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Over the past few months, I have slowly lifted myself from my computer and sofa to exercise. Although at the beginning it was only to get myself slightly healthier so that I could stay up later without getting tired (and to impress the ladies =P), the more I exercised, the more I realize how much I enjoy it. It gives me almost a high kind of feeling, and just seeing the results in weights, in mile times, and in the mirror is more than enough motivation. Although I still don't consider myself very fit (I can't run more than 5 miles, and I can only bench 160 =/), I am slowly working on it and getting better by the day.
Recently, I have rewatched some of the breakdancing videos that I had enjoyed for many hours some time ago, and suddenly I came to the realization that I could do that with some training. It didn't seem so impossible, or that they were so great anymore. So over the past week, I've been doing handstand pushups, and worked on my freezes. Although my arms are still quite shaky when trying to hold my entire bodyweight, I can do 10 handstand pushups at a time, and can hold a 1 handed handstand with the balance of a wall (only for balance though, not for support at all). I am also working on my freezes. You can be sure that I'll post a youtube video to show off when I'm good =).
The site I'm learning tricking from:
http://trickstutorials.com/
The only annoying thing about this website is that he says some of the difficult moves are easy. WTF, a tornado kick, 540 kicks, and an aerial ARE NOT easy. He also doesn't tell you physical requirements, how to get in shape for it, etc.
If there are any B-Boys (or B-girls, never heard of one though) here who could help me out, please do so. I have a few questions:
1. What kind of diet, if any, should I eat?
2. How much aerobic exercise is needed? How much weightlifting?
3. Should I have a spotter at all times to make sure I dont kill myself?
4. Overall, what kind of workouts should I do to make my body better suited to breaking?
5. Is clothing an issue?
Thanks for any help that you guys can give me.
Edit: I've worked hard to gain weight up to 130 (you need a certain amount of muscle mass, along as you don't get huge), and am 5 foot 8, a nice small height (I imagine its much harder for tall people to trick/breakdance).
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3 Lions
United States3705 Posts
good luck, you'll need it
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United States24614 Posts
Work with someone IRL. This can be dangerous, and that can be very helpful. Not exactly sure how you should go about finding someone though.
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IMO, your should prioritize your workout to be:
-Upper Body Strength
-Cardio
-Lower Body
One of my friends was a wannabe-breakdancer and he did a ton of upper body work. Surprisingly, he didn't use free weights or gym machines, just sloped press ups, chin-ups etc.
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On March 07 2008 09:10 Elric_ wrote:
IMO, your should prioritize your workout to be:
-Upper Body Strength
-Cardio
-Lower Body
One of my friends was a wannabe-breakdancer and he did a ton of upper body work. Surprisingly, he didn't use free weights or gym machines, just sloped press ups, chin-ups etc.
wannabe as in he was OK and did a few tricks, or wasn't very good? Thanks for the info though.
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I know a lot of people who do this, and are pretty good. Being a former gymnast I can do basic tumbling shit like backflips off a wall, but definitely not any of the more dance-like moves like toprocks.
One of the most important things I've noticed about my friends' routines is core excercises. Also, basic work out, but without bulking up is important. After a certain point, just breaking will keep you in good enough shape.
EDIT: Aerials are not as hard as they seem, they just require some practice and pre-requisites. Start off with good running cartwheel form, then do running 1 hand, then do running no hand onto a mat, and that will be close to an aerial. After you get good enough at it, you won't need a mat, and then you won't need a run. Remember, patience and practice are key.
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On March 07 2008 08:42 3 Lions wrote:
good luck, you'll need it
Thx.
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On March 07 2008 09:36 fanatacist wrote:
I know a lot of people who do this, and are pretty good. Being a former gymnast I can do basic tumbling shit like backflips off a wall, but definitely not any of the more dance-like moves like toprocks.
One of the most important things I've noticed about my friends' routines is core excercises. Also, basic work out, but without bulking up is important. After a certain point, just breaking will keep you in good enough shape.
EDIT: Aerials are not as hard as they seem, they just require some practice and pre-requisites. Start off with good running cartwheel form, then do running 1 hand, then do running no hand onto a mat, and that will be close to an aerial. After you get good enough at it, you won't need a mat, and then you won't need a run. Remember, patience and practice are key.
