The stilts become a simple extension of your leg. The centre of gravity,
being the point of rotation, is directly underneath your foot, and is
therefore no different to walking normally, including running and
jumping.
Experience has shown that beginners find their balance and can walk
without any assistance right from their very first session. The typical
time required to be completely independent tends to vary between 30
seconds to as much as 10 minutes. If you have prior experience on skis,
roller skates, a skateboard, or any other sport requiring a sense of
balance, your learning curve will be very quick. If, on the other hand,
you have never tried your hand at any such sports, it will take you a
little longer however, the longest we have ever encountered for someone
learning to walk was 18 minutes and, to his credit, that was a 68 year
old gentleman!
We are talking about sports equipment used for getting into and
remaining in good shape, even though it is often used for fun,
excitement, and theatrical purposes but it is also considered to be a
new extreme sport in the same category as roller skating and
skateboarding. That said, each person can use these stilts according to
his own preferences. It is possible to walk normally, which is not very
impressive in itself, but once you start jogging like an astronaut
experiencing zero gravity, or sprinting at speeds of up to 40 km/h
everything takes on a different perspective...
For example, each step when running is typically 3 metres long which
means you cover a greater distance in a relatively short time similar to
an athlete doing a 100 metre sprint. With a bit of practice, you can
begin trying your hand at freestyle jumps, somersaults, and other
jumping styles normally only attempted on a trampoline...
One's level of success depends more on the user
himself than the equipment he is using ...the more you train, the faster
you will progress, and the more audacious you will become.
Theoretically, jumping stilts can be used on almost any kind of surface.
The limiting factor is the rubber foot known as the "hoof" which must be
given the opportunity to grip on your chosen surface. First of all, only
a tiny part of it actually makes contact with the surface. Next off, it
is made of rubber. Consider which kinds of surface a car tyre will
perform well on. Tyres don't like wet or icy surfaces and they abhor
loose gravel, sand, and grass. Jumping stilts are the same although many
people still practice on less than ideal surfaces.
In the end, it's up to you to use due caution, be
responsible (especially in respect of others around you), and wear
adequate safety gear in the event that you do take a fall.
The framework is made of aluminium, the foot or "hoof" is made
from the same rubber composite used in the manufacture of formula 1
racing tyres, the springs are constructed from fibreglass, and the
footrest is made of plastic. All the components are replaceable.
All the components of the 7 Leagueboot jumping stilts are available from
our network of resellers. If you require a part which is not available from our
catalogue,
please contact
your nearest reseller for a quotation.
Finding a material that is 100% resistant to wear would be practically
impossible. Given time, the springs will show signs of wear. This is
generally noticed by a reduction in the height you obtain when jumping
and a more lively bounce when walking. It would take a long time to wear
them out but you are more likely to change them before that ever happens
as you would want to regain the height you have become accustomed to.
Springs are available as spare parts and are sold
in pairs so that wear on both remains even. Due to their arched form,
they are not under any tension making them extremely easy to change when
necessary.
Thanks to the type of fibreglass and resin compound used, it is
practically impossible to break a spring. We are so confident of that, we guarantee them
against total breakage for a 12 month period, whereas most jumping stilt
manufacturers limit their guarantee to 3 months ...and that's if they
guarantee them at all!
Not really. Fibreglass rarely breaks. Instead it tends to feather. Even so,
your springs will require some extreme abuse before they begin to do
that. The reason for this is because they are constructed from many fine
layers of fibreglass making it impossible for them all to break at the
same time. If several layers break at once the result is a much weakened
jump similar to jumping on a mattress. The risk of injury is therefore
totally excluded.
To this date, we have never experienced someone
injuring themselves as a result of spring wear.
No, quite the contrary! The positive characteristics from the use of
this product are quite simply unlimited. 98% of your muscles are
exercised, thighs, buttocks, upper body, and especially the abdominals.
Due to the design and location of the centre of gravity, the abdominals
are constantly solicited. This assists significantly in weight control.
The springs absorb at least 80% of the shocks normally associated with
the knees, ankles, and lower back, often making it possible for people
with handicaps in these areas to return to daily exercise.
Many athletes and sports people are already using jumping stilts for
development of their muscles, why not you?
As with all sports, a certain time to adapt will be necessary. Nobody
can expect to instantly be at ease on their stilts and begin performing
somersaults. It will take time to progress and as with every sport,
falls are a part of your learning curve. This is why we must stress the
importance of wearing adequate protection every time you go out on your
stilts (helmet, wrist guards, knee and elbow pads), in order to minimise
the risk of injury in the event of a fall.
The use of these stilts is almost identical to
normal walking allowing you to go anywhere with ease. Lift your feet
well off the ground when starting out so that you avoid dragging a hoof
against the ground. And make sure you walk straight keeping your back
straight and not looking down at your feet. Beginners have a tendency to
walk like Charlie Chaplin (duck style) which results in one spring
catching the other. That can result in a fall. They also tend to look
down at their feet which means they are leaning forward thereby putting
themselves off balance.
Falls are actually very rare and can easily be
avoided by remaining alert during your first couple of sessions. Do NOT
be in a hurry to attempt anything you may have seen on YouTube. Most of
those videos are of people with several months, if not years, of
experience. Just give yourself time and you will see encouraging results
within a matter of a few short weeks.
Just use your legs to absorb and counter the forward energy. This
technique is used when jumping on a trampoline. It comes naturally and
is acquired very rapidly.
How long is a piece of string? If we compare them with your car tyres,
how long do they last? Isn't it true that it all depends on the amount
of kilometres you cover? The same goes for your hooves. If used for 8
hours every day, it's sure they will wear out much faster than if you
only went out on them for 3 hours a week.
The degree of wear will also depend largely on the kind of surface they
are being used on. Sand, grass, and softer floorings like those found in
a gymnasium will induce much less wear than tarmac, concrete, or other
rough textured surfaces. Nonetheless, we have found that used once per
week for around 4 hours on a mixture of road surfaces and interior use,
a pair of 7 Leagueboot hooves will last approximately 14 months.
Absolutely! Springs can be changed according to your needs, given that
the rest of the stilt is identical in its construction. The only
difference lies in the strength of the springs so, if you are currently
using a pair of T-Rex springs and have reached a level where you wish to
upgrade to S-Rex springs, go ahead and do it. And, if you are using
another brand of stilts, changing the springs for a pair of 7 Leagueboot
springs in order to gain in performance and lifespan is as easy as pie!
Note: S-Rex springs may require slight
modification (sanding) in order to insert them in the frame of other
brands of stilts however, Thero, Raptor, and T-Rex springs are all
instantly interchangeable.
The knee bar should rest against your leg at approximately
2-3 cm below the kneecap. You should be able to sit down without rubbing
the top of the spring against the back of your knee while your legs are
bent at 90°. It may be necessary to experiment a little in order to find
the position that is the most comfortable for you but, the knee bar
should never touch your knee or be positioned above it. If you were to
do that it would be impossible to use your stilts correctly.
Exactly the same applies to the optional "Viper"
knee binding, only with this the top of the locking strap should be 2-3
cm below the kneecap. The rear of the "Viper" needs to support your calf
firmly. You should experiment with the velcro fastened rear strap
without tightening the mounting block down. This will allow the support
bars left and right to move inwards and outwards.
As soon as you feel comfortable in the "Viper"
having closed the front strap, you should tighten the bolts of the
mounting block because the bars will have naturally assumed the correct
position due to how you set the rear strap.
