Hey, y’all
I have been to 4 yoyo contests. In 3 I competed in 1A freestyle. I always have this real awesome routine planned in my head, but when I get up on stage, I forget the entire thing and my hands get clammy and I don’t do very well, knotting yoyos, missing things I usually hit every time. Any suggestions on how to stay as relaxed as throwing by yourself?
Thanks,
Shen703
Everyone gets stage fright to some degree. The more you get on stage, the more comfortable you’ll be performing in front of others, and the less stage fright you’ll get.
Remembering your routine on stage, especially when you’re nervous, can be tough The best way to make sure you remember it is to be as prepared as possible.
When you’re in your room practicing alone, turn on your music and run through your performance as if you were on stage. Smile when you hit bangers. Walk around a little bit. Sing along to the music. Whatever you want to do on stage, do it while you’re in your room alone. Run through it 100 times if you have to. The more comfortable you are and the more familiar you are with your routine, the better.
Also, the more confident you are in your ability to hit your tricks, the more calm you’ll be. Personally, I would never do a trick on stage that I can’t hit ten times in a row comfortably.
I find the best way to get more consistent with your tricks the fastest is to try and hit the combo ten times in a row with zero mistakes. If you make even the smallest mistake, start over at zero. It’s a lot harder than it sounds, but it can REALLY make a difference, even after just a week of practice.
Jake knows what’s up, take note.
Also, be sure to choose music that fits you. It can be a rough experience realizing that your music is too fast or slow for your natural trick speed on stage. Be sure to find something that is easy to yoyo to for you, whether that’s incredibly fast and high-tension, or more laid back or goofy.
Keep it up! 
I’ve only compete twice before. But I’ve found that finding a song that fits my style is something with a huge effect
Quicker songs will get your heart racing faster and can make you feel more tense.
Also worth trying practicing your routine in from of others, even just in public, it will help quite a bit getting used to throwing for others.
As for clammy hands, try washing your hands with soap right before you goon stage if possible. Keeps things smooth and fairly dry for a bit.
Otherwise, it’s something that goes away with the more experience you have.
Best of luck!
Before you go on stage run your hands under the drinking fountain. Cold water helps with sweaty hands.
Other than that there is not much you can do other than practice in front of other people. Practice in public in front of your harshest critics. This will help you relax. It’s a lot like public speaking. The more you do it, the more natural it will feel.
Wouldn’t that make it harder? I can never yoyo even with the slightest bit of water on my hands.
^ If you dry your hands really well the washing really helps. Other tactics: use spray on deodorant on your hands, some kids like baby powder.
I like washing my hands the best, doesn’t leave any weird coats on the yoyo.
Try throwing more in public, or in front of your friends. Like if im just chilling in line to get a burito or something ill just start throwing, and i think that has helped me to get used to “performing” for people. Sorry i cant be of much help XD
-brooke
Adrenaline is going to be pumping in a contest situation, even for the seasoned pros. Instead of trying to be as relaxed as you are throwing by yourself, I would suggest anticipating and preparing for the adrenaline in different ways. Doing multiple contests is one way that someone can get used to it so it doesn’t have a strangle hold of them like the first time. As Jake suggests, practicing as though you were in a contest can prepare you so that the experience of the contest isn’t strange and scary to your brain. The advice to smile on the bangers is perfect, as you should really visualize yourself in the situation. You are training your mind, so it will kind of be used to the situation. Performing in front of friends can help, not only casually, but “Ok, I’m going to do my contest freestyle.” And then do it in one shot with music, just like the contest.
It also helps to put things in perspective. You CAN do all the tricks in your routine, and ideally, you can do it without thinking. On stage, the… er… trick… hasnt changed. Yhe stakes have increased, but the trick itself is the exact same.
As for swetty hands I usually where a yoyo glove up on stage but washing them helps too
Bowling chalk works good
I usually use “Breathing techniques” to calm myself down. In through your nose, out through the mouth. I know it will feel quite odd at first, but when my anxiety gets the best of me, I breath deeply like that.
As for sweateh hands, you could use spray on Anti-Persperant Deoderant or Pretend like it’s not even there. Sounds crazy, I know, but eventually, you won’t even notice it’s there. It also depends on the strings, Most of the StringLab’s strings do well it conditions like that.
a tip I usually do before doing my routine is Imagine myself doing the routine before I go on stage because then your brain can’t tell reality and imagination when you actually do it. When I do this I usually do fine or have fewer mess ups. That and I try slowing down my heart rate because when my heart rate is up it usually a sign a adrenaline flowing which doesn’t help during before a competition. Also before I get on the platform thing I also try to jam out to a little music so I am pumped up to get on stage but not excited.
Make some friends at the contest and get suited to the audience and the environment. Also try and get one of those individually sealed bacterial wipes and use that a few minutes before getting on stage.
At my first contest, BAC, I was shaking when I walked over to perform. I was shaking when I set my yoyos down. I was shaking throughout my routine. But for my first time, it was meh. I got 58th, or somewhere around there all I remember is that I was 1 place above Ann. I was amazed I did that well, I thought I did horribly I would’ve never imagined coming that close to be honest, but I realized it was because I practiced a lot. BLC was a wreck. The trip itself for me was last minute. It was a couple days before BLC, I asked for a ride on Facebook expecting nothing, but JD offers me a ride, next thing I now, a few days later I’m off to BLC. I hadn’t practiced at all, I wasn’t even gonna compete, but JD got me in. I practiced for a few minutes in the hotel room. I practiced some more when I finished helping JD set up. When I went on, my music totally threw me off. I got Chris’s Goatarang song instead of Bangarang. But I felt comfortable up on stage, it didn’t fell like BAC. There wasn’t a shred of stage fright. When I got off, I shuddered, I don’t know why I felt fine but I guess I was “relived” of getting over with. I still don’t know my placing, but I know it’s bad. I landed 2 tricks, a finger spin and a short tech combo.
You’ll get used to over coming your stage fright. A friend of mine that’s an actress once told me “if there’s someone in the audience, it’s because they are there to see you, not to intimidate you.” Just loosen up on your next contest, whatever happens happens, one performance can’t mess up your life.
Really, just keep in your mind no one’s judging you (except the judges) and believe that you are a good thrower. Also, it’ll dissappate through enough experience.
This tickled me just right. chortles heartily
That is a brilliant line.
I practice alone then in front of a few people and build it up until I am performing in front of my whole school.
