Juggling

Schnure · 1st January 2007, 02:26 PM

I'm learning to juggle and so far the best I can do is 30 throws with the balls in the air. That's not bad, but my arms start getting tired after that and I drop them. Any other jugglers here?

RecoveringYuppy · 1st January 2007, 02:33 PM

Took it up about a year ago. 30 throws still beats my best.

Schnure · 1st January 2007, 02:46 PM

One of my friends has been coaching me. He can juggle endlessly and knows so many tricks you just see an insane blur in the air while he juggles behind his back, bounces them off parts of his body, and throws them at unsual height and angles. He is awsome. So 30 throws really isn't that great.

RecoveringYuppy · 1st January 2007, 02:48 PM

Better than not trying at all.

Brown · 1st January 2007, 10:12 PM

Been juggling for over 30 years. The secret to becoming proficient is ...

DiskoVilante · 1st January 2007, 11:49 PM

I'm a juggler. I started this past summer. I can do three forever and I can do two with one hand for about 300 throws before my arm dies.
PRACTICE!
It's Crucial (with a capital 'C') that you learn how to aim the throws. You want to throw it so that you don't have to move your catching arm in order to catch it. That'll help prevent you from getting tired quickly.

DAMN! I just noticed Shnure was banned...oh well.

Azrael 5 · 2nd January 2007, 06:05 AM

thatguywhojuggles is the man to talk to on here.
Best juggling act I've seen was the Fackellis.Can't find any footage of them sadly.

Calcas · 2nd January 2007, 07:16 AM

One word. Vova.

I love this video...great song by Fatboy Slim.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=aEb3YknGUks

Brown · 4th January 2007, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by Calcas

One word. Vova.

I love this video...great song by Fatboy Slim.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=aEb3YknGUks

This video demonstrates another secret important to the success of budding jugglers:

RecoveringYuppy · 4th January 2007, 10:52 AM

I sit on the floor when practicing to make it easier to pick things up again.

DiskoVilante · 4th January 2007, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy

I sit on the floor when practicing to make it easier to pick things up again.

This reminds me. When practicing, throw the balls and just let them drop so that you learn not to freak out/tense up when the balls don't hit their target.

But I don't think sitting on the floor is a good idea. It's important to be able to move around. The hardest part of juggling is the starting. Keeping it going is easier I think.

Yawn · 4th January 2007, 08:53 PM

Keep wrists low, let the balls fall

Keep your eyes on the top of the ball arcs, your eye/brain/hands have an inbuilt 'catch' mechanism, you don't need to see your hands or watch the balls all the time.

Relax, put some good music on, chill out

Kneel on the floor (or if you start clubs, do it over a bed), but as I see you're past that stage then stand up with knees very slightly bent, forearms parallel(ish) to ground.

Concentrate on the THROWS and the catches will look after themselves

End a session on a HIGH note, remember what it felt like

Swap circus skills regularly, take a break and do something else now and again, regain the 'beginners mind' (if you're into Zen)

SMILE (it can be an advanced trick, usually lolling mouth open style to start with)

Warm up first with 2 in one hand (both hands) if you can do it.

Start trying tricks (one over top, reverse cascade, windmill (both sides!), millsmess) early, it'll take your mind off the 'pre-trick' juggling a bit.

Usually people start off concentrating on each individual ball that is thrown, try to sometimes look 'through' the juggle and imagine the 3/4/5-13 objects as one prop that you're 'balancing' (sorry I can't explain this better, when you get to 5 you'll know what I mean)

Join a juggling club and learn to rola-bola/unicycle/diabolo/devilstick/acrobalance/erm... poi (maybe) then you've got more stuff to 'take a break and do' when you have those 'juggling breaks'

Take up clubs as soon as possible - they're much more expressive and
once you learn 'passing' (which can be taught in a couple of hours) you
can chill out with others at all sorts of festivals and play silly games with them

Yawn · 4th January 2007, 09:02 PM

Too tired arms is usually = too tense when you're doing 3,

Try doing some simple tricks, hopefully you will tend to concentrate less
on the standard juggling pattern and learn more about just the rythm of the juggling
excercise itself, a lot of juggling is subconscious, music seems to help a lot for me

also... some universal anaesthetic sometimes helps.

