Horizontal yoyoing, is it really horizontal?

[Swatnoodle]

Me and my friend had a debate over whether horizontal yoyoing was really horizontal. By that, I mean parallel to the ground. I always thought it was, so when I did mess around with it, I always made sure it was almost completely parallel to the ground. But my friend says it's just diagonal, like 45 - 60 degrees instead of 90 degrees from you. He said that was how many pro's did it, and when I checked, it actually was. I noticed that many professional yoyoers known for horizontal actually do the horizontal diagonally. So here's my question. When people say horizontal, they actually mean 90 degrees from you right? Not diagonal.

[kuyaChristian]

That makes sense...that seems like 'horizontal' refers to basically playing the yoyo on some sort of angle. I tried playing complete 90 degree horizontal but the yoyo just flops and spins out ._____.

[Jayyo]

There are a few players who actually do FULL horizontal (Shinya Kido comes to mind) but for the most part, it is the slightly off horizontal angle you are referring to.

[deathbyoffstring]

In my mind, tricks only count as "horizontal" if:

1. The "horizontal" element adds a new element to the trick (e.g. Marcus Koh wrapping the yoyo around his whole body horizontally before going into a combo, Tyler's counterweight neck wraps).
2. The "horizontal" element greatly amplifies the difficulty of the trick. (e.g. Mickey's 80 degree Boing-E-Boing into Mach 5)

Otherwise, you're just doing crappy braintwister combos at a 30 degree angle, which (surprise!) isn't actually that hard. If I were a judge, I would have a hard time resisting the temptation to give negative clicks for that kind of stuff.

[ReaperUnreal]

There's a few tricks that depend on being not completely horizontal, like some of Ben Conde's stuff. But true horizontal is a lot harder than 30 degrees.

[deathbyoffstring]

There's a few tricks that depend on being not completely horizontal, like some of Ben Conde's stuff. But true horizontal is a lot harder than 30 degrees.

Yeah, that's true. His tricks are really hard/ill, though.

[rizki_yoist]

I think it should be like 45 degrees or more to be called horizontal...

Otherwise, you're just doing crappy braintwister combos at a 30 degree angle, which (surprise!) isn't actually that hard. If I were a judge, I would have a hard time resisting the temptation to give negative clicks for that kind of stuff.

Also, doing trapeze horizontally then keep rotating few times to one side then returns, it's like the player can't think of any good tricks at all.
no offense...

[Swatnoodle]

I don't know, I don't think 45 degrees should be called horizontal. While it is harder, I don't see it on the same level.

[IanPkmnYo]

I agree that it's just the general idea of yo-yoing at an extreme angle (45-90 degrees).  And regardless of the trick, it does add difficulty.  However little it may be.

[Elephark]

Of course, you could call it by a more accurate name—off-axis yoyoing—and not have to have this debate in the first place.

[IanPkmnYo]

Of course, you could call it by a more accurate name—off-axis yoyoing—and not have to have this debate in the first place.

Very true.

[Augie]

I've only seen a few players play truly horizontal: Mickey, Jensen, Yuuki, Gentry, and sometimes Shinya Kido 

I tend to score "fake horizontal" much lower than true horizontal, because the difficulty level isn't that much higher than normal tricks.

[hcjesse]

Of course, you could call it by a more accurate name—off-axis yoyoing—and not have to have this debate in the first place.

That would be a huge insult to the people who do true horizontal.

Anyways, it bugs me when people try to pass there 45 degree tricks off as being horizontal.

[SkareCrow96]

I tend to take the punk way out when it comes to horizontal, but its because i lack the skill to pull off true 90 degree play. Once I practice it more though im sure it will be sick.

[Elephark]

That would be a huge insult to the people who do true horizontal.

Not if you care to distinguish between them by calling true horizontal horizontal and anything less than that off-axis. Or even if you don't, really. Either way you do it, it's off the standard axis.

[yoyochucker]

I think people just called it horizontal because it was not the normal up and down vertical play... i dont think they literally meant horizontal... now that everyones doing it ... it only makes sense this topic would come up  . Persoanally i dont care if its 30, 45 or 90 degree angle it all looks cool as hell 

[Jayyo]

This is why you call it vertax play.

[Tourqe]

I'm with the Off-Axis Idea. Just do some crazy stuff with the yoyo mostly sideways and you're good to go. Just look at Christopher.

[Jamesofyoyo]

Players in contest will not recive full points if the yoyo isn't totally horizontal or close to horizontal. It just has to look horizontal, and the judges in contest check this. Horizontal tricks roughly get roughly (almost) double of a regular side-style trick. But from my experiences, it's a lot harder to get string hits that gain points when the yoyo is horizontal. So in lots of cases, the horizontal tricks score just was well as their regular side-style tricks. Of course, it is allways looks good (and I'm sure scores a bit better) if a player covers front-style, side-style, and horizontal tricks all in their final routine. Lots of players have horizontal tricks that score a ton. It takes a true yoyoer with lots of control of the yoyo to make a good scoring horizontal trick with lots of string hits and such. (Ex: Mickey's, Jensens, and Gentry's horizontal tricks [etc.])

If a trick is completely or near completely horizontal, it makes the trick harder. I have some horizontal tricks, and I allways preform them as horizontally as I can. Front style horizontal tricks are by my experience the hardest. I however do not know anything about how they are scored.
(Note: this is what I have learned from various judges, and personal experiences.)


James Reed,
General-Yo

[Acavando]

Thought i was called Off axis play..