Tricks

GREAT TRICKS TO LEARN

Below is a list of a few tricks that range from beginners to advanced level. There are many tricks out there to learn but this is just an example of some you might wish to start off with.

Remember, don't worry if you can't get hold of the trick to begin with, just break it down step by step and most importantly, keep practising.

I have written out the tricks with no preference to either handed player. Therefore, whether you are right handed or left handed doesn't matter, the steps are the same whichever way you play.

I realise that the quality of the photos used are not very good, but they're just for reference and to give you a rough idea of where your hands should be whilst performing the trick. If you concentrate on both the pictures and the written steps, you will get there.

There are 3 levels of tricks on this page. Click on one of the below choices to view the tricks you would like to learn.

Beginners Tricks

Intermediate Tricks

Advanced Tricks

Beginners Tricks

Rock the Baby

Throw a sleeper
Grab the string with fingers of your free hand just past 1/3 of the string.
Reach down with your yo hand and do the same as step 2. However, make sure you are grabbing both strings, and use only your index finger and thumb to pinch the strings.
Fold down your free hand and spread your fingers to make the cradle.
Rock the yo backwards and forwards a few times.
Release all the strings and catch the yo when it returns, or do a few summersaults in either direction and release and catch.

Walk the Dog

Throw a sleeper.
Gently lower the yoyo to the ground.
Let the yo 'walk out' along the floor at least 1ft.
Tug sharply on the string to make the yo return to your hand.

Creeper

Do a Walk the Dog (see above).
As the yoyo travels out, lower your yo hand to the floor.
Give the string a sharp tug to make the yo return to your hand. The yoyo should remain in contact with the floor whilst returning.

Around the World

Throw a forward pass.
When the yo is near the end of the throw let it continue upwards and around in a circle.
When you are back to where you started, give the string a tug to make the yoyo return.

FACT: Did you know the world record for consecutive Around the Worlds is 102, set by Dale Oliver (Spintastic Yoyos), with an SB2!!

Intermediate Tricks

Inside Loops

Throw a forward pass.
As the yoyo returns make a circle towards you and back out with your fingers and flick the yo out again instead of catching it.
Catch the yoyo or repeat as many times as you can.

When doing inside loops, try to keep the yoyo tilted at one o'clock for right handers and eleven o'clock for left handers. This is known as a control tilt. Each inside loop loosens the string 1/2 turn for right handed players and tightens the string 1/2 turn for left handed players. Try to use only your wrist, not the whole of your arm. Loops are easier to perform with a fixed wooden axle yoyo. The Proyo II is an example of a good looping yoyo.

Double or Nothing

Throw a hard breakaway (To do a breakaway, make a muscle but instead of throwing your yo straight down in front of you, turn your whole arm to your yo-hand side. Throw the yoyo starting from shoulder height; it is the same throw required to do Trapeze).
Let the yo continue around in a circle and when it reaches your free hand side, intercept the string with your free hand index finger.
The yoyo will continue over your index finger, towards your yo hand.
This time intercept the string with your yo hand index finger.
Once again let the yo continue on its journey, back around to your free hand.
This time, you have to catch the yoyo on the most outward string after intercepting it with your free hand index finger.
To exit, throw the whole thing up and catch the yoyo.

Use a butterfly yoyo whilst learning Double or Nothing. It makes landing the yoyo on the string alot easier.

Brain Twister

1. Throw a fast sleeper.
2. Drape the string over your free hand index finger, towards you.
3. Your free hand index finger should be pointing towards your yo hand side (fig a)
4. Feed the string forwards, back into the groove of the yoyo and raise your yo hand upwards. This move is known as a 'Skin the Cat' mount.
5. Your yo hand should now be in front of your free hand.
6. Lower your yo hand a little (midway between the yo and your free hand) (fig b).
7. With your yo index finger or yo-finger pull back into the double strings and flip the entire structure over your free hand index finger (forward somersault). You don't have to move your free hand index finger if your don't want to (fig c)
8. You should now be in a Double Skin the Cat position (fig d). Finally, pull back the string going from your yo finger. This will cause the structure to unwind with a backward somersault (not shown).
9. Catch the yoyo when it returns, overhand, or loop it out then catch!

Rock the Baby on the Brain Twister

1. Throw a hard sleeper. Slide your freehand index finger upwards on the inside of the string as you lower your yo hand (see fig a).
2. Feed the string into the gap of the yoyo and take your yo hand upwards, infront of the yoyo (see fig a).
3. Next, pull back into the double strings with your yo hand index or string finger, and move your freehand forwards and downwards over your yo hand. Insert your freehand thumb into the double strings (see fig c).
4. As you continue pressing downwards with your freehand, spread your thumb and freehand index finger to make the cradle in which you will rock the baby (see fig d).
5. Once your freehand is underneath your yo hand, the cradle is complete. Now rock the baby a few times back and forth (see fig e).
6. To exit out of this trick, either go back the way you came in, or 'throw' the baby upwards whilst releasing all of the string..catch when it returns!

