Archive for January, 2004

Start by “making a muscle” like a muscle-man showing off at the beach. Then throw the yo-yo out and away from you to the side so that it will spin at the end of the string. Swing the spinning yo-yo all the way to your other shoulder before you tug the string to bring it back to your hand.

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Do a regular Power Throw, then you set the yo-yo on the ground just like walk the dog, only as it goes out you bring your hand to the ground.  Once the yo-yo is all the way out you give it a jerk to bring it back, and it has to touch the ground at least twice on the way back to your hand to count.  Will not work with an unresponsive yo-yo.

Do a regular throwdown, but when the yo-yo is on its way back up, let it get right up against your pant leg, and the yo-yo should bite the fabric and get stuck.  It’s hilarious.
Tips:

• Works best with thinner fabric (not denim)
• Will not work with an unresponsive yo-yo

See Eli Hops, and then make it WAY harder by doing them behind your back.

Start as if you are going to do a regular throwdown, but lie the yo-yo down flat in your palm. Throw the yo-yo down and at an angle (about 45 degrees) across your body. Once it gets to the end of the string, quickly move your hand so that it is above the yo-yo, and the string will start to flutter. Now pick up the middle of the string with your free hand and watch the UFO fly.

To get the yo-yo to come back to your hand, pull up on the string in your free hand so that the yo-yo pops ups into the air at about eye level. At the same time bring your yo-yo hand out to the side so that the string makes a straight line from your hand to the yo-yo. If the yo-yo is still spinning fast enough it will wind up sideways and go back to your hand.

Tips:
- You don’t have to pick up the string with your free hand, but the UFO will fly longer if you do.
- Skilled players use this trick to tighten and loosen the yo-yo strings. Just remember “Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey.” In other words, when you throw the yo-yo to your right the string will tighten, and when you throw it to your left the string will loosen. This is true for both right and left-handed players.
- It will be very difficult, if not impossible, to do this trick with an unresponsive yo-yo.

Click Here to View the QuickTime Movie

For teaching purposes, place the yo-yo flat in your hand. Turn your arm around and hold it straight out behind you. [picture] You don’t actually hold on to the yo-yo, it only rests on your hand. Keep your arm perfectly straight, only move your shoulder, and swing your arm forward quickly. The yo-yo should fly out in front of you. Turn your palm up and catch the yo-yo.

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Once you have done a few Forward Passes you are ready to hold the yo-yo in your hand the same way as you did for the Throw-down (with the string going from your finger to the top of the yo-yo) before you turn your arm around behind you.

Tips:
- Make sure you are not holding on to the yo-yo. You simply pull your hand out from under it.
- Swing your arm forward fairly quickly so that the yo-yo has enough power to come all the way back to your hand.
- When you swing your arm forward, stop the swing at about shoulder height in front of you. If the yo-yo is going over your head it’s because you’re holding your arm up above your head.
- It’s ok to catch with both hands if you need to at first.

Gravity pulls the yo-yo down, and you pull it back up. Let the yo-yo drop toward the ground, then give it a steady pull before it reaches the end of the string. See how many times you can do it in a row without stopping.

Tip:
- If the yo-yo spins at the end of the string, just give it a little tug and it will come back up.

Click Here to View the QuickTime Movie

5) Inside Loop

The same thing as the Outside Loop, but instead of having the yo-yo go on the outside of your arm, it goes on the inside of your outstretched arm. See how many you can do in a row. Try alternating between Outside and Inside Loops (called the Whirlybird.)

Tips:
- When doing multiple loops in a row, the yo-yo will flip over one half revolution on each loop. If you use a yo-yo with different colors on each side it can help you see when you are doing good loops.
- Continuous Inside Loops with your left hand will tighten the string, and with your right hand will loosen the string. This is a good time to practice the Flying Saucer to untwist your string after working on Loops.

Click Here to View the QuickTime Movie

Don’t forget to change your string often!
- When it’s dirty
- When it’s nasty lookin’
- When it starts to fray
A new string will keep your tricks working well, and keep you from breaking strings and destroying stuff.  Compared to the cost of a new window, or the wrath of your parents, spouse, or partner, strings are pretty cheap.