# Origin of the term "freestyle" **URL:** \ **Category:** General Yo-Yo\ **Created:** [December 11, 2015, 5:03pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/origin-of-the-term-freestyle/78346 "2015-12-11T17:03:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nemyo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/nemyo/32/14407_2.png) [@Nemyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Nemyo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 5:03pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/origin-of-the-term-freestyle/78346/1 "2015-12-11T17:03:06Z")
I have always wondered what the origin of using the term freestyle to describe a highly calculated and thought-out yo-yo performance is. Is there a reason behind this or is it just what people started calling the 3-minute routines that you do in yo-yo competitions? Discuss, baby. ---
**Author:** ![bryansuh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dec6dc/32.png) [@bryansuh](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/bryansuh)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 5:05pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/origin-of-the-term-freestyle/78346/2 "2015-12-11T17:05:41Z")
i thought freestyle was just stuff you do on the spot. like a way of saying f u i can do this with my eyes closed XD ---
**Author:** ![Nemyo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/nemyo/32/14407_2.png) [@Nemyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Nemyo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 5:12pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/origin-of-the-term-freestyle/78346/3 "2015-12-11T17:12:01Z")
> [@bryansuh](#): > > i thought freestyle was just stuff you do on the spot. like a way of saying f u i can do this with my eyes closed XD Well, I’m sure there was a time when that was the case. Howeveeervvvverrr, times have changed. Now people have to actually spend tons of time making sure they fit the judging criteria when they are preparing the freestyle. My beef is that the term freestyle indicates spontaneity, when, in fact, you really aren’t being spontaneous when you are competing. ---
**Author:** ![Jdrabik](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jdrabik/32/1110_2.png) [@Jdrabik](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jdrabik)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 5:35pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/origin-of-the-term-freestyle/78346/4 "2015-12-11T17:35:04Z")
From what I have learned about history, it comes from the time when what we would now call “sport ladder” was the norm. In some older competitions, the preliminary rounds consisted of competitors performing a set list of tricks. If they advanced past these rounds, the finals consisted of a “freestyle” where they could perform any tricks they liked. ---
**Author:** ![Erik\_kerber](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/erik_kerber/32/7939_2.png) [@Erik\_kerber](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Erik_kerber)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 6:36pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/origin-of-the-term-freestyle/78346/5 "2015-12-11T18:36:36Z")
I’ve always assumed it was called a freestyle because you have the freedom to do whatever tricks you want. Also you get to add your own bit of style to it. ---
**Author:** ![Nemyo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/nemyo/32/14407_2.png) [@Nemyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Nemyo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 2:34am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/origin-of-the-term-freestyle/78346/6 "2015-12-12T02:34:59Z")
> [@Jdrabik](#): > > From what I have learned about history, it comes from the time when what we would now call “sport ladder” was the norm. In some older competitions, the preliminary rounds consisted of competitors performing a set list of tricks. If they advanced past these rounds, the finals consisted of a “freestyle” where they could perform any tricks they liked. Goood. Cool. This makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![unklesteve](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/unklesteve/32/106934_2.png) [@unklesteve](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/unklesteve)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2015, 5:17am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/origin-of-the-term-freestyle/78346/7 "2015-12-13T05:17:33Z")
It was taken from other sports that have freestyle performances. The term pre-dates people using it in yoyoing. I think the first modern freestyle yoyo competition was Montreal 1992, but I’m not 100% sure. Might actually have been earlier, out in California with Bob Malowney’s early contests.