Getting Serious with 1A

[Ampersand]

Hey yoyonation!

I joined and am posting this for a few reasons, but the main one is this: I'm a long time yo-yo-er, but have only recently gotten serious with it. I find that I enjoy 5A and 1A the most, but since the only good yo-yo I have right now is a Dark Magic, I've been focusing on string tricks. My main goal is to learn how to do string combinations, because every time I see someone do them I'm awestruck, and I wanna give other people that feeling.

So I guess my main question is this:
How did you guys get going with 1A?

I can already front mount, brain twister, breakaway, man on trapeze, and double or nothing, as well as all the basic tricks. But for some reason I'm clueless as to how to string a few of those together into an awesome combo. All I can seem to do is little combos like around the world trapeze pinwheel out, nothing more.

Thanks for your help! 

[sanbo]

Well, first of all, I hope you're watching the Expert Village videos, those help ALOT. What I did is that I watched just 1 of the videos, tried the trick, then if I didn't understand it would just go on to the next trick. You'll definately find that some trick are harder than others (no duh). So you have to pay attention to each little thing in the video. Then, just practice. I know saying "just practice" dosen't sound very helpful, but thats the way to go. Sometimes it not about learning tricks quickly, but learning them well. If you just yoyo'ed about an hour each day, I say you could learn a new trick about once every two days. Hope this helped.

[jackolantern]

If you are wondering how people can just keep going and going, one of the first things to learn is how to do several kinds of regenerations (External Embedding Disabled). While they can kind of break up the flow of several string tricks since it looks like you are throwing a loop into the middle of it, you can get creative with them and get them smooth enough where they blend right in.

EDIT: While I love the Expert Village videos and have been using then religiously, sometimes I need a bit more. The instructor (I think his name is Andre something?) regularly mentions watching the videos in slow motion, which makes me think they were originally made for another service since YouTube does not have slow motion as far as I know. For example, I have been trying to learn Spirit Bomb, but just couldn't understand what he was doing when he crossed his hands. After checking around on YouTube, I found this video (External Embedding Disabled) which had the trick in slow motion in several different angles. I guess the moral is that while Expert Village is a great resource, and organizes the tricks really well, sometimes you may need some other sources for things you can't get from the EV videos.

[Ampersand]

Wow, awesome quick responses! Thanks guys.

Yeah, I've been going through the expertvillage videos a bit.

I should be able to learn quickly then, cause I yo-yo for up to three or four hours a day sometimes 

[Yo-Enthusiast]

On the topic of stringing tricks into combos: Just start slow and simple. Look for similar elements of different tricks, and try to go into another trick smoothly. Also, try coming up with more of you're own stuff (I.E. if you make a mistake, go with it). For instance: If you're in a cold fusion, try going into another trick from a 1.5 mount instead of exiting, or swing out into another mount instead of ending you're throw. Eventually, you'll find smooth transitions between basic mounts that you can combine in unique ways.

Really, it just boils down to how much time you put in. The more hours you spend throwing, the better you become. There aren't really any secrets. I remember when I heard similar things and was frustrated, but looking back, I really just needed to play yoyo more.

In some ways, it does help to meet with other yoyoers and hang out with them, learn a couple of their tricks. But on the other hand, the more you yoyo by yourself, the more unique you're tricks/style is.

[Ampersand]

Thanks! Yeah, I know what you mean. Today, somehow I ended up going from barrel rolls to a 1.5 mount and popped it straight up and out, and it felt so cool. I've been trying to replicate it all day.

I'm guessing I'm going to have to get better at double or nothing before I go much farther... I can hit it almost every time, but it's usually a poor mount and I lose spin fast. Any tips on not doing that?

[Yo-Enthusiast]

If you can hold trapeze without losing to much spin, you should be able to hold double or nothing. Try making sure the string is straight in the gap, like with a trapeze. Theoretically, you should have the same spin time for each, since the yoyo is on 1 string segment in both mounts.

[jackolantern]

Trapeze and double or nothing are actually two tricks I am good at (YouTube has been making me feel inferior all day lol)! As Enthusiast said, you need to make sure it is straight in the gap. If the strings are touching the side of the yoyo in the gap, it will kill spin very fast. One tip is to make sure you have a good breakaway movement. I hold my yoyo very differently before throwing a breakaway. About the best I could describe it would to hold your pointer finger straight out as if you were pointing to something in the distance. Then, take the gap of the yoyo on its side, and press it against the right side of your pointer finger. Then take your thumb and hold the yoyo about a quarter of the way from your pointer finger (my pointer finger tip, laying its side flat against the gap, can almost touch the tip of my thumb) and use the rest of your fingers to support underneath. If you hold it this way in your hand before throwing, it will almost be in the same position that it will land on the string in after the breakaway, making straight throws much easier. I know this sounds complicated, and it may be how you are holding it already, but the grip is definitely something that helps me land trapeze, double or nothing, wrist mount, etc. straight every time.

