juggle 5 balls

My goal is to be able to juggle 5 for about 30 seconds each time I try. Right now I can usually get about 15 throws each time, and sometimes up to 30-40, but this is rare.

I restarted my daily juggling practice about two weeks ago after a bit of a break, and I seem to have made another quantum jump. I’m going to be counting catches from now on, instead of timing the run, because for some reason I find I juggle better if I’m counting, but worse if I try to time myself (which involves glancing at the clock just before and after the run).

Had a great session this evening with a best run of 60 catches (although unfortunately I dropped on throw 61). Disregarding the drop, this puts me half way towards my target of 120 catches, or roughly a 30 second run.

But 5’s the target, and 4 is hard, whatever I’ll get it.

It just needs lots of practice

Got to 12 throws occasionally but slow progress. I’m going back to practising 4 and trying to get 5551.

Been making slow but steady progress with this one. I’m now managing several 5 second runs during a session, which is roughly 20 catches. I’ve done longer runs than that, but usually not finishing with a clean catch. I feel like I’ve pretty much ‘got it’ now, meaning that I’m entering the unconscious competence phase, and it’s just a question of tightening up my technique so that I can keep the pattern going for longer. My target is still 30 seconds (or 120 catches) before I mark this goal complete, which is probably going to be a few more months work.

I’ve been able to do a 3 ball cascade for a while now… its moving past that which is becoming difficult…

I dug out my bag of props the other day. It’s been sitting, alone and unused, in a corner for almost a year. I grabbed my three favorite juggling balls, headed for the back yard, and started to refresh my 3-ball skills.

On the positive side, I can still do a 3-ball cascade pretty well, as well as a couple of other tricks.

...to work with five balls.

I’ve got some three ball tricks going, and I’m getting solid with clubs.

Five balls is one of my main juggling goals, but I would work on it even if it weren’t.

You see, I’m addicted to the sensation that comes when you finally start to get a grasp of a harder level, and then go back down to the easier level.

I love the feeling of going from four balls (which I can go for about 20 catches) to three. I love the feeling of going from reverse fountain back to fountain, or from clubs back to balls.

I feel that when I push for the higher level, everything on the lower levels actually slows down. All of a sudden, I can see the pattern, and I seem to have all the time in the world!!

You see, I’m addicted!

- CB

I had been getting a bit frustrated with my slow progress over the past few weeks, but today for some reason, I seem have made a sudden leap forward. I can now make 6 throws to a clean catch pretty consistently, and I’ve also done a few 8’s to a clean catch. Once I get up to 10 and beyond, I’m in the realm of real 5 ball juggling (at least 2 throws for each prop).

I’ve noticed that I’m now managing to make more space in the middle of the pattern, which means I can keep it going longer before collisions bring the run to an end. I’ve also noticed that I’ve gotten better at correcting when the balls go off course. But most of all, it just feels different today. I feel much more in control all of a sudden. Funny how things often go like that.