The art of the Yo-yo!! (Basics!)

Basics on how to Yo-yo!

My background:
Well to start I have been yo-yoing as a hobby for about 5 years now. I enjoy being able to amaze any person I meet by being able to whip out a yoyo and showing them some really cool tricks! I hope that after reading this guide you’ll understand the basics as well!

I. Where to begin?
II. Set-up
III. Posture and how to hold a yo-yo
IV. A basic throw (including the “Sleeper&#8221
V. Some basic tricks!

I. Where to begin!?
Well first off, we need to get you a yo-yo! To be completely honest, Yo-yo stores are decreasing in popularity as the years go on, so the easiest ways to get a yo-yo would be to just order one. You can find them on MANY manufacturing websites (such as www.yo-yo.com and www.yoyofactory.com to name a couple). I’m going to assume that by reading this guide you are a beginner (or are interested in the basics or yo-yoing). That being said, you should get a beginners yo-yo. A beginners yo-yo is any standard yo-yo that is tough and cheap. You WILL hit stuff (including yourself) while you practice so you need something that is durable! For anyone that has ever asked me where to start I ALWAYS recommend a yoyo called the F.A.S.T. 201 (Fully Active Starburst Technology). You can find this on the www.yoyofactory.com website. It is about $20-$30 and is a perfect beginners yo-yo.

http://www.yoyofactory.com/merchPictures/FAST201_pac-smoke.jpg

Once you have a yo-yo to use, move onto step II!

II. Set-up

Many newer yo-yos are made with you in mind! They body of the yo-yo is usually designed in a method where it is easy to take apart to yo-yo in order to replace its components, which includes the string, (friction) pads, and axle parts.

Let’s start with the body of the yo-yo. I will refer to the F.A.S.T. 201’s body throughout this guide. The shape of this yo-yo is what we call a “butterfly style,” because the 2 halves of the yo-yo are similar to the shape of a butterfly’s wings (in the sense that they are rounded in an outward direction).



http://www.yoyo.cz/shop/img/big_fast201.jpg <-- Direct link to picture

Now let&#8217;s break down the &#8220;inner&#8221; part of the yo-yo! In the F.A.S.T. series of yo-yos, this consists of a stainless steel ball bearing, an adjustable gap, starburst friction pads, spacers, and rubber &#8220;o&#8221; rings. In order to remove one half of the yo-yo, simply twist one side of the yo-yo in a counter clockwise motion until the 2 parts &#8220;un-screw&#8221;. When you take apart your yo-yo and you pull everything out, you should have 5 &#8220;inner&#8221; parts easily accessible (Only by taking one half of the yo-yo off). These will include 2 black rubber rings which are very small (less than 1 cm in diameter), 2 golden (or silver) colored spacers (these prevent the ball bearing from touching the body of the yo-yo), and last but certainly not least, the ball bearing (this looks like a steel ring and is the biggest &#8220;inner&#8221; part). It is HIGHLY important that you replace these parts every 4 - 6 months in order to maintain a high level of performance from the yo-yo.



http://yoyowiki.org/wiki/Image:ZFAMTT-8.jpg <-- Direct link to picture

You will notice that from one half of the yo-yo, a metal &#8220;screw like&#8221; rod sticks out from the middle. This is called the axle and is where all the &#8220;inner parts&#8221; go. The inner parts should be put on (in this order), 1 rubber &#8220;o&#8221; ring, 1 spacer (the flat end in first), the ball bearing, the other spacer (the smaller circle pointing in towards the bearing, or opposite of the direction you put in the other spacer), and finally the other rubber &#8220;o&#8221; ring. Then simply screw back on the other half of the yo-yo!

