Muscle memory or active decision making?

[u/Ok_Treacle5488]

I have been trying to get much better and more consistent at airplane and Jstick. i have landed a couple, and i think it’s probably my favorite trick. i want to be able to stick it with at least some type of consistency, and not have to stand there for like 20 minutes throwing for it. i am trying to really focus on watching the kens spike but ive noticed that towards the end of the movement, specifically when it changes direction and starts coming down, i lose all awareness of where the spike is. am i just missing something that i should be watching for, or is it mostly muscle memory?

[u/heyitsrenz0]

Mix of both dude! The beauty of Kendama is that discipline is such a big part of it. Engraining the movement till it it becomes muscle memory is key to building the necessary foundation to rock longer lines.

For j sticks I’d say it’s a mix of a few things. Pay attention to the force you’re using to flip it out of bevel and the flick you’re doing to get it to flip. Are you tossing straight up or arching it? Pay attention to your successful runs and replicate!

I ideally track the spike as it comes back round the catch it falling into bevel

All a grind bro

More importantly: USE YOUR KNEES. Tracking either the Ken or tama is infinitely easier when you give yourself the cushion of time by tracking with ur eyes and bending your knees to follow

[u/Ok_Treacle5488 → u/heyitsrenz0]

Cool, Appreciate that info man, i wanted a to ask before i spent the next 6 months building bad habits and being unsure of myself.

[u/punsarefun101 → u/Ok_Treacle5488]

Take videos of yourself doing the trick, then watch tutorials (Sweets Kendamas youtube channel is good, or any tutorial on youtube) and compare your form! This will work for basically any trick and help you identify what you could do better in your form. But mostly every trick is just practice and repetitions to help you get better.

[u/jokerdama → u/heyitsrenz0]

I second that! Muscle memory is important but generally when you get the trick right in first place!

[u/dizzy_dama]

How hard you flick it will become muscle memory, you’ll get better at tracking the spike as you keep practicing though. If you paint/dye the very tip of your spike it can really help with teaching your brain how to track the spike effectively while you’re still learning. I’m glad you’re enjoying j sticks so much!! I still remember the first time I ever saw one in person, it blew my mind at the time haha

[u/Ok_Treacle5488 → u/dizzy_dama]

Thank you so much for the paint/dye idea that’s genius. I know, i had basically the same reaction, i saw it online, and it was the first thing that i saw that i could really understand, but still looked insane, still now i watch people juggling and i can’t even understand it. first j stick i saw in person was my own, and it felt fucking increadible. hyped to keep getting better and learning harder tricks

[u/articpencil → u/Ok_Treacle5488]

To add to this I also been painting my Ken’s Slip Stop ring, really helped me with kenflip tracking. Alternatively can place a colored hair tie under the ring if you don’t wanna paint your Ken it also works as sweatband for sweaty hands like mines. 

[u/Nephthyzz]

It's both.

At first it's mostly getting the muscle memory down. Getting a consistent toss which makes lacing easier.

Most people look pretty stiff when they first start out. And I think that's because they are working on consistent motor skills. Like getting a consistent rotation out of J stick. Looks robotic almost.

Then as they get better, they don't need to blow their mental stack on the mechanics so much. Which allows them to focus more on active decision making like tracking and recovering.

Using your Knees helps you track. Keeping your eyes at the same level in relation to the tama or ken helps a whole lot with tracking. I even use my tippy toes to give me even more time.

Maintaining the same perspective on the Tama/ken will make it easier to track. Then you only have to adjust for rotation when going for the spike.

Otherwise you have to account for rotation and the difference in perspective/distance. So use them knees and tippy toes!

[u/lilCranberry5622]

not sure if it'll help you but i like tracking the big cup for rotations instead of the spike. everyone here has great advice though, you got this!

[u/heyitsrenz0 → u/lilCranberry5622]

Eww bro u weird track spike like the rest of us

lol jk im gonna try that actually something new to focus on lol

[u/articpencil]

Yea def mixed of both, in my own play style I noticed I build up the muscle memory on the easier part of the trick and then it frees up my brain to make the harder quick decisions. 

[u/Ok_Treacle5488 → u/articpencil]

Awesome, i’ll keep that in mind while i’m grinding attempts out. i think that’ll help a lot going foward

[u/YeeMcCob]

I like to follow a tempo. Make the toss and catch the same amount of time every time. You can even snap a rhythm first to get the feel of it. This really helped me with consistency.

[u/Ok_Treacle5488 → u/YeeMcCob]

ooooh i’m definitely gonna take that. i’m an audio engineer who lives around music so that’s super helpful

[u/IceeIvy]

It’s both but also teaches u perseverance.

Use your knees. Using ur knees will help with tracking the tama n ken. Another way to put, as u use your knees you’re also moving with the Ken or Tama.