My first day of being a useless newbie

[Keltaria]

After half a week's wait and a hellish journey carrying an unexpectedly large FlyJumper box on the tube, I finally got mine home and had a go on them. First impressions: "Oh god, they're massive! They looked a lot smaller in the videos!"

I went out in the park, wearing so much safety gear I looked a bit stupid, and was soon walking around on my own (without falling over!). It was all fine, except for me repeatedly bashing the knee bars together or tripping over myself and swearing loudly, but after a little while my legs got really tired - they weigh a bloody ton... (the 'risers, not my legs!) Of course after I took them off I wanted to put them back on again immediately

Anyway right now I can't run or jump (I have absolutely no clue how to even start jumping, since if I bend my legs I fall over and if I try to jump I can't even lift my feet up), and one of the springs feels 'springier' than the other one. Still, for a massively unfit, 7 stone girl I think I've done okay for about an hour's practice... and much better than my sister, who put them on, shrieked, and fell over into the flyjumper box.

[Athoul]

Haha, sounds like the typical first day, No need to worry we were all newbies once and you quickly improve 

Also where abouts are you from, there may be other bockers or groups local to you

[bmthbloke]

hi and welcome, and I gotta say , knowing a large number of the peeps on this site, if u r a 7 stone girl --u will have no probs with help and attention

Un I see Athoul has started already hehehe

But to be serious, if you can  post a lil vid --just from a 'phone quality dont matter much. e can -and do-ofr just 1 lil bit of advice/tip  and you will jump 6-9 inch higher and similar for jumps.

And yes the lighter the person, the weight of the stilts has a bigger 'dragging' effect. Thet weigh about 8.5 Kg ( my model 9.5)  so lifting them up will be more difficult than for a 12 stone person. On plus side, if you persist, you will develop a much better style/technique than the heavier ones. Its the same in many other sports --girls have a much better style, in general, rolling canoes than boys

Ah just read --in central line. Suprisingly  London is really disjointed and 'unorganised' -well thats not the right word  but peeps in london know what I mean and Imsure will not take offence.   Send a PM to 'jelly'  and 'jasonB'  they seem best to know what happens up smoke way.

[Dark Knight]

And yes the lighter the person, the weight of the stilts has a bigger 'dragging' effect. Thet weigh about 8.5 Kg ( my model 9.5)  so lifting them up will be more difficult than for a 12 stone person. On plus side, if you persist, you will develop a much better style/technique than the heavier ones. Its the same in many other sports --girls have a much better style, in general, rolling canoes than boys

So we heavy weights have no style/technique   
Fair piont but you have to bounce over a 6 foot fence I can go right through it 

[thegoldshado]

If one spring feels "springier" then the other it is most likely it is because that leg it was on is stronger than the other let, either that or they sent you two different weight class springs. You can always try switching the bocks around so that the left bock is on your right foot and so on, but there is a chance of breaking the binding buckles because they are facing each other. I hope you do good in bocking.

[Mr Frank]

thegoldshado got it pretty much right.  Sometimes they screw up and give you springs of different strength, but it's also quite likely that one of your legs is stronger or you stand on it differently, or maybe you just pay a little more attention to one leg than the other.  Try bouncing on one leg for a few hops and then to the other for a few hops and see if there is any difference in the time it takes to snap you back up.

If you're having trouble bouncing, start with one foot and then use that bounce to get into a two-footed bounce- I'm pretty competent and still do it that way.  Keep in mind that you cannot use your ankles, so bouncing technique is considerably different from jumping on foot.  It's a good deal more like stomping the ground.  Starting a bounce from two feet is not easy.

As for the weight, bocking takes muscles that aren't normally used.  I am in great shape and even so I couldn't use them for more than half an hour and that would leave a few muscles sore for quite a while.  You get used to it.

Don't worry too much about it being difficult for you- it always turns out harder than it looks for everyone.

By the way, what springs do you have?

[Theibault]

Sounds like last week for me. Ah, the good old days! LOL Seriously, spend about an hour a day and in a few days, it'll start to click. I promise.

[skatenpaint]

what is that click?

[Keltaria]

Hi guys, thanks for all your comments and help! I jumped a bit and ran on the spot while holding onto a door, so today I'm gonna go out and try to run/jump a little bit. Luckily they haven't made my legs ache at all yet, my arms are hurting from carrying the bloody box though!

The springs feel more even now and are losing their squeak.

Edit: I just went out for a little while and did some jumping from foot to foot which went fairly well, but when I try to switch to two-footed jumping the springs don't compress and I basically just slam down. I think I might be landing too far forward on my toes or something. Looking up some tutorials so I can try again later on.

Also had my first fall and spent ages trying to haul myself back up since I couldn't raise my leg high enough to swing one foot forwards! Finally managed it with the help of my mother and a fence...

[Chocl8]

If they are flying locusts, look at the bottom cross section of the spring, where it pokes out of the hoof, if the numbers are the same they are the same springs, (unless some nut at the factory labelled the actual springs wrong), if not, yeh....

[Keltaria]

If they are flying locusts, look at the bottom cross section of the spring, where it pokes out of the hoof, if the numbers are the same they are the same springs, (unless some nut at the factory labelled the actual springs wrong), if not, yeh....

Aha, just checked them and they are indeed the same weight, so I have only my uneven-strength legs to blame

[Theibault]

what is that click?

It's when the gears in your mind align, and it clicks! LOL

[Mr Frank]

what is that click?

It's when the gears in your mind align, and it clicks! LOL

Or when the joints get loose and they click every time you move, often happens around the same time too.

As for the inability to compress the springs, how heavy are you in kg?
Regardless, I suggest you keep your weight towards your heels on those and remember not to try and absorb the shock of landing.  It's a very natural reaction that has kept more than a few noobs out of the air for a while.  Learn to fall onto your springs like a ton of bricks rather than landing lightly like your instincts tell you.  Oh yeah, and stand up straight.  That's important.  If you look at the pros, their stance in the air is reminiscent of a soldier at attention.  It's hard to do at first, but keeping your back straight helps out your balance a lot.

[Theibault]

what is that click?

It's when the gears in your mind align, and it clicks! LOL

Or when the joints get loose and they click every time you move, often happens around the same time too.

As for the inability to compress the springs, how heavy are you in kg?
Regardless, I suggest you keep your weight towards your heels on those and remember not to try and absorb the shock of landing.  It's a very natural reaction that has kept more than a few noobs out of the air for a while.  Learn to fall onto your springs like a ton of bricks rather than landing lightly like your instincts tell you.  Oh yeah, and stand up straight.  That's important.  If you look at the pros, their stance in the air is reminiscent of a soldier at attention.  It's hard to do at first, but keeping your back straight helps out your balance a lot.

So true about keeping the weight back. I think everyone who's gotten up on bocks for the first time is naturally inclined to keep weight on the toes. As we have all learned, this doesn't work and you have to keep your weight on your heels. When bouncing, keep a slight bend in your knees, but keep your legs stiff to compress the springs.