Well, I’ve started doing plastic whips, and surprisingly (at least to me) it’s not as hard as it looks. I’m almost to the point where I can land the yo-yo on the string every single time! Yay! \o/ It’s an impressive trick!
Unfortunately, I land it one of two ways, and can’t seem to control which way I land it. I either get it so the loop goes under the yo-yo and around my thumb, or I get it so it’s crossed, and all I have to do is take the loop off my thumb and throw it down around the yo-yo to bind.
My problem is 2-fold. One, I don’t know which way is correct, and from watching the various tutorials, I still don’t know. Should the loop be crossed with the string that is tied to my throw hand? Or should it be more like a one handed trapeze? Two, I have absolutely no idea what I do differently to get it one way or the other. Does anybody have any tips?
I really don’t feel like I’m doing any good practicing it, since I land it differently each time, and I have no control over which way it lands. Could it just be a string tension issue? I’ve noticed that if I land it one way, I tend to land it that way over and over again… If I quit for a while, and try again, it might be the other way, but then I land it that way over and over again. If I at least knew what I was doing differently, I might be able to correct it, and practice it the proper way, but I don’t.
I learned plastic whip about 2 mnths ago and had a similar problem. Every now and again I still get that little twist in it. The way that is correct is when the yoyo is sitting with the string connected to your throw finger on one end and looped around your thumb to the front.
A good way to practice is by spreading your thumb from your middle finger from the very beginning of the trick. Right when you go to pull the yoyo up, keep your middle finger and thumb touching (with the string going over your thumb, of course), and try popping the two fingers away from each other, or spreading them, right when you go to pop the yoyo up, and then whip. The spreading action of the fingers helps you open up the part that makes the trick look like you are lasouing (La-so-ing, like a cowboy, I dunno how you spell it). You will start seeing the loop open up, and all you have to do is have the loop go over the front of the yoyo and underneath it so the string from the loop you’ve made can land in the gap. Keep practicing, and you’ll eventually get it right. You’ll know you’ve done ir right if after you catch it, you take the folded part of the string with your non-throw hand and it is in a position when you can bind it from the front. Or you can just toss the yoyo forward, and let go of the loop from your thumb once its moving forward and you can bind it one-handed.
I’m going to apologize right now, if I’m completely incoherent. I’ve had like 1/2 a liter of Johnny Walker Black, so sorry if this is nonsense…
So, you are saying that when the strings are crossed, I’ve done it right? If I can take the loop off of my thumb, and bind right from there, then I’ve done it properly? If it’s set up like a normal trapeze, with my thumb substituting as my non-throw hand index finger, I’m incorrect? I had just assumed the opposite. I had assumed that having the loop crossed with the string was wrong. If it is supposed to be crossed, I think I’m doing OK, since it is FAR more frequent that I’ve got them crossed (ready to bind) than the other way. In fact, for a while I thought this was the easiest way to bind… I was just worried that I was doing it wrong, and practicing the trick incorrectly. (Since then, I’ve gotten much better at the sleeper-style bind, so the plastic whip is no longer the easiest bind, but it’s still cool…)
(I don’t think I did too bad with this post, all things considered. LOL)
-Kevin
Edit: If I bring the loop toward my body and under the yo-yo when I bind, I’m correct, right? (Just re-read that, and I’m not sure I was clear.)