Roller Coaster

1. Throw a hard breakaway and go into a Man on the Flying Trapeze (see fig a).
2. From here, lower your yo hand index finger and allow the yoyo to leave the string it is sitting on and drop to your yo hand side (see fig b).
3. Using momentum, let the yoyo continue it's path down and around underneath your yo hand towards your free hand side, and finally back over your freehand index finger. Land the yoyo on the most outward string.
You should now be in a Double or Nothing (see fig c).
4. Drop the string which is wrapped around your yo hand index finger. You should now be in the position showed in fig d.
5. The next step is to swing the yoyo around in an outward, sideways somersault (i.e. towards your free hand side). This will leave you in a Man on the Flying Trapeze position.
6. Turn your yo hand towards you and push into the double strings coming down from your free hand index finger, and flip the entire structure once (a backward somersault).
7. Once again this will leave you in a Man on the Flying Trapeze position.
8. Now, with your yo hand, push down and forwards above your free hand and allow the string to drape over you free hand index finger. Rotate the structure once in a forward direction (forward somersault). This is basically reversing the move we did in step 6.
9. You should now be back in a Man on the Flying Trapeze position.
10. Finally, throw the yoyo up and catch!!

Steps 2 to 3 of this trick should be performed in one continuous motion. So when you are lowering your yo hand to make the yoyo leave the string it is sitting on and drop to your side, you want it to drop and carry on around into a double or nothing.

Advanced Tricks

Shoot for the Moon

1. Throw a forward pass upwards at 45 degrees.
2. As the yoyo returns flick it straight up in the air (almost vertically). To do this, the yoyo needs to pass underneath your yo-hand and then upwards.
3. As the yoyo falls, let it pass underneath your hand and flick it out again.
4. Catch it when it returns or try another rep.

Take care with this trick when starting out as it is possible to get hit in the face if you slip up. Ideally, the whole trick should be performed with the yoyo's path travelling over your shoulder, not above your face. This trick is easier to learn with a fixed wooden axle butterfly shape yoyo. But once you've got it mastered, you can do it with almost any yoyo on the market regardless of shape, weight or axle system.

Bird's Nest

1. Throw a man on the flying trapeze (see fig a).
2. From the trapeze, flick the yoyo off the string and over your freehand index finger, to your free hand side (see fig b).
3. To complete the trick, you must flick the yoyo back over towards your yo hand and remove your freehand from the string at the same time. As the yoyo returns to your yo hand, make sure your thumb is above the string near your string finger. You must then aim to land the yoyo on the string over your thumb and between the string finger (see fig c).

This trick can also be done whilst doing Shoot for the Moon...you catch the yoyo on the string on it's way downwards, after hooking the string with your thumb on it's way upwards.

Buddha's Revenge

This trick can be started with either a trapeze or straight into the first mount, depending on the your capabilities or preference. This version of the trick is started with the Man on the Flying Trapeze.

1. Start off by throwing a hard, fast breakaway and land a trapeze (see fig a).
2. Just like in Roller Coaster, allow the yoyo to leave the string it is sitting on, and drop off to your yo hand side (see fig b).
3. Using momentum, you have to let the yoyo wind around your yo hand index finger and mount it back onto the string. This is a sideways split bottom mount (see fig c).
4. From this position rotate your hands in a circular motion with your yo hand going over your freehand (anti-clockwise for righties, clockwise for lefties). Aim to land the yoyo on the string running between your yo hand and free hand (see fig d).
5. Next, rotate back the way you came, and sit the yoyo on the bottom part of the string which runs between both hands. (see fig e).
6. Now, rotate again in the same direction as step 5 to land the yoyo back into it's split bottom mount position (see fig f).
7. From the split bottom mount, press you yo hand index finger downwards and slightly outwards to unravel the yoyo from it's mounted position.
When it has completed one sideways somersault, aim to land the yoyo back on the string in a Man on the Flying Trapeze position.
8. Flick the yoyo upwards and catch!!!

This is Buddha's Revenge in it's simplest form. There are other ways to complete the trick, but it's always the same up to step 6. You may want to finish the trick a different way.

Splitting the Atom

Splitting the Atom comes in many forms. Below is the way I first learnt the trick. It is also in it's most basic form. I have tried to write out the trick in as much detail as possible to make it easier to learn.

