Dude. I am 44 and after a 5 year break after 1 1/2 years into it… I still suck…lol. I am getting better though, slowly. I try to learn segments of a trick. I practice segments just to remember the basics of the motions. Not smooth or anything… just the motion. Then I add another segment while I start working on smoothing out the first part. Ones I got all the motions down for that trick, I search for another I like. Wash, rinse repeat.
The playback speed adjustment on youtube really helps. I like seeing the trick in its full motion because some of the breakdowns are not like how they are in full speed. IE: Hop the yoyo over this finger but when in full speed, it is more like the finger is actually underpassing and the yoyo stays in place (I hope that makes sense).
Make time to throw. I may practice like a bunch of 10 minute breaks per day. I may have an hour to kill so I throw. Personally, I throw plastics when learning because when I can work that trick within a plastics spin time, I switch to a metal and boom. It is much better. I guess I like making it hard on myself…lol.
SMH at all the wrongheaded advice given here. Of course the answer is: Buy more yoyos! ;D :
I agree with the sentiments about you being the one who needs to decide if it’s adding quality to your life. I think you might want to also just reflect on what it is you expect to get out of yoyoing, and what you personally want to accomplish with it. If you really want to learn new tricks, then I think http://yoyo.wikia.com/wiki/Trick_Ladder, and http://yoyoexpert.com/learn/ are great for gradually advancing. Set a goal to work on a trick a day, a week, or a month. If you get stuck on one, move to another and come back. I you don’t care about learning many new tricks, just keep on truckin’! (Nobody says that anymore! :D)
I get the feeling from your post, that you do want to keep progressing with new tricks, so even just find one trick you like and can get down, and add it in.
You might also want to try more responsive yoyoing, especially if you mostly just like the sensation of yoyoing. Particularly with a wooden fixed axle yoyo, I find it to be a nice stress reliever. Sometimes I enjoy just doing the simple old Gravity Pull over and over, or Sleeper, or Planet Hops. These are great for when you’re waiting around for something, but you don’t want to think about doing anything challenging. There’s also a visceral element to doing old old school tricks on a wooden fixed axle yoyo, that is missing for me with modern yoyos. Not that it’s better or more fun, but there’s something intangible there…
I hope you keep at it, but all the best to you no matter what!
I’m a bit older than you and although I have a few more tricks under my belt I’m also stuck in a rut.
I basically just went to the learning section of this site and started at the beginning. I started working through every tutorial and there are still some I can’t do (most of the master and several of the expert tricks) but it’s a great way to push yourself.
Find a couple tricks like Gerbil and Cold Fusion and just work on getting them down really well. Both those tricks will challenge you to throw a consistent breakaway and work within the string plane. Get those two tricks down and your technique will really build.
I also suggest linking tricks you already know together. I like to do Matrix a few times and then pop it into Kwyjibo. My other favorite combo is Lotus Bloom into And Whut.
I think this is excellent advice, and, it gives you a feel for your own natural flow. I like to figure out how to get from one trick to another, or how to incorporate something I think is cool from fixed axle into 1A (like catching a bind in a stall and then regenerating). Like so many have said, the yoyo is a toy, there is no wrong way to play with it.
Now for the being in a rut, everyone has their own way of getting out of it. For me, fixed axle play is either my escape hatch from the rut, or, its own (enjoyable) rut. It may not work for you, but, I find the apparent simplicity of fixed axle helps me to free my mind and to just be. Fixed axle lets me (to paraphrase Qui-Gon Jinn) feel and not think. A fixed axle yoyo doesn’t need to be expensive, you can use a Duncan Butterfly from the grocery store to try it out. However, this may not be the path to lead you out of the rut.
All my rambling aside, remember, we all progress at our own pace. If you are having fun with yoyo, stick with it. Don’t let it become a burden (I like to think that even the sponsored players don’t feel burdened to play and progress, they are where they are due to enjoying playing yoyo).
Just wanted to mention some of the things that have already been said. Take time to learn the trick ladder, not many these days that can move through that skillfully and consistently. I know I’d like to relearn that (36 years old here).
But the biggest thing is to just have fun, learn what you like take your time. I know for me it has nothing to do with learning the latest speed combos, I prefer the “old” tricks, tricks by: Spencer Berry, Takeshi, Paul Escolar, Seth Peterson and fixed axle tricks.
Sometimes I just carry around an imperial shaped No Jive and just throw simple loops, and that is satisfying enough for me. I’ve been playing with yoyo’s since 1988. It’s just fun to me.
Another thing that I think doesn’t get mentioned in threads like this, and I’m not trying to make you lose interest, but sometimes yo-yoing just isn’t the hobby someone is looking for. Nothing wrong with that, sometimes people just need to try different things til they find the hobby that clicks. But if that’s the case I’d still recommend keeping some yoyos around, you’ll still have fun with them
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Grendel
(The Voice of All Grendel’s world wide.)
27
This might help you. When i started Duncan had a video which is now on youtube for free called “How to be a player volume one” I found it to be a huge help, well that and the Yonomicon which spelled out quatum yo theory for me and really placed me on the path. Thanks Bride!
Also watch SaveDeth videos. really Deth will thank you!
