Tokyo Bootcamp - July 2018

[TokyoTJ]

Tokyo Bootcamp - 7/20/2018

 

DAY 1

On the first day we met at a restaurant in Roppongi and everyone introduced themselves. RedPoleQ gave us his background and started discussing the concepts of game and East vs. West. Then we learned about the Attraction stage.

Night-Game

On the first night we went to Rigoletto for some warm-up sets. I was very nervous. The other guys did approaches and now it was my turn. To be honest, I don't quite remember my first approach as everything was such a blur at this point. I was completely out of my comfort zone. But this is what I wanted, and what I expected. I do remember that I winged another student with two Thai women at the bar. The girl I started to talk to looked fine from the back, but I realized that she was much older and her English skill was low. I immediately found her to be unattractive, but continued to engage her for both my wing, and my own personal skill development.

Then we went to A-Life. In line there was a cute two-set. I opened them sloppily and pulled my wing in too late, but it was a good learning experience. And I was able to re-open and re-engage my target from this set for the remainder of the night, which was nice.

After entering the club, one student opened a three-set. He quickly pulled another student in and then I tried to engage the third obstacle to make it easier for everyone. I was introduced as the wing and started talking to my target. My wing kept engaging both his target and mine and my target spoke limited English so I was a bit frustrated, but tried to best to keep plowing. Eventually I ejected to try to open fresh sets.

The next set was a two-set that was behind the bar. I opened and brought my wing in. The set went surprisingly smooth. My wing got on with his girl and had her dancing as I engaged my target. Both girls seemed friendly and receptive. I was able to isolate my target and even try a little bit of kino. At the end of the night, we passed both of them sitting on some random steps in the streets of Roppongi. We exchanged greetings and everything was pleasant. I couldn't believe that they had ended up alone and not gone home with someone as they were attractive and spoke English fairly well. Another lesson learned.

Then we went upstairs and I re-engaged the girl from my first set in line, out front. She was friendly, but her friend was drunk and in a girls only section so I couldn't get too close and ejected.

Then I helped another student as a wing downstairs. He was sitting next to his girl against the wall and her friend was next to her. I sat next to the friend and engaged. She was quite receptive. We talked for a while and it was good as I believe it added social proof as everyone could see us relaxed and conversing as they walked by. I admittedly did not kino enough here as I was at an awkward angle and I did not know how to overcome that barrier. But we exchanged LINES and I was on my way.

My last set of the night was a real eye-opener. It was on the top floor and on the dance floor (way out of my comfort zone), it was a two-set, and the target was beautiful, taller than me and had a case of Resting Bitch Face. Height seems to be a real deal breaker in Asia from my experience, and while I'm not exactly short, I'm by no means tall. I fit the definition of average. This girl responded well to my opener and I was able to engage the whole set. The other girl was her sister. I brought my wing over to engage the friend and I attempted to isolate. At RedpoleQ's urging I put my arm around her, and surprisingly she went with it. Everything was okay. I was elated to be in a club, talking with a gorgeous girl who was engaged and allowing me to touch her. I threw some BT spikes and when I thought things were going well, I went back to a previous conversation thread and tried to get her contact information. At this point, she gave some hard resistance. I might have been able to do some push-pull, but it was time and everyone was ready to go, so I rolled off.

 

DAY 2

On the second day we met for lunch and talked about comfort and day game. Then we had our first day game session in Roppongi Hills. I was very nervous when RedPoleQ told us to start opening sets in the daytime. I had a lot of approach anxiety, especially in the daytime when people are out doing things and not at a club drinking and looking to meet new people.

My partner opened a set and pulled me in to wing. The set seemed hooked and it seemed to be going well. They were in town for a concert. After chatting a bit, I ran out of things to talk about (the language barrier again) and so did my wing, so he suggested that we eject to practice on more sets. I agreed. After that I opened a two-set of younger girls (maybe high school age) I brought my wing in and the girls seemed interested, but they would not let go of each other, so isolation was the sticking point. Finally we gave up and moved on.

I practiced some situational openers as RedPoleQ advised me that these were not a good idea and I wanted to see first-hand how they play out. He was right. I opened a one-set who said she was waiting for her friend. I opened and there was some fluff talk with BT spikes and trying to establish comfort, but she kept going back to my opener ("Where is a good restaurant around here?").

Next I opened another one-set and we had similar jobs and interests. She was waiting for her friend too. Eventually she found her friend, who another student had opened. They joined and I froze, not knowing what to do. The other student continued to plow, but the girls left. It was a bummer, albeit a bit funny.

My last set was another one-set. I seem to like those. She had a butterfly fan and I used that as an opener. I noticed that I hooked right away and we blew through attraction and into comfort. At this time, I saw RedPoleQ signal me. I thought he was telling me to wrap it up so I ejected. When I went over to him, he said that he was signaling me to bounce. I thought I blew it. He told me to find the girl again. Frantically I went over toward the escalators that led to the station and caught her just in time. I suggested a coffee at Starbucks as I wait for my friends. She threw her hands in the air and said "Yay!" I was ecstatic. Here I was, thinking I lost this set and I could not re-open to recover it, but it was so easy.

We went to Starbucks and I did not pay (I was confused if I should or not -- I learned that I should have). We talked and exchanged contact info, but the conversation hit a wall. I could feel it getting awkward. There was so much information going through my head that I don't think I was congruent and it was showing. I made a note to memorize some good routines and BT spikes for this situation in the future.

For night game on the second day we went to 1Oak. I was excited to see this club, but knew its reputation, and even though the English levels were relatively high, so was the quality, which proved challenging.

One of my first sets was a solo girl dancing by herself. I opened and she seemed receptive. We chatted and discovered that we lived in the same neighborhood. I thought things were going well, but the set fizzled. I was doing too much fluff.

