A beginner's guide to footbag

Freestyle street footbag

The basic aim of the game of freestyle footbag (also known as hacky sack) is to stop the footbag from touching the ground by using your feet, legs, head, chest and shoulders to keep it in the air. It can be played on your own (this is a great way of practising new moves) or with a group of others (the best way to have fun and get inspired). Playing in a circle, one player will pick the footbag up and throw it to someone else to begin the game. All the players then work together to keep it in the air by passing it from person to person. If you are feeling good at this point, the time is right to pull out your advanced moves and impress the group!

The rules

We have put together some loose rules for playing with your friends on the street. These are not officially recognised rules but are the standard codes of practice that we think true footbag players should stick to:

1. Keep the footbag in the air without using your hands or arms.

2. When starting off a game, always throw the footbag to someone else in the circle - never serve to yourself.

3. No apologising if you are the one who lets the footbag hit the floor. This will happen often and footbag is about encouraging new styles, not making people too nervous to play!

4. Don't be afraid to try new tricks! A basic trick from someone who is learning the ropes is applauded just as much as an advanced trick from an experienced player.

5. And last but not least, the game is all about having fun - advance your skills and show off your latest moves with a smile on your face.

Basic footbag moves

The pictures below show four basic footbag moves. Once you are proficient at using these, you will put yourself in a great position to begin to introduce more advanced tricks into your play.

The first four pictures demonstrate the main areas of the body that are used for both kicking and 'stalling' the footbag. Stalls are performed in the same way as a standard kick but allow the footbag to stop still on an area of your body rather than travelling back up to you or on to one of your fellow players.

A useful tip when kicking the footbag (either with the inside, outside or top of your foot) is that a lot of the power needed can be generated by using a 'flick' of your foot and ankle, rather than a swing of the leg (as you would with a football for instance).

When stalling the footbag, try to move your foot downwards just as the footbag reaches it. This will cause your foot to cushion its fall rather than letting it bounce off.

The second four pictures demonstrate some more advanced stalls and moves to try.

If you need any further help or advice about using your footbag, please contact us and we will do our best to help you out!