Tips for Newbies: Kangas

So you can walk, you can pogo, you can run, and most importantly you can get up without help? Great, now do you have all your proper safety gear? Elbow Pads, Knee Pads, Wrist Guards, and a helmet? Alright, perfect. Read on and I'll teach you what we like to call "Kangas" in the powerbocking community.

Kanga Jumping

Kanga Jumping is really just like Pogo Jumping. Except it uses BOTH stilts to get the max power out of them. This personally took me sometime to get down. As using both stilts will at first unbalance you in the air, and on your landings. Due to it using more power, and requires the timing of using both legs as one.

In my experience I started by just jumping in place. I would launch with both feet first, and just practice on jumping once. Until I became confident in my landings. I recommend doing it near a wall, or something to incase you need to fall forward.

I learned by jumping from one point to a safety aid. As I became more confident I eventually went further and further away until I stopped using aids altogether. To get the best jumps, launch yourself from a pogo jump into a kanga jump. Essentially, you jump with one leg. Land on that leg, propel upwards and land on both legs, which launches you for high air.

Kanga Bouncing

Kanga Bouncing like pogo bouncing is just the continued Kanga Jump. Once comfortable launching yourself in the air once. Begin to learn to do it over and over. Doing this is great fun, and really helps you learn to throw your weight into the stilts and get higher and higher air.

I find that when you launch yourself once. The best method to keep going is to throw your whole body into each landing. Throw your arms down as you land. It really helps get good results.

Here is a short video someone shot of me at an Anime Convention. It demostrates the basic principles of two footed jumping.



Thanks for reading, now get to bocking!