trick -- around the world, by Erik Chan.
For best experience, view in full screen at 720p.
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Orbit/around the world-out
Follow the same directions for
around the world, yet dex the opposite direction, circling the bag from outside of the body inward (henceforth referred to as an out-to-in dexterity). Remember to practice both sides! For more tips on orbit/around the world-out, visit the Modified.in thread here.
Video: Footbag trick -- orbit, by Erik Chan.
For best experience, view in full screen at 720p.
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Switch/legover
1) Start from a toe stall
2) Set the bag straight up, to about waist height, as if performing alternating toe stalls
3) Perform a quick stance change, dropping your weight onto the setting foot and landing on that leg, while simultaneously lifting the former support leg upward into the air
4) With the former support leg, quickly follow the bag upward, driving with the knee, as it ascends, beginning the dexterity right away
5) Dex out-to-in
6) Continue the dexterity as the bag peaks and descends, bringing your leg down at the same speed as the falling bag (remembering toe stall training)
7) Exaggerate the stall, cushioning the footbag on the toe of your foot
The hop will make this trick a lot easier if you can master it. It will soon become necessary for mirage, while switch/legover can be performed two signficantly different ways. For more tips on switch/legover, visit the Modified.in thread here.
Video: Footbag trick -- switch, by Erik Chan.
For best experience, view in full screen at 720p.
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Pickup
Follow the same directions for
switch/legover, yet dex in-to-out. It helps to point the knee inward, decreasing the range with which the dex has to fully circle the footbag. Remember to practice both sides! For more tips on pickup, visit the Modified.in thread here.
Video: Footbag trick -- pickup, by Erik Chan.
For best experience, view in full screen at 720p.
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Mirage
1) Start from a toe stall
2) Set the bag straight up, to about waist height, as if performing alternating toe stalls
3) Perform a quick stance change
4) With the former support leg, quickly follow the bag upward, driving with the knee, as it ascends, beginning the dexterity right away
5) Dex in-to-out (faster than with switch/legover or pickup)
6) Continue the dexterity after the bag peaks, bringing your leg down, around the footbag, faster than the speed at which it is falling
7) Perform another quick stance change (planting the dexing leg, and lifting the former support leg); this double stance change is known as the "magic hop"
8) Exaggerate the stall, cushioning the footbag on the toe of your foot
Really focus on twisting your hips toward the setting leg, and then back, to make the dexterity less of a contorting, impossible mess. Mirage is the first truly challenging trick. Wrapping your head around the magic hop can be the most problematic issue with learning the move. Remember to practice both sides! For more tips on mirage, visit the Modified.in thread here.
Video: Footbag trick -- mirage, by Erik Chan.
For best experience, view in full screen at 720p.
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Illusion
Follow the same directions for
mirage, yet dex out-to-in. It helps to point the knee outward for out-to-in dexterities (and inward for in-to-out dexterities), decreasing the range with which the dex has to fully circle the footbag. Remember to practice both sides! For more tips on illusion, visit the Modified.in thread here.
Video: Footbag trick -- illusion, by Erik Chan.
For best experience, view in full screen at 720p.
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Clipper
1) Toss or drop from hand, to your side, and ever-slightly behind you
2) Aim for the centre of the instep of your shoe
3) Twist your shoulders and hips toward the side on which you plan to stall, almost 90 degrees in the shoulders (this will help to flatten the inside surface and produce a more controlled stall)
4) The stalling foot should be positioned just behind the calf, at a 45-degree angle from the support leg
5) Bend the support knee and simultaneously cushion through the stalling leg's foot to knee
6) Exaggerate the stall, cushioning the footbag on the toe of your foot
7) Try to set straight back up, raising the foot up to about knee-pit height
8) Catch in hand
9) Repeat on other side (very important!)
Remember to twist your shoulders and hips toward the stall. Balance is key -- if it is too difficult to stay upright, practice simply placing the footbag on your clipper stall and holding it there. Practice inside stalls. Remember to practice both sides! For more tips on clipper, visit the Modified.in thread here.
Video: Footbag trick -- clipper, by Erik Chan.
For best experience, view in full screen at 720p.
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Tiltless run 1
Now that you have learned 7 new tricks, it is important to incorporate a training regime similar to that from the previous section. Practice consecutives, as well as straight sets and controlled stalls. Here are some freestyled on-the-fly runs and drills as examples. Try to compose your own drills and exercises that will test and improve your weakest elements. After mastering each individual trick it is now, too, possible to attempt a little freestyling of your own. After honing various drills, try stringing tricks together without forethought of what combinations you might attempt.
Video: Tiltless run 1, by Erik Chan.
For best experience, view in full screen at 720p.
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Video: Tiltless run 2, by Erik Chan.
For best experience, view in full screen at 720p.
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Tiltless drill 1
Far legover > mirage > near clipper [repeat].
Video: Tiltless drill 1, by Erik Chan.
For best experience, view in full screen at 720p.
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Tiltless drill 2
Orbit > illusion > pickup [repeat].
Video: Tiltless drill 2, by Erik Chan.
For best experience, view in full screen at 720p.
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