Struggling with the concept of s/t tricks

[Megabuster]

Hi peoples, I need would have expected to be my first ever topic... but it is.

For a while, I've been trying to learn swing thrus, but I've come to realize that I don't feel comfortable swinging through at all. Like when I try to j-step, I often stutter since it feels weird jumping onto a leg and driving the other one up. If I do get a good long stride, I never feel like I'm digging well enough to get a good jump either.

Scoots are even worse. I've watched many videos and I've tried imitating them to no avail. I put my left hand down and my right leg is in front and my left leg is in back. I swing my left leg out (difficult since I'm trying not to hit my right leg in the process) and try to jump. When I do that, it feels like I'm dragging my body pretty hard just jumping until I'm at least straight up. It's a weird dilemma that I've never seen before and don't know how to explain.

tl;dr version: I can't s/t at all. I can't get the feel of how to derive the power from the set ups and would like some tips on how I could get comfortable.

[MmmPizza]

i think you mean gainers, not so much s/t tricks, but whatever. A lot of it is very mental, just like the first backflip.
The way that i first learned gainers (and a lot of other ppl i know) is through a reverse/pivot setup. heres a halfway decent example i found on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUHYLDMRkAw

yes, it does get less height than j-step and scoot, but its alot easier to think of doing a gainer out of this setup
above all, commit to whatever setup you do. if you bs ur gainers, theyll never be good.

when you get this pivot setup down and are comfortable with throwing gainers, think about trying other setups.

[Megabuster]

Awesome, thanks for the vid. I was looking for something like that. I just couldn't think of the name of the set up. I was actually trying to learn to cork or s/t 720 (yeah, stupid to learn without proper prereqs but last time I crashed a move I wasn't ready for I learned sideswipe). From the looks of things, I'll try this set up with gainers tomorrow. Should I get a backflip first though?

[dylanross10]

What helps me alot is to keep my chest up, shoot my head back, and kick the swinging leg hard

[David M.]

here is the concept: you land with one leg and swing the other forward

[Megabuster]

here is the concept: you land with one leg and swing the other forward

^^That pretty much is what my brain can't conceptualize. The advice here is pretty sound and I'll go and crash some later today after school.

[David M.]

^^That pretty much is what my brain can't conceptualize. The advice here is pretty sound and I'll go and crash some later today after school.

you cant get them right away. drill the trick until you are comfortable enough with it to change\add stuff to it.

[saunders]

The most important thing to keep in mind with swingthroughs is:
Land the first move with your chest upright, and with your arms behind your body.

Have your swinging leg swing through for a massive swoosh with that leg, you should feel the momentum flowing through that leg.
Once you land the first move like that everytime, do simple stuff like [move]>swingthrough>jump-hook. If you can do that without much problems you know you're ready to swing through into a gainer/cork. From there it's just balls, balls, balls. It's like learning how to backflip, you just gotta do it.

[Megabuster]

The most important thing to keep in mind with swingthroughs is:
Land the first move with your chest upright, and with your arms behind your body.

Have your swinging leg swing through for a massive swoosh with that leg, you should feel the momentum flowing through that leg.
Once you land the first move like that everytime, do simple stuff like [move]>swingthrough>jump-hook. If you can do that without much problems you know you're ready to swing through into a gainer/cork. From there it's just balls, balls, balls. It's like learning how to backflip, you just gotta do it.

Hm, so basically you're saying to moon kick? That's what I'm getting from this. I got used to doing my raiz m/l to hook so I think I'll have to rework it then. Thanks to you guys again. :juji:

EDIT: Oh, and does anyone else have anymore good vids that I should check out in particular on s/t moves?

[Dave C]

Should I get a backflip first though?

EEEP!


Yes


Also, I notice per your first post that you're putting a lot of emphasis on JUMPING off the non-swinging leg. It's called a swingthru for a reason - if your momentum was supposed to be coming from jumping off your takeoff leg, it would be called a jumpthrough.

Your upward and backward momentum both come from *gasp!* swinging your leg up and over your head.

Good luck!

[Megabuster]

EEEP!
Yes


I shouldn't have asked that rhetorical question since I already knew what the right answer was. >_>

The jumpthrough thing seems to make a lot of sense and I don't know why I never considered it before. I've been trying a few of these early today and I've been landing on my head a lot. My neck is a bit sore still, but I've got plenty of energy left so hopefully I get an epiphany. :smile:

[NOT Muscle Man]

lol, don't jump onto your leg

think about your last step (before you swing into your gainer) as a really long step, not a jump onto your leg, you'll have a lot more power in your swinging leg this way and it will help with your gainer

[Megabuster]

lol, don't jump onto your leg

think about your last step (before you swing into your gainer) as a really long step, not a jump onto your leg, you'll have a lot more power in your swinging leg this way and it will help with your gainer

>.< I think I should lay off s/t tricks until all the info seeps in lol. I was jumping onto the last step a lot today. I didn't practice too much since there were tons of little kids running around my tkd school, so at least I didn't overtrain a bad habit. In a long step, I often jump though. I used to broad jump (or was it long jump) a few years back so that might be why.

[saunders]

Hm, so basically you're saying to moon kick? That's what I'm getting from this.

uhh no haha. just swing into a jumping hook kick. after you can do that go for a gainer

[Theme]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce7IWwebMUk&feature=related

this guy explains the j-step and how to get the s/t very detailed.. also if you are interested hes got a gainer switch s/t tutorial too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqg8ttOKo2c&feature=PlayList&p=B523BD9E9E7F996D&index=19

hopefully i contributed :D

[Megabuster]

Wow, thanks for all the help guys. I still can't gainer or backflip, but I'm a lot more confident in s/t moves at least.

I'm practicing s/t to jumping hooks at the moment, so hopefully that helps. Those vids look good, I think they'll help a lot. Christmas break is coming up soon, so I think I'll have plenty of extra time to practice. Gainer by New Year's Eve. XD

[AdamSwaluk]

Wait, what swings are you looking for if you can't backflip?

[Vaughnya]

Wow, thanks for all the help guys. I still can't gainer or backflip, but I'm a lot more confident in s/t moves at least.

I'm practicing s/t to jumping hooks at the moment, so hopefully that helps. Those vids look good, I think they'll help a lot. Christmas break is coming up soon, so I think I'll have plenty of extra time to practice. Gainer by New Year's Eve. XD

thats good that you practice the s/t jumping hooks but that means your turning your shoulders and head to the side way too much. next time you feel like you landed a good gainer or which ever, then s/t and go directly backwards. dont get used to turning out of the s/t

Thanks Theme, i was going to post my tutorial but you beat me to it! lol