DC Power Stilts Appears on ABC7

DC Power Stilts was chosen to appear on Good Morning Washington on May 20, 2015.  Workout Wednesday is a segment devoted to finding fun new ways of getting exercise.  Eileen Whelan and Julie Wright hosted most of the filming while on stilts!  Please watch the clips below, and spread the word about powerbocking as a workout!

Thanks also to Jordan for coming out to help!

Segment 1: Intro

Segment 2: Walking

Segment 3: Jogging

Jumping Stilt Modifications for Traction in Winter

The 7 League Boots and Poweriser Stilts come with a durable polyurethane hoof that is designed to optimize the balance between traction and durability on most surfaces.  However the stock hoof is fairly poor on a wet or slippery surface that you might encounter in Winter time.

But there is good news!  You can turn an old (or new) bike tire into a set of Tyre Socks which will give you more traction.  Mountain bike tires would be best for mud and water while snow tires would be best for ice and snow.

(More details: Instructables.com)

Another modification idea/approach: Attach Snow Spikes

 

 (source: Fly Jumper Forum)

Spikes from http://www.icespike.com

Tips: Springs Break In Period

Powerbocking Tips and Advice:

New Poweriser spring break in period

When you have either first strapped on your brand new set of Jumping Stilts. Or have recently replaced your springs. You'll notice that the spring is stiff and slightly difficult to compress. For a Newbie this is something you won't be able to tell the difference on. But for an experienced user, you'll notice that you won't even get any give in the spring at all.

This is simply due to the way springs are made. Over time the fiberglass in side begins to break down resulting in a softer and more responsive feel.

New users will need to use this period to work on mostly walking, and light running. Try simple Pogo Jumps and Bounces on the spring for a while. Typically about the time you get the basics down your springs will have "broken in" and you'll get the response you need out of them.

A good way to spot Unbroken in Springs against a Broken in Springs is when you wear them. Broken in springs will bounce ever so slightly as you walk. Unbroken in springs will stay stiff as a board and not move at all.

For experienced users it's best to break your springs in by first walking around for a couple minutes. Adjust yourself to the feeling you've almost forgotten about from when you were a newbie. Do a small jump. Walk a bit, and begin jumping more and more.

Springs break down quickest after being nearly bottomed out constantly. Just take it slow and you'll find that you've broken your spring in after only a couple sessions.

Tip: Try a bunch of set ups. Run into a jump, launch yourself from one foot. Land hard utilizing your arms to help bottom. Keep going until you've nearly bottomed about three times.

Mix those up with some hard pogo jumps. Be sure to use both legs equally to keep wear even on both springs.

Remember! If this seems like hard or annoying work. Think of it this way. You're burning a bunch of calories! An average adult will burn nearly 300 calories in 15 minutes of jumping.

More Testing and PowerStrider Olympic Model

Larry (DC Power Stilts Affiliate) and Tyler perform a simultaneous test of PowerStrider Olympic - Aluminum comparing both the cz60-Al and cz110-Al springs.

Most comparisons relate the new model to the well regarded Poweriser Advanced stilts which we all have used extensively in the past.

Pluses we found:

• The lighter weight made a big improvement in control for both pairs of stilts, especially while in the air, and they try to do tricks


• The new cuff clamp quick clip is very nice. It took only 5 minutes to attach the cuffs and get them fitted properly. Our stilts also shipped with Knee bars as an option.


• Performance was smooth and responsive: both sets of springs flex and easily achieve 3ft jumps with little effort compared to the Poweriser Springs.


• Frames performed nicely smooth operation, with no noise at all. With this new design, any clack sound heard by other models of stilts is a thing of the past. The reduction of noise makes it nicer for people nearby and more comfortable to use stlts in indoor spaces.


• Due to the design, both users were able to get much higher over all in jumps, and better response from both weight class springs. Standing height was tad higher. Tyler easily cleared the 6 ft mark on his 110 set. Larry was too light even for 60 set but he still managed to flex the springs fine, and got to a 4 ft height


• Both the frames and springs held up well from dozens of hours of usage.

Minuses and Suggestions:

• Plastic Buckles - Once tight they held up fine, although to improve them, they should make them with metal parts. If you push hard down on them while you ratchet them tight, they do work.


• Stilts do not have a stopper - when bottoming out occurs, it can cause a hit hard enough to put a small dent, and chip mark, in the support tube. We suggest keeping within the limits of the spring range and adding a rubber stopper to prevent this damage.


• Spring Protection - Factory supplied rubber coating, or Tape would improve this model. In the meantime, we suggest you apply your own tape to protect the spring.


