Breaking
B-Girl Jo explains how to perfect the simple swipe powermove and also the variation called the master swipe, which is performed on one foot.
B-Girl Jo swears by swipes, a basic powermove she learnt early on when she started breaking.
And after learning the basic move done on two feet, she quickly picked up the variation of this move known as master swipes, which are done on one foot.
“I focus a lot on my swipes and the master swipe was one of the first powermoves that I became adept at. I feel I improvised a lot and made it my signature move over time,” says Jo.
She adds that learning the movement of the swipe also helps with learning more complex powermoves like the windmill and the flare.
As a two-time Red Bull BC One Cypher India B-Girl Champion, Jo has been looked up to by many young and upcoming breakers.
Jo was recently part of the Red Bull BC One Local Hero Tour, conducting workshops in cities across India. Here she explains what it takes to perfect the swipe and the master swipe.
01
Getting the basics right
Jo says that before learning the master swipe, it is important to learn how to do a basic swipe. A swipe involves spinning around both axes of your body at the same time.
“A master swipe is essentially a one-legged swipe, so it would be essential to learn the swipe as the foundation,” says Jo.
She also advises that you first learn arm switches and leg switches, which are the fundamentals of breaking.
02
Before the swipe
Do some strengthening exercises and warm-ups before starting your practice. Here are a few things Jo advises you to do:
- Practice core strengthening like planks, side planks, the bridge and the boat hold for a few weeks before you practice swipes. This will help get your core strong for the movement.
- Also practice full body holds and L-sits as part of your workout.
03
Step 1
The starting position is the bridge; balance your bodyweight on your hands and feet with your stomach towards the ceiling/sky. Arch your back as much as possible while comfortable. Practice holding this position for a few minutes if it is initially difficult.
04
Step 2
Now practice balancing on one hand with the other hand in the air, and constantly switching the weight from your right hand to your left. As you switch the weight from right to left, throw your entire body to the left so your right arm is straight up in the air. Keep practicing this and try to increase the amount of time your body is in the air before your hand makes contact with the floor.
05
Step 3
Once comfortable with the previous step, throw your bodyweight over on the left side, make contact with your right hand on the floor beside your left hand, and simultaneously twist at your hips.
06
Step 4
Once your hips are twisted, follow the momentum generated by your hips and swing your legs around from under you, popping them up in the air and completing a quarter turn with your body before landing your feet again. This is a single swipe.
07
Step 5
Once you are comfortable doing a single swipe, practice the move over and over to do multiple swipes, using the momentum generated by your body to keep going.
08
Step 6
Once you’ve perfected multiple swipes, you can progress to the master swipe. This is simply done one-legged throughout. If swiping towards your right side, keep your right leg in the air at all times and only make contact on the floor with your left foot and hands.
09
Pro tips for performing the master swipe
Jo says that once you’ve perfected the move, you can add plenty of variations to it.
“I started doing the two drop within the master swipe. The two drop is a simple move but it’s nice to include it within different powermoves too. Once you can do two swipes together, you can try to unexpectedly drop to the floor on your belly and if you get the momentum right, you can manage a spin on the belly,” Jo says.
Another pro tip Jo shares is to time your breathing while performing the swipe: “Exhale each time you swipe so you can do sharper twists.”
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