# Beginners Journey **URL:** https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/beginners-journey/367145 **Category:** General Yo-Yo **Created:** [December 15, 2022, 10:57pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/beginners-journey/367145 "2022-12-15T22:57:22Z") **Posts on this page:** 1 **Showing post:** 28
### Author: ![Pun1sh3R](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/pun1sh3r/32/193125_2.png) [@Pun1sh3R](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Pun1sh3R) #### Post date: [February 3, 2023, 10:41pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/beginners-journey/367145/28 "2023-02-03T22:41:54Z")
Fixed Axel February! So I am now a few days into Fixed Axel February. I had the pleasure to be able to purchase a Wildwood Gnomad from Mr. Eric ( @Eric_Newlin ). The craftsmanship is amazing. This has been the only Yoyo I have thrown for the last week. ![20230130_124711](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/d/3/6/d368a78b68f7cb3ba2b342ef5586cf0a63919f18.jpeg) Mr. Nate (@yomartyo) is hosting Fixed Axel February Challenges. I have learned so much about this style from this thread; [Fixed Axle February-WEEK 1 - #27 by TryCatchThrow](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fixed-axle-february-week-1/368997/27) Some of my Key Learnings so far; Responsiveness of the Fixed Axel “IS” important. Increasing String Torsion helps to increase responsiveness. As Mr. @CaptainFoxxButt said in the above link “Gonna wanna do a lot of sidewinders” Very helpful information from Mr. @TryCatchThrow about which sidewinder to do; “Regardless of which hand you throw, if your sidewinder has your hand left of the throw, it loosens tension. Just like a screwdriver. Righty tighty, lefty loosie.” The use of Chap Stick on the end of the string that goes around the axel can also help to increase responsiveness. I also am learning about Bearing Blanks, being able to replace the bearing in the yoyo with this “Blank” will make the yoyo play like a fixed axel. Some of these are pre-machined and drop-in replacements. Others require shims… I had a nice Conversation with Mr. Alex @Xanadu about modifying bearings to make a “Blank”. I am very thankful to this community and all the people (like above) that take the time to explain the “Whys” of things and not just the “Hows”. THANK YOU Currently - My Only Goal right now is to be able to complete a Trapeeze Stall and Catch it back to the hand for my Week 1 Entry. This is so much fun. I am hoping to get a Blank or Modified Bearing/Blank into some of my 0.5A Yoyos. I have committed to not throwing any Bearing Yoyos for this Month. This is a personal challenge, being fresh to yoyo, changing my routine has been difficult. Typically I would practice Unresponsive, Responsive, and then Finish with Modern Responsive. 0A will definitely be in the rotation when I get back to this in March. Here is the latest Yoyo Wall. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I got bitten by the Yoyo Acquisition Bug hard. ![20230203_122033](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/1/c/5/1c5c76aea7f22be9fe263017ad1ee82d833d5234.jpeg) ![20230203_122012](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/b/f/6/bf68911452a9ba11201438645692a4caa6fb61aa.jpeg) Kids - Nothing new to post about them at this time. Not a lot of string time lately with extra curricular activities. Have Fun. Update- With the help of my 7 year-old camera woman, we final got a Fixed Axel February Week 1 Trapeeze Stall captured. This was about take 28. I had a better performance before this… “I forgot to record it Daddy.” [![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/5/0/3/503b077704b0d670461e9351e6b0cc8e4f0034b9.jpeg "Fixed Axel February Week 1") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPBvJqY7QKY) --- _[View the full topic](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/beginners-journey/367145)._