• Bolts and Screws - Frequently check the bolts and screws because it works loose over time. We suggest applying lock-tite to reduce this tendancy. Another caveat is that screw heads are soft and will become stripped with automatic tools.

Bottom Line
Overall they both loved this new setup, especially the lighter overall stilts weight, and over all more responsive design. The PowerStrider Olympic - Aluminum stilts are a decent quality product, suitable for pretty much anyone looking for a pair of power stilts.

Testing notes:

• Normal usage such as jumping and running
  Testing immediately revealed a faulty PowerStrider Spring on the 60KG set. It had red marks on it that showed small cracks from the factory. (Warranty replacement springs were tested and performed fine.)


• Over-powering the stilts to see how the PowerStrider spring would respond
  Springs did not suddenly crack, which indicates a safe and gradual wearing of the springs, rather than an unsafe and sudden snap.
  
  Also it was noted, with the over power and over the max weight issue, that the support tube can give and twist some causing frame damage too, if the spring was not able to support the users full weight and power. The frame and spring held fine, no noise or weakness in the spring was found later on after this test.


• Under-Powering stilts to test "responsiveness"
  Both users found these Springs to be very responsive compared to the older model of Poweriser springs


• Assembly and dis-assembly for routine maintenance
  Soft screw heads used were easy to strip. We suggest carefully using non-electric tools on the stilts.


• Testing routine hardware adjustments
  If the mounting hardware is tightened, be careful not to over tighten the support tube hardware, or the spring mounting hardware, as this can bind the frame, or even crack a spring


• Wear and Tear performance over time
  Loosening of parts means that users should frequently check all fasteners, nuts and bolts and maybe even use Blue lock tight on then all to make sure they stay secure!

Tips for Newbies: Look up!

Something often over looked when starting out powerbocking. Is having correct posture combined with Jumping Technique. Many people start out by doing a jump, head looking down at the ground to see where they land. Seems like the safe method right?

THIS IS WRONG!


This may seem like a good thing to do. But by tilting your head down to look at the ground. You bring your center of balance forward, and you bend your body. As you come down into a landing, the curve of your body ends up absorbing some of the shock your springs desperately needed to send you flying just a bit higher.

It's true that you need to be aware of your surroundings. But look with your eyes, and not your head. Always try to look about 20 feet or so ahead of you. This will keep your body up straight, and not shift your balance.

This is a vital skill to get down, it really helps you out. Even if it doesn't seem like it would. For instance, if I look down at the ground, jump and try to do a Split Kick Double Grab, I can get my hand to my toe, but not my other hand to my back spring. BUT when I look up and forward, I'm able to grab my toe, and grasp my back spring. Little things DO matter!

Tips for Newbies: Inspect your powerstilts!

One key thing to remember when you're out having a blast on your powerstilts. By either standing high above the crowds, running at great speed, jumping really high, or by pulling off some insane tricks. When you land, and sit down to take them off. Be sure to inspect your stilts after each use.

Look them up and down to ensure that all the bolts are secure, nothing is lose, and everything is in tip top shape. Doing this will help you get the most out of the life of your stilts.

If you do eventually find a problem, fix it and don't hesitate to get replacement parts! Doing so early on will save you loads down the line if that simple part ends up causing major damage later.

Tricking: Split Kick

Want to show off just how much air you're really getting? Try a split kick, it really helps people realize just how high you actually go. Put on those safety pads and give this one a go!


Split Kick




Basically, As you jump in the air, pull one leg behind you, and kick the other infront as far as you can. The further you can stretch the better it is. Flexibility and timing is key.

This is actually one of my favorite tricks. It looks great in photos, and is easy to do once you've mastered the basics, and can maintain balance in air. To get the best split kicks, I've found that varying what you do with your arms in air helps a lot. Bring one arm up, one back, ect. Variety is key in making the entire trick nice.

Tricking: Spring Grab

Time to pull off one of my favorite basic tricks! Strap on those pads and keep reading to learn about spring grabs!

Spring Grab

This trick can be pulled off in dozens of varieties, each a different trick. But at the base, is the spring grab. In mid-air bend back and grab one of your springs. Bring your leg back closer to your hand to help out. Takes practice, but looks cool. You can see XDvandalJake and myself both pulling these off in the photo.

Another more advanced version of this trick is called the Double Spring Grab. Essentially instead of just grabbing one spring with one hand. You take both hands back and grab both springs. As always, don't forget to give yourself time to land with any variation of the spring grab trick.

Tricking: Star

Read to learn how to trick? Let's get our safety gear on, and get to it. Today we'll be covering a very simple trick to do. That looks great on camera.

The Star!

