As you are playing with the yoyo , did you realise or ever wonder , "Why does my yoyo tilt to the side whenever I throw" or "Why is my yoyo not spinning straight ?". It does not mean that your yoyo is broken or there is something wrong with it. This usually happens because of two factors:
1) The way you throw the yoyo
2) String tension
Don't worry , this is common for all yoyo players that just started playing with the yoyo and some professional yoyo players have the same problem too. So don't fret.
In-order to improve your throw, I have a method that I used to practise when I just started yoyoing , and it is working pretty well for me. I have been teaching kids the same method that I have been using before.
All you need is a ruler , a small manila card board, a bright coloured duct tape , the floor , and a marker pen. You can purchase this at your own local stationery shop.
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| http://manchesterlibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/duct-tape-18.jpg |
If you are at home , place the small manila cardboard on the floor and use the ruler to make a straight line using the marker. If you do not want to use a manilla cardboard , use the ruler and stick the duct tape onto the floor.
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| http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/e0/14/f5/e014f5664b535d20bb366fbccb05eba8.jpg |
Make sure you stick the duct tape in a straight line and not as long as the one as the picture above. That picture serves as reference only. Now throw a "Long-Sleeper" along the line that you have just made and take note of your hand. If your hand is throwing inwards , this means that the yoyo will tilt to the right and if you hand is throwing outwards , the yoyo will tilt to the left. So, feel your hand when you are throwing the yoyo. Is it inwards or is it outwards ? Fine tune your throw from there and see how the yoyo tilt by referring to the line that you have just made.
If you are outside , then all you need is the floor tile lines. Same method but different line and place. However , I would not recommend you to do this in a shopping mall because you might be disrupting people walking around you. There is a high chance that they will bump into you or in a worst case scenario , your yoyo hitting them. So be cautious of your surrounding when you are playing in an area full of people.
As for string tension, there is a basic yoyo trick in the "30 basic tricks" list that is called "The side winder". You do not need anything for this besides your yoyo. What you need to do is to throw a long sleeper but not too much force. Just throw a small amount of force and tug the yoyo up. While you tug the yoyo up , shift your hand to the right in order to tighten the tension and shift to the left if you want to loosen the tension. I got a rule of thumb from a VHS yoyo tutorial back when Yo-Hans is still doing promo for ProYo and I always remember this rule , "Righty Tighty , Lefty Loosey". See , its that simple.
A side winder is widely used in all yoyo division because a string tension will affect the play of a yoyo. During a contest , it will be time consuming to turn the yoyo clockwise or counter clockwise traditionally which is to let the yoyo spun around till the tension is back to normal. Therefore , it is crucial to adjust your string tension in order to avoid any knots or string stuck in your yoyo. To determine whether your tension is back to its normal state , pinch one the string closest to the yoyo and move your hand closer to the yoyo , you will be able to see a slack in the string. If it twines excessively , it means that the string is too tight or too loose.
A side winder is widely used in all yoyo division because a string tension will affect the play of a yoyo. During a contest , it will be time consuming to turn the yoyo clockwise or counter clockwise traditionally which is to let the yoyo spun around till the tension is back to normal. Therefore , it is crucial to adjust your string tension in order to avoid any knots or string stuck in your yoyo. To determine whether your tension is back to its normal state , pinch one the string closest to the yoyo and move your hand closer to the yoyo , you will be able to see a slack in the string. If it twines excessively , it means that the string is too tight or too loose.
I have attached a video along with this article for your own reference on "Side Winder"
So there you go , those are the tips for you to improve your throw. Remember when I said the basics is important ? This is what I meant by it. If you do not master the basic , you will not understand the fundamental of yoyoing and you will not be able to perform at your fullest on the stage. I hope that you will excel and improve further in the future.
Note : I do not own any of the picture and video posted above and I have no intention of any infringement of copyright law. The picture was posted solely for education wise and it used as a reference for the readers of this blog. Please click on the link for the original content of the pictures.
Till next time,
Wyvern Strings
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