# Problem with upwards bind and skin the gerbil... **URL:** \ **Category:** Yo-Yo Tricks\ **Created:** [September 8, 2009, 2:16pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/problem-with-upwards-bind-and-skin-the-gerbil/6369 "2009-09-08T14:16:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kukumalu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@kukumalu](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/kukumalu)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 2:16pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/problem-with-upwards-bind-and-skin-the-gerbil/6369/1 "2009-09-08T14:16:17Z")
firstly i should say my yoyo set up. it’s a yyj speeder with double silicone o-ring, konkave bearing, and 0.5mm shims. first problem: i’ve been trying to learn the upwards bind, sometimes known as the mickey bind. i cant get the swinging motion right, and the yoyo rarely catches the string and comes back. the loop thingy that i form before swinging just comes out and the yoyo falls back down… any tips? 2nd problem: for skin the gerbil, my yoyo dies out pretty in the middle of the trick when multiple string layers are loaded in. i also cant really go the sideways maneuvering well so maybe that’s the cause. but could it also be partially due to my yoyo not having a big enough gap? thanks guys! ---
**Author:** ![Xdohl](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/xdohl/32/12_2.png) [@Xdohl](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Xdohl)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 2:19pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/problem-with-upwards-bind-and-skin-the-gerbil/6369/2 "2009-09-08T14:19:11Z")
Hmmm… for the upwards bind, I find that it works best if the yoyo goes up very close to your throwhand. This makes it follow the string all the way up and catch it on the way down. For Skin the Gerbil… Either throw harder for more spin, or loosen the gap a little bit… this trick takes some practice. ---
**Author:** ![catorameus](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/catorameus/32/175_2.png) [@catorameus](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/catorameus)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 2:24pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/problem-with-upwards-bind-and-skin-the-gerbil/6369/3 "2009-09-08T14:24:55Z")
Try turning your entire body so that it’ll be like you’re doing a frontstyle skin the gerbil. And try to keep the string centered through out the trick. ---
**Author:** ![rsmod123](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/rsmod123/32/46_2.png) [@rsmod123](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/rsmod123)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/problem-with-upwards-bind-and-skin-the-gerbil/6369/4 "2009-09-08T14:36:50Z")
For the upward bind, try using a bigger loop, and get the thing to swing up and let go fast. Get it swinging fast, the loop will catch more easily. For the skin the gerbil, its your hands. If you have smooth hands, the string will slide smoothly. What you’re doing when you skin the gerbil is this: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewmf_dG2ZPQ) You’re not pinching the string, it is just doing it naturally because the string is stuck to your skin. To get rid of that, keep this in mind. > [@Skin the Gerbil](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/skin-the-gerbil/5727/9): > > I’m assuming you know how to do the trick. For me, it doesn’t lose spin at all. The reason it loses spin is because of these: > > Bad string tension - Yes, if you have tight string tension, the strings will try their best to wind up around the yoyo, and cause it to snag. It also makes it harder to slide across your fingers. > > Sweaty/Sticky Fingers - Yes, sticky/sweaty fingers makes the strings unable to slide across your fingers. In fact, sliding the yoyo in a trapeze is a way to wind up your yoyo. If you have smooth fingers, the string will slide across, and it wont wind up. If you pinch the string or have sticky fingers, it will wind up. Wash your hands before yoyoing, and dry them thoroughly. > > Wrong throw - Yes, some people can’t do breakaways, so they do sleepers instead, and this makes the spin of the yoyo against the direction that the string is moving, so it winds up more easily. > > Uber Tight gap - Yes, if you have an uber tight gap, loosen it a bit. > > When you have these 4 things, the yoyo will do this while skinning it. > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewmf\_dG2ZPQ&eurl=http://yoyoexpert.com/forums/index.php/topic,3457.0.html&feature=player\_embedded](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewmf_dG2ZPQ&eurl=http://yoyoexpert.com/forums/index.php/topic,3457.0.html&feature=player_embedded) ---
**Author:** ![AeroSlaYa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AeroSlaYa](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/AeroSlaYa)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/problem-with-upwards-bind-and-skin-the-gerbil/6369/5 "2009-09-08T19:49:11Z")
well for skin the gerbil, the string layers may be catching on the sides of the yoyo, so try to get them as close to the center as possible. also try a harder throw to make it spin longer. ---
**Author:** ![yoyoandrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/45deac/32.png) [@yoyoandrew](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/yoyoandrew)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 12:30am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/problem-with-upwards-bind-and-skin-the-gerbil/6369/6 "2009-09-10T00:30:03Z")
on mickey bind make biger loop and try to swing the loop into the gap on skin the gerbile try o get ur fingers sliding ---
**Author:** ![ratfacedudeguy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/ratfacedudeguy/32/273_2.png) [@ratfacedudeguy](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/ratfacedudeguy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 4:50am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/problem-with-upwards-bind-and-skin-the-gerbil/6369/7 "2009-09-13T04:50:53Z")
Skin the Gerbil took me a super long time to learn. The best advice I can give is keep it smoothly flowing through the whole trick and practice maneuvering everything so that the yo-yo keeps a perfectly straight up-and-down and side-to-side path. When I first started learning it, I didn’t keep everything perfectly straight (which goes along with the string being centered), and the yo-yo would begin to lose spin and turn sideways. Believe it or not, if you sacrifice just a bit of speed in place of focusing on keeping fluid motion and perfect straightness, it’ll be a breeze before long. Hope this helps! And on the Mickey bind, try and make it so that it doesn’t shoot up too quickly, and try to have it shoot perfectly straight up above your throwhand. For me, if I release it at an angle, the bind won’t catch. ---
**Author:** ![Smoke770077](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85f322/32.png) [@Smoke770077](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Smoke770077)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 5:18am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/problem-with-upwards-bind-and-skin-the-gerbil/6369/8 "2009-09-13T05:18:17Z")
Another tip with skin the gerbil… Dont linger on the strings too long… Hit the string and bounce off and keep going.