Juggling is an very interesting performance art. It is a fun and easy skill to learn and master. Here’s how you can work your way up from juggling one ball to three with the help of iJuggle – siteswap generator & animator app for iOS.
Step 1. Start throwing one ball
Start by practicing throwing one ball back and forth between your hands. Run the iJuggle app on your iPhone,
The ball should be a little above forehead height. It would be easier to throw them at eye level, but after a while you will be able to throw them higher. Look straight out in front of you so you can see the ball goes up at an angle, peaks at your eye level or above your head, and then travels down at an angle. Keep your elbows in and your throws consistent. Avoid throwing the ball too high into the air. Keep practicing with one ball until you are comfortable and get used to the weight and the height of juggle. This is the simplest way to start.
Step 2. Try juggling with two balls.
Hold a ball in each hand. Toss the first ball in your dominant hand up at a slight angle so that when it starts to fall it’s moving in the direction of your opposite hand. When the first ball peaks, toss the second ball up in the other hand in the opposite direction using the same motion. Catch the first ball you threw using the non-dominant hand, and then the second ball the dominant hand.
Remember to toss the second ball when the first one reaches the top of its arc. This will give you the most time for your next catch. Try to make the two balls go up at the same angle and peak at the same height.
Step 3. Add in the third ball
Try adding in the third ball to your dominant hand and keep practising juggling with only two balls as in previous step. You just hold the third ball in your dominant hand but do not throw it while you are juggling with the other two balls.
Step 4. Try three throws – the dominant hand
The three ball cascade is the most common three ball juggling pattern. With three ball cascade, every ball crosses to the other hand after three beats or throws. This is also known as period. The number of throws in the pattern is the period.
In fact, all of the odd-numbered throws cross the body. They’re thrown and caught by different hands. All of the even-numbered throws stay on the same side. They are thrown and caught by the same hand.
Try throwing the first ball using your dominant hand, then the second ball from your non-dominant hand, then the third ball from your dominant hand. And catch them one by one using the other hand. Stop after three beats or throws. Keep practicing until you can make three throws and three catches.
Step 5. Try three throws – the non-dominant hand
As you practice, alternate starting with either hand. First hold two balls in your non-dominant hand and one in dominant hand. Throw the first ball from the non-dominant hand, the second one from the dominant hand, then the third from the non-dominant hand and catch them using the other hand.
Again stop after three beats or throws. Keep practicing until you can make three throws and three catches starting with the non-dominant hand.
Step 6. Try juggling three balls – three ball cascade
Just repeat step 4 and step 5, so the cycle continues. Each time a ball reaches its peak, another one is thrown, freeing up a hand to catch the previous ball.
Run iJuggle free siteswap app on iPhone or iPad, the Generator tab opens by default.
In the Number of Balls box, enter 3, input 1 in the Period box, then tap on the Generate button at the top right corner, you will see the pattern found screen with only one pattern 3. Touch it to see the animation of the three ball cascade.