Ok so now you&#8217;re thinking, well what about the string?? Yes this is (aside from the yo-yo itself), the second most important part! When you buy a yo-yo you will usually get between 3 - 5 spare strings to use. This is never enough if you intend to practice often, so I would suggest investing $20 into a set of 100 strings. (They will go faster than you think). When it comes to adjusting the string height, I tend to avoid tampering with the standard length. For those of you who do need to adjust the length, you should have the end of the string (without the loop on it) touching the ground. Then hold it up next to your body and tie a knot (with a loop on it ) into the string where it meets your belly button. This a good length for you to have. Simply cut off the excess string. Now go down to the bottom of the string where it seems to just end without any loop. You may notice by looking closely that it is actually one continuously long string twisted into one shorter string (think of it like a hand twisted churro). Pinch the end of the string in your finger tips (thumb and index finger) and roll the string, so to speak, to unravel the bottom. You should unravel it to a point where there is a big loop at the bottom, just big enough to fit around the yo-yo. Put it in the middle of the yo-yo and let go of the string and it will wrap back up and you will now have the string on the yo-yo.



http://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/FRP/31Y9/F3I1A34R/FRP31Y9F3I1A34R.MEDIUM.jpg <-- Direct link to picture

III. Posture and how to hold a yo-yo

First off you should always use the hand that you right with. If you are one of the few that are ambidextrous, then just choose the hand that feels most comfortable to use. (I use my right hand.) To make the loop that is at the open end of the string big enough and snug enough to fit around your finger we are going to use a little trick. With your left hand open up the loop (where the knot is). Then with your right hand, pinch some of the string (anywhere on the yo-yo string, but somewhere near the loop itself), and feed the pinched section through the loop that you have in your left hand. This sounds a bit awkward in writing but think of it as putting a thread through the eye of a needle. This technique is what we call a slip knot (not to be confused with the metal band slipknot J). Hopefully you will see that now, you have the ability to make the loop bigger and smaller to whatever size you desire. Place the loop you have now made around your MIDDLE finger and place it on the farthest pack portion of it (Notice how your middle finger has three portions to it, the tip, middle, and back). Now tighten up the loop so it fits snuggly (but not too tightly) around the back part of your middle finger. Wind up the yo-yo so that it is now in your hand. While in your hand you want to hold the yo-yo as described. Your middle finger will just fall along the crevice in the middle of the yo-yo (this should feel very natural for your finger to do). Then place your ring finger and index finger on the outside edge of the yo-yo (on their respective sides) and just let your pinky finger curl in and relax in a natural way. Your thumb should just relax and point slightly inward towards the yo-yo (Believe me, this hand position should just come natural while holding the yo-yo).

Your posture is very important! Stand up straight and keep your feet at shoulder length apart and just be relaxed as possible! You want to be able to move if you need to so just be comfortable.

IV. A basic throw (Including the &#8220;Sleeper&#8221

When you go to throw a yo-yo it is important on how you throw the yo-yo down. With the arm that you are holding the yo-yo with, make a muscle. Now when you actually go to throw the yo-yo this is not necessary but this is how your arm should be angled (your upper arm parallel to the ground and your forearm pointed up and slightly inward towards your head/shoulder). Now to throw the yo-yo down, simply extend your arm (in a moderate manner) and have your wrist do a little flick as you let go of the yo-yo. This should propel the yo-yo down to the ground. AS the yo-yo goes down to the ground flip your palm so its facing towards the ground. When the yo-yo comes back up, grab it. It may seem awkward the first few times and you may hit the ground and have to wind your yo-yo back up, but just give it some time and practice and I&#8217;m sure you will get it!

Sometimes you will notice that when the yo-yo goes down, it has a tough time coming back up. This could be for MANY reasons, a lot of the time it is just the yo-yo you are using. Try to flick your wrist BEFORE the yo-yo reaches the end of the string (on its way down). This should cause the yo-yo to stop its downward motion and continue back up the string. This trick is called the &#8220;Gravity Pull,&#8221; because gravity pulls it downwards, and you pull it back up. This is the most basic of all the tricks you can learn.