Every time I do multiple cartwheels, I feel like my sides are going to split, and my wrists are close to dead and broken. How do I strengthen my wrists?
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Check out http://www.youtube.com/user/aznpwr99 he has a bunch of tutorial videos (by Gamblers Crew)
EDIT: Type in "How to" in the search box when your in that person's profile and it'll show you the list. There's some popping stuff in there as well.
Also try to find out if there are sessions where you live, it helps out a lot
1. Steps
2. Rocks
3. Freezes
4. Power Moves
That's the order I'm learning my stuff in, Steps and Rocks are a little choppy for me right now, but Freezes are looking real promising, and Power Moves are a couple months away judging by the rate I'm going at.
P.S. Power isn't a requirement, but it does help, and it helps if you have the "set" build for a b-boy. I'm about 19, 175 cm, and weigh about 130 so it's really easy for me 
Answers to Questions
1. Don't really need to go on a diet, just eat normally, but don't go eating like fast food 24/7.
2. I would say do a warm up work out before session'ing. You don't need to work out to the max because working on footwork and whatnot is a really good replacement.
3. For the regular stuff like steps, rocks, and freezes you don't really need one (you could get a partner to learn b-boying with you cus it does help), but for Power Moves, where you're going to be doing back flips and whatnot it's a definite MUST.
4. Workout wise, ab workouts are probably the most important next to ... yeah I dunno what else lol.
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I'm a pussy I do c-walk lol i can't break..but I can pop :D
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bench 160...that's not weak :S
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On March 07 2008 09:45 Try wrote:Show nested quote +On March 07 2008 09:36 fanatacist wrote:
I know a lot of people who do this, and are pretty good. Being a former gymnast I can do basic tumbling shit like backflips off a wall, but definitely not any of the more dance-like moves like toprocks.
One of the most important things I've noticed about my friends' routines is core excercises. Also, basic work out, but without bulking up is important. After a certain point, just breaking will keep you in good enough shape.
EDIT: Aerials are not as hard as they seem, they just require some practice and pre-requisites. Start off with good running cartwheel form, then do running 1 hand, then do running no hand onto a mat, and that will be close to an aerial. After you get good enough at it, you won't need a mat, and then you won't need a run. Remember, patience and practice are key. Every time I do multiple cartwheels, I feel like my sides are going to split, and my wrists are close to dead and broken. How do I strengthen my wrists?
Chin-ups, push-ups, wrist stretching (just rolling your hands around, first loose then flexed then loose then flexed, etc. etc.) should all help that muscle group, but handstands should help your wrists get used to the actual positioning of your hands in a cart-wheel.
Usually people should not have a problem with this, I suspect you have something missing in your technique. If you need me to go over finer details I will be glad to, but the general guideline for a simple standing cartwheel is like this:
1. Feet together, arms by your sides, facing forward.
2. Raise arms so that they are against your ears, more or less.
3. Step forward with your dominant leg - make sure it is a strong step, around 2-3 feet at least if you are between 5-6 feet tall.
4. Bend your stepping leg to accomodate stretching out your back leg - this is called a lunge - in order to prepare to kick off the ground. Your dominant leg does most of the work in a cartwheel.
5. You should still be facing forwards - this is where you make your turn, however. With your arms in the same position as before, but perhaps a few inches further spread apart, you bend to the side, facing to the left if you are a righty, and vice versa for lefty.
6. At this moment you kick up and place your hands on the ground almost simultaneously, doing the typical cartwheel motion.
7. Upon landing, your legs should be spread out at about a 60 degree angle at your crotch, with your legs in line with your line of motion. Your arms should be parallel to the ground, at shoulder-height. You should be facing left if you are righty.
This is relatively simple on paper, but it takes a lot of practice to perfect. A lot of people do it incorrectly, and think they are doing it right. Fixing minor errors at this stage is essential to good form, and eventually a good aerial. One tip I have is drawing a line of chalk on the ground, and trying to place your first step, hands, and landing on this line. This will help your form greatly.
