9/4/09

Mixed News

Hi Folks,

An especial welcome to Habakuk, who has sent me a message. Habakuk, I wanted to inquire about the wooden block and the iron suspension bar; but I've managed to get the block constructed, thanks to another reader.

The mixed news is that I have tried the block this afternoon and found it uncomfortable compared to the basic rope method I've been using for many months.

I guess I'm used to the rope and baize. Is it not a bit pernickety assembling the block around your balls; ensuring the cord stays away; trying not to nip your ball sack when tightening it etc?

With the rope, I'm up and away in seconds. I'd concede that there must be a more even stretch with the block method.

I guess I'll stick to my tried and tested technique, attempting two minutes and more on good days! I'm very light and nimble; perhaps that is a factor for me.

Habakuk - matter of interest - what country do you live in?

All the best,

Tim

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tim, It was worth a try. I tried the rope but felt there was too much crushing of the cords. You are lighter than me also. Are you going to put up a video of the "two minute" hang? kbar

Anonymous said...

Hi Kbar,

A million thanks for all your valuable advice. About the Habakuk comment: cool, eh?

The snag is that my Kodak camera has a mere 40 second limit. As I said before, if a professional studio is out there, I'm your man!

I'll post another video from a different angle, aimed at the floor to show others that I really am swinging free!

Cheers Tim

Anonymous said...

Very cool Tim. Habakuk is the master.I saw pics of him which initially inspired me. Thanks Habakuk!!
If you have the room, try a slow spin while suspended. It makes for great video. I am going to try some modifications of your rope.I see that the rope is about 3/8"- 1/2" diameter? kbar

Anonymous said...

My little camera will do about 10 min of video. I have not gotten the nerve to put any of it up though. kbar

Anonymous said...

I will be offline for a couple of days. Hang in there Tim. kbar

Unknown said...

Morning,
Well you are dead right to use the rope instead of the wooden block if you have trained so far that it works. I started that way. I developed the block because I wanted to wear a permanent metal ring and I wanted to condition my balls for that. The advantage of a permanent ring is that you just hook on and you float freely. It is also very nice to feel that weight all the time pulling your balls, and have them hanging low. To every one: If you guys want a ring like mine, I can post the drawings n this site. You can get it made in any old mechanical maintenance work shop. That also applies to the suspension bracket. I can also post instructions on how to put it on without catching the skin.
I cannot swing around suspended from the bracket, that is only possible if you use a rope.
Where I live? In Southern Africa. I can not tell you more, becasue I am too famous in normal life, and I am allready worried about the pictures of me on the net.
greetings to all of you
Habakuk

Timothy Belmont said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Habakuk, Many thanks, again, for that. Very interesting indeed.

Discretion is my middle name. I operate another blog; that's why my replies on this one are labelled Anonymous - it would mean signing off one and signing on another!

I've been swinging freely about twice a week for about four months, and still chafe a bit occasionally. What is your experience of chafing; and, if you haven't been swinging for awhile, does it take time to get back into the swing of things (oops, sorry 'bout the pun!) with more chafing; or has your skin built up a certain resistance?

Do you have good and not-so-good days; and do you vary the time you swing, depending on your mood, how you are feeling etc?

Tim

Unknown said...

When you use the rope you may get chafing problems, but not with the block or ring. I have not seen how you finished your block, but it should be polished very smooth and rounded of with a radius of about 15 mm at the top of the hole. I always lubricate the balls with a bit of talcum powder before suspending. No problems then. With the metal ring, which I use only now, I lubricate with a very tiny bit of vaseline. Not to much though. Makes it to slippery and puts to much strain on the skin. Somehow baby powder does not work as well on metal.
I have not been able to swing for a time because of a prostate operation. Right now I can only lift 25 kg! But it is increasing rapidly. I had another period without suspending some years ago. That time it took me a month to get back on track. Funny thing is that the stretching did not reduce that much. I could stretch just to the top of my kneecap. Now it is about 15 mm above that.
The skin certainly builds up resistance. In the beginning blood may ooze right through it, but after some time it stops. You can actually feel that the skin of the bottom halve of the balls is thicker then the rest. It also gets a darker colour. In fact the doctor was worried that someting was wrong after my operation and asked me whether I had a problem. I told him that it was a discolouration which I had from birth, and he appeared to be satisfied with that answer.
I certainly have good and bad days. I also vary the time and frequency of swinging. Sometimes a leave it for a couple of days, sometimes I have the urge to do it 10 times a day. The time of swinging also varies. My limit is more determined by the fear of building up to much blood pressure in my head then anything else. How do you experience that?
For that reason I always hope to tie a swing to the balls and find some one to sit on it and relax. that way I think one could easily stretch for 15 minutes.
How am I feeling? Excited! Why? I haven't got the faintest idea. The whole thing is crazy, but the fact is that I enjoy being nuts!
Habakuk

Anonymous said...

Hi Habakuk,

Great to hear from you again. The most I have managed so far has been 90 seconds; then again, I've only been fully suspending since May, and even then I had a break for about one month.

So far I've had no issues at all with blood going to my head. My head is close to the ground. My technique is to suspend gradually with my hands holding the rope while my head touches the floor; and my head takes a little weight; then I gradually lift my head away and, hey presto, Full suspension! So I lift my head off the ground and it is horizontal to the ground, thus the blood presumably doesn't flow right down.

I'd like to do an outdoor session, in the woods, with the rope attached to a tree; and a photo-shoot. Alas, the climate here is turning to Autumn and, more to the point, it would be difficult to set up my basic Kodak with self-timer etc before composing myself! Manana...

Cheers Tim

Unknown said...

I am confused: Is Mingmasher and Anonymous the same swinger or not?
And Kbar?
Anyway somewhere I saw a request for details of my tools. I am emailing them to swingingbytheballs@gmail.com. (gmail I assume not mail?)
From there they can be attached to this blog. I dont know how to do it from here?
Habakuk