[Yo-Enthusiast]

Yes, I've heard that works for many people. Alternative is just to practice, eventually you learn to bend your wrist the right way consistently, I've seen people do both. Try it and see if you like it, I guess.

[Ampersand]

I'm thinking about buying a new all-metal yo-yo. I was wondering what you guys might recommend for a beginner with all-metal. What did you guys first use?

Here's what I'm looking at:
YYF 888x 2010 or Classic 888
YYF Severe
CLYW Campfire
SPYY Addiction


Comments? Suggestions? Anyone trying to get rid of these or others that may be good for me? I'm currently using a YYJ Dark Magic.

[hollywood101]

I'm thinking about buying a new all-metal yo-yo. I was wondering what you guys might recommend for a beginner with all-metal. What did you guys first use?

Here's what I'm looking at:
YYF 888x 2010 or Classic 888
YYF Severe
CLYW Campfire
SPYY Addiction


Comments? Suggestions? Anyone trying to get rid of these or others that may be good for me? I'm currently using a YYJ Dark Magic.

Well first if you want to play all metal then i then you need to learn how to bind its a way to get a unresponsive yoyo back to your hand if you learn that then you can make variations of a bind.<div><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9ozJW-QK0jI&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D18&amp;rel=0" width="425px" height="344px" wmode="transparent" quality="high" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="never" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" autoplay="false" autostart="false" /><noembed><a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/9ozJW-QK0jI&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D18&amp;rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/9ozJW-QK0jI&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D18&amp;rel=0</a>

[Yo-Enthusiast]

I'm thinking about buying a new all-metal yo-yo. I was wondering what you guys might recommend for a beginner with all-metal. What did you guys first use?

Here's what I'm looking at:
YYF 888x 2010 or Classic 888
YYF Severe
CLYW Campfire
SPYY Addiction


Comments? Suggestions? Anyone trying to get rid of these or others that may be good for me? I'm currently using a YYJ Dark Magic.

After learning to bind, whatever yoyo you use, plastic or metal, is just a matter of preference.  Remember that most yoyos are very different. Do you know if you like small yoyos or big yoyos? Fast or slow? Heavy or light? Floaty or solid? etc. If you're entirely unsure, I'd say CLYW Campfire, as it plays as well as those others (even though most yoyos will do most all tricks) and is much cheaper.

If you really enjoy the dark magic, you may want a yoyo similar to that (although none of the ones you listed are). If you want to try something new, any of those will work, and I stand by my recommendation (campfire is much smaller than the DM).

[Ampersand]

Yeah, I'm not sure what I want exactly, but it's definitely not quite the Dark Magic. I got to throw a Campfire for about five minutes a few days ago, and I felt so much better at yo-yoing while using it I usually have trouble with some string tricks on my DM, but the Campfire seemed like it went faster once I mounted it 

[Ampersand]

Woot!

I took some electrical engine cleaner ( a non-corrosive non-water based cleaner ) and some 3-in-1 household oil ( my friend took my brain lube D: ) and did a little maintenance on my Dark Magic, and now it's like that: magic!

I can hold my double or nothing for about 0:30+ and most tricks are riduclously easier. I also used the cleaner on the actual yo-yo, and I seem to be getting a lot less friction ( I can do a double trapeze without it slowing too much ).

I guess maintenance never hurts  

And I know that 30 seconds isn't too impressive, but given my breakaway is still off and I'm using ------- strings, I think it's pretty good. Can't wait for those 50/50 type 6's to come in.

[Dafni]

Sounds like you are on the right track! Now just keep going!

I remember when I was on the trapeze/double-o-nothing level (not too long ago LOL) what made me feel like seriously getting into 1A string stuff was learning Kwyjibo! Such a nice trick. It teaches you so much, and once you get it you'll have some awesome elements. IMO one of the coolest way to go from a trapeze to a double-o-nothing.
Learn it. It may look hard at first, but it's a really natural flowy movement.

good luck

Daf

[jackolantern]

1A is definitely my favorite out of all yoyo fields (although I admit I have not tried the others too much). A good 1A player just blows non-player's minds, and they will stare at you wondering how you are doing what you are doing. While 4A and 5A are impressive, you can usually tell how a trick is done by seeing it, even if you know you could not do it. High-level 1A just looks like Jedi mind-tricks.

[Ampersand]

Exactly! The first time I saw Steve Brown on a yo-yo commercial as a kid, I was awe-struck. And recently having watched newer players, especially Tyler Severance (he is my idol), I really want to get good.

[TheOrganizer]

www.grawrd.com is my site.

Check it out, it's got some tricks....

[hiltonking]

www.grawrd.com is my site.

Check it out, it's got some tricks....

I like this site. 

If you like the Campfire after playing it,  get one.  It's undersised -- much smaller than most yoyos, or at least smaller than all my other ones.  If you find you like undersized yoyos, check out the MiniMotu.  Just note that it is different than many other yo yos out there.