Shoe size and balance trouble

[mludd]

Hi all, I'm brand new at this and bought a pair of flyjumpers the other day and after a couple of hours of struggling to walk around on them I've noticed something which may be hindering my efforts, it seems that my feet (size 14-15) are too big for me to stand comfortably on them as I keep wobbling back and forth. The problem seems to be that the front edge of the footplate ends just at the front edge of the arch of the foot so I can't put any weight at all on my toes.

Is this a "real" problem is just me being unused to using bocks?

/mludd

[Bbmthbloke]

Hi there and welcome

There are a few reasons why you may be struggling 1st off. 'Big feet' may be the reason , or part of a combination.

It would be helpfull if you could post a lil vid of you walking on them. Also would you state your weight and the weight range stated for the model you have.

But 1st off, make sure the knee bars r at the correct height, this is about an inch below the bottom of your kneecap. Its suprising how much more stable become just raising them a little.

Feet over hanging the foot plate is at the very least annoying ( I believe it can lead to pain and cramp after extended use),to solve that just get a piece of  5 ply wood or plastic similar to the foot plate, cut to fit your foot and tape to the existing foot plate.

You may also just simply be using a 'bad' technique. This is where the vid would help.

Hope that is a helpfull start

oo un ps  where r u  there may b some1 near you that can give u some on the spot and interactive advice

[mludd]

Well, unfortunately I don't have a video camera (or a cellphone capable of recording video). But anyway, I've raised the knee bars so that they're just under the kneecaps.

As for my size, I'm just over 90 kg and about 6'4" tall, the bocks I'm using are for 100-109 kg.

The tip about putting some plywood on top of the footplates is something I've actually considered but I wasn't sure it would make much of a difference, but maybe it's worth a try.

/mludd

[Bbmthbloke]

Ok well  once kit is OK ...its down to u )

Basically, 'walk thru the heals' not the balls of your feet, walk ded straight backed and dont look down ( hey you r only a foot higher than normal) , if you really need to see the ground look about 12-15 foot ahead.

This will put your centre of gravity going straight up thru hooves heals spine. Will mean you jump up rather than forewards. Keep you feet parallel, if you dont then the springs tend to hit each other --and is 1 of the reasons for peeps 1st falls.

[mludd]

Oh yeah, not looking at the ground, I actually forgot about that. Should've remembered that one, it's the same when walking a tightrope or riding a unicycle after all...

I guess its mostly practice and patience, but I think I'm still going to try the whole plywood thing to see if its more comfortable.

Thanks.

/mludd

[Bbmthbloke]

kewl   but do try and find peeps near you.   ive met peeps who have practised over and over, unfortunatly the wrong things and its the devils job to unlearn um

[Jason]

I've got size 13 feet and mine hang over the end

I must say it has never proved a problem as you tend to jump through your heels once you get the technique right

Like Q says get together with some other bockers (gym meets are good ) and you will get so much help you won't believe it

Jason 

[Krofix]

"looking up when jumping with back straight"

Im no expert, but I have watched a few bocking videos and I'm not TOO bad myself, in terms of getting good height...

But I've heard that to get extra height you need to (obviously) use your arms, but also, if you bend your body at the waist and then pop it back up you gain some height, once I perfected this technique I could bottom out my bocks (im 60kg and they are 70-90 Pr's) and get some seriouse height.

but for a begginner, i dont reccommend this... but if you watch some pro bockers they do do this...

and ofcourse i could be completely wrong

[darfgarf]

it's better to think of it as pushing down from the hips, rather than bending at the waist, as that way you won't be inclined to take off looking downwards/land witha  cooked back

[mludd]

Thanks for all the tips, I haven't quite gotten to jumping around yet though, mostly just trying to walk without stumbling over myself too much.

/mludd

[darfgarf]

just take it slow, jumping takes a while to get the hang of, then forever to perfect