# fail proof bind on the phenom? **URL:** \ **Category:** Yo-Yo Tricks\ **Created:** [August 10, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486 "2014-08-10T18:04:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AGyoyo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/agyoyo/32/1457_2.png) [@AGyoyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/AGyoyo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/1 "2014-08-10T18:04:21Z")
I want to compete in a sport ladder and I was practicing when I noticed something. I can do almost all the tricks but it will be counted as a miss if the yoyo does not return to my hand. The phenom has a wide gap which makes it hard for me to bind it every time, and when I bind it it is very loose. Does someone know of a fail proof bind for a yoyo with a wide gap? thanks, agyoyo ---
**Author:** ![stuarttw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@stuarttw](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/stuarttw)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 6:15pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/2 "2014-08-10T18:15:28Z")
Do you pinch your string when you bind? ---
**Author:** ![NathanC](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/nathanc/32/891_2.png) [@NathanC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/NathanC)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/3 "2014-08-10T18:20:04Z")
Learn how to bind. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 6:21pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/4 "2014-08-10T18:21:59Z")
Play with a responsive yoyo. Nothing on the string ladder requires unresponsive play, and it teaches good technique and smoothness. ---
**Author:** ![yoyospirit](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yoyospirit/32/219875_2.png) [@yoyospirit](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/yoyospirit)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/5 "2014-08-10T18:38:23Z")
Replace your silicone. Also try the Dave’s bind and fake bind. ---
**Author:** ![MattB](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/mattb/32/14529_2.png) [@MattB](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/MattB)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 6:48pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/6 "2014-08-10T18:48:03Z")
Plastic whip comes to mind as easier with a non-responsive yoyo. Anyway, in the short term to make it easier, use new grippy pads or flowable silicone. Also a thicker string is a little easier to bind. ---
**Author:** ![stuarttw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@stuarttw](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/stuarttw)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 7:47pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/7 "2014-08-10T19:47:53Z")
> [@MattB](#): > > Plastic whip comes to mind as easier with an un-responsive yoyo. why? ---
**Author:** ![SloppyBinds](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/sloppybinds/32/1179_2.png) [@SloppyBinds](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/SloppyBinds)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 11:02pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/8 "2014-08-10T23:02:09Z")
> [@stuarttw](#): > > why? Because a responsive yoyo easily responds when you tug on it. An unresponsive does not generally respond when you tug on it. You can pay me later. :wink: > [@Chimera](#): > > Play with a responsive yoyo…it teaches good technique and smoothness. Have any evidence for this mantra I hear repeated? Play responsive only if you want to challenge yourself. IMO it does not necessarily improve your smoothness. If anything, it forces you to practice jerky awkwarkd movements to prevent response at times. It may help in a few scenarios for a few tricks but not for most modern unresponsive play. Overall it is weak theory without much to back it up beyond anecdotal evidence. Repetition and methods practiced are what produce smooth play, and a more stable and forgiving experience allows that. I record my practice sessions to see how I can improve, get used to the camera, etc. I have made up a few tricks on fixed axle that I got pretty smooth before I tried on unresponsive. Doing that same trick on unresponsive, it looked funny and unnatural. It still looks better on fixed axle, IMO. Responsive and Unresponsive are two separate skills that require difference approaches. ---
**Author:** ![yuki\_onitsura](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yuki_onitsura/32/1162_2.png) [@yuki\_onitsura](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/yuki_onitsura)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/9 "2014-08-10T23:13:39Z")
> [@SloppyBinds](#): > > Because a responsive yoyo easily responds when you tug on it. An unresponsive does not generally respond when you tug on it. You can pay me later. :wink: I think the ‘why’ was aimed at the plastic whip part rather than the unresponsive yoyo part. Yuki ---
**Author:** ![SloppyBinds](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/sloppybinds/32/1179_2.png) [@SloppyBinds](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/SloppyBinds)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 11:49pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/10 "2014-08-10T23:49:19Z")
> [@yuki\_onitsura](#): > > I think the ‘why’ was aimed at the plastic whip part rather than the unresponsive yoyo part. > > Yuki Indeed. I’m trying to help stuartw to think critically about why response might make a difference without outright giving him the answer. Common core does not teach critical thinking so I’m trying to supplement. :wink: ---
**Author:** ![AGyoyo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/agyoyo/32/1457_2.png) [@AGyoyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/AGyoyo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 2:03am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/11 "2014-08-11T02:03:09Z")
Thanks guys. All of you have really helped me! ---
