Toe Kick

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dotmpeg
Circle Kicker
Posts: 16
Joined: 22 Mar 2012 18:39

Toe Kick

Post by dotmpeg » 22 Mar 2012 18:47

I've just started freestyle footbag today, 3/22/12, and have a Mr. Sandbag. I already do freestyle football (my level is probably between advanced and intermediate), so I figured I would at least be able to toe kicks already, but it's completely different. I can't hit the bag above waist height, so it gets tiring fast. I do the reverse toe stall style of kicks, btw.

Muffinman
the gimp
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Post by Muffinman » 23 Mar 2012 04:44

That's probably why you're getting tired so quickly, with so much full leg movement. A more efficient toe kick in footbag is with a snap of the ankle, extending the entire leg straight, instead of bending at the knee. When I first started hacky sacking before I knew about footbag I did toe kicks like you're describing too.
Here's what a standard footbag toe kick should look like:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hhv-0tSPce4[/youtube]

Also, watch 40 seconds into this video (although you may as well watch the whole thing, as inside kicks are just as important, or more, to learn in footbag):
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5eUkdf9tCo[/youtube]


(Also, a mod might want to move this to the Trick Tips forum, from which I can add it to the Trick Tips Master List.)

janis
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Joined: 29 Dec 2005 18:46
Location: Australia

Re: Toe Kick

Post by janis » 29 Jun 2013 07:37

The key to doing really good toe kicks is having the appropriate level of relaxation. You don't want to be super tense with these as the best way to do these is to really have a fluid motion with a bit of a snap to it at the end at the point of contact with the footbag. When I am doing toe kicks and it feels perfect it's a bit like a wave of relaxation that starts with the core muscles then moves through the thighs then the calfs and eventually through the ankle and at the point of contact my ankle flicks up to hit the bag. When doing toe kicks this way the energy to make the kick isn't generated from lifting the entire leg it's more isolated and comes from the ankle movement and this ankle movement is much easier when you are relaxed as you are doing it. In a vague way it feels a bit like a wave of energy that goes through your leg and focuses at the point of contact.


Some tips for practicing it:
Really focus on getting a consistent set from the bag. Aim to get it going up in the same place every time.

Practice on both legs and make sure you can get this feeling good on both sides, this is such a fundamental move that being both sided is extremely important.

Once you have some consistency with getting the bag going up in the same spot start to really focus on efficiency and using the lowest amount of energy possible to get the same results. Having good form makes the energy expenditure drop a ton so this is a good sign that you are doing things right if the energy level drops while maintaining consistent setting of the bag.

Hopefully this helps.

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