I am trying to work my way through this video https://youtu.be/HeJKz1Cc0mc and I am stuck on something. It is a stumbling block for me but probably easy for most of you.
It is Harrison Lee’s 26 levels and he did a great job with the video. Great instruction, but I cannot seem to make it through level 9 “Gerbil”. I can usually get the yoyo on the string for the trapeze, sometimes I can get the yoyo on the string for the double mount, by I am really struggling sending the yoyo to my throw hand for the mount. I either miss the string or miss my finer all the way.
Can anyone give me a suggestion that could help me with this?
If I understand correctly, you’ve got the same problem I have with pretty much every trick that requires landing a trapeze. For me it helped to set up a camera on myself for later analysis, if you don’t have a camera handy then recruit a buddy as a spotter. If neither of those is available, you can see whether the yoyo missed to the inside (near you) or the outside (away from you) by examining the tangle of string after a mess-up.
Anyway what I discovered was that I was unconsciously moving my throw hand closer to my body than my non-throw hand, thus causing misses to the outside. It requires a conscious effort to keep my throw hand out a little to maintain alignment. I expect that after enough practice it’ll become natural but for now I have to think about it each time.
Use your NTH to throw the yoyo toward your TH, do not move your TH, keep it stationary.
Put both of your TH fingers together when landing the 3rd mount to make landing easier. If you tuck in your middle finger, the mount is harder to land.
Yes, you are right. I am having problems missing the string any time I try a trapeze. Sometimes to the outside. Sometimes to the inside. I need to figure out a way to be more consistent. It is hard for me. I will try to recruit a buddy to spot me.
I always had trouble staying ‘on plane’. Practice makes progress though! As long as you can see which direction you’re missing, just keep making those small adjustments and soon a trapeze will just be what happens when you throw a breakaway.
Thank you for your good advice. I have been trying to tuck my middle finger in. I will try keeping it out.
It is more comfortable for me to put the string between the second and third knuckle (closer to my palm), but I know that is incorrect. should I put the string on my finger the way you have it in your picture?
Also, I seem to run out of string when I am tryin got do this. I have started cutting my strings a bit longer. I cut them to about 6 inches above my belly button, but I still run out of string. Maybe it is just my poor form. How long should I make my string?
So, that tutorial for the Gerbil is not quite right. It’s missing a pullover after the double trapeze, right before the throw hand mount. It’s a fairly minor omission, but that’s the way the trick was originally defined. Also, it’s a great suggestion I’ve heard from others, that you should watch more than one tutorial for a trick if possible. Sometimes another person describes the trick a little differently or gives a different tip for landing it that could be helpful.
You can tuck your finger in, that’s how most people do the trick - keeping the middle finger out just helps the yoyo direct onto the string.
In terms of where you want the yoyo string on your finger, it’s all preference based, but you usually put it lower down on your finger because it gives more control.
Again, string length preference is completely up to you. I relate string length to other concepts that are all based around the same idea. Shorter = more control, Longer = less control. Just like Snowboards, Skis, Cars, Weapons, Pool Sticks, or literally any other concept in life - usually smaller or shorter means it’s easier to control, or maneuver. When you increase the length, you’re reducing that control.
Most of the pros will say “your string should only be as long as required for your tricks” so basically, whatever trick requires the most amount of string is where you want it. Any longer than that becomes more of a stylistic preference. I think this is the best way to do it. You should use short string in the beginning to help you control the yoyo, and extend the string as your skills and tricks increase in difficulty requiring more string length until you find your preference.
also here’s a good resource for learning some tricks the correct way one of our lovely forum members and a pillar of the community.
I think we all struggle with certain tricks so don’t let that get to you. I try to watch other tutorials if one isn’t quite explaining it enough. I just watched the video you linked in the OP and he does a good job teaching these tricks but it is kind of rushed. There are other wed sites and other posters on YouTube that have tutorials for skin the gerbil as well. I would do a search and watch 3 or 4 different tutorials for the same trick then pick the one that makes the most sense to me while learning the steps. Sometimes other viewpoints make all the difference.
one of our lovely forum members and a pillar of the community.