Next, I want to teach you the &#8220;Sleeper.&#8221; This move is nearly the exact same as the Gravity Pull, however when the yo-yo reaches the end of the string, instead of rebounding and coming back up, it &#8220;sleeps&#8221; at the end of the yo-yo. Basically it will reach the end and just continue spinning in what seems to be a stand-still motion. Generally, you will hear a grinding-like noise when you perform this trick. You may have accidentally performed this trick while trying to master the Gravity Pull. Go ahead and give it a shot and see if you can do it. Just remember to let the yo-yo continue all the way to the end of the string.


V. Some basic tricks!!

Hopefully by now you have mastered the art of the gravity pull and the sleeper! If not, I highly recommend you do so before proceeding to attempt these tricks. The tricks I will teach you are &#8220;Breakaway,&#8221; &#8220;Around the World,&#8221; and the &#8220;Trapeze.&#8221;

BREAKAWAY

This trick is an important thing to master because it is the basic technique used in MANY harder tricks. The idea behind this trick is that you &#8220;power throw&#8221; your yo-yo down as across your body (So imagine the yo-yo is a pendulum swinging in front of you) and then as the yo-yo gets to the peak of its arc on the other side of your body, you snap the yo-yo back into your hand.

So let&#8217;s start from the top! This entire trick revolves around the yo-yo sleeping so you must make sure you can do that. Now instead of throwing the sleeper out and in front of you, you will throw in what seems to be a sideways motion. Throw the yo-yo like you were going to throw it away from your body, and when the sleeper takes place, let the yo-yo swing in front of your body to the other side. As the yo-yo reaches the peak of its swing across, snap the yo-yo back into your hand. It may sound much more complicated than it actually is, so I encourage you to give it a shot and don&#8217;t give up. It is probably easier than you think.



http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/easy-yo-yo-tricks-12b.jpg <-- Direct link to picture

AROUND THE WORLD

I&#8217;m sure many of you have heard and or seen this trick before. It is a fairly basic trick and very easy to master. The idea is that you throw the yo-yo similar to that of the breakaway, with more power though, so you can complete and ENTIRE rotation in front of you. You will catch it in the same manner you caught the breakaway. You are basically making to yo-yo complete an entire circle-like motion in front of you.



http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/easy-yo-yo-tricks-7.jpg <-- Direct link to picture

TRAPEZE

Finally we arrive at the last trick! This is by far the hardest thing you will have to accomplish. In the previous tricks, your non-yo-yoing hand wasn&#8217;t really used much. In this one however you will need both hands. The idea is that you will perform a breakaway, but while the yo-yo is curving up the arc on the other side of your body, you will put your index finger in the path of the string. You want to place your index finger about 5 - 6 inches away from the yo-yo (in the path of the string) and let the string hit your finger and the yo-yo to swing over it and onto the string. It sounds weird but I&#8217;m sure you can get it! IT WILL TAKE TIME! (and practice, lots of it).



http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/advanced-yo-yo-tricks-13.jpg <-- Direct link to picture

Some closing remarks!

I hope that you found my guide helpful in all of your yo-yoing needs! This truly is an amazing skill and you can impress many people with your talents, all it takes is some time and practice.

A few tips to remember.

- Practice in OPEN areas, free from object that you can hit (including walls, desks, tables, PEOPLE!).
- Remember to change your strings every few days so that you don&#8217;t wear out the string to the point where it breaks. No one likes to be hit in the face by a yo-yo when it breaks off the string!
- Be persistent!! Don&#8217;t give up because you don&#8217;t get it right away!
- Last, and most importantly, HAVE FUN!

BEST OF LUCK TO EVERYONE!!!

 

Really great guide, it would be even better if it had some pictures of you actually yo-yoing or pictures of the inner components and such.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I tried my best to include links of pictures and sites where there is a lot of information because I don't have a camera to take pictures with. Due to that, I did my best to describe everything to the best of my abilities. Hopefully it doesn't become to much of a problem without the pictures. The videos about the tricks helped me throughout so hopefully the videos will also help you!! Thanks again.

