Juggling is a challenging but rewarding hobby; studies show that people who learn to juggle increase their grey matter![1] While juggling may seem and be difficult to master at first, it becomes easier once you've learned the basics and practiced it. This article takes you into the basics of three-ball juggling, after which you can begin to introduce more balls.
Steps
- Choose suitable balls. Beanbags are good for beginners. Basically, find balls that will not bounce a lot, or roll away when they're dropped––this will save a fair bit of running initially! A set of beanbags can be bought for a very low price or made by hand. Tennis balls filled with sand or a few pennies and covered with a round balloon also work well. They don't bounce and they provide a slip-free grip.
- Toss one ball for a while to get the feel of juggling. Start passing one ball from one hand to the other. Also practice "selfs"––these are throws you catch with the throwing hand. The ball should come to eye-height or higher. Your hands should not move very much, so aim to keep your elbows at your hips.
- Practice scooping. This is a technique to make juggling smooth. Simply scoop, or dip, your hand before tossing the ball. Keep the dip shallow though; it isn't going to work if you scoop too deeply. Practice scooping and tossing from one hand to another, so that arc does not rise above eye level.
- Take one ball in each hand. Toss ball A, and when it reaches the top of its arc, toss ball B. Practice until this simple exchange becomes comfortable.
- Juggle three balls. Try to make three passes in a row.
- First hold two balls in right hand and one in left-hand. (Vice versa if you are left handed.)
First hold two balls in right hand and one in left-hand.
- Begin with passing from the right hand. (Again, vice versa if you are left-handed.)
- Throw the ball to your left hand and in the moment ball 1 is at the peak, throw ball 2 (the only one in your left hand) under ball 1 to your right hand.
- At the moment ball 2 is at the highest point (at this point, you should also catch ball 1 in the left hand) throw ball 3 under ball 2.
- And when ball 2 is in the right hand just catch ball 3 and this should be it.
- Try to make these three passes as many times as you can.
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- Try to juggle four and five as explained in steps before. Learn to juggle two in one hand, then do two in your left hand and two in your right hand at the same time. Once this becomes comfortable you're juggling four! Juggling five balls is just like juggling three, but you have to move your hands a lot faster and you need to throw the balls higher. Keep practicing––it takes time and patience to master.
