Tonight was night two!  I got to play on the trampoline basically the entire night, and kept busting out backflips to get really comfortable doing them.  I'm doing decent so far!  I only wiped out once, and it was because my socks slipped out from under me.  I quickly took them off after that.

Wednesday is going to be my third day in the gym.  I'm pretty sore!!!

This couldn't have come at a better time, as these are all things that i've been discussing heavily with Nick (Xarnusonci)

We need to get on the same page with safety, because we are all ambassadors to this sport and activity.

Coming up with a set of standardized rules and ways to keep ourselves and bystanders out of hot water is a very good thing to have as a mantra.

For the most part, it should be common sense ingrained into each of us, but we should also rely on our fellow bockers to set us straight when we step out of line.

For the most part, we all know and accept the risks that we take.

In terms of rules or guidelines....

Everyone should at the very minimum wear kneepads and gloves.
Armguards and or elbow pads when running or attempting new tricks where there is a high likelyhood of falling...
and helmets when we go topsy turvy on non gym surfaces. (IE: Outdoors)

It's not only good safety advice in general, but will also promote good press for ourselves as RESPONSIBLE users of a new technology, but will also set precedent by example.  The more exposure we have with wearing safety equipment VOLUNTARILY, the more people will see and understand that there is a clear and present risk at hand. 

I also think we should compile a list of equipment we currently use and brands that we support.

I currently have reccomendations, and may possibly be able to get discount codes and even become and intermediary for a company Like 661 who makes top grade safety gear.  If we group buy saftey gear, we will save money and minimize long term injuries which could cost far more than a little bit of safety gear ever would or could.

With that said... I know some of you feel very strongly about not wearing it, as I have in the past as well.  I don't "want" to wear it anymore than the rest of you, but I also do not "want" bocking banned from bad press or otherwise, or I also do not "want" to lose all the skin on my arms or break a bone, or even worse... my skull.  What we currently have going on, is a great thing... and for one or two of us to ruin that, would be a major set back in terms of acceptance from the community and the press.

I also think that possibly requiring at the very minimum gloves and knee pads to a meet, as MANDATORY would go a long way.  Anyone that isn't wearing these things should be asked to leave.

IS THAT THING HEAVY?? its HuuUUge/! if it was heavy that also wouldnt work as a ball for us on stilts..

They arent that heavy... i think it'd be more fun to propel it across a field on the ground however, into huge goals like football/soccer.

The gym facility is GREAT, but the logistics of getting powerisers inside of it, will be a bit more difficult and may involve some manual labor.  It's likely that we'll have to move all of the mats from the balance beam area, or from the springboard area for a proper runway... as all of the blue floor sections that look "soft" are sprung floor.

I think its great that this guy can compete, i gues he will have certain points deducted etc, to ballance things out,and im sure that others will follow and in a shot time ther will be games and competitions that people like him can take part in, and even compete with us all, i bet he could give us all a good competition.

in my oppinion this is just what our sport needed, this will realy put us on the map,

i would love to meet this guy, he has my full suport.

I agree highly, bill... there needs to be some standard set that won't give him a hugely unfair advantage, as we all know how instense running on sprung stilts can be.  I still think it's amazing that he's still actively running and competing in events after something so traumatic however.  That in itself is amazing.

I like the idea of playing with a giant inflatible ball better... it sounds far safer, and would probally be more interesting than basketball, there's less logistics involved.

I can't wait to come play!

I can't wait to be able to do hand plants on railings and on ledges... that's pretty awesome.

I'd also like to see that modified to a rotation and dismount, like you'd see on a pommel horse.

CB is 90ish days away at this point, i hope to be ready to flip on solid ground by then, if not... a gym meet is in order as well.  We'll be there for 6.5 ish days!

I'm going to link to some pictures of the place, get ready to drool!

I landed my first back flips tonight.  And i followed the rule and did two in a row.  I did so on a trampoline, and first started with harness, as i havent flipped in over a year.

My goal is to be able to do fronts, backs, gainers, layouts, and a few other things, in addition to handstands and splits.

I'm going to do this 2x a week, on wednesday and thursday nights for 2 hours a night, until i can do everything i want to do on a trampoline, on a sprung floor, and finally on regular ground, and on bocks.  :-)

I'm going to make the most of it.

I also got the gymnastics coach into it, and gave him 20 minutes on them, as an introduction to powerisers, and now he wants to get involved even more... so we may have a new member soon enough! :-)

Either way, that's my update for the night.  Please post with some support!

I was expecting a rabbit joke, where you were going to tell us that you thought you were a rabbit, and panicked and bought all the carrots in the grocery store... and then you woke up, and realized that you've been Bocking for too long!

What:   POWERade Pro Challenge
When:   Saturday, June 7th 2008 - 10:00am - 4:00pm
Where:   Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens - near Meadow Lake Rain Date:    Sunday, June 8th - 10:00am - 4:00pm

The POWERade Pro Challenge is an interactive 3-sport challenge (football, basketball, and baseball) that will be held at Flushing Meadows Corona Park (near Meadow Lake). Each challenge will be broken into three age groups (6-10, 11-15, 16-24) with prizes being awarded to the top performers. The event is free and open to the public.

The athletic competition will have three athletic stations that will include a football combine challenge, a shooting/speed contest, and a home run derby. Other interactive activities will include an athlete photo booth, a product sampling area, games and giveaways.

In addition, one individual will win a trip to Disney's Wide World of Sports to play ball with the POWERade Pros. The lucky winner will participate in strength and tackling drills with Shawne Merriman, shooting and pick-up drills with Carmelo Anthony, and hitting and fielding practice with Ryan Howard.

For more information, please visit the POWERade Pro Challenge website. http://us.powerade.com/#/play

I'm going to take a listen to the radio station some time tomorrow, when i'm commuting.

I haven't received any word from Vanessa however, and i'd left her a detailed E-Mail.  I'll give her another 24-48 hours to contact me, before I don't bother waiting around for any more information.  There's no reason to associate ourselves with that kind of culture, if it is as bad as Bill says it is.  Bad PR is not the kind of PR that we want, however I haven't heard of that radio station ever, but I'm willing to listen to it for a little bit, to formulate my own opinion before passing judgement.

there was loads more i wanted to put in like the upsidedown bedroom.

and the drinking games.

i think this was after trip and chris went home.

and  ' Q ' doing a flip.

You're making me more and more jealous!

What was this "upside down" bedroom you speak of?  Sounds interesting... lol