Forums > Beginner Staff Moves > Staff length, can we sort this please??
Login/Join to Participatenorthern monkey
235 posts
235 posts
Posted:
First, I apologise if this thread could go on another one, I did do a search but nothing seemed all that suitable. However, feel free to moderate to ur hearts content...
annyways,
staff length, it is a matter of preference yes, but has anyone noticed any particular moves that cannot be done with certain lengths??
i have single staff which is 145cm (i'm only 155cm tall!) doubles which are a metre each and am currently making my six footer ("foot long... who ordered the foot long???" mehehehe!)
so far, i can do pretty much all my moves on each staff. I only have trouble with waist high helicopters into turtle spins. I twat myself quite reguarly while doing that...
any contributions??
ta
vic xx
p.s. EN-GERRRRRRRRR-LAAAAAAAND EN-GERRRRRRRRR-LAAAAAAAND EN-GERRRRRRRRR-LAAAAAAAND EN-GERRRRRRRRR-LAAAAAAAND EN-GERRRRRRRRR-LAAAAAAAND EN-GERRRRRRRRR-LAAAAAAAND EN-GERRRRRRRRR-LAAAAAAAND, OUT WITH THE ARGY BARGYS!!
Ahem, 7.30am kickoffs tend to send me loopy
First, I apologise if this thread could go on another one, I did do a search but nothing seemed all that suitable. However, feel free to moderate to ur hearts content...
annyways,
staff length, it is a matter of preference yes, but has anyone noticed any particular moves that cannot be done with certain lengths??
i have single staff which is 145cm (i'm only 155cm tall!) doubles which are a metre each and am currently making my six footer ("foot long... who ordered the foot long???" mehehehe!)
so far, i can do pretty much all my moves on each staff. I only have trouble with waist high helicopters into turtle spins. I twat myself quite reguarly while doing that...
any contributions??
ta
vic xx
p.s. EN-GERRRRRRRRR-LAAAAAAAND EN-GERRRRRRRRR-LAAAAAAAND EN-GERRRRRRRRR-LAAAAAAAND EN-GERRRRRRRRR-LAAAAAAAND EN-GERRRRRRRRR-LAAAAAAAND EN-GERRRRRRRRR-LAAAAAAAND EN-GERRRRRRRRR-LAAAAAAAND, OUT WITH THE ARGY BARGYS!!
Ahem, 7.30am kickoffs tend to send me loopy
ex-hop-aholic, now inconsistent lurker...
member
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Location: The Birthplace of BlackSabbath
259 posts
Location: The Birthplace of BlackSabbath
Posted:
Hello! what is a turtle spin?
Hello! what is a turtle spin?
The answer is never the answer. What's really interesting is the mystery. If you seek the mystery instead of the answer, you'll always be seeking. I've never seen anybody really find the answer-- they think they have, so they stop thinking. But the job is to seek mystery, evoke mystery, plant a garden in which strange plants grow and mysteries bloom. The need for mystery is greater than the need for an answer.-- Ken Kesey
northern monkey
235 posts
235 posts
Posted:
argh god damn AOL!!
sorry, turtle spins, right imagine ur a turtle, you can spin round on ur back foot, bend all over so ur back is paralell to ground (like a turtle shell) then spin the staff on ur back.
voila!
hope the terminology police dont shoot me
vic xx
argh god damn AOL!!
sorry, turtle spins, right imagine ur a turtle, you can spin round on ur back foot, bend all over so ur back is paralell to ground (like a turtle shell) then spin the staff on ur back.
voila!
hope the terminology police dont shoot me
vic xx
ex-hop-aholic, now inconsistent lurker...
BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both
Carpal \'Tunnel
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Location: Europe,Scotland,Both
Posted:
BANG!
BANG!
This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti
northern monkey
235 posts
235 posts
Posted:
aye lassie, bring it!!!
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mehehe
vic xx
aye lassie, bring it!!!
Non-Https Image Link
mehehe
vic xx
ex-hop-aholic, now inconsistent lurker...
How do you change this thing???
1,903 posts
Location: Behind the couch...
1,903 posts
Location: Behind the couch...
Posted:
Not so tough now are ya TwirlyVic...
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-----------------------
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Not so tough now are ya TwirlyVic...
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-----------------------
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I can't hear you... I have a banana in my ear.
"You mean I'll have to use my brain?... but I use staff!!!" ~ ben-ja-men
northern monkey
235 posts
235 posts
Posted:
ouch ouch ouch, okay i'm running...
vic xx
ouch ouch ouch, okay i'm running...
vic xx
ex-hop-aholic, now inconsistent lurker...
