When I’m learning new tricks and smoothing out recently learned tricks, I like to use my Protostar. It’s stable and long spinning, which is good for when I’m pausing in between steps. And since it’s plastic, it doesn’t grind well. So if I touch it at all during play, it kills the spin, helping me to remember to not touch it and ultimately improving any chopsticks or tight, technical tricks by a great margin. Plus, it’s full sized, so I’ll learn to open up string formations a lot more and make tricks easier when I switch to a smaller yo-yo.
Is there anybody else who thinks about these things? Do you have a certain yo-yo or yo-yos that you like to use when you learn new tricks? Discuss.
I don’t think there’s anything unusual at all. I like familiarity when learning new stuff. As such, my DM2 is my go-to yoyo for everything right now anyways.
I used to do the exact same thing, use my Protostar for learning/practicing new tricks because of its stability and nice catch zone. More recently, I’ve been neglecting my Protostar because it was one of my first real yoyos and isn’t as flashy and exciting as my newer metal yoyos, but I’ve been picking it up more the last few days and loving it for practice.
Good point about using a wide yoyo for learning things like chopsticks, I’ve definitely gotten used to practicing with my Hitman Pro and 888x, and when I tried it with my Protostar I was in for a hand-smacking failure.
I don’t have a go-to yoyo for trick learning as much as I have a rotation of 3-4 I switch between when learning a new trick. The Burnside is my primary throw, but I’ll often pick up my Cafe Racer, PGM, and/or DM2. I found that switching it up helps me learn faster and get less frustrated.
I usually try and learn with either my Chief or Severe because of their size, as you mentioned in the tp. If I can hit tricks on those two throws, without catching unwanted strings, then I can always do it much more easily with my regular and undersized throws. It’s also nice to have their extra width to help you catch the strings you do want, too.
I usually learn on the yoyos I use the most, but practice on yoyos like a stock Metal Drifter (tug responsive). Practicing on a tug responsive (or a fixed axle) yoyo will help you know what you can be doing better, since it teaches like a Nun with a ruler.