 

Nice guide, I never really got into yoyo though after this,
maybe I will.

 

Thanks. This is the first guide that I've written so I'm excited to see it getting some good reviews so far If you have any suggestions on what I can do to improve it, feel free to post them! I'm always open for ideas!!

 

What kind of yoyo do you suggest for a beginner, thats not over $30

 

Well there are a few that are very cheap and good for beginners. When I first started yo-yoing (back in 2003) I believe my first yo-yo was a dragonfly or a bumblebee, both of which I think are available on www.yo-yo.com for about $13.50. These are nice beginners yo-yo's and are of a decent quality. I would suggest starting with the dragonfly, then moving to the flying panda or the F.A.S.T. 201 as described in this guide. I've personally used all those yo-yo's.

 

Alright cool thanks for the help

 

If you ever need additional help feel free to post here or drop me a pm!

 

very very nice guide.. although like some other people said before pictures would help a lot, but other than that great job! i like it.. well done.

 

Ok well it seems pictures are a necessity in making these guides and for a good reason. So I took some time and surfed the net to find these picutres! I hope these pictures that are now in the guide help you further!!

 

Great Guide.

Ya yo-yo's are a lot of fun. Ive been yo-yoing on and off since like I was 8. I had a good yo-yo made by hasbro it sleeped well and everything, but I'm not to sure where it went. Theres a lot of yo-yos with the name duncan on them that are really horrible but I guess you got to find the good kind.

What yo-yo do you think is the best for an expert?

 

There are MANY good yo-yos for experts, it really just depends on what you are using them for. I am a BIG fan of the F.A.S.T. series (201, 301, soon to be 401). They are all really good all the way from beginners to experts alike! I personally use an alluminum F.A.S.T. 301 (8th one ever made which was $150 at the time). It's really neat and very FUN to use! I hope that helps!

 

Ya I googled fast and that the one I had. Was really good. So I guess I'll just pick up one of them. Do you know when the 401's are coming out?

 

Infact they are out. I hadn't checked on them in a while (probably should have, but they are out I'll probably be getting one soon now that I know that! lol)

If you are interested in the new F.A.S.T. Speed Dial or the F.A.S.T. 401sd (the 401), then you can check out this site:

http://www.theyostore.com/yoyofactory.html

 

Detailed guide with a lot of elaborations and pictures. If you are being asked in a general knowledge exam, you will score A+ for this yoyo question. Anyway, I quitted yooying after the massive spread of teens playing yoyos in 2002-2004. Lol, still remembered I had gotten a free VCD about advanced yoyo techniques, but always fail when I want to execute them.

 

Amazing guide, contained all of the following:Helpful pictures, what is the best, etc.Over all I think it is great!

Can't wait for your next guide!

 

I realy thought this guide was good !!!=D

 

Wow those yo-yos look pretty sick but I don't really want to spend $60. What yo-yo would you recommend for $30 or less?

 

Lol it does take time and dedication to get those hard tricks down. Thanks for your kind words about my guide though! I hope it has inspired you to pick up that yo-yo again!

Thanks so much! I can't wait for my next guide either haha I'm excited to be making guides and hopefully will be part of the User Education Team soon when I make 5 guides!

Thanks! I really do try to put as MUCH detail as I possibly can when making my guides. It really is something that I know I will enjoy just as much as the reader when I make my guides!

As I've said, the best yo-yo I can reccomend is the F.A.S.T. 201. It EXCELLS in all areas that I can think of and provides a very easy and fun way to both learn how to yo-yo, and even for advanced yo-yoers, provide a quality that is remarkable for such a cheap investment! I hope that helps.

P.S. Sorry to all for not getting back sooner, no matter how hard I tried, Sythe has been down on my computer, so I haven't been able to respond until today!