Dreamer
4,308 posts
Location: York, England
4,308 posts
Location: York, England
Posted:
pardon me, but you can do corckscrews with a six foot staff??
*sits down eagerly to learn*
I'm 5'7" or 67" but i can't translate that to centimeters... damn american education system... erm, i love my sox foot staff though...
i can do everything with my 4' ones except this burn the nose type movement..... well, everything i know how to do...
pardon me, but you can do corckscrews with a six foot staff??
*sits down eagerly to learn*
I'm 5'7" or 67" but i can't translate that to centimeters... damn american education system... erm, i love my sox foot staff though...
i can do everything with my 4' ones except this burn the nose type movement..... well, everything i know how to do...
Keep your dream alive
Dreamin is still how the strong survive
Shalom VeAhavah
New Hampshire has a point....
addict
416 posts
Location: Hartford, CT USA
416 posts
Location: Hartford, CT USA
Posted:
i beleive any move done with long staffs can be done with the short ones (though im not sure, im not well versed in long staff) however, it is the longer staffs that have the limitations, with one being unable to do between the arm, under the arm, and between the legs moves without a great degree of difficulty, but as i said before ive never really worked with long staffs that much, meaning that there could be moves involving long staff that cant be done with short that i am unaware of...
anybody care to contradict?
i beleive any move done with long staffs can be done with the short ones (though im not sure, im not well versed in long staff) however, it is the longer staffs that have the limitations, with one being unable to do between the arm, under the arm, and between the legs moves without a great degree of difficulty, but as i said before ive never really worked with long staffs that much, meaning that there could be moves involving long staff that cant be done with short that i am unaware of...
anybody care to contradict?
Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!
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Carpal \'Tunnel
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Carpal \'Tunnel
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Posted:
for corkscrews maximum possible length is about eye height, or prehaps nose. everything else is preferance.
N
for corkscrews maximum possible length is about eye height, or prehaps nose. everything else is preferance.
N
This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti
Dreamer
4,308 posts
Location: York, England
4,308 posts
Location: York, England
Posted:
ok, dat's what i thought. so if teh staff is taller than i am then i can't do a corcksfcrew. ok. i can deal with that.
thanks for the minor clarification.
ok, dat's what i thought. so if teh staff is taller than i am then i can't do a corcksfcrew. ok. i can deal with that.
thanks for the minor clarification.
Keep your dream alive
Dreamin is still how the strong survive
Shalom VeAhavah
New Hampshire has a point....
BRONZE Member
addict
529 posts
Location: I wish I knew, United Kingdom
addict
529 posts
Location: I wish I knew, United Kingdom
Posted:
Some wraps around larger areas of the body might not be possible with a shorter staff. I'm finding it difficult to end up with a decent (not burning my hand) grip after a waistwrap, and I use quite a long staff (although I have only just started playing with wraps, so it's quite possible I'm just doing it all wrong).
J
Some wraps around larger areas of the body might not be possible with a shorter staff. I'm finding it difficult to end up with a decent (not burning my hand) grip after a waistwrap, and I use quite a long staff (although I have only just started playing with wraps, so it's quite possible I'm just doing it all wrong).
J
If you're not confused, you're not thinking about things hard enough.
poo-bah
1,015 posts
Location: Austin TX USA
1,015 posts
Location: Austin TX USA
Posted:
I think it would be difficult/impossible to do a btb handoff with a staff that is more than 2x the height to your waist. Since this is a pretty basic move, I consider that a practical upper limit.
I think it would be difficult/impossible to do a btb handoff with a staff that is more than 2x the height to your waist. Since this is a pretty basic move, I consider that a practical upper limit.
Laugh while you can, monkey-boy
Dreamer
4,308 posts
Location: York, England
4,308 posts
Location: York, England
Posted:
i can do it easily with one taht's exactly two times teh height to my waist... but i dunno what another couple inches would do.
i can do it easily with one taht's exactly two times teh height to my waist... but i dunno what another couple inches would do.
Keep your dream alive
Dreamin is still how the strong survive
Shalom VeAhavah
New Hampshire has a point....
BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both
Posted:
it would do wonders as far as she's concerned.
on a simalar note, whats a handoff?
N
it would do wonders as far as she's concerned.
on a simalar note, whats a handoff?
N
This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti
member
262 posts
Location: Edinburgh
262 posts
Location: Edinburgh
Posted:
certainly do not recommend most contact with anything less than 125 if on fire.. and upper limit? wherever you feel uncomfortable. but still don't know what a handoff is...
any suggested remedies for completely fucked backs 2 weeks before first glasto performance?