1. Throw a fast sleeper.
2. Mount the yoyo onto the string with a split bottom mount (To do a split bottom mount, firstly fold down the string over the freehand index finger towards you (the same opening move of Skin the Cat). As you are going down, press forward into the string with your yo hand index finger pointing horizontally to your freehand side, near the bottom of the string. The yoyo should flip up towards you and over your index finger back onto the string. Give it a little slack so to prevent the yoyo jumping back off) (see fig a).
3. Rotate the whole structure in a forward somersault around your freehand index finger.
4. With your freehand index finger, horizontally pointing to your yo hand side, push forward into the string and down and back. This step is known as an Underpass (there are two to do in this trick) (see fig b). The yoyo will leave the string for a split second whilst your freehand index finger passes underneath it. This will feed the string into the gap of the yoyo .
5. Your freehand index finger should now be closest to you (see fig c).
6. From the position it's in, bring your yo hand index finger back downwards, over the top of the structure (making sure it is between your body and your freehand (nearest to you)), and continue down below the yo and forward to feed the string back into the groove of the yoyo (This is the second Underpass but is a reversal of the previous move that you did with your freehand index finger)(see fig d).
7. Let the most outward string that is on your freehand index finger slip off. You should now be in the 'Skin the Cat mount' (see fig e), this is also shown in fig a and b of Brain Twister.
8. With your yo hand index finger or yo finger, pull back into the double strings and flip the whole structure forward once (forward summersault). You do not have to move your freehand index finger if you don't wish to (see fig f).
9. You should now be in a Double Skin the Cat position (see fig g). Finally, pull back the string that runs from your yo finger to start unwinding the structure. It will unwind with a backward somersault (not shown).
10. Catch the yoyo when it returns, overhand, or loop it out and then catch.
11. Congratulations!!..You have now reached Advanced level Yoing!!

This is the easiest way to learn Splitting the Atom. When you've learnt it properly, you can add more somersaults to the trick and perhaps start off with a pullover into vertical pinwheels or end with Shoot the Moon...the options are limitless.

Singapore Sling

This trick was invented by Dale Oliver. It may take some time to learn this trick, but take it slowly and step-by-step. Some of the pictures have been taken from the opposite side to make it easier to see what is happening.

1. Start with a split bottom mount (see fig a)(you can do a pullover to get into this mount if you wish to).
2. From here, you want to allow the yoyo to unwind and land on the part of the string that runs from your yo hand string finger to your free hand index finger (i.e. the first part of the string). This is done by pressing downwards and a little forwards with your yo hand index finger (see fig b).
3. Your yo hand index finger should now be in the middle of the double strings' loop, along with your free hand index finger.
4. You must now do a forwards underpass with your freehand index finger. To do this, press into the string (the part closest to you), and a little backwards and downwards, underneath the yoyo. The yoyo will leave the string for a split second whilst your freehand index finger passes underneath it.
5. Your free hand should now be infront of your yo hand and the yoyo (see fig c).
6. With your free hand index finger press back into the double strings (see fig d).
7. At the same time as you do step 6 you must push forwards with your yo hand index finger and make the yoyo wrap around (your yo hand index finger) a couple of times (2xforward somersaults). You should now be in the position showed in fig e.
8. From here you must unravel the string which you wrapped around your yo hand index finger. To do this, do a couple of forward rotations with your freehand (the rotations must go between the yoyo and your body) (see fig f).
9. On your second forward rotation with your freehand, you must feed the string back into the groove of the yoyo and do an underpass (see fig g).
10. Your free hand should end up closest to your body, and below your yo hand (see fig h).
11. Now you must do a second underpass, but with your yo hand index finger and in the opposite direction to that of step 9 and 10.
12. Your yo hand should now be infront of your freehand and the yoyo (see fig j).
13. With your yo hand index finger, pull back into the double strings and flip the entire structure forward once (a forward somersault) (see fig K).
14. You should now be in a 'skin the cat' mount (see fig l).
15. With your yo hand, pull back on the string to unwind the yoyo. This will cause the yoyo to do a backward somersault.
16. Finally, catch the yoyo or loop it out and then catch!!

This trick is very difficult to explain, but is quite easy to learn with someone demonstrating in front of you. You might have noticed that steps 9 to 16 are basically 'Splitting the Atom', so I'd say that knowing that trick is a prerequisite. Also, make sure that the string on your yoyo is not too tight, otherwise you'll find that in doing step 7, your yoyo slows down too much to complete the trick.

Summary

Tricks like Splitting the Atom, Singapore Sling and Shoot for the Moon don't always happen overnight. Keep practising the trick in little sections..break it down and simplify it. Once you know the tricks individual parts you can string it all together and it'll just flow effortlessly.

Remember, with tricks like Brain Twister and Splitting the Atom, try to keep your index fingers horizontal whilst working through the trick. This will keep everything in line and will help to make completing the trick easier. Also, use a ball-bearing butterfly yoyo to begin with. Keep it smooth and don't rush.

Stick with it and don't give up. You'll get there in the end.

If you need help or clarification on any of the above tricks, send me an e-mail and I'll do my best to help you out.