# It's time we talk about šŸ”Ŗ šŸ¹ **URL:** \ **Category:** Yo-Yo Videos\ **Created:** [February 18, 2022, 6:05pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/its-time-we-talk-about/352819 "2022-02-18T18:05:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DocPop](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/docpop/32/605009_2.png) [@DocPop](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/DocPop)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 6:05pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/its-time-we-talk-about/352819/1 "2022-02-18T18:05:18Z")
I just posted a brand new episode of the PopCast Yo-Yo Vlog thatā€™s all about ā€œ[Skin The Gerbil](https://youtu.be/FUZSvDh2lEo)ā€. I talk about the trickā€™s history, share some tips, and try to dive into the idea of alpha style flow when combining trick elements. [![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/6/8/1/68162b2d3781487bf6f5c4cab7c4cb307f0a9be9.jpeg "PopCast Yo-Yo Vlog: The History of Skin The Gerbil") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUZSvDh2lEo) Iā€™ve been wanting to do this particular video for a while now. With the support of my [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/docpop) sponsors, I was able to work with a Noel Von Joo (camera and lighting) and Clifton B (editing). I love how this turned out. ---
**Author:** ![bheinz63](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/bheinz63/32/137310_2.png) [@bheinz63](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/bheinz63)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/its-time-we-talk-about/352819/2 "2022-02-18T18:43:10Z")
this was an awesome popcast @DocPop!! loved learning a little bit more about the name too, thats really cool that the name stuck even after evolving into a staple yoyo trick. ---
**Author:** ![stevejspins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@stevejspins](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/stevejspins)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 6:50pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/its-time-we-talk-about/352819/3 "2022-02-18T18:50:28Z")
I remember the term ā€œalphaā€ from the sector Y days. Glad you still use it, yo-yo specific. I donā€™t think is gets much usuage, but maybe it will come back. ---
**Author:** ![Malachi](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/malachi/32/14039_2.png) [@Malachi](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Malachi)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 6:55pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/its-time-we-talk-about/352819/4 "2022-02-18T18:55:47Z")
The history of the name is interesting. Having learned to yoyo before the 90ā€™s boom, I had seen several books that included ā€œSkin the Catā€. I didnā€™t hear it called ā€œTidal Waveā€ until I got back into the hobby in 2016. So ā€œSkin the Gerbilā€ didnā€™t seem that strange to me, it was just another step in the abstractification of yoyo trick names. Most ā€œtraditionalā€ tricks were named based on how their form resembled something in the world, but it seems like as the tricks got more complicated and abstract, the names became more and more detached from the form. ---
**Author:** ![Yoyoium](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yoyoium/32/157626_2.png) [@Yoyoium](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Yoyoium)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 7:21pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/its-time-we-talk-about/352819/5 "2022-02-18T19:21:41Z")
I didnt know you made that trick šŸ¤ÆšŸ¤Æ ---
**Author:** ![Xanadu](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/xanadu/32/84910_2.png) [@Xanadu](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Xanadu)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 7:35pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/its-time-we-talk-about/352819/6 "2022-02-18T19:35:34Z")
Great video @DocPop, as always. I think it is time for me to learn this. But yes, I think I will just call it Gerbil. The original name makes me cringe. Lol I remember a while ago this came up and my wife said ā€œwhy would he call it that? Thatā€™s terrible!ā€ and I was like ā€œugggghhhh, I donā€™t knowā€. So now I know! Haha ---
**Author:** ![DocPop](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/docpop/32/605009_2.png) [@DocPop](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/DocPop)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 9:14pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/its-time-we-talk-about/352819/8 "2022-02-18T21:14:01Z")
Iā€™ll admit that there was a time I would have fought against people calling it ā€œGerbilā€. I realize I was dumb then and Iā€™m totally okay with whatever people want to call it now. I still call it Skin The Gerbil out of habit, but Iā€™m trying to change. ---
**Author:** ![Jfranklin6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@Jfranklin6](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jfranklin6)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 9:22pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/its-time-we-talk-about/352819/9 "2022-02-18T21:22:34Z")
Gotta repost the song too šŸŽµskin the gerbil With the special effects, damn! ---
**Author:** ![OlHandyJenkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@OlHandyJenkins](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/OlHandyJenkins)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 9:57pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/its-time-we-talk-about/352819/10 "2022-02-18T21:57:00Z")
(This user has been censored by forum moderators) ---
**Author:** ![Lido](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/lido/32/173650_2.png) [@Lido](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Lido)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 11:15pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/its-time-we-talk-about/352819/11 "2022-02-18T23:15:36Z")
![AntiYoGerbil](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/f/b/0/fb025a69b59d9dfffc550e8a5b3ab8f7ea83b484.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![DocPop](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/docpop/32/605009_2.png) [@DocPop](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/DocPop)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 11:24pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/its-time-we-talk-about/352819/12 "2022-02-18T23:24:20Z")
![skin the cat tutorial](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/7/a/3/7a31fdd3dc3feae837f9c72e38a3c93496a2c9b7.jpeg) Hereā€™s a page from Helane Zeigerā€™s ā€œWorld On A Stringā€ ---
**Author:** ![beezy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/beezy/32/161690_2.png) [@beezy](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/beezy)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 11:40pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/its-time-we-talk-about/352819/13 "2022-02-18T23:40:27Z")
This was sick. @DocPop is the flowmaster. The Matrix (as mentioned in the vid) was the first trick I really aspired to do and I didnā€™t realize (or forgot) who made it. And of course the Gerbil is a hands down classic. ---
**Author:** ![DocPop](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/docpop/32/605009_2.png) [@DocPop](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/DocPop)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 2:53am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/its-time-we-talk-about/352819/14 "2022-02-19T02:53:38Z")
You should be able to download it here [Stream the Skin The Gerbil theme song by Doctor Popular | Listen online for free on SoundCloud](https://soundcloud.com/docpop/the-skin-the-gerbil-theme-song?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing) https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?visual=false&url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F1000664863&show_artwork=true&maxheight=166 ---
**Author:** ![Izipatia](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/izipatia/32/163141_2.png) [@Izipatia](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Izipatia)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2022, 7:37pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/its-time-we-talk-about/352819/15 "2022-04-01T19:37:52Z")
Skin the Cat referred to a Gymnastics trick that was popular for every kid who ever had the privilege of playing on a playground with monkey bars. You could do it 2 ways, hence the saying ā€œthereā€™s more than one way to skin a catā€. The yoyo trick evoked the motion of the Gymnastics trick. I find it amusing that such a thing would elicit any negativity, but am very happy that it spawned a great trick. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![beherenow](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/beherenow/32/125309_2.png) [@beherenow](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/beherenow)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2022, 8:40pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/its-time-we-talk-about/352819/16 "2022-04-01T20:40:58Z")
Great video. Probably my favorite all time trick! One of the reasons I got a yoyo was to learn it and the name was the best ever. Reminds me of the old classic Joe Cartoon, Gerbil in a Microwave. Being a flash designer and programmer since 1999 itā€™s crazy its obsolete now. šŸ‘“šŸ» No need for low bandwidth vector graphics these days. [![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/d/8/a/d8a50a07e733bc077d8bbb24c61ebcebf7ea09e7.jpeg "Joe Cartoon - Gerbil in a Microwave") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn4fq3ZfWG4) Adding the little pops after the miss and double on is fun! Thanks!