Looping

I just. I just can’t. How do I loop? I tried, but the yoyo always goes sideways into a sidewinder…

Using my new loop 1080s

Start with a slightly tilted yoyo on the throw.

For outside loops, think about it like around the world. It’s really the same kind of motion, just much tighter.

Also (for both inside and outside), try using more or less motion in your hand when it’s going around your hand. Sometimes using almost no motion on an inside loop will result in a fast whip-around while staying totally straight.

You could try looping more downward or more upward and see if that helps.

Once you figure out how to control tilt during looping, you’ll be able to use it to do cool stuff on 1A flips, like slowly turn your body 180 degrees and have the yoyo move with you; or correct tilt mid-trick without pausing for a tilt correction.

As ToadyCody suggested, see which way the yoyo wants to fly. Does it try to climb or dive? You have a couple of choices here. Either adjust your throw or tune the gap. By adjust the throw I mean if the yoyo tends to dive, aim your throw downward a bit, and upwards if it climbs. The best solution to me is to adjust the gap so the yoyo loops straight out in front of you. If it dives, open the gap a bit. If it climbs, close it up. The sidewinder effect is the result of trying to make the yoyo go where it doesn’t want to go.

Looping is hard!
I was reading Bill Alton’s book, and he indicated that he never really mastered it. But…Andre said if you keep working at it, you’ll get it eventually. And I trust him.