Hello!
I'm building a yoyo curriculum and would really like feedback, specifically in regard to things like types of trick element or starting mount I've missed. You can comment below, or click here for a feedback form.
I've been teaching yoyo tricks on YouTube for years. I've got something like 400 tricks on there. Couple that with the thousands taught by others, it's got to be confusing for a new yoyoer. I've been doing zoom yoyo lessons with a kid and it's pointed me to a need for an easy to follow course that teaches yoyo, not just trick by trick. Funnily enough, this has been inspired by learning chess of all things.
I figure it's time to put my teaching degree and 15 years in the classroom to work solving this.
The plan
1. A free beginner course where I teach the basics like I do to my students. Broken down to include all the little details that make it easier. Practice and drills.
2. Advanced courses revolving around a specific start mount (like a chess opening strategy).
Here's my plan at present. The choice of tricks is aimed at covering some basic technique building, as well as alternating tricks that require a spinning yoyo with picture tricks that don't, so they have things to learn while mastering the power throw. I've found this leads to the most success, especially in kids. If they are struggling with the throw, but can show off a Jamaican flag without the yoyo spinning, the excitement and passion sticks around.
Part 1
Course 1a - Beginner Lecture series – The idea is to put resources here that they can come back to. We all know the kids (Age5-105) are going to want to go straight to learning tricks, but I want some info dump lessons available to refer back to.
-Yoyo Safety
-Put the string on the yoyo and finger. Including details like having the loop the correct direction on your finger, why it goes on the middle finger 2nd joint, safety tips, wind responsive and unresponsive (with mention of the need to skip to the bind if you are starting unresponsive). Demo some quick wind tricks to be learned later.
-String tension – why it exists and how to manage it.
-Short talk on the different types of yoyos, string, style, material, etc
-Body control during yoyo tricks. (narrow field of movement, only move the fingers/hand that need to be moved)
-How to throw frontstyle and breakaway and how to catch properly
-How to remove knots without unscrewing the yoyo
-How to safely unscrew yoyos without loosing bits
-Thanks Pythagoras – 3 points to a yoyo trick, why you get knots and how to avoid them (explain a green triangle)
Course 1b – Picture Trick catalogue. These can be learned without the yoyo spinning, so are great to work through while you master the power throw. The lessons will sequentially build ideas and explain how and where they can blend into string tricks later.
- Flag, flag-star, double flag
- Rock the baby
- Bow and Arrow - Eiffel Tower - Yo
- Spaghetti/Bacon (incentive to get that sleeper lasting longer)
- Scissors
- Star -1 handed and 2 handed
- Darth Vader
Course 1c– Fundamental movement tricks – Each number represents a short unit that will likely have a few different videos based around a starting trick to explain techniques that lead to other tricks and some of the paths to follow from that point. An intro video will
-walk the dog leads to creeper and to buzzsaw – explain later grind tricks they are working towards (like walk the parrot, palm grind, etc).
-Physics lesson - friction and how the string touching your yoyo slows it, how yoyos get their power. The idea is to prime them on paying attention to control of movement if they want to do longer tricks.
-Rock the baby – use this to reinforce knot avoidance, point back to lecture 10. Keeping things in a line, moving the string around the yoyo. How to do picture tricks while the yoyo is spinning.
-Elevator – talk about focus and control, you’re yoyoing in a narrow tunnel, minimize movements. Explain how this leads to brain twister and other tricks. Reference lecture 6.
-Classic Looping-style tricks (safety reminder)– forward pass, around the world, hop the fence, etc – explain that these are fundamental for control and build later into 2a, 4a, and modern responsive play. They build control of the string and control of your space.
-Trapeze – Front and side. Pinwheel, to trapeze, then undermounts and other variations. Talk about the trapeze element constantly found in other formations and mounts. Learn the difference between a nonthrowhand and throwhand trapeze element (Trapeze and his brother). Demo horizontal and behind the back/leg variations and connect the theory.
-String tension tricks – (Point to Lecture 4)Everyone wants to learn DNA. This is where you start. Basic hop and tug, lariat/flying saucer, sidewinder (demo bindwinder later),washing machine (the split bottom mount one).
-Intro to Grinds/Walk the dog everywhere – for responsive, learn palm grind return. Thumb grind if they have the right yoyo.