The star is a very simple trick to pull off. It's basically a modified trampoline trick fitted for powerbocking. At the height of your jump. You bring out you legs angled from you, and raise your arms up at an angle. The point is so that you resemble a star in mid-air. Don't forget to give yourself time to land!

This ones fairly easy to pull off. Theres no special tricks, only just timing and practice.

Go give it a try!

Tips for Newbies: Start Tricking - Tucks

Tricking is usually what everyone wants to do straight away. When we first find out about these crazy things called Jumping Stilts. A lot of us end up searching the web, and stumble upon countless videos of other people, flipping, jumping off crazy things, and performing many different tricks on them.

It's no wonder when we finally get a set of our own. That we'd want to jump straight into pulling off all sorts of wild powerbocking tricks. Well, once you've mastered how to stand, walk, run, jump, and do it all well. Without thinking about performing each of the steps. I'd say you're ready to hop from stage 1 of learning, and go into the beginning stages of tricking. Be sure to wear your pads and helmet though! At this point it's even more vital then ever! BE SAFE.

What kind of tricks are there? Well there is countless named tricks, and there is always new ones being created. Our sport of powerbocking is still very young and accordingly, we're still learning more and more insane things to do.

A short list of basic ones would go like so:

• Tuck
• Star
• Spring Grab
• Double Spring Grab
• Pike
• Split Kick

Among many other variations and more advanced tricks. But let's take it slow shall we? I personally started learning the very basic trick the tuck first. Let me explain what exactly it is, and how I do it.


A tuck is basically where when you're at the top of your jump. You bring your knees towards your chest, hold them there in air as if you're "tucked" in a ball of sorts.

Tucking takes a certain amount of timing, flexibility, and technique to get down right. The longer you're able to hold one in the air the better the trick looks. Just never forget to give yourself enough time to land. At first, you'll find your tucks only being split second long. But eventually you'll master the timing and get enough height to do it right.

Be sure to keep a clear head, be calm and always just calmly grab your knees as you bring them up. Hold them towards your chest, and let go. Practice this over and over until you get it down without thinking about it. In the included photo, you can see I'm starting to come down from a tuck. As a proper one would of had very little air space in between my legs and body.

Go get practicing, and I'll explain another trick next time!

Tips for Newbies: Gaining serious height

Have you had a chance to work on your "Kangas", and "Pogos"? Can you get up from the ground alone? Have your proper safety gear strapped on? Well, let's move forward and work on getting what everyone really wants with their Powerstilts. Serious Height.

Gaining serious height

Gaining serious height takes confidence and guts. You have to commit yourself completely to it, you have to throw all your weight and not second guess yourself. I've found that utilizing a chain of all jumping techniques works best. Start with a pogo jump, go to a kanga jump, use your whole body. For best results I've always started from a run, then leaped into a kanga jump and continue leaping in a forward motion. It can be done in place, but takes practice to get the same height. The best method I found starting out. I like to call the "Set up " which takes a series of steps.

• 1st-You pick your spot to jump.

• 2nd- You take a moment and breath.

• 3rd- After you have sized up your jump. Get ready to take several steps. Act as if you're going into a run.

• 4th, use the same technique you learned with pogoing to launch yourself in the air. As you go upward bring your arms up with you. Because you started this with a run, you'll be going up and forward, keep this in mind.

• 5th- As you go down into a land. You'll be several feet from your "launching point" Put both feet down, into a "Kanga Land". As you land, bring your arms down hard. This will help give you an extra boost. As you get propelled back up. Bring your arms back up again. You'll end up still being propelled forward.

• Finally- As you're up in result to your first "Kanga Jump" prepare for another land. Utilize the same techniques as before. As you come down bring your arms with you at the right moment to keep yourself going. Continue this steps for as long as you can, or as long as you'd like. To stop quickly, I found that at just learning. Instead of Kanga Landing, I could use a one footed land, or a "pogo land" to kill my jump by bottoming on one foot.

Keep in mind that those steps are going to have you jumping forward in a straight line. This is what I found to be the best method starting out. Once you get the feel of gaining big air this way. It's a lot easier to do jumps say, stationary or in other variations.

Just go at your own pace, be safe, and you'll have tons of fun. Thanks for reading these tips from you local Davenport, Iowa Affiliate.

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!

Tips for Newbies: Learning to run

Hello!

It's time to strap on those powerstilts, stand up and take off running. Careful, you'll be moving fast in no time. (Some of us can reach 20mph!) Don't forget to wear your safety gear as you try this!

Learning to run

Now that you've gotten down pogo bouncing from one leg to another. Utilize those basic skills and learn to run. Or in bockings case more learn to bound. Running with bocks is unlike running without them. So prepare to unlearn what you know, and relearn how to on stilts.

