| Fleeting Glimpse > Learn to Juggle > 3 Ball > Step 2 | |
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Now is the time to have lots of patience. Though it appears easy, this is the toughest step and getting it right before you move ahead will make the whole thing a lot easier. First imagine two spots, about a foot in front of your forehead, one to the right, one to the left, about 8 inches apart. These are your focus points.
Hold your arms at waist level with your hands naturally out in front of you. This is your rest position. Starting with a ball in your right hand and your left hand empty, toss the ball across to the left imaginary spot and catch it in your left hand. Now toss it back from your left hand across to the imaginary spot on the right and catch it in your right hand. |
 Start with one ball |
step2 |
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Sound easy so far? Well there are several things to watch. First, when you toss the ball, "pop" it from your palm. Don't let it roll off your fingertips. The ball is much more difficult to control if you let your fingers touch it. Don't jerk your hand as you pop the ball - try to keep it smooth. Watch the ball as it passes in front of your eyes. It should not be spinning. If it is, you probably let the ball roll off your fingers. Put some marks on the ball if it helps you check for spinning. When you toss the ball, toss it from slighty inside of the natural resting position of your hands. And when you catch the ball, catch it slightly outside of resting position of your hands. Try to keep your hands around waist level. Don't let them drift up too far to catch or toss the ball. Keep your focus on hitting the imaginary spots, and concentrate on not throwing too high or too low or too far out or too close to you. You'll be surprised that you don't have to watch the ball to catch it. If you throw it reasonably well your catching hand will know where the ball is without you looking and you will have no trouble catching it. Don't worry about catching, worry about tossing well. Catch the ball in the palm of your hand. Don't reach up and grap it, let it fall into your hand. If the ball is heavy enough it will stay in your hand.(If the ball is too light, it will tend to bounce out of your hand). When you catch the ball, pause for a moment and hold your hand at the spot where you caught it. You should be catching the ball just a couple inches outside of the rest position for your hands. Note where you caught it and move your hand back to the rest position. Work to get it better on the next toss. Tossing the ball correctly is everything. Be patient, practice, and don't proceed until you are catching the ball in the correct position consistently. (Try it with your eyes closed. Well, OK, then just try dimming the lights and squinting a little. I don't usually have that much patience myself, but it is good advice.)
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| Fleeting Glimpse > Learn to Juggle > 3 Ball > Step 2 | |