To most people, a piece of rope is something you use to fasten or secure stuff. For Sadatoshi Watanabe, however, it's a means for him to twirl, jump, bounce and generally flip himself over a lot.
But then the 28-year-old from Japan was the 2004 Asian Rope Skipping champion, and this weekend, along with four friends - Yuji Ohira, Yukata Sato, Takamitu Sofue and Megumi Harube - he will be showcasing his freestyle rope-skipping skills to the public at New Town Plaza, in Sha Tin.
Not only that, but tomorrow, Watanabe, affectionately known as Sada, will also be making an attempt at breaking the Guinness World Record of 56 rump jumps (a seemingly impossible trick of skipping while sitting down) in one minute. 'I am confident and ready to break the Guinness record in Hong Kong. I've trained intensely to keep my muscles strong,' he says.
Watanabe and his team - known as the Nawa Rangers - blend breakdancing, acrobatics and even some kung fu into their rope-skipping techniques. Typically performed to upbeat hip-hop music, this type of freestyle rope skipping is known as nawatobi (which translates as rope and dance) back home in Japan and allows more flexibility with a rope, says Watanabe.
'The original rope-skipping skills that most kids play are very limited,' he says. 'But the skills of nawatobi are unlimited. It's entertaining and is performed to music to make people happy.'
The appeal of freestyle rope skipping for him is the freedom to 'play anywhere, anytime' with just one rope. It has also helped him connect with people from different parts of the world, he says.
'The more the number of ropes and playmates, the more the enjoyment,' says the skipper who came third in the 2004 World Championships.