# Balancing a Top in your Hand? **URL:** \ **Category:** Spin Tops\ **Created:** [April 28, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/balancing-a-top-in-your-hand/25921 "2011-04-28T01:54:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jtman562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jtman562/32/285_2.png) [@jtman562](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jtman562)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/balancing-a-top-in-your-hand/25921/1 "2011-04-28T01:54:27Z")
So far, I’ve been extremely happy with the quick, helpful responses of the good folks in the spin top section. Anyway, I got my Bearing King in the mail today, and I love it. I can do Boomerang(once in a while), Big Scoop, Skyrocket, and a trick I kinda just made up(probably not). I just need help with one thing… You see, all these tricks involve balancing the top in your hand; I can do it for a while, but eventually the top leans too far over and the body hits my hand, resulting in an unexpected shoot out of my hand at near light speed. People say to move your hand in a circle in the opposite direction in which the top is tilting, but that could mean different things to different people. Could someone please elaborate before I nerd rage an throw my top at the wall? ---
**Author:** ![patrickcondon](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/patrickcondon/32/619950_2.png) [@patrickcondon](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/patrickcondon)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:57am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/balancing-a-top-in-your-hand/25921/2 "2011-04-28T01:57:45Z")
If the top is tilting this way: \ Move your hand this way: → This is contrary to what you’d think when balancing something. Excuse me since I don’t know much about tops, but I’m an avid supporter of spiked yoyo play. ---
**Author:** ![Neff](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/neff/32/359_2.png) [@Neff](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Neff)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/balancing-a-top-in-your-hand/25921/3 "2011-04-28T02:13:27Z")
> [@patrickcondon](#): > > If the top is tilting this way: \ > > Move your hand this way: → ^ Great way to sum it up ---
**Author:** ![jtman562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jtman562/32/285_2.png) [@jtman562](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jtman562)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/balancing-a-top-in-your-hand/25921/4 "2011-04-28T18:51:58Z")
Ok thanks. Good use of symbols Pat. Not that it makes sense to me, but I trust you guys would know what you’re talking about. Edit: Moving my hand in a circle seems to do, well, nothing. I figured I may be doing it in the wrong direction, but that returned with the same result. ``` Any tips? ``` ---
**Author:** ![Neff](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/neff/32/359_2.png) [@Neff](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Neff)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 5:03am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/balancing-a-top-in-your-hand/25921/5 "2011-04-29T05:03:41Z")
Wait for the point, the tip, to be pointed the same direction as your thumb, and move your hand in that direction, instead of the other direction, the direction your brain is telling your hand to move. ---
**Author:** ![jtman562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jtman562/32/285_2.png) [@jtman562](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jtman562)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/balancing-a-top-in-your-hand/25921/6 "2011-04-29T19:07:45Z")
Well, yes but, a circle in that direction could mean starting toward that direction, or moving around and ending in that direction. Sorry if I’m not making sense, but this is a bit confusing to me. ---
**Author:** ![patrickcondon](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/patrickcondon/32/619950_2.png) [@patrickcondon](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/patrickcondon)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/balancing-a-top-in-your-hand/25921/7 "2011-04-29T19:25:45Z")
Imagine you’re balancing a broom on your palm. When it tilts, you usually move your hand in the direction it’s tilting to compensate. With a top, the gyroscopic properties cause this relationship of tilt and compensation to flip. You want to move your hand in the opposite direction the top is tilting to compensate. ---
**Author:** ![jtman562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jtman562/32/285_2.png) [@jtman562](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jtman562)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/balancing-a-top-in-your-hand/25921/8 "2011-04-29T19:28:34Z")
> [@patrickcondon](#): > > Imagine you’re balancing a broom on your palm. When it tilts, you usually move your hand in the direction it’s tilting to compensate. With a top, the gyroscopic properties cause this relationship of tilt and compensation to flip. You want to move your hand in the opposite direction the top is tilting to compensate. Yes. I understand that. It’s adding the circular motion that confuses me. ---
**Author:** ![iconofgrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@iconofgrace](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/iconofgrace)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/balancing-a-top-in-your-hand/25921/9 "2011-04-29T20:02:39Z")
Correct me if I’m wrong, but the circular motion isn’t totally necessary, especially when first learning. I haven’t been throwing tops for very long, but learning to actually balance the top in the palm of my hand rarely (if ever) involved actually make a full circular motion. Yophosis pretty much summed up how I learned to balance the top. If you wait until the tip of the top faces your thumb, and then move your hand that way, it will balance it a little. If it’s not totally balanced yet, just wait until the tip is facing your thumb again and move your hand in that direction again. It will gradually balance the top. Eventually, after practicing a lot, balancing the top becomes almost effortless, like you don’t really have to think to do it anymore. Good luck, and I hope I helped. ---
**Author:** ![jtman562](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jtman562/32/285_2.png) [@jtman562](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jtman562)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 9:06pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/balancing-a-top-in-your-hand/25921/10 "2011-04-29T21:06:45Z")
Well I heard moving your hand in a circular motion is the best way. I guess I’ll just have to practice. Thanks guys. P.S. I’d suggest standing back at the meet Pat ;). ---
**Author:** ![patrickcondon](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/patrickcondon/32/619950_2.png) [@patrickcondon](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/patrickcondon)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 3:46am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/balancing-a-top-in-your-hand/25921/11 "2011-04-30T03:46:52Z")
I’ll do some spike play and show you the gist of it :wink: ---
**Author:** ![Neff](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/neff/32/359_2.png) [@Neff](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Neff)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 1:12am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/balancing-a-top-in-your-hand/25921/12 "2011-05-02T01:12:34Z")
Everybody is correct here 🙂 The easiest concept to understand (that I know of) when you first start is the thumb thing mentioned above. After you get a feel for it, and if you watch me do it, it is a very quick circular motion. To describe this well I need to to a diagram… Simply put, you “lead” the tip with a circle that is “tighter” than the circle the top is making… must. make. diagram. ---
**Author:** ![ta0](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/ta0/32/702_2.png) [@ta0](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/ta0)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 4:01am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/balancing-a-top-in-your-hand/25921/13 "2011-05-03T04:01:02Z")
Everything above is correct, but as nobody specifically said it: the circle you do (more like a inward spiral) is in the same direction as the spin and precession of the top: counter-clockwise (when looking from above) for a right hand throw.