Next I opened a girl who I had matched and chatted with briefly on Tinder. She was one of the best looking girls in the club. She was super nice and even shared her drink with me in the first few minutes. But her friend looked at me and communicated to her that it was a no go and she apologized that she had to leave. Blown out.  I need to manage the group better.

I joined my wings in a three-set and things went okay. This was where I really practiced isolation and kino escalation. We all isolated our targets. I had my arm around my target and we were talking. She gave no resistance. It felt good.

I opened a girl exiting the bathroom nonverbally, but stayed on the opener too long and it turned into a blowout. Then I opened a three-set and brought 2 wings in with me. We isolated and my target said, "We're all married." But they all continued to engage with us and ask us questions, which was an eye-opener for me as I usually just eject when a girl mentions a boyfriend, but especially a fiancé or husband.

Later I opened a two-set where the obstacle looked very bitchy. The target engaged me, and the obstacle continued to ignore me and I tried to engage her. Eventually the set opened and it was going okay. I brought in a wing to help with the obstacle, but she blew him out. We moved over to the bar and I think the target was hoping I would buy her a drink, but  I did not. We left shortly after this. 

 

DAY 3

 On the last day we met in Shinjuku to run some day game. I opened a girl on the train ride there and another girl while waiting for everyone to arrive at the meeting location. The second girl was waiting on a friend, and I found out that it was her boyfriend (when he arrived) so I rolled off and they left.

I really just wasn't feeling it today, but I wanted to push myself to make the most of this experience. We went inside Takashimaya Times Square and I opened a two-set in a perfume store with my wing. The conversation was not going anywhere and we were blown out.

I continued to walk around looking for someone to open, but was being a bit pickier today. I wanted practice opening girls, but at the same time, I want to open girls that I am actually attracted to. I saw an okay looking girl sitting alone and opened her by asking about the keychain on her phone. It was an anime character. I'm not interested in anime so I tried to change the subject. I asked her what she bought today. She said anime stuff. I asked her what she was listening to. She said an anime song. At this point I ejected from the set. Quantity would be nice, but I am also seeking quality.

I attempted to open a girl who I did not find attractive at all by telling her that I liked her shoes. She completely ignored me. The lesson to be learned here is that sometimes the unattractive girls are even harder to open.

I stopped in Starbucks to use the restroom and had a brief conversation with the guy in line with me. It made me realize that gaming is a social dynamic. It can be used anywhere and on anyone. It can be used to win favor in job interviews, gain information or to sleep with women.

I was dragging my feet, so RedPoleQ joined me on a walk. I tried to open a gorgeous girl walking by, but she just ignored me. He coached me a bit.

We walked in a department store and he opened a two-set. It was so smooth. I was in awe. I then tried to open a two-set after riding the escalator. I opened from behind and was blown out. I learned that this was not the best opening position.

I opened a two-set at an ice cream stand but they just looked at me puzzled, wondering why I was talking to them. At this time, RedPoleQ opened a two-set and quickly moved off of the opener. It was great to watch everything in practice, in real time. It helped me put the theory into action.

Then I opened a girl by asking where Uniqlo was (she had a Uniqlo bag). She walked me to the store and as I kept trying to change the topic she just said she had to leave.

My last set was a gorgeous blonde that walked by. While she didn't stop walking, she took out her earbuds to talk to me. Eventually she stopped so that we could exchange Instagram handles. I was satisfied.

This Bootcamp was an amazing experience, and one that opened my eyes to a new world. I haven't been approaching as much as I should after the camp, but I have been approaching more than I was before. I was letting pretty girls go by without saying anything and wondering "what if." Now, even if I get blown out a lot, I'm at least killing that "what if" feeling. I plan to continue to practice and learn and incorporate gaming into my daily routine. I will continue to open sets on the train, when waiting on a friend, etc. 

[RedpoleQ]

On 8/26/2018 at 12:15 AM, tj312 said:

I practiced some situational openers as RedPoleQ advised me that these were not a good idea and I wanted to see first-hand how they play out. He was right. I opened a one-set who said she was waiting for her friend. I opened and there was some fluff talk with BT spikes and trying to establish comfort, but she kept going back to my opener ("Where is a good restaurant around here?").

Actually, this is a directions opener which is a type of very indirect opener.  Situational openers can be great!

On 8/26/2018 at 12:15 AM, tj312 said:

We went to Starbucks and I did not pay (I was confused if I should or not -- I learned that I should have).

This is a complicated question, involving a lot of factors, but in general, it will be smoother if you do pay and you definitely avoid potentially being labeled as cheap if you pay, but it also may not matter.  I consider it to be a risk not worth taking given the price point you're dealing with here.

On 8/26/2018 at 12:15 AM, tj312 said:

My last set was a gorgeous blonde that walked by. While she didn't stop walking, she took out her earbuds to talk to me. Eventually she stopped so that we could exchange Instagram handles. I was satisfied.

Just to be clear to those reading who weren't there, this was a blonde haired JAPANESE girl.  Love those!

On 8/26/2018 at 12:15 AM, tj312 said:

This Bootcamp was an amazing experience, and one that opened my eyes to a new world. I haven't been approaching as much as I should after the camp, but I have been approaching more than I was before. I was letting pretty girls go by without saying anything and wondering "what if." Now, even if I get blown out a lot, I'm at least killing that "what if" feeling. I plan to continue to practice and learn and incorporate gaming into my daily routine. I will continue to open sets on the train, when waiting on a friend, etc. 

Awesome write up and I'm glad you got so much out of the boot camp!  It was great having you there and following you in the chats as well.  Good work and keep at it!