So I’ve been working with 5A since March and I’ve been loving it. Along with the basics, I’ve developed a style with shorter technical movements (Jon Rob sort of stuff). I’m curious as to how this sort of style scores in competition. I’m not trying to gear myself to win, but I want to be competitive. How exactly do horizontal passes and other small technical movements score?
I’ve talked to a few judges here and there and this seems to be the rule of thumb:
If the “small technical movement” seems crucial to the trick (i.e. maneuvers to a GT) or helps present the trick better by adding flow: you’ll get a click.
If the “small technical movement” doesn’t seem to add anything to the trick, or seems like an unnecessary flourish, or seems overly repetitive: no click.
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Makes sense. So something like a GT with the counterweight spinning around it might not be worth much (or anything) since it’s just winding around and unwinding
How about movement of the yoyo and the counterweight at the same time in regular or technical tricks? I know the counterweight has to be moving to score anything, but beyond that, I’m not 100% sure how it breaks down
About the same as how they judge 1a nowadays. If you do a like five or six simple string hits with your left hand while swinging the counter-weight in a circle, MIGHT get a click.
However, if you do a crazy arm wrap that is only possible in 5a, the CW was crucial in the positioning on your arm, or the wrap was the result of an aerial, even if you only do like a single string hit, you MIGHT get 3 clicks or 4, depending on other factors such as originality of the said arm wrap combo + risk etc…
special case: tanglers. They used to be incredibly great for point whoring, you can get like 15 points on a single combo, but nowadays you’ll be lucky if you get clicked at all. Blame Takeshi, he abused the living ^&$@% out of it.
Makes sense. I’m trying to get the counterweight moving more, especially when I’m doing more technical stuff. So far so good. I do a lot of horizontal passes, but they are functional, so I feel like they’d do okay. Still working with with bigger 5A tricks like aerials and such. I’ve only been playing 5A since March, so it’s still kinda rough.
And I’m okay with tanglers not scoring as much. I can’t do them to save my life 
I do want to learn them though. I don’t want to become reliant on tanglers, but they can definitely be useful to transition between tricks
I think maybe posting some videos might help some of the more experienced 5A players evaluate where you are.
I will say that your progress between BAC and YoLexTravaganza was pretty good.
The main thing you need to worry about is moving both the counterweight and yoyo at the same time. Simple as that. Doing basic e-fan combos won’t score that high but if you do it with enough speed and flair it will score good enough. Tanglers score well. But you need speed, variation and flare to score high.
I would stay away from the tech 5a since it usually tends to lead to the counter weight doing all the moving and the yoyo just sitting there. If you want to score well in a contest my videos and tricks should be the last thing you are watching.
Check out some of Miggys redirection combos. They score well and are relatively easy to perform. Sterling Quinn has very high scoring tricks but his tricks are a nightmare to try and learn. Learning Tyler’s tricks are a waist of time since there at least a dozen Tyler clones out there all ready.
Best Advice
Learn all the basics and a lil bit from all of you favorite players and then never watch another video and do your own thing.
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As the person above me said if I doesnot progress the trick of add significant appeal to the compo it will get 1 or 0 clicks but it crates a new mount includes string hits, creates a picture, has a hop or slack element, that has great difficulty it can score multiple points
Even though this is 1a Janos complex single slack movements can get up to 5 points
To sum things up if it’s hard and progresess the compo it will score good, just make sure it doesn’t waste time
THIS. The 5a contest scene seriously lacks originality today. Try to make up 4-5 of your own combo/tricks, and then when you can do them consistently enough, that’s the time when you evaluate if they can score enough. A little tweak here and there is usually all it takes when you’ve got consistency and originality down.
Agree with the originality thing. I really do like the new rising talent such as Jake Elliot, Chase Baxter, Robbie Graham, and, even though he’s not as new , Josh Yee. At the same time, I really like players who get really technical. JonRob, Jake Bullock, Dana Bennett, Sterling Quinn, etc. Not as many around in the comp scene right now.
My main issue is getting the counterweight moving with the yoyo moving. It’s getting better. Lately I’ve been trying to make up stuff where I’m not just moving the counterweight, then moving the yoyo, then the counterweight, then the yoyo. Trying to keep the counterweight momentum going as much as possible.
Uhm, not to sound rude or anything, but he could get BETTER points if he lays off the tanglers a bit.
The massive point difference between his and Takeshi’s freestyles are a huge testament to that.
It’s like, if you’ve watched one Tyler freestyle, you’ve watched 'em all.