Joshua Lackey - Solo Shredder?

Lackey82 · Post by **Lackey82** » 11 Jul 2008 05:39

Good 3 hour session with Mike, Alex, and Camille yesterday.

I inspired Mike and Alex to practice on my warm up drill, which I think Adam Greenwood gave me.
Basically it's Mirage, Near Pickup, Near Legover, Far Legover, Far Pickup with a Clipper before each one, then repeated on the other Clipper. It makes for a nice 20 contact, varied Tiltless trainer.

After that I got into some good shred, and was very happy with how I played.

A couple days ago I broke my Spinning Clipper record with 15, and yesterday I broke my Drifter record and Ripwalk record with 10 and 11 respectively. I also had a bunch of Guiltless runs of good length and trick variation. I feel like I mix in Shuffle, Genuine, and BOPs about equally in my strings lately, and that's a positive for me.

I'm playing again today, and I think it will be 6 days in a row that I've played for at least some length of time.

Lackey82 · Post by **Lackey82** » 11 Jul 2008 13:31

So it ended up being just me and Camille today at Mel Lastman Square (aka the nipple). Camille and I have both been playing very frequently, either at FAT sessions or just solo. Like I said, this was my 6th straight day playing, and although (again) I wasn't sure how hard I'd be able to play, once I got into the right state of mind my legs felt a whole lot better, and it turned out pretty sweet.

My Highlights:
4 or 5 consecutive cycles of Spinning Clip > Ducking Clip rpt
Drifter > DLO > Toe Whirl rpt
Hitting Grifters now.
Shuffle is ON, Dexless doing pretty good.
Lots of Symple Rev Swirls
Lots of 15-20 Guiltless runs

Thanks Camille for making it out!

Lackey82 · Post by **Lackey82** » 13 Jul 2008 13:55

I played today for a few hours with Mike. It's the 7th day out of the last 8 I've played footbag.

As stated in the FAT blog, his #1 highlight was a run with Ducking Legover, Ducking Pickup, and Ducking Mirage all bs. Way to go!

So neither of us were feeling the shred 100%, it seems, but still got a lot of crowd attention and props. I tried a bit to break my Guiltless record, but it just wasn't happening so I worked on some drills I've been thinking about the last couple days.

I hit:
Ducking Clipper > Schmoe > Pixie ss Clipper rpt
Osis > Diving Clipper > Spinning Clipper rpt
Ducking Mirage > Pixie ss Mirage rpt
Ducking PS Mirage (1st time)
Blurry Whirl first try (they've eluded me the last few sessions.
Parkwalk > Osis > DLO > PLO bs (just couldn't get the drill; next time for sure)

There are other drills in the works too. Basically I'm trying right now to drill links that incorporate Dexless, Set, and downtime Guiltless.

I'm going on vacation for a week, leaving tomorrow. I won't be online but I'll keep track when I'm playing and update when I'm back.

Peace.

Lackey82 · Post by **Lackey82** » 16 Aug 2010 14:36

Sad fact - I haven't updated this blog in two years. I left footbag for approx. 18 months due to what we'll call a health problem.

Happy fact - I am back... and the blog title I had when I left now holds again.

I am feeling very good about footbag again. I am trying to bring the Toronto shred scene back to prominence. I am progressing faster than I was when I quit, slowly the rust is coming off to reveal newer, shinier blades.

It's all about me, isn't it?

I didn't go to Worlds. I didn't want to go to Worlds. I've never wanted to go to Worlds. As it stands... next year, I want to go to Worlds.

Today I drilled in my apartment. I drilled Swirls and Twists, and Shut sets. I cleanly executed various 1-3 contact drills of near Swirl and Twist combinations. For the first time in my life, flip Shuts feel like I could drop them at will. I am eager to bring all of the above into my game.

Erik Chan told me I keep it fresh, or something like that. That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said about my play.

This is a terribly disjointed blog entry. You might have to get used to that. I'm enjoying it.

I drink too much beer. Not necessarily today... but on the whole.

I want to play more. Jay Boychuk plays every day. He is also 7 or 8 years younger than me. I feel old for footbag. However, I feel like I've been using that as an excuse not to try harder. I don't want to do that anymore.

I can't wait to play again with everyone in FAT. I like those people.

Lackey82 · Post by **Lackey82** » 17 Aug 2010 14:25

New shoes, now finished modding.

mods:

Toe box cut and first 2 eyelet removed.
Inside and Toe canvas removed.
Stock insoles removes, replaced with Dr Scholls Sport.
NO special lacing. I like this better!

