-Videos Kill Innovation

I used to think it was the opposite. Watch as many videos as possible then create your own tricks/style from what you see. And if you watch a ton of videos, it also is very hard to copy since you know most of the tricks that already have been done. The problem I find with this now, is then most creation is similar. When everyone around you is doing the same thing, you also get the mentality to do the same as well. If you are taking a trick thats already been done and making it a variation, its not that different and chances are someone else who watches videos probably thought of it too. Thats why I don’t want to settle for similar anymore, but completely unique.

What made me change my ways? Well when I meet freestylers I always tend to ask this question, “who is your favorite freestyler?” Most freestylers would have one, but some freestylers didn’t or couldn’t pinpoint one. And the most interesting thing about the freestylers who didn’t, were either creative or had their own style. So as curious as I am, I asked them why. Turns out they dont even watch videos! Same with Japan, majority of freestylers there don’t watch any videos whatsoever. Yet they produce some of the most original styles on the planet. For someone who used to watch videos everyday, this got me thinking. How come these guys that don’t watch any videos can create some crazy, weird and new tricks/styles?

When you look back at the “oldschool” era of freestyle there were no videos. A life without Facebook, Youtube, or Instagram, which is pretty crazy since most of our community is on social media currently. So freestylers literally had to create, there was no other choice. They would ask themselves, “What if I could do this?” or “What if this was possible?” Since there were no videos, they couldn’t see what other freestylers were doing so they created their own style that way. Just by doing what you want to do, and not what you see is how to create tricks. Something Les Brown said really stuck out to me. “Most people say I will see it, then believe. But no no no thats not it. You must BELIEVE it first, then you will see it.” After stopping all the mass video watching, I am slowly starting to find more of my own tricks. Instead of creating from what was already done, I am now creating solely from what I think is possible. Freestylers like Sagami are the perfect example, he lives way out in the mountain boonies yet he was one of the most creative freestylers out there.

So is watching videos a bad thing? Of course not, I still sometimes watch a couple videos now and then. Definitely still can get inspired by a good watch, but it wont help if you want to create something of your own.

THINK DIFFERENT!

Hope you enjoyed this little short article, remember this is just my views/opinions on freestyle today so dont take it seriously! I love controversial topics in freestyle and have many more ideas I would like to share

Stay tuned for more, thanks for reading ☺