It's a bit like playing pool in this respect.

Hope you keep up with it Schnure, it's a wonderful meditative pastime,
and a nice bit of excercise (for body and brain).

DiskoVilante · 5th January 2007, 09:08 PM

Has anyone ever juggling underwater?
Yawn's above post "It's a bit playing like pool..." made me think of juggling in a pool. Heheh

Yawn · 6th January 2007, 03:58 AM

I know they're big downloads but for some inspirational stuff check out

http://www.jugglingdb.com/videos/ind...?performer=309

I recommend 'The Make Up Show'

Erin Stevens - wonderful stuff, what a girl

1st January 2007, 02:26 PM	#1
Schnure Banned Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 18	Juggling I'm learning to juggle and so far the best I can do is 30 throws with the balls in the air. That's not bad, but my arms start getting tired after that and I drop them. Any other jugglers here?
Schnure Banned Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 18

1st January 2007, 02:33 PM	#2
RecoveringYuppy Master Poster Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 2,286	Took it up about a year ago. 30 throws still beats my best.
	__________________ REJ (Robert E Jones) posting anonymously under my real name for 30 years. Make a fire for a man and you keep him warm for a day. Set him on fire and you keep him warm for the rest of his life.

1st January 2007, 02:46 PM	#3
Schnure Banned Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 18	One of my friends has been coaching me. He can juggle endlessly and knows so many tricks you just see an insane blur in the air while he juggles behind his back, bounces them off parts of his body, and throws them at unsual height and angles. He is awsome. So 30 throws really isn't that great.
Schnure Banned Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 18

1st January 2007, 02:48 PM	#4
RecoveringYuppy Master Poster Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 2,286	Better than not trying at all.
	__________________ REJ (Robert E Jones) posting anonymously under my real name for 30 years. Make a fire for a man and you keep him warm for a day. Set him on fire and you keep him warm for the rest of his life.

1st January 2007, 10:12 PM	#5
Brown Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Twin Cities, Canada Posts: 9,025	Been juggling for over 30 years. The secret to becoming proficient is ... ... practice. Really. I especially enjoy practicing to music, especially music with a good beat. And don't get discouraged.
	__________________ Klaatu: I'm impatient with stupidity. My people have learned to live without it. Mr. Harley: I'm afraid my people haven't. I am very sorry. I wish it were otherwise. -- The Day The Earth Stood Still, screenplay by Edmund H. North "Don't you get me wrong. I only want to know." -- Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, lyrics by Tim Rice

1st January 2007, 11:49 PM	#6
DiskoVilante Muse Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 774	I'm a juggler. I started this past summer. I can do three forever and I can do two with one hand for about 300 throws before my arm dies. PRACTICE! It's Crucial (with a capital 'C') that you learn how to aim the throws. You want to throw it so that you don't have to move your catching arm in order to catch it. That'll help prevent you from getting tired quickly. DAMN! I just noticed Shnure was banned...oh well.

2nd January 2007, 06:05 AM	#7
Azrael 5 Illuminator Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Yorkshire,Uk Posts: 4,171	thatguywhojuggles is the man to talk to on here. Best juggling act I've seen was the Fackellis.Can't find any footage of them sadly.
	__________________ "I achieve these results through a mixture of magic,misdirection,suggestion and showmanship"-Derren Brown Photography here

2nd January 2007, 07:16 AM	#8
Calcas Master of my Domain Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 1,472	One word. Vova. I love this video...great song by Fatboy Slim. http://youtube.com/watch?v=aEb3YknGUks

