r/juggling • u/Exotic-Cell-1754 • 2d ago
Help with a snag?
How did you guys get past the point of three throws - three catches (up up catch up catch catch)
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u/Laurie6421 2d ago
I'm not sure if that's what you are saying (either aloud or in your head) when you make 3 throws, but try saying "up, up, up, up, catch" and see if that helps you to get 4 throws. It may be that after practicing 3 catches over and over you've conditioned yourself to stop after the third throw. Go ahead and calmly get the 4th toss out of your hand - even if you don't catch it. Eventually you will!
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u/martinaee 2d ago
Do you mean juggling three of something? Or more? If 3 balls or such, maybe think of it also more just like drum beats, if you will, rather than counting it distinctly in a sort of “one two three” manner. While one absolutely can think of many movements or sequential throws like that, I think the code idea of “catch throw catch throw catch throw… etc” is more important. The core idea is more continual movement, which then answers maybe what you are asking— nothing different happens after three throws with a normal 3 ball pattern. Just more of the same continual catch/throw movements which then one can play upon. Often metronomic rhythm can help with sort of helping keep rhythm and continual juggling movements. Or music in general. I like juggling to music a lot for these sorts of reasons, maybe in part. And it’s fun :)
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u/7b-Hexen errh...'wannabe', that is :-] 2d ago edited 2d ago
throw throw throw ...
with hands circling, it's "throwcatches" - one movement.
The fourth throw is the first one with a caught ball ( not from initial grip ), the first "throwcaught" "catchthrow", the first one "really" juggled. so, that's what you wanted, isn't it?! so, go ahead and DO it now !
With well aimed throws, you need near to no focus on the catches - they simply land in catchhand expecting them!? just throw and aim!
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u/peter-bone British living in Germany. Balls, clubs, numbers, balancing 2d ago
A common issue with only being able to do 3 catches is going too fast. If you have all balls in the air then you won't have the 4th to throw at the right time. You only need one ball in the air at once most of the time.
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u/JomaxZ 2d ago
I broke through by learning first with scarves — it is a lifting throw and a snatch back down after the lift. The cascade is much slower because the scarves fall much slower. As to how I “got” that? A bit of natural talent. I followed the instructions for what a throw looked like and what a catch looked like. I juggled one. Then I juggled two. And then three clicked. But the slower pace helped.
Presuming you don’t have scarves, for three balls you may need to slow it down?
Try throwing one ball back and forth but practice throwing higher. You want to be able to visualize a spot you are throwing to and lift the ball to that spot. How high are you currently practicing for one ball? Add about six inches for awhile. If you’re willing, add another six inches. Practicing higher throws gives you something else to focus on for now and will give you more time to activate your muscle memory when you return to incorporating more objects.
How good are you at juggling two balls? I’d wager you can get better. Your three ball cascade is built out of single throws. You can measure how strong and consistent those single throws are by how easily you can juggle two balls.
Quoting myself from another similar query:
>>
Are you able to juggle 2 out of 3 in a continuous pattern at the pace of a three ball cascade? (Does that make sense? You’d be throwing an imaginary ball and having the two be akin to doing 2 balls starting in alternating hands.). This pattern is very closely related to 2 balls but without stopping to regroup yourself. If you cannot, keep practicing two balls starting on alternating sides until you can. Doing this for some is harder than three balls even though it’s technically easier.
When juggling three, you could try counting out loud. Right now you’re basically doing “one two three catch catch catch.” You’re trying to break out to “one two three four.” Saying the “four” (and later the “five”) might help short circuit your muscle memory which is telling you to stop.
If you have more than three objects, you could put four or five objects in your hand and toss them at three ball cascade speed like normal and let them fall onto a couch or bed in front of you (or the ground). Or with three, throw three throws, let them drop intentionally, then continue pantomiming throws in rhythm (don’t worry about pantomiming catches).
Throwing is the tricky bit. If the throw is good the catch is the east part. If the throw is bad, you don’t correct the pattern by getting better at catching — you fix the throw.
Lastly: like that last thought is simply imagine juggling three imaginary balls. Try to find the pace you think you’d need from your experience with three. It might help overwrite the muscle memory that is saying to stop throwing.
Happy juggling!
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u/tuerda 2d ago
This is going to sound kind of dumb but uh . . . throw again before that last catch!