Essentially you put weight down on one leg, launch yourself forward and land with the other. Repeat this process by quickening the pace, and lengthening your stride. It takes a while to learn, but eventually you will learn how to let the stilts propel you forward. Just remember, put your weight in your heel and talk wider and wider steps.

Want to stop? At first just stick to slowly taking closer and closer steps. But eventually start utilizing pogo bouncing to stop your momentum. The best method to stop quickly is to exert all your forward force into upward momentum in a kanga jump. But get that down as time goes on.

Well there you have yet another small tip from your local Davenport, Iowa affiliate.

Tips for Newbies: Boing - boing

Let's get straight to it today. You ready for to get that bounce in your step? Have you already learned to walk? Well let's start into those one footed jumps, and bounces I like to call "Pogos". Continue reading to find out just what exactly "Pogo Jumping, and Bouncing" really is! Strap on those pads, helmets, and get to reading, then get up and go!

Pogo Jumping

Pogo Jumping is just what I like to call one legged jumps. It's a vital skill to learn to get yourself started in the bocking world. Now that you've learned to walk you'll want to learn to jump. But let's start with just one leg. Trust me, it's better to get this down first. Essentially a pogo jump is you putting weight down on one leg, launch yourself up, then landing on that leg and letting the spring propel you in the air and finally landing again. Shazam! pogo jump. Remember to center your weight in your heel. It really helps in balance and getting the most bounce.

Pogo Bouncing

Pogo Bouncing is really just a continued Pogo Jump. You launch yourself into a jump, land, go up, land again and continue. You do this all with one leg, you can switch legs to spice things up and help keep your balance. It's good to learn how to do it every which way. Getting this down is really great for your confidence, the fun factor and is a great way to wow your friends as you learn.

Thanks for reading these tips from your local Davenport, Iowa Affiliate.

Tips for Newbies: Getting up Unaided

It's time for yet another small tip. Direct from XDvandalDJ your Midwest local affiliate. Please read and learn from my personal experience. It helped me, and maybe just maybe it might help you. Be safe and be careful though! Now, let's try and get off the ground... without help!


Getting up Unaided


This is one of the most important skills to learn and get down. Seriously consider practicing this early on. Just picture this, you're out on your new stilts. You've attracted a crowd, then WHOAH! you fall. There goes your dignity. But WAIT! You can somewhat regain it back by getting up WITHOUT the help of your laughing friends.

This took me a few tries to learn. Plan to fall while doing this. Please, please wear proper safety gear, helmet, wrist guards, elbow, and knee pads.

Basically, you get on both knees leaning forward. Put your strongest leg up front, with the hoof on the ground and your knee bent. Pull it close to you, and lean your weight over it. Use a hand to grip it if needed. Push up from that leg, as you do pop your other leg around and then land on both feet.

Sounds and looks easier than it is. But eventually you'll get it down. Practice, practice, practice and eventually you'll pop up from the ground without even thinking about it.

Need more visual help? I personally learned from watching this video by BalthezarArith




Good luck!

Tips for Newbies: First Steps

Hello sirs and madams!

Below is the first edition in a series of articles written based upon my own personal experience. Keep reading and it might benefit you. Or at the very least entertain you! Let us begin this several part article with.... the first steps!

First Steps

It's really difficult to explain how to walk in these. You basically have to learn on your own. All I can basically tell you is ways I found to be easiest. First find something tall to sit on. Many people stress that you need to learn to get up from a fall right away. But I found that I needed to learn to stand and hold my balance before popping up to my feet from the ground. So I found something tall to sit on, put my bocks on and then stand. First it was difficult just to stand, so I held myself up on a nearby wall. What you need to do is just hold yourself there and get the feel of the stilts. Basically with these it's impossible to stay completely still. You need to stay constantly moving to keep balance. You'll learn in time to hold yourself without even thinking and remaining still longer and longer. But right off you're going to be all over the place. Just move one foot and then the other back and forth. Slowly getting to where you can take your hands from the wall. As you find you can do this longer and longer. Start slowly walking up and down the wall. DO NOT try and jump at this point. Just focus on staying upright. As you progress either get a friend to walk out with you. Or stay with the wall until you feel comfortable. Personally it took me a good 20 minutes to learn to stay up, and then half an hour to get to the point of walking unaided. Everybody differs though, don't worry about it and be safe.

Please take a moment and observe the video below of me aiding my friend Jeff in his first steps on stilts. Please keep in mind that this video is not a reflection of the lessons DCPowerStilts offer. DCPowerStilts offer much gentler steps and require the proper safety gear. Falling rarely, if ever occurs.




Ouch right? Well there you have my first tips for newbies. Keep checking back here often for more!