EDIT: Another important thing about cartwheels - hand placement and finger positioning are key. Your hands should be perpendicular to your line of motion, and your fingers should be together firmly. People who spread their hands, or make them face opposite directions, often have wrist problems, as well as poor form on their landings.
For issues with your sides, I suspect you are stretching either too far or too close on your first step. If it's just general lack of fitness, try doing muscles that work the back and lats.
Good luck!
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On March 07 2008 10:12 HamerD wrote:
bench 160...that's not weak :S
Depends on your weight/height xD
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On March 07 2008 10:12 HamerD wrote:
bench 160...that's not weak :S
I weigh 130 pounds, the guy who wrote the site is 175 and benched 475 1repmax. Its not weak for normal people, but for a person who wants to become fanatically fit, its not very high. I train at 140.
And thanks for all the great advice fanatacist.
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Hey, OP thanks for the link I was also thinking of starting while my computer DLs/bots.
I learned a little while ago that I have an ideal breakdancer body so ... should be easy, maybe? haha
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On March 07 2008 12:43 Equinox_kr wrote:
Hey, OP thanks for the link I was also thinking of starting while my computer DLs/bots.
I learned a little while ago that I have an ideal breakdancer body so ... should be easy, maybe? haha
Haha, your Korean so you get a head start I guess (I'm Chinese, not as much known for breakdancing). Define ideal breakdancer body, do you regularly work out and do balance exercises with your body? Ideal breakdancer bodies are very compact with little to no body fat, but still very muscular and tough.
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On March 07 2008 11:02 Try wrote:I weigh 130 pounds, the guy who wrote the site is 175 and benched 475 1repmax. Its not weak for normal people, but for a person who wants to become fanatically fit, its not very high. I train at 140. And thanks for all the great advice fanatacist.
No problem [:
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On March 07 2008 12:56 Try wrote:Show nested quote +On March 07 2008 12:43 Equinox_kr wrote:
Hey, OP thanks for the link I was also thinking of starting while my computer DLs/bots.
I learned a little while ago that I have an ideal breakdancer body so ... should be easy, maybe? haha Haha, your Korean so you get a head start I guess (I'm Chinese, not as much known for breakdancing). Define ideal breakdancer body, do you regularly work out and do balance exercises with your body? Ideal breakdancer bodies are very compact with little to no body fat, but still very muscular and tough.
Chinese people are good at breakdancing too. Heck, all Asians are.
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Hey, I've been bboying for a while now.
And really, it depends what kind of a perspective you have on bboying. I mean, I'm not sure how much you know about it, but it's more than what the common spectator sees as 'tricks' or really dynamic stunts and whatnot.
The truth is - it's a dance form. That being said, the dance itself is important for you to keep in mind. So, to start becoming a bboy, there's different aspects that you should work on.
-Toprock
-Footwork
-Freezes
-Power
Although the freezes and power moves are what make audiences go 'whoa!', it's toprock and footwork that really compose the dance form itself - it's foundation, per say. Depending on what you want to work on, there's different tips.
And a great site to visit to learn moves is:
www.bboy.org
Best of luck to you! I'll check back once in a while. ^^ glhf
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just my humble opinion...
god gave you a head,
not to spin on it.
Seriously, I had a bunch of friends who broke bones doing these.. its quite dangerous. If you doing it for the exercise then why not consider other things out there?
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On March 07 2008 15:41 dinmsab wrote:
just my humble opinion...
god gave you a head,
not to spin on it.
Seriously, I had a bunch of friends who broke bones doing these.. its quite dangerous. If you doing it for the exercise then why not consider other things out there?
I think it's all about what makes you happy and what you want to do - almost any sport has inherent risks involved, and he chose to work on this one. To each his own [:.
I agree with the post before the one I quoted. Dancing, the part which I already said I have close to no experience with, is very important to the whole breakdance package. Work on your rhythm and tempo and incorporating that with tricks seals the deal in terms of showmanship.
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I was told that wrist strength was important and to do lots of hand stand push-ups to condition them. also, although it probably won't affect you, neck strength for headspins by headstanding.
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EPT
