As far as the mind goes, it’s generally the left side of the brain that figures out how to juggle, registering it as a logical process, as it does for most learning processes. Eventually the right side of the brain takes over, and this transference from left to right is what allows us to perform the act of juggling without involving a lot of thought. Right-brain thinking is not as readily used or practiced in daily life, but it is the developed right brain that is the domain of awareness, mental agility, and you guessed it–creativity!
Juggling is good exercise!
Not just for the brain and upper body, but also for the eyes. Some doctors have prescribed juggling to strengthen eye muscles. It’s even more widely advocated as a method of stress relief, as it requires a singular concentration that is highly therapeutic, inducing a calming effect on a level with meditation.
Juggling is that golden combination of physical and mental activity. It never ceases to stimulate both mind and body, relieving stress, improving agility and dispensing the most magical of cures: laughter!! Juggling taps into an innate, but often ignored human quality called Physical Intelligence, a perfect storm of physical well being, mental agility and creativity.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
besides a little patience, all you’ll need is a set of three balls to juggle. Ideally, you should have a set of “thud” balls, made specifically for juggling. They’re called “thuds” because of the noise they make when they hit the ground, and do not bounce.
The Eight-Step approach to 3-ball juggling
With your new thud balls, practice these eight steps in order, and you’ll be amazing your friends and co-workers with your mastery of the classic Three Ball Cascade.
1. It’s all in the throw! Start with one ball only. With your hands slightly out to your sides, throw the ball in an arc to your other hand and catch it. Keep both hands at about the same level, and the height of the arc the same each time, as in the video above. As you throw, say “throw!” and as you catch, say “catch”. Repeat this throw to your alternate hand until consistent.
2. Now practice the same throw/catch, with a slightly different movement. Still using a single ball, make a sweeping motion past your belly button as you throw the ball in an arc to your other hand. Again, keep both hands at about the same level, and the height of the arc the same each time. Continue to say “throw!” and “catch”. Repeat this until consistent.
3. Hold two thuds, one in each hand. Make the same throwing action starting with the ball in your left hand. Drop the ball that’s in your right hand just before you catch the airborne one. (Yes, just drop it!) Pick up both balls and repeat the exercise starting with the right hand. Continue to say “throw” and “catch”, and repeat the exercise until you are comfortable and consistent with the motion.
4. Do the same as Step 3, but instead of dropping the ball that’s in your right hand, throw it! (Doesn’t matter where, but watch the China cabinet!) Say out loud, “throw, throw, catch”; note the intended rhythm, and make your actions in time with the words.
5. Now comes a critical step. Spend a little more time on this, because it’s important to feel really comfortable with it. Throw the left thud the same as before. Just as it begins to fall, throw the right thud in the same way. Then catch the first thud, then the second. (Tip: throw from the center of your body, and catch at the sides, using the sweeping action you learned in Step 2. This will avoid ballistic collisions.) As you do this, you will be saying “throw, throw, catch, catch.” Feel that rhythm!
6. Now hold two thuds in your left hand, and one in your right. You will repeat what you did in Step 5, ignoring the third thud for the moment. Make the same throwing action with your left hand as before, starting with the thud closest to your wrist. As it begins to fall, throw the right-hand thud. Catch the first thud in your right hand, and just before making the left-hand catch, throw the third thud anywhere, just as you did in Step 4. Keep that same rhythm of “throw, throw, catch, catch”!
7. Here’s the “sexy” move – Repeat step 6, but before making the second catch, instead of throwing thud 3 just anywhere, throw it over to your right hand. You will now have 2 thuds in your right hand, and one in your left, – but it’s still “throw, throw, catch , catch.” You are now only about 5 minutes away from real juggling!!
8. The only thing left to learn now is how to keep going! Just before making the catch of the third thud (with your right hand) throw the one already in that hand across to the left. The trick now is to say, “throw, throw, throw, throw!” Guess what? YOU’RE JUGGLING!
This is the 8-step approach to three-ball juggling. Follow them carefully and precisely; but once you’ve mastered them, you’re ready for more! Want to learn “Over the Top”? “The Dummy Elevator” or “The Rainbow Cross”? See the next lesson, coming soon!
