Learning how to juggle

[WillJ]

Well, for English class we have to do some "performance poetry." That is, write a poem and perform (sing, dance, etc.) it. I can't really sing, nor am I a great dancer (and dancing while reciting poetry is just plain weird to me). I could dramatize it, but I feel it would be more entertaining for my classmates if I juggled (while reciting a poem about juggling, obviously). And considering I've always had a slight desire to juggle, now's as good a time as any other to start.

My main question to ya'll is, if you know anything about the subject, how long does it usually take to juggle three balls smoothly? I want to be assured that I'll be able to make it in time (that is, before the poem's due). Also I'd be grateful if anyone has any juggling tips. Or alternatively, any better ideas for performance poetry.

I found this site, which at first glance seems great. Any juggling experts here able to evaluate its credibility/helpfulness?

I suppose this could be the general juggling thread. Thanks in advance for your help/thoughts.

 

[stratego]

Learning underhand juggling technique takes less than a day. First, learn the basic movements using plastic bags (try this for maybe 15 mins). Then use socks and juggle in front of a wall. You should be able to get a good ten throws by the end of one hour. Keep practicing in front of a wall, then take a long break and continue.

 

[Perfection]

Juggling is lame!

Why don't you just "act" it using grossly exaggerated gestures?

Or better yet, do Kung Fu!

 

[WillJ]

Originally posted by stratego
Learning underhand juggling technique takes less than a day. First, learn the basic movements using plastic bags (try this for maybe 15 mins). Then use socks and juggle in front of a wall. You should be able to get a good ten throws by the end of one hour. Keep practicing in front of a wall, then take a long break and continue.

Thanks for the help. I tried plastic bags, but they're extremely hard to throw when you have two in one hand, so I decided to stick with lemons (which seem to be better than tennis balls).

I can do a two-ball cascade easily, and I can now do a three-ball flash when the 2 balls start in the right hand. But (at least right now) I just CANNOT do that starting with the left hand. It's beginning to get frustrating. Any tips? I'll continue trying....

 

[Turner]

Originally posted by stratego
Then use socks and juggle in front of a wall.

Learning to jugle in front of a wall will keep you from walking while juggling. This was the hardest part of learning to juggle, not throwing the balls forward, but straight up.

It's pretty simple, once you get the hang of it. I don't remember how long it took me, but it wasn't very long.

Can't load the site, so I don't know what it says.

What I did was start out with two tennis balls. I threw one up from my right hand, and when it started to come down on my left side, I threw that ball up. Catch the ball in my left hand, then catch the ball in my right hand. Kept repeating this process, alternating right hand first and then left hand first, and after I got pretty comfortable with that, I added a third ball. But I had the problem of walking while juggling, and after a couple days of that I realized I should stand in front of the wall, so I couldn't walk while juggling.

Oh, if you want to juggle eggs, hard boil them first. Makes it easier to clean up.

 

[stratego]

You can try crumbling the plastic bags to make them more manageable. Lemons are fine too, but plastic bags fall slower.

Sometimes you may get confused about the rhythm. If you're ever stuck anywhere, just throw the next ball up, don't worry about catching it yet.

 

[funxus]

I'd suggest buying real juggling balls if you don't mind spending some money on it, because their size and feel are better suited for juggling than bouncy tennis balls or hard lemons. You can probably find them in any toystore and I don't think they are too expensive.

The first thing I learnt was to juggle with two balls in one hand, but I don't know if that's the easiest way. At least you'll have one less body part to control while learning the basic "throw while catching"-techniqe...

 

[Archer 007]

This is a rather interesting read.

 

[WildFire]

I can already juggle baseballs/tennis balls (either in the air or off the ground) and of course rings

I was always pulled out of my 5-6th grade classes to show the other kinds in PE how to juggle

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

After you learn to juggle , you should try it with chainsaws.

 

[Turner]

Yeah, it's real easy. You just don't turn them on.

 

[Archer 007]

 

[WillJ]

Okay, I can now do three-ball flashes while alternating hands, albeit not very consistently. I'm getting there. Thx everyone for the help so far.

Originally posted by Turner_727
Yeah, it's real easy. You just don't turn them on.

Hehe, that reminds me of a time someone was bragging to me that he could juggle torches. I asked him if he ever got hurt, and he explained that he never lit them.

 

[OzJeremy]

Took me about an hour from scratch, and I'm completely unco-ordinated and picked it up as an adult. You use soft bean bag things. Practice with one for about fifteen minutes in each hand, just chucking it up and getting it at a reasonable height and to land as close as possible to your other hand so it doesn't have to move too far to catch it. Once you've got that, then you do two - but you don't throw the second until the first is at the apex of its trajectory. Then you try that with the other hand. Then once you've got that underway, you add the third one. It comes pretty quickly then.

 

[WillJ]

Originally posted by OzJeremy
Took me about an hour from scratch, and I'm completely unco-ordinated and picked it up as an adult. You use soft bean bag things. Practice with one for about fifteen minutes in each hand, just chucking it up and getting it at a reasonable height and to land as close as possible to your other hand so it doesn't have to move too far to catch it. Once you've got that, then you do two - but you don't throw the second until the first is at the apex of its trajectory. Then you try that with the other hand. Then once you've got that underway, you add the third one. It comes pretty quickly then.

It only took you an hour?! I've been going at it for several hours and am still pretty awful.

Perhaps I should use something different than lemons. Or perhaps my problem is that I'm not good enough at throwing even just one object perfectly (that is, barely moving my other hand) enough to handle three. I don't think that's the case, though; I don't I could get more accurate with my single- and double-object throwing.

Damn, I really wish I personally knew someone who juggled.

 

[onejayhawk]

I have been a bad jugler for 20 years. The image (in the website) of lobbing the ball through a hoop is a very helpful visualization.

I like smallish oranges, for size and weight. A set of juggling balls is only about $5. There is also a "juggling for idiots" book, which comes with beanbags, though for my hands they are small. Raquetballs or D cell batteries are good choices.


J

 

[WillJ]

Originally posted by onejayhawk
The image (in the website) of lobbing the ball through a hoop is a very helpful visualization.

Where's that? I don't see it.

 

[WillJ]

Good news everyone: After switching to racquetballs (spelling?) a while ago, I can now do the 3-ball cascade about as well as possible (actually I've been able to do it for a while; just forgot to post about it), and I also have pretty much mastered the eating-an-apple-while-juggling trick. I still have a couple days before I have to perform, so it looks like I'll make it after all.

Just felt like I should share.

 

[stormbind]

I like perfection's idea of Kung Fu!

Sadly, I've never been very good at juggling. I cannot understand how some people take to it so easilly. I just seem to run out of time and miss the falling whatevers..

I would do a choreographed sword fight, if you are in teams that is. Safety first though and, if it hadn't had years of repeated failure in juggling, I would say it takes a longer to learn.

 

[Hitro]

This reminds me to be happy about having finished school.