Lackey82 · Post by **Lackey82** » 19 Aug 2010 12:46

I played for about half an hour yesterday to start working in the new shoes. it wasn't that good. I forgot how slippery and weird Lavers are when they're new.

This was the first Thursday in a while that I haven't played with FAT, but we're meeting Saturday, so I don't feel too bad. I DID get to drill solo for a while today (in Climas) and was pretty stoked about the results.

- Drifter > Twist > Spinning Clipper rpt
- Far Osis > Drifter rpt
- Ducking Down & Ducking Mirage bsos
- Spinning Down & Spinning Mirage bsos
- Ducking Switch bsos

Next session I'm going to (fairly quickly I feel) hit the drill I was stuck on pre-time-off - Parkwalk > Osis > DLO > PLO rpt.

Looking forward to Saturday!

Lackey82 · Post by **Lackey82** » 24 Aug 2010 15:21

3hr session today with Andrew, Liam, and Adrian.

I'll talk about them in the FAT blog. This blog is for me.

String length was down a little, as I was trying to work in things I've been practicing lately. It was an encouraging session for the most part though.

- Whirl, Toe Whirl, and Whip bsos
- I can duck my open sets.
- Swirl and Twist bsos
- Parkwalk > Osis > DLO bsos
- DATW, Double Orbit first try bs
- Barrages feel good
- Pixie far Whirl bsos
- Ducking Clip > Twist > Spinning Clip rpt
- Some Down Swirls

So I feel good about footbag. The weather was nice today.

Dio · Post by **Dio** » 24 Aug 2010 17:41

Hey Josh

edit: oops nevermind I see the mods listed now at the top of your post, gonna do the same to mine

sick lavers!

Dio · Post by **Dio** » 25 Aug 2010 13:25

Hey here's a question: what did you use to remove the islets? Just scissors? The cuts look very clean.

Lackey82 · Post by **Lackey82** » 25 Aug 2010 14:19

Hey Dio!

I didn't just use scissors, but to be fair you have to know that I am a real perfectionist when it comes to modding my shoes.

I cut as deep as I comfortably could, since to get through all the material you have to go fairly deep on the scissor blades. I then went a little deeper with a brand new exacto blade, so I could really see and control where I was going.

After the 2 eyelets were gone, I went over the cuts with a pair of pedicure scissors (super tiny) to clean up any stray material and create a uniform appearance. I do this with the inner canvas removal process as well.

I'm actually not completely happy about the angle of the topmost eyelet cuts, they are not as uniform as they could be. But other than that, I'm pretty stoked with the way they turned out.

The sole was a *&$@ to remove, it all ripped apart and I had to get surgical to completely be rid of the tacked down material.

Anyway as you can tell I love modding shoes, sorry for the novel... if you have any other questions feel free to ask!

Dio · Post by **Dio** » 25 Aug 2010 17:59

Awesome man, thanks a lot. The pair I'm modding now are the 3rd I've done, all 3 are mesh lavers. I've been using quantums for the past year but they aren't durable enough :/ I picked up some leather lavers as well but I'm starting with my mesh ones.

I've got the inner canvas half-removed from the right shoe. I'm using the hairdryer trick on the glue but I'm being SUPER careful not to cut through the outside mesh. Also the sole seems to be very tough to remove and I want to try those special insoles. I'll use your pedicure scissor trick as well!

Thanks for the tips, I'll continue modding mine over the next week and I'll post a pic in my blog when I'm done! I'll let you know if I run into any other problems.

RipWalker · Post by **RipWalker** » 26 Aug 2010 05:59

Orange... me want. That is orange, right? (Just want to make sure it's not the picture messing with me.)

Lackey82 · Post by **Lackey82** » 27 Aug 2010 12:30

Those are orange all right!

I got them from holabirdsports.com, they have many other colours as well. I'd never seen the orange ones, so they were my first choice.

Dio: You've actually done more modding than me, heheh. I'm excited to see your finished products though!

Dio · Post by **Dio** » 07 Sep 2010 09:04

Hey Josh I've been trying to remove the insoles from my Lavers with no success.

They are just too tightly glued. How did you do it?! I have the insertable gel cushioning insoles ready and everything!