-Alt yoyo return tricks (hacky sack kick, spank the baby, and quick wind tricks like the roll on the floor, roll up the string, pull and snap starts)
-Goofy tricks – walk the cat, pocket watch, pocket rocket, magic knot, spaghetti/bacon
-The bind – Why you do it, how it works, proper technique, safety throw, basic variations from front and breakaway. This will be a “transition to intermediate” lesson more than a detailed dive into binds.
Course 1d - Drills - a "follow along with me" video that provides a 30 minute daily practice routine to develop better technique.
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Course 2
- This is intended to be the next steps after course 1, or the first steps for someone transitioning from classic “when I was a kid” yoyoing to modern unresponsive.
Part 2a lecture series The idea is that this is a companion to the beginner course, as well as future more advanced courses. Sort of a free add-on full of info.
1. Basic terminology (Parts of the yoyo, throwhand vs nonthrowhand, types of throw, etc)
2. advanced terminology (Element names, techniques, types of yoyo)
3. types of Yoyo and why they are different. Competition and non-competition. (list with brief explaination and history where available).
4. Brief history of yoyo (and contests)
5. How yoyos are made/different materials, bearing vs fixed/transaxle sleeve, response systems and function.
6. String tension - why? Also what is yoyo string and how do you make it (Possibly get a string maker to do a guest spot demoing the process)
7. yoyo shape, materials and weight (Convince Justin to do a guest spot)
8. How yoyo tricks are made
9. How competition works
Bonus Chapter (Included as an additional with future courses as well) -discussion - training and nervous system, don't practice mistakes, practice slow to perfection then speed up, 15 focused minutes a day works miracles -repetition of basic technique, how to focus on trouble spots. -smallest movements possible, fine tuning control, adjusting transitions for flow
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Course 2b Unresponsive String Tricks
1. The bind - two standard variations each way taught in detail, A bunch more intermediate variations. Explain why it works and why it doesn’t. Work in how to avoid snags and being hit in the face.
2. String tension #2 - small pulls, washing machine, bindwinder. Introduce hurricane/DNA bind and explain how it affects tension.
3. Introduce standard mounts and teach the basic format. (trapeze, brother,double or nothing, triple or nothing, wrist mount, 1.5 mount, z-flip mount, houdini mount, chopsticks mounts, gorilla mount, undermount, split bottom mount.) **let me know what standard mounts I missed please!
4. How to build/break down a combo - teach elements that make up combos. Each element will be taught, demo'd in a few configurations, then followed with a couple easy tricks that use that element. Mention that future courses will delve into detail on these elements within specific mounts.
--hops - teach part of black hops, z-flip, kwyijibo
--pops - trapeze pops, Houdini pops, under, over, etc
--Chops - black hops pt 2 --rolls - matrix, gerbil, barrel rolls, KO
--slack - trapeze slack, brother slack, yukki slack
--whip - iron, jade, hook, ninja, Brent stole, whip binds
--Rejection (the 3rd dimension!) - trapeze rejection and catch, it's our nothing, get out of triangles, etc --injection? --horizontal basics --gorilla mounts and tricks --arm/body tricks --frontstyle essentials --Alt throws and binds --regens - frontstyle, sidestyle, offhand stall, horizontal
5. Transitions - talk about better ways to go from one combo to the next, using different elements to transition. Talk about competition scoring and maximizing points with varied transitions.
6. Explain competitions, the basics of how judging works, how to build a routine for your first few contests and how to train (Slot in Bonus Chapter)
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Future courses
I'm planning a deep dive into each mount. Teaching yoyo through thinking about ways to put elements together, rather than by sequential tricks. So someone who likes the wrist mount can get the course on that, and dive into different ways to manipulate the various element types when building or learning tricks. The instruction will off course include learning combos, but with the intent of explaining why choices were made.
1. How to get into the mount at least a dozen ways
2. How to get out of it a bunch of ways
3. Starting from said mount, how can you start building a trick using each of the elements listed in course 2 (I'll re-teach the element before building it into the mount). So for example
-Wrist mount, roll forward, roll backward, pop out of the mount.
-Wrist mount, pop up out again and onto the back string, then the front string, then back into the middle
The idea would be to provide an easy example, an intermediate example, then a hard one. I'd wrap with tutorials for at least a dozen full combos incorporating the previous elements. Aiming at a mix of classic combos and originals that you can't find a tutorial for elsewhere.
The course would also come with a free consult - you can send me a video asking a question and I'll send an answer. This might be "I can't make this work what am I doing wrong" or it might be "I'm building a combo and am stuck here, what do I do"
Thanks for reading and taking the time to give your feedback! Here’s the link again to the form
Click Here for the form