**Author:** ![MattB](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/mattb/32/14529_2.png) [@MattB](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/MattB)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 2:18am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/12 "2014-08-11T02:18:58Z")
> [@stuarttw](#): > > why? When I was just starting out on the trick ladder, I considered using a responsive yoyo and switching out to an unresponsive yoyo when I got past the tricks that easily worked with the responsive yoyo. I remember plastic whip responding too easily and coming back at the wrong moment. After enough practice, I elected to just do the whole thing unresponsive. It was too risky to try the whole thing with a responsive yoyo, especially as a beginner. ---
**Author:** ![YoCyanightYo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/77aa72/32.png) [@YoCyanightYo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/YoCyanightYo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 5:24am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/13 "2014-08-11T05:24:43Z")
> [@NathanC](#): > > Learn how to bind. I lol’d. Its also the truth, but the way you said it just made me laugh. ---
**Author:** ![GregP](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/gregp/32/1192_2.png) [@GregP](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/GregP)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 5:32am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/14 "2014-08-11T05:32:21Z")
As NathanC said and stuartw followed-up on, it’s not the gap that’s the problem. Do the pinch that stuartw asked about. And if you’re still in the beginning stages of binding, you can even turn sideways to do a frontstyle bind from your sidestyle tricks. Pinch plus basic front bind is a recipe for reliable binds. ---
**Author:** ![stuarttw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@stuarttw](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/stuarttw)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/15 "2014-08-11T14:07:55Z")
> [@GregP](#): > > As NathanC said and stuarttw followed-up on, it’s not the gap that’s the problem. Do the pinch that stuarttw asked about. And if you’re still in the beginning stages of binding, you can even turn sideways to do a frontstyle bind from your sidestyle tricks. This ---
**Author:** ![rizki\_yoist](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/rizki_yoist/32/7925_2.png) [@rizki\_yoist](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/rizki_yoist)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 2:58pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/16 "2014-08-11T14:58:53Z")
> [@SloppyBinds](#): > > Have any evidence for this mantra I hear repeated? > > Play responsive only if you want to challenge yourself. IMO it does not necessarily improve your smoothness. If anything, it forces you to practice jerky awkwarkd movements to prevent response at times. It may help in a few scenarios for a few tricks but not for most modern unresponsive play. Overall it is weak theory without much to back it up beyond anecdotal evidence. Repetition and methods practiced are what produce smooth play, and a more stable and forgiving experience allows that. I’d rather say it’s the opposite, this is one of the reason why I always recommend starting out with responsive play. I’ve seen countless of times when people moves too jerky leaving unwanted slacks here and there because they don’t keep the string tight in some movements especially the string part near the yoyo. Some complex tricks actually tend to roll the string into the yoyo and bind accidentally, the skill from responsive play helps to avoid that. It may not be a problem for you, but it is for some others. Responsive always means less overall spin time, it helps by not making people complain that a perfectly clean stock bearing doesn’t give enough spin time… that it’s the bearing or the yoyo’s fault. Instead with unresponsive bearings the increase of spin time and easiness helps them later when they get better and start doing long combos. Most yoyos that are stock responsive are mostly unstable plastics and instead of relying on “the yoyo is still straight! do tricks until it wants to tilt then bind!”, you will face a car with no stability control, so to speak. It teaches you how to control the tilt instead of avoiding it altogether. However in a nutshell, learning from responsive means learning the hard way. I started out responsive, I see how it helps me, and I’ll always recommend anyone to do it. It may work for you… or not. Sorry for derailing this thread. ---
**Author:** ![GregP](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/gregp/32/1192_2.png) [@GregP](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/GregP)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/17 "2014-08-11T16:46:09Z")
People recommend starting responsive because it’s intuitively good advice. But intuition is sometimes wrong. I agree that there’s no strong evidence that it actually helps. People will also conflate things that are not truly related… for example, someone starts off responsive, gets the usual knuckle raps and war wounds, and then picks up unresponsive. In a short while, they’re playing fairly smooth. There’s no actual evidence that the responsive start is what helped them to play smooth! It’s a false causality. “I started responsive, I play smooth, therefore starting responsive helps smooth play.” Without actual evidence, it’s just intuition and folk wisdom. Which is something I tend to just avoid. There are plenty of smooth players who started responsive. There are tonnes of smooth players who have probably rarely if ever played responsive. I don’t think there’s a relationship. The only common factor is that both have practiced and improved. ---
**Author:** ![doodads341](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@doodads341](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/doodads341)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/18 "2014-08-11T19:51:54Z")
> [@NathanC](#): > > Learn how to bind. [![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/4/9/0/4905bdeef79e9ea2255eb86c0b13258f0f76c137.jpeg "Binding: Learn how to Bind an Unresponsive Yoyo") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0wnN4blxII) ---
**Author:** ![Nick66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/43a26b/32.png) [@Nick66](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Nick66)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 5:00am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/fail-proof-bind-on-the-phenom/68486/19 "2014-08-18T05:00:17Z")
This started happening to my Phenomizm as the response pads wore out-check yours out, and if they are fine, try double wrapping your binds.