Lackey82 · Post by **Lackey82** » 08 Sep 2010 03:03

Dante,

It wasn't easy, and it wasn't fun. The way newer models' soles are glued in make it actually kind of impossible to get them out without destroying them and leaving a whole bunch of leftover foam in there. I ripped them out anyway, and then spent a few hours with a VERY sharp exacto, slowly trimming the remnants out a little at a time. It didn't end up perfect, but it's more than flat enough to put the new insoles in.

Here's some pictures of the finished product without the insoles. You can imagine what a pain it was...

Dio · Post by **Dio** » 08 Sep 2010 06:45

AWESOME I can't wait to remove mine -_- I'll try to have them finished by Kickass.

Lackey82 · Post by **Lackey82** » 08 Sep 2010 16:27

I played yesterday at the weekly York University session.
It was actually one of my better sessions lately.

Lots of Symple Swirls and Twists.
One run with Merkon bs, Ducking Down bs, and a sweet Osis > Gyro Pickup.
Atomsmasher b2b
Down Swirl bs
Lots of Drifters & DLOs
A large handful of 20+ Guiltless runs (Thanks Erik, I've been thinking about our conversation that we should be able to do 20+more often).

So it doesn't sound like so much, but I was just more consistent with most of the things I did, so it felt good.

I also used my new Lavers for longer than I had so far. They are finally beginning to work in a little.

Sept 18th - Oshawa. The weekend after - KICKASS3.
Who's excited? Oh yeah. Me.

Lackey82 · Post by **Lackey82** » 13 Sep 2010 11:28

I made my first footbag.

I already know the next one will be better. I'm going to make some small changes to the template Erik gave me to better suit the stitching style I was working on while getting through the bag.

Some thoughts:

-While I didn't like using the gathering tool, and so I didn't, I can see how it would have helped. The pents aren't consistent across the bag.

-I might try some 2-stitch methods with t-shirt material, I seem to prefer less, bigger stitches, but didn't want to change my method mid-bag, of course.

-On the inside of the bag, wherever 2 hexes meet they pull back from each other and usually result in bag bleeding. I don't know if that makes sense but I forgot to take pics before closing the bag.

-The last stitch was really tough. I need practice.

So here it is:

Before you go getting excited, it's not playable. I decided to add stitches in strategic, invisible locations after the bag was basically complete, and while it doesn't bleed to death anymore, those stitches render it basically unplayable. Oh well, I think for a first attempt, it went pretty well. Finished in maybe about 5 hrs. Now for the next one...

Lackey82 · Post by **Lackey82** » 19 Jul 2011 15:11

Don't really know where to start. It doesn't look like there's any activity at all in the FAT blog. I've played twice in the last year with company. The Toronto footbag scene, it seems, is truly currently defunct. I hope to post here much more if it's in my own thread. Today's a bit of a downer, but I hope you read it.

There's great hope west of the city, but within, it's just me. Sam Neale was around for a bit, but is devoted to exploring his new passion of climbing, as well as working on a boat like a dog. Greenwood is tree planting. He'll be back in the off-season... but I haven't seen him in years. Camille's body hates footbag. Mike moved. Alex is in Vancouver. Erik's body hates footbag even more than Camille's.
Even in Mississauga, there's no activity. Mosher doesn't play as far as I know. Skippy? Nope. I feel like there were other promising players out that way too. Do people still play this sport, and I just don't know them? It's been AGES since I met someone who's just beginning, just into this.
I need to go to York U. more... I was often happiest playing there.

On the other hand, I am practicing again this summer. I've felt definite cycles of my interest in footbag, getting psyched in the summer, forget it in the winter. Maybe one of these years I won't stop playing...
Anyway, this summer, I am really feeling like this is the best I've ever played. I've been pushing myself to be more consistent. I'm starting to vary my runs more. Shuffle, downtime 3's, dexless, all feeling better, stronger, more reliable. I've played 5 of the last 7 days and feeling good about it. Just one highlight that I'm really proud of:

Back to back Guiltless runs of 30 > Hand Catch.

Come on, Lackey. Keep it up.

edit: Of course as soon as this posts, there's an update on FAT. Maybe Tuesday in Hamilton???

jay7 · Post by **jay7** » 20 Jul 2011 03:31

While FAT died, Hamilton is very much alive. Jorden and I are still playing extremely regulrly.

I think your post calls for doing some highschool demos or something to recruit new canadian talent. Reviving the scene just isn't sustainable.

I'm happy you are shredding at the top of your game. Keep it up:)