I need some help on the basic throw of 4a. I can’t get it to go straight in the air, it either goes behind me or in front of me. HELP!!!
Make sure your feet are about shoulder length apart from each other and keep your balance centered. If you watch almost any video of someone throwing a forward pass mount, you’ll notice (if they are right handed) they use their left hand to press down on the string as the yoyo is released. The amount of pressure put on the string will determine what angle the yoyo will jump in.
I can do SOME 4A stuff. I can toss and catch, Sun and Barrel rolls. It ain’t much, I ain’t no expert, but I tried it because I had a cut on my finger and couldn’t do 1A, so I decided to screw around with 4A and 5A that week. I was amazed I was catching and throwing within minutes.
OK, try this:
First: watch the videos Andre and Ben made for the site. It’s good stuff, it got me started. The key element is the throw. Kinda seems obvious.
Second: That basic throw. You have to put some muscle into it. I strongly advice you go OUTSIDE and find a nice flat, grassy area. This will reduce chasing, rolling away and damage. That’s 3X 4A goodness for beginners. So, be prepared to throw hard at first. I mean, not “beat a step-child” kind of hard, but you want to put a decent throw into this.
Third: That preparation. It’s like doing a forward pass but IN FRONT of you. Hold the yoyo in typical 4A style including string position. You want to hold this exactly like a 1A throw, the only difference is that it’s going to be bigger. Now, you want to throw that forward pass ACROSS your body. This is the position:
Stick your non throw hand OUT like you’re gonna do a trapeze when you throw a break-away(but you’re not going to throw a break-away)
Now, SWING your throw hand(DO NOT RELEASE yet, you’re just going through motions right now) towards your non-throw hand. You will see how you are throwing across your body.
Fourth: Once you have that, you need to throw the yoyo as if doing a forward pass. As the video shows, you will then ed up pinching the string. You’ll have to work on your timing to get this just right. I find that if I push DOWN a little bit with my non-throw hand, it will help the yoyo go UP before coming off the string. At this point I’ve most likely pinched before the yoyo has come off the string, and you want that. If I push a little bit OUT and DOWN with my non-throw hand, that should cause the yoyo to come back towards more than just pushing DOWN. These differences are SMALL. We’re talking an inch or less of movement. The thing to do is visualize in your mind these movements, don’t make a conscious effort to do it. Your mind and body will “fill in the gaps” for you. I also may sometimes pull DOWN/away with my throw hand to get the yoyo going a bit faster with less up in the air.
Don’t get discouraged. I am not good at 4A, but I’m glad I can do what little I can. It’s a cool thing to show people who know little to nothing about yoyo. As I said, I surprised myself getting it so fast because I have so much difficulties getting anything in regards to the yoyo. If I can do it, then you can most certainly do it.
Unlike Andre, I learned inside. But, I do recommend what Andre said about doing this outside. Where I live, the wind can be annoying sometimes. I still miss a lot, I still screw up toss and catch a lot(that’s what I’m working on now).
Here’s a tip for your bind:
You want a bit of string, anywhere from 4-6 inches or more of string, hanging from your non throw hand. This bit of string will whip around your bearing and will engage the response system to bring the yoyo back. More is better. In fact, at first, more might be better, say 8-10 inches. Anymore than that you’re using way too much string. Start to swing the yoyo away towards your non-throw hand side, or away from you, with the non-throw hand string on top. When you get to or almost to the end of the loop, throw the string down from your non-throw hand while pulling back with your throw hand. The combination of the string being thrown down and the pull should cause the string to whip around the bearing, which is what you want, and then the string should rub against the response. Turn your throw hand palm up and catch. When you’ve done it right, you can feel the yoyo literally pulling on the string as it comes back to you. It feels good.
This works for me. I have a Fiesta XX, Big Yo, Go Big, Aquarius, Hayabusa and Griffin Wing and it works fine every single time when I do it this way. I do see me buying more expensive 4A yoyos in the future.
I’m not sure what your foot placement has to do with throwing a good forward pass
It’s kind of different with each offstring I’ve found. I’ll have to adjust my throw if I’m going from say a go big to my big yo, or a milkshake. just keep practicing until you find a spot that works. if it’s going behind you, try throwing it out more. if it’s going too far in front of you, try throwing it a bit more upward. not really sure how to describe it, as it’s just more of a feeling.
I do find having a wider stance does help me in my throw and positioning.
I just got me my very own fiesta xx! At first it was a bit tough, hit the walls so much that i had to go do it in my room, but now i can land it on the string most every time. thanks for the advice guys, it helped a lot.
Make sure you have a responsive yoyo and think gap
Yes, it is responsive. I tried a little 1A with it and it was responsive. It isn’t as responsive any more but it still is a little. The bind to get it back to my hand is a little…um… Not sure what to call it. It works, just not very well all the time, and the snap starts are kinda weak. I am not sure if I am not spinning it hard/fast enough of what.
It’s called “practice more”.
Binds can be a bit sloppy. It’s all about feel. You just need more time. The back tug makes it want to come back, but you really want that wrap and have the yoyo pull itself along that string for a tight bind. As far as snap starts, you’ll get the hang of that too. Chances are you need to spin it harder.
You could also do a double bind if you start to lose too much spin. Once the yoyo is on the string normally, take your left hand and loop the string around the yoyo once (or multiple times) clockwise. Then just bind and “huzzah.”
When your catching the yoyo it’s easier to catch when the string is angled with your throw hand up and nonthrow hand down to guide it into the string.