On occasion, I’ve been asked about this sort of topic, and its something that most yoyoers want to know about. Because, face it, making up tricks is one of the most fun parts of yoyoing! Also, for those of you who want to win championships, going on stage and doing Kamikaze or Skin the Gerbil is old news. So, let’s get started.
Bear in mind: There is no universal trick development method or skill. These are simply things that work for me.
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Start in your comfort zone - No matter what your skill level, when you begin to make things up, try not to get too exotic. Get a feel for what flows for you and what doesn’t. Try practicing stringing a few mounts together, find new transitions, maybe some slack here and there. We’re not up to brain surgery quite yet.
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Work with style in mind - Know how you yoyo. If you like to yoyo fast, then elements like hops and whips are the stuff for you! If you yoyo slow and smooth, then try out folds and swings. Discovering an element that fits you perfectly is a great way to start making tricks “you”.
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Avoid TOO much repetition - This is a problem everyone runs into. If each and every one of your tricks has the same element of it, people will stop watching. Its like watching the same episode of a TV show over and over. New plot elements, please! This also applies for the tricks themselves. If six out of nine steps in your tricks is a roll, although it might be fun to do, it might look a bit awkward. Don’t be afraid to switch it up.
Once you have gotten a firm base in your originality, try out these tips below!
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Experiment - Go into a mount you like and know very well. Underpass, hop, drop, dunk, roll, flip, slack, reject, whip. Do something, anything. That first motion is the most important. This is because it brings you to step two, which is almost as important. Just keep doing different moves. Don’t be afraid! Eventually, you’ll find yourself in trapeze or something. Voila, a trick!
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Come to the following realization - There is no such thing as a bad or stupid trick. There are only tricks that need work. Don’t abandon something good because its unoriginal, dumb, or short. Anything can be incorporated or changed to become a whole new animal. If necessary, put the trick on hold for awhile. Come back to it in a week or so, see what you can take on it then.
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Make them fun! - There’s no sense in doing a boring trick. You yoyo because its fun, so make your tricks fun! Find what “feels good” or is fun to you, and squeeze it in whenever you can.
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Incorporate the Return - This is a really cool thing to do. Instead of going into a regular bind with your trick, see if there is a part at the end of your trick where you can toss up the yoyo and it’ll return! It looks really snazzy to bring your trick to an end like that.
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Do it over and over again - Let’s say its late at night, and you just got a good ending done for a solid trick. Don’t go to sleep! Do it a few times so your muscles remember. There’s nothing worse than waking up the next morning with no idea what you made up the night or day before. OK I lied, there are worse things in life, but it’s still no fun.
I hope you can apply some of this to yourself, and have a great time making up some really cool tricks!