4th January 2007, 10:51 AM	#9
Brown Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Twin Cities, Canada Posts: 9,025	Originally Posted by Calcas One word. Vova. I love this video...great song by Fatboy Slim. http://youtube.com/watch?v=aEb3YknGUks This video demonstrates another secret important to the success of budding jugglers: High ceilings!
	__________________ Klaatu: I'm impatient with stupidity. My people have learned to live without it. Mr. Harley: I'm afraid my people haven't. I am very sorry. I wish it were otherwise. -- The Day The Earth Stood Still, screenplay by Edmund H. North "Don't you get me wrong. I only want to know." -- Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, lyrics by Tim Rice

4th January 2007, 10:52 AM	#10
RecoveringYuppy Master Poster Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 2,286	I sit on the floor when practicing to make it easier to pick things up again.
	__________________ REJ (Robert E Jones) posting anonymously under my real name for 30 years. Make a fire for a man and you keep him warm for a day. Set him on fire and you keep him warm for the rest of his life.

4th January 2007, 11:26 AM	#11
DiskoVilante Muse Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 774	Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy I sit on the floor when practicing to make it easier to pick things up again. This reminds me. When practicing, throw the balls and just let them drop so that you learn not to freak out/tense up when the balls don't hit their target. But I don't think sitting on the floor is a good idea. It's important to be able to move around. The hardest part of juggling is the starting. Keeping it going is easier I think.

4th January 2007, 08:53 PM	#12
Yawn Student Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 44	Keep wrists low, let the balls fall Keep your eyes on the top of the ball arcs, your eye/brain/hands have an inbuilt 'catch' mechanism, you don't need to see your hands or watch the balls all the time. Relax, put some good music on, chill out Kneel on the floor (or if you start clubs, do it over a bed), but as I see you're past that stage then stand up with knees very slightly bent, forearms parallel(ish) to ground. Concentrate on the THROWS and the catches will look after themselves End a session on a HIGH note, remember what it felt like Swap circus skills regularly, take a break and do something else now and again, regain the 'beginners mind' (if you're into Zen) SMILE (it can be an advanced trick, usually lolling mouth open style to start with) Warm up first with 2 in one hand (both hands) if you can do it. Start trying tricks (one over top, reverse cascade, windmill (both sides!), millsmess) early, it'll take your mind off the 'pre-trick' juggling a bit. Usually people start off concentrating on each individual ball that is thrown, try to sometimes look 'through' the juggle and imagine the 3/4/5-13 objects as one prop that you're 'balancing' (sorry I can't explain this better, when you get to 5 you'll know what I mean) Join a juggling club and learn to rola-bola/unicycle/diabolo/devilstick/acrobalance/erm... poi (maybe) then you've got more stuff to 'take a break and do' when you have those 'juggling breaks' Take up clubs as soon as possible - they're much more expressive and once you learn 'passing' (which can be taught in a couple of hours) you can chill out with others at all sorts of festivals and play silly games with them
Yawn Student Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 44	Last edited by Yawn; 4th January 2007 at 10:01 PM.

4th January 2007, 09:02 PM	#13
Yawn Student Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 44	Too tired arms is usually = too tense when you're doing 3, Try doing some simple tricks, hopefully you will tend to concentrate less on the standard juggling pattern and learn more about just the rythm of the juggling excercise itself, a lot of juggling is subconscious, music seems to help a lot for me also... some universal anaesthetic sometimes helps. It's a bit like playing pool in this respect. Hope you keep up with it Schnure, it's a wonderful meditative pastime, and a nice bit of excercise (for body and brain).
Yawn Student Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 44	Last edited by Yawn; 4th January 2007 at 10:22 PM.

5th January 2007, 09:08 PM	#14
DiskoVilante Muse Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 774	Has anyone ever juggling underwater? Yawn's above post "It's a bit playing like pool..." made me think of juggling in a pool. Heheh

6th January 2007, 03:58 AM	#15
Yawn Student Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 44	I know they're big downloads but for some inspirational stuff check out http://www.jugglingdb.com/videos/ind...?performer=309 I recommend 'The Make Up Show' Erin Stevens - wonderful stuff, what a girl
Yawn Student Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 44	Last edited by Yawn; 6th January 2007 at 04:13 AM.