Rob
certainly do not recommend most contact with anything less than 125 if on fire.. and upper limit? wherever you feel uncomfortable. but still don't know what a handoff is...
any suggested remedies for completely fucked backs 2 weeks before first glasto performance?
Rob
brain replacement...anyone?
BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both
Posted:
ohh man, thats terrible.
Know any good osteopaths?
Love n hugs n lemon dringk
N
ohh man, thats terrible.
Know any good osteopaths?
Love n hugs n lemon dringk
N
This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti
northern monkey
235 posts
235 posts
Posted:
bugger, i think i've got corkscrews mixed up with something else. What i think is a corkscrew is when you spin the staff (or palm spin) above ur head then take it one hand and spin it around ur body in a corkscrew like fashion. But maybe thats not one, i'll go find out...
vic xx
bugger, i think i've got corkscrews mixed up with something else. What i think is a corkscrew is when you spin the staff (or palm spin) above ur head then take it one hand and spin it around ur body in a corkscrew like fashion. But maybe thats not one, i'll go find out...
vic xx
ex-hop-aholic, now inconsistent lurker...
northern monkey
235 posts
235 posts
Posted:
no, i was right, its just you skip over the staff at ankle height if its a longer staff.
i dunno, maybe its something only tiny people like myself can do...
prolly not though!!
vicxx
no, i was right, its just you skip over the staff at ankle height if its a longer staff.
i dunno, maybe its something only tiny people like myself can do...
prolly not though!!
vicxx
ex-hop-aholic, now inconsistent lurker...
Dreamer
4,308 posts
Location: York, England
4,308 posts
Location: York, England
Posted:
hrmm, see, skipping ove rthe staff at the still somewhat slwo speed i spin it at soudns far too dangerous too me
oh, wait skipping... not jumping.... will haev to try that mebbe.... hrmmm
hrmm, see, skipping ove rthe staff at the still somewhat slwo speed i spin it at soudns far too dangerous too me
oh, wait skipping... not jumping.... will haev to try that mebbe.... hrmmm
Keep your dream alive
Dreamin is still how the strong survive
Shalom VeAhavah
New Hampshire has a point....
northern monkey
235 posts
235 posts
Posted:
thats the key mate, it aint a big jump, just a nimble skip, except in the park today i did something really stupid.
Thought i could do superhuman things, threw up staff and i have no idea what happened next but somehow ended up with staff spinning towards my face, hitting my specs, my specs sliced my nose open and blood spurting everywhere.
I've got one mofo of a bruise and i'm considering a trip to hoppy for stitches...
god damn sun, getting in my face
vic xx
thats the key mate, it aint a big jump, just a nimble skip, except in the park today i did something really stupid.
Thought i could do superhuman things, threw up staff and i have no idea what happened next but somehow ended up with staff spinning towards my face, hitting my specs, my specs sliced my nose open and blood spurting everywhere.
I've got one mofo of a bruise and i'm considering a trip to hoppy for stitches...
god damn sun, getting in my face
vic xx
ex-hop-aholic, now inconsistent lurker...
Dreamer
4,308 posts
Location: York, England
4,308 posts
Location: York, England
Posted:
ouchhhhhh!!!!!!!!!
hope u get better soon hun!
ouchhhhhh!!!!!!!!!
hope u get better soon hun!
Keep your dream alive
Dreamin is still how the strong survive
Shalom VeAhavah
New Hampshire has a point....
addict
416 posts
Location: Hartford, CT USA
416 posts
Location: Hartford, CT USA
Posted:
heh, sure, blame it on the sun...
heh, sure, blame it on the sun...
Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!
northern monkey
235 posts
235 posts
Posted:
argh, i've got a freaky big bruise on my nose, its spread under and over my cheeks too. Grr! Aww well, at least everyone will recognise me at glasters!!!
vic xx
argh, i've got a freaky big bruise on my nose, its spread under and over my cheeks too. Grr! Aww well, at least everyone will recognise me at glasters!!!
vic xx
ex-hop-aholic, now inconsistent lurker...
member
91 posts
Location: Canada
91 posts
Location: Canada
Posted:
O.K. TwirlyVic, here is your length guide. The perfect length for a short staff should be the same length as the distance of your arm (from under your armpit to the tip of your hand). So, put your arm straight out in front of you, take a stick and hold it under your arm from under your armpit, out underneath to the tip of your fingers. For most people this would be an average distance of 2.5 feet, so a 3 ftr staff (36 inches) would be good to use as a short stick. The 3 foot staff should still enable you to do every vertical, and more important, horizontal move without making contact with yourself and the staff/fire.
