Hi guys, I am going to a camp where there will be a talent show and I’m thinking of yoyoing but I’ve been practising and I’m receiving quite a lot of knots. Well here is (or in fact are) my questions. Do professionals just focus on not getting knots or do they have a certain technique to it. I looked at the snap start video that André made and he said that at a contest snap starting get the knots away. If this is true then how does it work? Is there a special way to snap start in order to get knots away? Thanks 
are you talking about knots or kinks? knots are obviously where the string has looped through and tightened. they happen pretty much exclusively by accident and you’d have to stop everything to get it out (or keep playing with it i guess). kinks are where the string has tightened its twist to the point where if you drop it slack it will bunch up all crazy. these come right back to normal if you give the string some tension, but to alleviate the problem you have to allow the string to unwind.
snap starting (or thumb winding, or any kind of active wind-up) reduces kinks because you’re not twisting the string around the yo-yo as you hand wind it. no wind up method prevents or repels actual knots, and pros have to get them out like anyone (although admittedly, you get pretty good at getting simple knots out). it should also be noted that pros put their pants on one leg at a time as well… or when they put on pants anyway.
the bottom line is that you should learn to snap-start anyway.
No, I meant knot. I’ve checked the subtitle for the snap start video. If you go on the video then click on f3 and type knot in you should find the word knot in the sentence,’ it’s great in a performance if you get a knot you can just snap it and go right into a trick.’ André also says that sentence in 1:16.
Like ed said snap starting reduces theamount of tension building up in the string.
It will not get rid of knot since you’re only starting the yoyo spinning again. YYou need to practice not getting into knots, try and find which tricks you get the knots in, focus on getting that on trick better.
Looks like Pros are real people.
1 Like
Pros get knots just like you and I do. I checked out the video and I found the “knot” reference. I don’t believe Andre meant knot. I believe you could insert “mess up” or “poor bind”. There’s only one way to get most knots out, untie them. There is the magic knot however, which is just a slip knot. You pull the string and it disappears! If only all knots would do that ;).
1 Like
In that video, he was probably referring to the moment after you untie the knot, whereby instead of winding the yoyo, you can just snap start it. I don’t think he meant using the snap start to get rid of the knot directly.
1 Like
You don’t focus on not getting a knot, just do whatever. It’s generally a good idea to have a backup yoyo with you though when you get a knot, so you can just instantly switch, and not waste all of your time trying to dig the knot out of the yoyo.
1 Like
That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking and I think that’s what I’m going to do (though if you keep posting and expressing ideas, it would be quite good). Thanks everyone for helping me. 
That’s why people use multiple yoyos at competitions. Better to take a point deduction than waste time and squander points away when a swap will take care of the issue… Some people bring more than others. Usually I see 3-4 spares ready to go, but I saw one kid with 8 one time. The odd part is with that kid with the 8, they were all different models that I could quickly tell. Usually I’ll see different colors but same model. There’s no rule, use what you got if you have to.
I just got a new team member who one year at BAC only had one throw because thats all he owned, he got extra points for having just one instead of many. He also had no cash and that Fine fellow Dr. YoYo paid his way. Hes one of my secrect weapons!
Like Ben Conde?
He has like a million.
Not true. Number of backup yoyos you bring on stage has nothing to do with your score (unless you have to use them of course)
You’re awesome.
Yes, pros do get knots during practice. The best way to prevent knots is to practice and study your tricks! When in some kind of formation, or mount, study the string to see if it knots. Know which way to exit and dismount to prevent anything. Sometimes, those little movements can look pretty stylish. Overall, practice, practice, practice! The knowledge of what causes a knot and what doesn’t will come naturally.
You can continue your routine even if you get knots, life moves on.
He only brought like 3-4 “spares” for his 2A and 4A at CalStates.
Talk about mix feelings. I first saw Bryan doing 4A in a video, which is the Fiesta video, and that made me want to try 4A, but man, Ben is bringing it to a different level. Bryan is amazing, a super technical wizard, but Ben brings the flash and bang to the division. Both are amazing to watch in different levels. I think both only brought out the same number of spares.
Binding isn’t something you either know how to do or don’t know how to do, it is something you get much better at with time. With a fresh string and a good bind, the probability of a knot is decreased by a lot.
If I get knots in regular play:
Option 1:
Try to get the knot out if the string is still newish
Option 2:
Toss the string and put a new one on
Knots on stage:
Option one:
if they look like this -
I just play through them.
Option 2:
If it is so bad that it makes the yoyo responsive (eg. knot is around bearing) then swap yoyos.
1 Like