First, Thanks to those that contribute to this site. The resources (tutorial vids, forum, explanations, and reviews) are all excellent and make this hobby feel accessible to us beginners.
So…I am systematically (trying to) learn the tricks taught in the tutorials area. I am (trying to) learn them in the order they are listed.
It seems (and feels) like some tricks are only for responsive yoyos. While it also seems like some tricks can only be done on non-responsive yoyos. Is this correct?
For example I can do a sidewinder and UFO with my responsive yoyo (only).
But Split the Atom and Ripcord seem to be exclusively for non-responsive yoyos.
Is this correct?
If so does this mean the tricks I can do will always be limited to what Yoyo happens to be in my hand?
Can one manipulate a responsive yoyo to be “barely responsive” and do almost any trick?
When watching tutorial vids is there a way for me to know what the yoyo’s responsiveness characteristics can (or must) be to perform the trick? The vast majority of the time it is not mentioned, I can only look for a bind at the end as an indicator.
Thanks in advance for any information of insight you can provide.
Right now I have two Dark Magic-2s. One is responsive, one is non-responsive. I am also open to advice for using more or other yoyos to learn. But thus far the DM-2 feels like an amazing yoyo. It seems to be an excellent learning platform. (says the un-knowledgeable beginner)
The Dark Magic 2 is a good yoyo, but will limit you in advancing to harder tricks because of it’s slight response. Competitive players use unresponsive yoyos because of slack tricks and moving the yoyo too much on a string will make it comeback if it is responsive. A “barely responsive” yoyo might help you up to the advanced section but after that it is going to be much harder.
Well I mean depending on the responsive yoyo I don’t see why you can’t pull off the more advanced tricks on them. And the converse also applies; sidewinder and UFO are both also feasible tricks to perform with an unresponsive yoyo.
The key is the same like with other yoyo tricks; practice. With practice you will have more control over a responsive yoyo, such as to prevent it from dying or snagging during more advanced tricks like ripcord.
As for UFO and sidewinder, they can be done, except it’s a slight bit more complicated. For UFO you will need to learn how to bind whilst the yoyo is spinning horizontally. As for sidewinder, instead of tugging the yoyo to start it’s return to your hand, simply replace that with a bind.
Dark Magic 2 with the full-width bearing shouldn’t be responsive… at all… it’s one of the widest-gapped unresponsive throws you can get.
The above people have already covered some of the bases… when doing some tricks unresponsive, you need to adjust them a bit. The unresponsive sidewinder is a common way to fix string tension, making it more than just a trick!
I mainly wanted to note that two of the tricks you mentioned can be played on responsive yoyos…Split the Atom and Ripcord were created on responsive yoyos. It certainly takes more care and precision to do them responsive, though.
Split the Atom should just come with a bit of practice. People routinely do that with wooden-axle responsive yoyos.
Ripcord is a bit trickier-- whereas when you do it unresponsive, you can let the extra string layers gather up in the gap before you do the “ripcord” motion. With a more responsive yoyo, you kind of merge the second flip and the “rip” into one motion so that strings don’t gather in the gap and slow down your yoyo. You can do it while the yoyo is mid-air, even, though you lose the ripcord effect that gives the trick its name.
Welcome to the forums and have fun with yoyo! DM2 is a great yoyo. Enjoy it for a while before you get drawn into the world of buying a bazillion yoyos that do practically the same thing.