Now how big? That depends on your size and what skill level you are and want to use. Sure you can twirl a 6 footer, but you'll have a problem if you're 4 feet tall and then crazy if you want to start some horizontal stuff, especially if you haven't been twirling long. Ideally the best long length staff to use would be the distance from your palm to the floor multiplied by 2 (with your arm just hanging beside you). So in other words when you are holding your long staff in the middle, and you bring your arm down beside you, the bottom of your staff should just almost touch the ground (it should not want to go into the ground). This will probably be from an average of 4 to 4.5 feet, but for you people blessed with being tall, you average goes up to 5 and just over). This way when you do coreography and moves and need to bend up and down and stuff, your staff won't be trying to spin into the ground while your feet are dancing away. I am 5feet,8inches tall (5'8)and I can twirl a 6ftr no problem, but I am restricted to only few horizontal moves, and can't perform as many wild verticals as I could with a 4tr (my personal fave). Still, the effect of the long staff is cool, but you can do cooler and quicker stuff with shorter staffs.
n arm (from pit to tip of fingers
O.K. TwirlyVic, here is your length guide. The perfect length for a short staff should be the same length as the distance of your arm (from under your armpit to the tip of your hand). So, put your arm straight out in front of you, take a stick and hold it under your arm from under your armpit, out underneath to the tip of your fingers. For most people this would be an average distance of 2.5 feet, so a 3 ftr staff (36 inches) would be good to use as a short stick. The 3 foot staff should still enable you to do every vertical, and more important, horizontal move without making contact with yourself and the staff/fire.
Now how big? That depends on your size and what skill level you are and want to use. Sure you can twirl a 6 footer, but you'll have a problem if you're 4 feet tall and then crazy if you want to start some horizontal stuff, especially if you haven't been twirling long. Ideally the best long length staff to use would be the distance from your palm to the floor multiplied by 2 (with your arm just hanging beside you). So in other words when you are holding your long staff in the middle, and you bring your arm down beside you, the bottom of your staff should just almost touch the ground (it should not want to go into the ground). This will probably be from an average of 4 to 4.5 feet, but for you people blessed with being tall, you average goes up to 5 and just over). This way when you do coreography and moves and need to bend up and down and stuff, your staff won't be trying to spin into the ground while your feet are dancing away. I am 5feet,8inches tall (5'8)and I can twirl a 6ftr no problem, but I am restricted to only few horizontal moves, and can't perform as many wild verticals as I could with a 4tr (my personal fave). Still, the effect of the long staff is cool, but you can do cooler and quicker stuff with shorter staffs.
n arm (from pit to tip of fingers
member
71 posts
Location: Leeds
71 posts
Location: Leeds
Posted:
i thought that the length from your armpit to your finger tips was for oi....but guess im wrong....im wanting to buy a staff...been meaning to for f**kin ages but just cant find anyone that does it...and dont know what length to get...im veering more towards a shorter one..so i can eventually spin doubles...(one day....*grins cheekily*....would anyone be able to tell me which is better....i know thats a really broad question because everyone has their own tastes in spinning...but im really stucjk with which to get...i was thinking of getting the short fire twirling stick (alluminium one) from this site....but i need help deciding...lol....
GoaFire
*the total understanding of dancing like a firefly on acid*
i thought that the length from your armpit to your finger tips was for oi....but guess im wrong....im wanting to buy a staff...been meaning to for f**kin ages but just cant find anyone that does it...and dont know what length to get...im veering more towards a shorter one..so i can eventually spin doubles...(one day....*grins cheekily*....would anyone be able to tell me which is better....i know thats a really broad question because everyone has their own tastes in spinning...but im really stucjk with which to get...i was thinking of getting the short fire twirling stick (alluminium one) from this site....but i need help deciding...lol....
GoaFire
*the total understanding of dancing like a firefly on acid*
BRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted:
ok, (looks a little exasperated) as people are having trouble understanding that asking how long they should have their staffs is like someone asking what clothes they should wear or what music they should buy, I'll give you a little run down on the ways that length affects my own style.
people may or may not agree with me, but this is what I feel...
