# Kendama - What draws you to it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Kendama\ **Created:** [September 28, 2020, 12:56am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/kendama-what-draws-you-to-it/327624 "2020-09-28T00:56:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bpelletier](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/bpelletier/32/105344_2.png) [@bpelletier](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/bpelletier)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2020, 12:56am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/kendama-what-draws-you-to-it/327624/1 "2020-09-28T00:56:08Z")
Hey Ive never understood kendama, but I was thinking about giving it a try! What draws people to it? im assuming like yoyo its much harder then it looks! Open to any tips for starting out- suggestions for beginner kendamas ---
**Author:** ![William4842](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/william4842/32/101481_2.png) [@William4842](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/William4842)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2020, 4:12pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/kendama-what-draws-you-to-it/327624/2 "2020-09-28T16:12:21Z")
So for me, the kendama is a peaceful skill toy I like to play with. Yoyos are exceptionally competitive for me and if I try to throw to close to bed, I won’t sleep (no pun intended). When I play with a kendama, I reach a point where I am just playing for fun. For me, there are no rules, no tricks that score x amount of points, or anything like that. All that being said, someone who practices with a kendama for competitive nature will tell you otherwise. I am just a thrower who occasionally messes around with a kendama. For how hard it is, you just need to get the 4 basic mounts down and then everything else builds on that. For tips, I am a hard head and don’t take advice the first time. One thing that many people recommend is hardening the spike with superglue. I highly recommend this for wood, but do not do this for a plastic or you will ruin it. A beginner kendama should be cheaper, have extra string, and not very many gimmicks. Any basic wood kendama will do. Below is the link for the YoYoExpert Kendama Stuff. I recommend picking up a set of strings and a kendama from here. I like Duncan and Kendama USA stuff, but the choice is really yours. I recommend you start cheap and build your way up, but that choice is ultimately up to you. > **[Kendamas](https://shop.yoyoexpert.com/collections/kendamas?sort_by=price-ascending)** Hope this all helps!! EDIT: One final thing I forgot, surfboard wax helps so much at getting more traction, so you may consider using it. It is cheap and you will never use it all. Plus it smells amazing! ---
**Author:** ![yoCHOPPA](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yochoppa/32/74580_2.png) [@yoCHOPPA](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/yoCHOPPA)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2020, 4:47pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/kendama-what-draws-you-to-it/327624/3 "2020-09-28T16:47:49Z")
I started kendama a while back when my throwing arm was acting up so I figured I can just try and pick up a different skill with the other arm gets the tinker moveing ---
**Author:** ![PCaliyoyos](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/pcaliyoyos/32/108396_2.png) [@PCaliyoyos](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/PCaliyoyos)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2020, 11:45pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/kendama-what-draws-you-to-it/327624/4 "2020-09-28T23:45:23Z")
@gcoomans can give a better answer then me, but… I got my first Kendama (TJ Kolesnik pro mod from Kendama USA) last December from my best friend when he visited for Christmas. I was more into yoyo then but picked it up in January or February a month or two later. I’m drawn to it because I found it was easier to progress at it then yoyo. I’ve done two online Kendama calls and I’ve learned very fun elements. The community is _great_, Gethin has sent me two pills, and two kens, the pills are freaking fun, probably a little more fun then normal Kendama. If you pick up Kendama, people are sure to be there for you, I play alone and that’s hard to do but again Gethin is super kind and crazy supportive. Go for it bro!! ---
**Author:** ![bpelletier](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/bpelletier/32/105344_2.png) [@bpelletier](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/bpelletier)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 12:48pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/kendama-what-draws-you-to-it/327624/5 "2020-09-29T12:48:00Z")
Thanks everyone for the replies! Im gonna order a sweets kendama cause those seem to be popular and arent to expensive! Excited ---
**Author:** ![PCaliyoyos](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/pcaliyoyos/32/108396_2.png) [@PCaliyoyos](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/PCaliyoyos)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 12:59pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/kendama-what-draws-you-to-it/327624/6 "2020-09-29T12:59:18Z")
I recommend the Boost Radar if you’re serious about pursuing Kendama. I personally haven’t play one but I’ve heard great things. ---
**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:** [September 30, 2020, 5:47pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/kendama-what-draws-you-to-it/327624/7 "2020-09-30T17:47:56Z")
The 1st one that caught my attention was the Dave Mateo pro model. Looked it up to post a pic to find out he died in 2019. 😖 This is it. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/1/a/4/1a468e2d8857afada0f2799509b3481d95910ecd.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![bpelletier](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/bpelletier/32/105344_2.png) [@bpelletier](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/bpelletier)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 7:05pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/kendama-what-draws-you-to-it/327624/8 "2020-09-30T19:05:37Z")
thats sad man… yeah I grabbed a kendama now! the positive anecdotes convinced me I need it in my life ---
**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:** [September 30, 2020, 7:54pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/kendama-what-draws-you-to-it/327624/9 "2020-09-30T19:54:19Z")
They are a lot of fun! If you like it you’ll end up finding a ken style you like best and paint. ---
**Author:** ![Taskmaster99](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/taskmaster99/32/278491_2.png) [@Taskmaster99](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Taskmaster99)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 9:43pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/kendama-what-draws-you-to-it/327624/10 "2020-09-30T21:43:31Z")
I picked up Kendama not too long ago out of curiosity. I ended up liking it quite a bit. Something different to throw into the skill toy arsenal. I have a few Sweets Boost Radar’s. I feel they are excellent for starting out. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2020, 1:11am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/kendama-what-draws-you-to-it/327624/11 "2020-10-01T01:11:53Z")
> [@Taskmaster99](#): > > I ended up liking it quite a bit. Same here. It’s a definite change from yo’s. They make good photo’s too.