Popping begginer

[RPalha]

A friend of mine said that I had a natural talent for popping. I got very enthusiastic about it and decided to give it a try. I have read almost the entire forum already but I have still a lot a of questions that I hope you can help me with.
I can make movements with my head (head isolations) very easily and I can also pop my chest nicely and make a wave with my legs that I think it is very smooth also :p that's what my friend noticed (he's a bboy).

My questions are:

1) I saw salah's loreal tutorial, the one he teaches how to do the wave, and I noticed he teaches to do the L shape wave but I also noticed that many poppers say that's not the correct way to do it. Is that true or should I try first to do the L shape wave and then try to rotate my arm and do the "other" wave?

2) I am trying for a few weeks doing the exercises that everybody says to do to hit my muscle but I think I ain't making any kind of progress :/ Im really skinny and I dont have muscles so I think that's the reason for that. Or it has nothing to do with it?

3) I also noticed, from watching videos from really nice poppers, that they are very smooth and they make very clean moves like when you do the robot you're dimmestoppings are really really clean, but mine are just very sloppy and I was wondering if anyone can give me an advice on how to make my moves look smoother/cleaner? (Edited: Already know how to make my moves look cleaner, it is all about isolation practice right?)

4) I wanted to go to a popping school that I know in my city but my friend said not to because the teacher is a "new styler" and that his classes are classes of new school and not popping so I wouldn't be there doing anything. Do you think I should try it anyways?

Thank you, sorry for the huge text :x and sorry if my english is not the best but I am portuguese :p

[VTbreak]

1) People would probably say do the arm rotating wave, but I don't know, I started with the L wave then learned the rotating arm.

2) Everybody has muscles, but I suppose working out helps...Just dont get too bulky, I find it looks strange sometimes.

3)

4) I think it'd be a fun idea to try it out after giving it a few months of practicing on your own to see what it's like and get new ideas in your head.


and your english is really good

[inventfmc]

Before I answer you... lol. Over at bboy.org in the popping section, we have this saying that if you are beginner, and you say some of your moves or techniques look good... you are lying lol.
EVERYTHING in popping takes hard work. Nothing comes easy.
Having said:

1. There's no "wrong and right way" to do it. Just learn to do it both ways because you can use either depending on what type of wave you want to do and what kind of effect you want to show.

2. No you don't need to work out or have muscles. It takes about a full year to have a "decent" hit. Just keep working at it. That is the main foundation of popping and you will be working on it your entire life.

3. Simple. Practice stopping cleanly. Again, something that is not easy to do. There is no "magic thing" you can do to make it amazing instantly. It takes A LOT of hard work.

4. Go to a class, talk to the teacher, tell him you are interested in taking his class but you want to see what it's about first. Ask him if you can sit in and watch a bit of one of his classes. If it's what you want, do it. If it's not, don't do it. If you think it will benefit you in some way, do it.
Remember, a lot of us have done this without teachers or people around us to learn from.

Just to close, I'm assuming you've only been popping for a few months. The things you want to practice that you asked about, again, it will probably take you a full year to get them decent. and then another 2 years each to get them good lol. This is a hard dance that takes TIME. If you don't want to spend the time and just want to learn it fast to show off... then this isn't the dance for you. Be ready for lots of dedication and practice.
Invent

[RPalha]

Hum, about the first thing you said inventfmc it is not always like that. I make my head isolations very easily in fact and a wave with my legs that is very smooth also. You're right though in one thing, it is needed a lot of pratice but I didn't start to make my head isolations and the wave with my legs just when I started popping :p I already do this for years so I think I can say it is very nice but of course it can always get better ;)

Btw, I am going to follow your advice and go to the class to check it out and then I'll decide if I want to have them or not.

Thank you both and have a great 2009 !

[inventfmc]

Lol if you been doin it for a while then yes it is different lol. Good luck and have fun.

[RPalha]

It is true what you said, if I take classes and just copy whatever the teacher says it ain't be my way of expression but his. But, I don't want that, I just want to have some pratical advices that can make my moves better :p if you had the chance to pratice with bogalloo sam for example, wouldn't you take it? :p well, the situation it is kind of equal.

But has I said, I going to check it out first and see if the classes are what I need and then I'll decide.

Thank you all for the answers and the advices ;)

PS: I know it takes a lot of work and I am willing to have it.