Shorter (hand to armpit or less) -
1. Good for baton style moves, including double baton style.
2. Much easier to burn yourself.
3. Restriction on wraps body moves.
4. Less weight means you have to keep the momentum up more for spinning and figure8 moves.
5. Burnoffs are harder, more dangerous and heat up the staff a lot.
6. Easier to transport
Longer (chin height or higher) -
1. Better for martial arts style and speed.
2. Harder to burn yourself
3. Much more surface area for wraps and body moves
4. More weight means they like to fall into patterns and will keep their own enertia more.
5. Burnoffs much easier, more imporessive and safer.
7. Can be difficult to transport.
ok, (looks a little exasperated) as people are having trouble understanding that asking how long they should have their staffs is like someone asking what clothes they should wear or what music they should buy, I'll give you a little run down on the ways that length affects my own style.
people may or may not agree with me, but this is what I feel...
Shorter (hand to armpit or less) -
1. Good for baton style moves, including double baton style.
2. Much easier to burn yourself.
3. Restriction on wraps body moves.
4. Less weight means you have to keep the momentum up more for spinning and figure8 moves.
5. Burnoffs are harder, more dangerous and heat up the staff a lot.
6. Easier to transport
Longer (chin height or higher) -
1. Better for martial arts style and speed.
2. Harder to burn yourself
3. Much more surface area for wraps and body moves
4. More weight means they like to fall into patterns and will keep their own enertia more.
5. Burnoffs much easier, more imporessive and safer.
7. Can be difficult to transport.
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northern monkey
235 posts
235 posts
Posted:
thanks
i'm considering chucking my long staff cos it's really annoying me transport wise, and i do NOT trust breakdown staves...
anywas, thanks!
vic xx
thanks
i'm considering chucking my long staff cos it's really annoying me transport wise, and i do NOT trust breakdown staves...
anywas, thanks!
vic xx
ex-hop-aholic, now inconsistent lurker...
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Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted:
Seriously...I wouldn't let that be your major deciding point, especially as the innercore staff I have from this site is the best breakdown I've ever used.
It's stronger than my one-piece staffs!!!!
Seriously...I wouldn't let that be your major deciding point, especially as the innercore staff I have from this site is the best breakdown I've ever used.
It's stronger than my one-piece staffs!!!!
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member
91 posts
Location: Canada
91 posts
Location: Canada
Posted:
Once again, ultimately, it is up to you what length you want to use. As for the "extendable staff", I've had the priviledge of using two diff. ones, and I don't like them because they "break the flow". There is either a problem with the way it is attached properly, or the fasteners need to be reinvented again. Feeling a staff shake is not cool at all....ie. tossing it up and catching it, when you catch, you shouldn't feel the staff shake, jolt, or move in any way. This doesn't happen when you have just one piece (staff). As for it being able to be whatever size you want, awesome.
Once again, ultimately, it is up to you what length you want to use. As for the "extendable staff", I've had the priviledge of using two diff. ones, and I don't like them because they "break the flow". There is either a problem with the way it is attached properly, or the fasteners need to be reinvented again. Feeling a staff shake is not cool at all....ie. tossing it up and catching it, when you catch, you shouldn't feel the staff shake, jolt, or move in any way. This doesn't happen when you have just one piece (staff). As for it being able to be whatever size you want, awesome.
quote:...but to carve and shape the very atmosphere through which we look, that is the finest of the arts.
GOLD Member
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
Yeah, right on, Inferno!
there is a bloody world of difference between the Inner core staves and other breakdown/3 peice staves! I agree though, if ya haven't tried a sturdy breakdown innercore staff, then twirling other breakdown staves would give you an unfavourable impression of breakdowns.
It is the most professional looking firestaff I've ever seen to boot, broken down or not! woot! It is one of the few firetoys i have bothered to name. As a material possession, it has special karmic abilities - I have always found the handle when I lost it!
They are made with much love - all by hand! owning one is such a lavish treat for a firestaffer!
/mutters into the distance about innercore...
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my single staff is not as long as some (1.2)
[ 12 July 2002, 13:40: Message edited by: Bender_the_Offender ]
Yeah, right on, Inferno!
there is a bloody world of difference between the Inner core staves and other breakdown/3 peice staves! I agree though, if ya haven't tried a sturdy breakdown innercore staff, then twirling other breakdown staves would give you an unfavourable impression of breakdowns.
It is the most professional looking firestaff I've ever seen to boot, broken down or not! woot! It is one of the few firetoys i have bothered to name. As a material possession, it has special karmic abilities - I have always found the handle when I lost it!
They are made with much love - all by hand! owning one is such a lavish treat for a firestaffer!
/mutters into the distance about innercore...
Non-Https Image Link
my single staff is not as long as some (1.2)
[ 12 July 2002, 13:40: Message edited by: Bender_the_Offender ]
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