Totally Epic Flash Jam 2020 #5

This is Flash Jam # 5 for 2020. It’s pretty sweet. The random list was created with Random Tools App (iPhone) and the MindMap image here was created with Xmind.

The Lessons

Several important lessons from this Flash Jam. It never ceases to amaze me, the things that can be learned by doing things you don’t always do… Staying aware and open and being present during these jams is nothing short of amazing.

Helis Can Happen on Thru

This was a pretty cool lesson, lots of opportunities here. I have only worked Heli Flips on a Working FlankThe Working Flank is a moving position. On a Working Flank the dog is out to your side some distance and holds position, moving with you as you move around the field. The... More. Well, the Thru has a flank, and wouldn’t you know it, a flip can happen on that flank.

And of course I have done Mo Moves for decades. Thru n Flip, which is a Heli Out from a Thru set up has been a goto move for me since 1998. And yet I didn’t really realize that it was a Heli opportunity until today. Super cool.

The rest of our Set Up MovesSet Up Moves are tricks that are used to establish timing and position in disc dog freestyle. Traditional tricks include: Around, Through, Backwards Through, and Scoot, but any or all of your tricks,... More are now fair game. Woohoo! I’ll be sharing these lessons soon.

Yachi Vaults Release Clock

I never really paid attention to the dog’s release on Yachi Vaults. I’ve only pulled my dog back to me for another vault in sequences, used it as a moving vault in transition, or as the last trick in the sequence , so it didn’t matter.

Well it does matter and now I know to pay attention to that. And Eppie knows to look to me and hook up due to that Front CrossOn a Front Cross, your dog switches Flanks in with you in front of them. From Clock to Counter Clockwise Flank or vice versa. Taken directly from the canine agility world, the Front... More afterwards. Same lesson as Totally Epic Flashjam 2020 #1 from yesterday. That’s gonna stick.

Use Flow to Shape Reverse Chest Vaults

Eppie and I have struggled with the Reverse Chest VaultThe dog uses the player´s body as a launching pad to jump for a disc. A Vault is a leaping catch from the handler’s body. The dog leaves the ground for the target... More since we started to try to do them 5 years ago. It’s been dangerous to my dangly bits below my waistline… Needless to say I was pretty nervous about this move in this sequence and actually thought of pulling the Reverse Chest Vault from our list.

But putting that really hard to execute trick in a sequence seemed to make it much more likely to be executed properly. Interesting lesson, for sure.

The Jam

Got a few pretty useful mini-sequences from this jam that will be sticking around.

Yachi Vault From Heli Out

Loot and I have a Yachi Vault out of other tricks, he’s a bit bigger and covers more ground and leaves me a little more space to work with. Epic, being smaller and more tight and pushy with his set up has not done Yachi Vaults in sequence. Well, he does now.

Heli out is a great trick for it too. Going to have to remember that…

Front Cross to Weightless Lift

The Weightless Lift, like most flips only seemed to get done from FrontFront is a stable position directly in front of the handler. Front is an traditional obedience skill. Usually your dog sits in this position, but standing is often acceptable as well, especially in... More position, which is fairly limited in terms of flow and creativity. I was unaware that the Front CrossA Cross is an canine agility term that describes a change of working sides. Your dog moves from your left to your right (Heel to Side) or from Clock to Counter. Crosses are... More would lend itself so nicely to the move.

And, of course, most tricks from Front PositionIn the Play+ philosophy, "Position" is the final stage within the "Next" phase of a Cycle of Play. It acts as a pivotal link between the "Next" phase and a new "Now" phase. More happen right after a Front Cross, but it doesn’t seem to resonate until the Front Cross in question is an actual trick that has to be done in sequence.

This has tons of flow potential moving forward. I expect a lesson or two to come out of this one.

Scoot to Reverse Chest Vault

I think this one might stick around, and we might wind up with an Airbounce under the Chest Vault.

Super stoked to have this in Eppie’s arsenal.

Shapes are created by the position and movement of dog, handler, and disc. And shapes can be created by the dog, the handler, and the placement of the disc. Shapes are a fact of disc dog freestyle.

When the dog leaves the handler for a catch, that tends to create a line. When the dog is away from the handler and moves across the field to make a catch, as in a Zig ZagA Zig Zag is a series of catches in smooth succession that forces the dog to move back and forth across the field. Usually performed at a distance of 8-20 yards, the Zig... More or Around the WorldAn Around the World is a disc dog flatwork pattern consisting of 4 catches in a circular pattern around the handler. This pattern is typically larger than 5 yards and often features creative... More, that tends to create a Shape.