In 2021, US Tricking hosted the US Fall Tour. Let me tell you, it was awesome. And while I only went to 2 out of the 7 back-to-back events, one of the most memorable things that I noticed was the number of people who were attending their first gathering ever. The pandemic may have taken away events for a short time, but the sport has not stopped growing in popularity. Social media has propelled tricking to new heights, and in this transformative time, a new generation of trickers is starting to emerge.
So, for any of you reading who are new to gatherings, I’m writing this for you—to help make gatherings an amazing, unforgettable experience. This is how to survive your first tricking gathering.
1. Get into the right mindset.
First off, get pumped! You’re going to a gathering! Remember that you’re going to be surrounded by a whole bunch of people who all share the same passion as you. For the movement, for kicks, flips, twists, and good vibes! At the end of the day what matters the most is that you have fun, so don’t stress. Another thing to note is that gatherings are indeed large social events. At times it can be overwhelming to be surrounded by so many people, especially if you consider yourself more of an introvert. So just know that it’s okay to take a break, go for a walk, or just chill. One of my favorite things to do at a gathering is sit on the sidelines while people are going hard, and just take it all in. Like, “Damn, I just ate pizza an hour ago with some of the best athletes in the entire world.”
2. Introduce yourself to new people.
While writing this article, I polled a LOT of trickers and overwhelmingly, the one piece of advice that they gave was to not be afraid of talking to other trickers. I have a secret to share with you: your favorite trickers want to be your friend as much as you want to be theirs. Trickers come in all different shapes, sizes, and personalities, but the one thing they all have in common is their love for this community. It can be nerve-racking at times when you see someone spamming dubs while you’re out here chucking gainers. But remember that skill-wise, they were where you are not all that long ago. We get it, and we all want to see you grow and stomp new tricks.
We've got you bro.
So, start with one person you see. Say hi, introduce yourself and where you’re from, and boom, you’ve pretty much made a new friend. It’s that simple! Sometimes you don’t even have to say hi—this one time I introduced myself by jumping into a group of people practicing websters and throwing one of my own! All of a sudden, we had a shared topic to talk about.
Some of my best friends are people that I met at gatherings, and the coolest part is that they’re from all around the world. Gatherings are an opportunity to make unique connections, and you should take advantage of that every chance you get.
3. Pace yourself.
This is both a mental and a physical reminder. If it’s your first time at a gathering, there’s a good chance you’ve never trained for this long before. Most events are all weekend. That’s almost 3 days of open sessions, which is a really long time compared to a typical 2-hour open gym. So try not to blow all of your energy on the first day, leaving you incredibly sore, and possibly injured the next morning. I know, that’s incredibly hard to do when everyone is going IN on the session, but if you can pace yourself throughout the gathering, I promise your body will thank you on Sunday morning.
As for the tricks themselves, you’ve been grinding at them for weeks, maybe months at a time, right? And now that the eyes of some of your favorite trickers are on you, it’s easy to put too much pressure on yourself to trick well, and show off your skills. If you find yourself in this situation, try taking a step back to take a breather and relax. Try learning something new, or hang out with some friends. Your performance at this event doesn’t dictate anything about you as a tricker, so don’t sweat it if you’re not tricking at your 100% best.
4. Take care of your body.
Aside from pacing yourself, there are many other ways you should take care of the body. Tricking is incredibly taxing on the body, so it’s important to give it what it needs to function. That means, for example, making sure you eat properly. More and more gatherings these days are working hard to provide their attendees with meals throughout the event, so make sure that you pay attention to when food is being served, and snag a plate of it before it’s all gone. If food isn’t being dished out at your event, get a group together to go out and buy something to eat.
Is it even a gathering without an IHOP run?
In addition to food, your body also needs rest. Sleep is super important in making sure the body can function in tip-top shape. So while it may sound enticing to hit that 540 at 5:40 A.M. with your squad, listen to your body and sleep when you get tired.
5. Pack the right stuff.
Now, all of these tips are super helpful for getting in the right mindset, but the last thing that I want to talk about is what to pack at a gathering. Below is a list of important things you won’t want to leave the house without:
- Your gathering ticket
- An extra change of clothes
- A hoodie
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Your phone charger
- Sleeping bag or pillow if you plan on sleeping in the gym
- Ear plugs, for sleeping while people are still throwing tricks at 4 A.M.
- A camera (if you don’t have one on your phone)
- Extra cash to snag some sick tricking merch
- Snacks! You want things that are good for you, tasty, and won’t get crushed in your bag. I recommend fruit, trail mix, and/or energy bars. You’ll always find someone who forgot to pack food, so bring a little extra to share, and you’ll easily make a new friend or two.
- Water/water bottle—In addition to snacks, water is ESSENTIAL! Staying hydrated is super important when you’re moving around nonstop for days.
I’m a firm believer in tricking gatherings being an essential part of your journey as a tricker. Although our sport can be a solitary pursuit, its culture is anything but. Community and friendships are some of the most important parts of tricking. I’m telling you, it can change your life.
In 2016 I went to TrickStrong Gathering in New York and met another tricker named Mikael Mantis. We connected over our shared interest in vert twisting and kicks, and we quickly became friends. A couple of months later, I actually ended up moving to Philadelphia for college, where he also lived at the time. Little did I know that connection would lead to us to starting a gathering of our very own called Vertigo a couple of years later. Now, 5 years out from our first encounter, our event aims to do the very same thing that brought us together: joining trickers from different communities to foster connections and friendships.
So, best of luck at your first gathering—and seriously, don’t forget the ear plugs!
Mike Hom proudly represents Vertigo as its co-founder as well as USTricking as a founding member. He spends his day-to-day as a graphic designer, videographer, and photographer. Follow him on Instagram at @mikedoestricks