# Slacks - neutral string tension, open loops eluding me!
**URL:** https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/slacks-neutral-string-tension-open-loops-eluding-me/44269
**Category:** Yo-Yo Tricks
**Created:** [October 20, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/slacks-neutral-string-tension-open-loops-eluding-me/44269 "2012-10-20T04:11:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@GregP](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/GregP)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/slacks-neutral-string-tension-open-loops-eluding-me/44269/1 "2012-10-20T04:11:58Z")
I’m practicing a pretty easy slack trick called “Gondola”. I _religiously_ check for neutral string tension before practicing it, but by the time I’m in the Houdini Mount, I’m already creating tension somehow. “Fine,” I think, “I’ll actually make it a twist or two too loose to compensate… I should then be neutral in the Houdini”.
No luck. I have only 3 or 4 twists in the slack, but it’s enough that I’m not reliably hitting my nth index finger. I tried the trick with a brand-new string and it was ridiculously easy to hit with a nice open loop. But after a few minutes of play, testing for neutral on my string must not be giving accurate results and I can’t seem to reproduce that nice open loop.
The few times I’ve tried Revolutions, I also get twists.
I must be missing something fundamental… So, the questions that come up for me are:
1. What’s the most accurate way to test for neutral? I throw a sleeper (or not, if my yoyo is already dead), pinch as close as I can to the yoyo, and let the string hang loose between the pinch and my throw hand, fairly close together. It doesn’t twist, it’s just a nice “U” shape. Anything better? It’s not rocket surgery; I don’t know how you could test better than that.
2. Does the speed of the throw affect the loop? I’ve seen people throwing beautiful slow slacks around, and I like this approach. But the slower I am, the more opportunity there seems to be to get a twist.
3. All tricks will eventually create tension. How the heck do people throw these into the middle of long combos? I can’t imagine getting to the middle of a trick and feeling confident that I’ll get a nice loop of string when I try to throw a slack, and yet people seem to do it often enough.
Am I just ridiculously unskilled? Do other people have similar problems?
I should mention that the results aren’t much different from string to string. Fat Kitty, Bulk Poly, Slick 6, Toxic… I manage to mess it up on whatever string type I try.
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### Author:  [@Jagmcool](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jagmcool)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2012, 5:12am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/slacks-neutral-string-tension-open-loops-eluding-me/44269/2 "2012-10-20T05:12:16Z")
Every time the yoyo goes up or down the string twists 1/4 of a twist, also, test for tension while spinning, neutral tension will change if you wind it. In other words, winding creates tension. I usually throw a sleeper and then into a trapeze, bring your fhands together and grab the middle string on the right side, this should create a UFO type action, loosening your string.
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### Author:  [@GregP](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/GregP)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2012, 5:26am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/slacks-neutral-string-tension-open-loops-eluding-me/44269/3 "2012-10-20T05:26:07Z")
Yeah, I can do the tension-adjustment tricks (which are pretty neat on their own!).
I’mma have to eat a little crow here. After posting this, I went to practice more. I think the string stayed “neutralish” if I re-adjusted each and every time… maybe it’s not as bad as I indicated (though I couldn’t seem to do it for the life of me up until I posted this thread!).
I’d still be interested to know how people can throw slack tricks into the middle of a long combo!
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### Author:  [@Jagmcool](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jagmcool)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2012, 5:44am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/slacks-neutral-string-tension-open-loops-eluding-me/44269/4 "2012-10-20T05:44:15Z")
They throw in mini sidewinders or they throw horizontally and let it drop a bit. They adjust it, they just do it in a fast, appealing way.
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### Author:  [@Rakleon](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Rakleon)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2012, 5:50am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/slacks-neutral-string-tension-open-loops-eluding-me/44269/5 "2012-10-20T05:50:41Z")
There are some strings , rare but not uncommon , that when you throw it the string will twisted 3/4 of the twisted making the strings tension ridicously high . Maybe you just playing with that kind of strings , but:
1 the best way to relieve or strengthen the string tension is to do a UFO or Sidewinder
2 Yes
3 Ask them :))