Need 5A trick tips and assistance.

Yo-Yo Tricks
1

Ok so after trying several different types of 5A tricks and a variety of yoyos, I feel something is wrong so I need some tips/recommendations. I am a beginner but so far I have been able to at least do 360/720.

I want to know if I should use a different counterweight because I am currently using a Light up Die from the Light Up FreeHand and it hurts like someone threw a rock at me when I catch the dice or it spins around my wrist and slaps the back of my hand. Would a Rubber counterweight be less painful?

Also, what yoyo is actually recommended for 5a play? I’ve of course tried the Lightup Freehand Zero but I dislike it because for me; the shape of the yoyo is difficult to keep balanced in the center and it tilts over often, but the weight and the feel of it is perfect. I’ve also tried Dark Magic 2 which feels too heavy and protostar is probably my current best but a little too light/loose?

Should the weight of the counterweight and yoyo be balanced? If not, which one should be heavier and which should be lighter?

How long should the yoyo string be? I’ve seen professionals/competitors (on youtube) and it seems like their string is longer than normal.

Finally I have tried spinning the counterweight while doing basic lindyloops and it fails because I cant seem to land the yoyo on the string because of the shaking I cause from spinning the counterweight. What am I doing wrong? Do other people just play and land string tricks on a shaky string? or is there a tip to spin the counterweight without causing much movement on the string you are trying to land tricks on?

Please feel free to attach links on tutorials that I can watch or other posts I can read. I know I can use the Learn tab at yoyoexpert which is detailed by the way, but I know theres got to be more out there that I can learn. I can also post videos if it helps you with determining a solution (If you need to see what I’m doing wrong.)

2

To answer your questions in order:

  1. A rubber counterweight is a little less painful, but when that thing is coming around fast, I don’t care if it’s silk, that thing is gonna hurt. I wouldn’t focus as much on the material of the counterweight, but rather on catching it correctly.
  2. Any yoyo that can be used for 1A and 3A can be used for 5A.
    Just as in 1A and 3A, the yoyo’s you use are completely based on preference. Tilting is a common problem with the FHZ (being that it’s so narrow), especially with 5A in general (E-fans and stuff.) You should use whatever yo-yo you feel most comfortable with. (If you like the feel of the FHZ, work on fixing your tilt. If you like the protostar, use it!)
  3. Just as with the yo-yo, different people like different weight proportions with the yoyo and counterweight. Personally, I find a rubber ball to heavy, and prefer the duncan dice. That’s my preference, but others prefer the ball. Counterweights are pretty cheap and/or easy to make, so I recommend using different weighted ones with different yoyos to see which you like the best.
  4. Length of string is largely dependent on the style. If you do more aerials and beestings, then you might want a longer string because it’s easier to catch and you have more room to land the yoyo around. If you do more technical stuff like horizontal passes (Jonathan Robinson is a good example) you want a regular sized string. However, some people use short string for aerial heavy styles, and long string for tech heavy style. String is cheap, by some longs ones, and try different lengths to see which size you like.
  5. I think you’re talking about a beesting. I’d use beverchakus’s tutorial on it to help work out the kinks. Although, this might not be right.

Hope that helps: TEAmPownage

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