Struggling with Juggling (4)
This week I
continued to learn "The Shower", which is a new 3 ball juggling
pattern. I already know how to do the regular 3 ball cascade and trying to
learn this new pattern was a real struggle for me.
I discovered
that there is definitely a reason why the 3 ball cascade is commonly known and
preformed compared to other patterns. It is
much, much, easier to learn and preform. I remember a couple weeks ago
when I was just starting to learn to juggle, I picked up the motion and rhythm
of the cascade very quickly. From then on out, the only way to improve was to
keep practicing and try to juggle for longer each time.
http://www.cecm.sfu.ca/organics/papers/buhler/paper/html/node2.html
Other than
the fact that both use 3 balls, a regular cascade and "The Shower" do
not have many similarities. "The Shower" is a constant circular
motion and your right and left hand throw the balls in different directions at
the same time. That part is very hard to get down. It's kind of like trying to
rub your belly and pat your head at the same. Obviously, it's achievable and
not too difficult, but persistently throw the ball upward with you right hand
and sideways with your left hand has been a real challenge for me. In a
cascade, the motion of your hand mirror each other, which is very easy to
control.
The other
difficulty about the new 3 ball pattern is the speed. The distance of the throw
are much shorter and therefore much quicker than the 3 ball cascade, which has
proven to be very hard to keep up with.
https://www.tenor.co/view/speed-cheetah-gif-5593962
From YouTube
videos and the library of juggling, I've learning some great tips to help me
with this. Starting with one ball to master a certain throw and then move to
two and then to three has been very helpful. I've
gotten the general motion of one cycle of "The Shower", but I am
definitely nowhere close to being a pro.
They say
that practice makes perfect, so that's just what I am going to do. I'm going to
keep working on this skill to get better, but in the mean time I am going to
start to learn 4 ball juggling.
I know
you're probably thinking, "Anna, if you can't juggle a new 3 ball pattern,
how are you going to do 4 balls???????".
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/confused-nick-young
I actually think 4 balls will be
easier become it is a pattern I am familiar with. 4 ball juggling is a constant
pattern, just like a regular cascade with an extra ball. If you read my
"Really Rad Riddles and Research" blog post, I talked about the math
behind the speed of 4 ball juggling vs. 3 ball juggling. So obviously the speed
will be a problem, but I don't think the motion of the juggle will be too hard.
I really
like to juggle. Well, the regular 3 ball cascade, anyway. It's just really fun.
Sometimes if I'm just in the kitchen, I'll pick up three balls and just start
to juggle (juggling after dinner in the kitchen is also a GREAT way to get out
of cleaning up and doing the dishes FYI). I really enjoy juggling, but I have
to admit, learning is unenjoyable. It's really frustrating not to be able to
get the motion of "The Shower" down. I really want to be able to do
it though, so I'm not going to let the frustration of learning overwhelm my
desire to acquire the skill. #trusttheprocess
http://www.opencourt-basketball.com/joel-embiid-says-the-76ers-have-a-chance-of-reaching-the-playoffs/
Hope you're
all having a wonderful and juggled-filled day!!
Pce out
Pce out
Anna :)
2 comments
I am very impressed with your progress so far, and your commitment to the art is very influential. I do have a few questions that you may be able to take into consideration. 1) What forms of juggling other than balls and clubs would you be willing to do? There are many forms out there, from rings to cigarette boxes, diabolo to devil sticks. Nothing is wrong with trying to perfect the original form of juggling (in fact you might become better than me!), however these new forms may help to keep things fresh. 2) As your TEDTalk comes closer, do you have any plans as to what you may talk about, or whether or not you will perform on stage? 3) If you ever need any inspiration, I find KUMA Films on YouTube to be pretty motivational (those guys freaking rock it). Anyway, keep up the good work! I can't wait to see your newly acquired skill in action.
ReplyDeleteHey, Anna! This was a really cool blog post, as usual. I thought the analogy between "the shower" and trying to rub your belly and pat your head was extremely helpful to understand. Now that you've tried a few different styles, do you have a favorite and, do you have one that you're dying to try? For your Ted Talk, what angle do you think you'll take it in in terms of your message? I think there's definitely an angle for the idea of persistence and putting your all into something you love. Do you think you'll juggle on stage? It would be really cool to see that, no pressure though haha. Good luck!!
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