Extremely Slow Progress

Benzilla · Post by **Benzilla** » 09 Aug 2007 18:32

I have really gotten into playing footbag for the past 3-4 months, not counting since i first played with a crocheted crap sack, and haven't been able to hit a clipper until today.

Am I possibly the slowest learner, when it comes to playing footbag, in the world?

I never really drilled my self on doing tricks and stuff, mostly worked on consecutives and control. My record is 80 hits in a row with just about equal right and left inside, outside and toe kicks.

It may be that i haven't tried hard enough on tricks or that i suck really bad.

I have been able to do a flying clipper kick, and a butterfly kick for a few weeks now and those pretty much are the only tricks i can do, along with a clipper here and there.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

The Rhino · Post by **The Rhino** » 09 Aug 2007 19:24

I also had a rough time with clippers. most likely several months as well. once I learned them, they were still really hard to do... in puffy vans shoes. I got RAD lavers, that helped tremendously. I remember telling guys that it helped me in footbag 300%

do you have rod lavers? no, they are not the only footbag shoe.

80 HITS IN A ROW?

I've never done that.

yeah, really school them clippers, once you stall it, don't be in a hurry to bring it back up, the control is in the stall. stall it. ... wait for it... ok, bring it up. oh yeah, just like you got your kicks on both sides. the clipper needs to be that way too.

I'm sure my feedback was greatly appreciated.

Muffinman · Post by **Muffinman** » 09 Aug 2007 19:46

It also took me many months to learn clipper when I first started.
A big part of it is dedication. Are you standing there and trying over and over and over? Is it like drop > pick up [repeat] 20X a minute? That's what it takes -- a lot of failure. Don't be discouraged. (Also... get Lavers)

Also, go read trick tips in the Trick Tips forum. You can search for specific moves in one of the top threads. I think clipper has about a bajillion tips from other users -- that will help a lot. Someone (Dat Phan?) also made a crazy diagram for everything that you need to concentrate on while doing a clipper... I'm sure it will help.

Also, watch videos of people doing clippers in regular speed, and also in slow motion, over and over and over and take notice of what he/she does with every part of his/her body.

(And practice inside kicks and inside stalls)
AND DO EVERYTHING BOTH SIDES EQUALLY.
OR ELSE.

PegLegHolly · Post by **PegLegHolly** » 09 Aug 2007 21:40

lol... i hit butterfly before i hit clipper... and i cant do my flip clipper too well. youll learn at your own pace. drilling definately helps

janis · Post by **janis** » 09 Aug 2007 21:47

Benzilla wrote:I have really gotten into playing footbag for the past 3-4 months, not counting since i first played with a crocheted crap sack, and haven't been able to hit a clipper until today.

Am I possibly the slowest learner, when it comes to playing footbag, in the world?

I was playing maybe 2 years before hitting clipper

so you are definitely not the slowest learner out there

Dat · Post by **Dat** » 10 Aug 2007 00:51

I've been playing for 9 years and I think I'm finally truly understanding clipper

That diagram is rather outdated now. I've come up with a lot of other stuff I'll share when it's all finished.

Right now I think the best exercise for learning clipper technique is to

- drop into a toe stall
- slowly as possible, set the bag just above knee high while continuing to pull your knee upward and outward, rotating your body into the direction of the side of the toe stall foot. If you're starting from a right toe your shoulders and hips should be rotating clockwise, and counterclockwise for left foot.
- continuing with the upward motion/momentum from the set, hop off the leg you're standing so it cuts/drags across, barely in between your clipper foot and the footbag
- and then sink back into the ground with the bag on your clipper foot. At this point your clipper foot should make contact with the bag starting at the nook of your knee and dip down from there
- hold the stall for half a second or so and set it once your weight starts to spring back up.

The bag goes up and down; it's your body that rotates and moves into clipper. DO NOT SET THE BAG SIDEWAYS.

WAIT, and let your body fall and catch itself on the ground. Don't try to extend your leg/foot and plant prematurely. Planting too soon just makes it harder to balance.

Stalling the bag and playing out of the clipper does not mean you did it correctly. Clipper should feel comfortable and easy. If you have to work really hard then you're doing it wrong. Go back and try it a different way.

Benzilla · Post by **Benzilla** » 10 Aug 2007 05:19

Alright thanks guys. I guess i should work more on inside stalls then really drill myself on clippers. I have a approx 25% chance of nailing a clipper when i try it but i want and need to get that percentage up higher.

And btw, i do have lavers with the inside mesh removal mod done on the toe, inside and outside areas of both feet; the toe canvas strip removed; and a lacing mod.

Thanks again for the help

AaronG · Post by **AaronG** » 10 Aug 2007 20:16

All great advice!

I too can identify with the frustration of learning clipper, it took me months and I still struggle. It was very unnatural feeling at first. It takes a while for all the muscles to adjust and adapt to the new motions. My best tip would be to drill alternating inside kicks, then alternating inside stalls, when you can do 10 of those then clipper will come!

Extremely Slow Progress

Extremely Slow Progress

Re: Extremely Slow Progress