Jason Garfield

Learn To Juggle

Terminology of Juggling

Basic Pattern:

  1. Juggling odd numbers of objects by crossing from right hand to left, and left hand to right.
  2. Juggling an even number of objects by splitting them up into each hand and not crossing. (Juggling four balls in the basic pattern is done by juggling two balls in each hand and not crossing)

180: Turning your entire body 180 degrees (A half turn) to face the opposite direction in the midst of a juggling pattern.

360: Turning your entire body 360 degrees (A complete turn) in the midst of a juggling pattern.

720: Turning your entire body 720 degrees (Two spins) in the midst of a juggling pattern.

2 Stage 720: Throwing all the objects up in the air, spinning once to catch one or two objects, then spinning again to then catch the remaining objects and resume a continuous juggling pattern.

Backcrosseses: Throws that pass behind the back.

Body Throws: Throwing objects (usually clubs) between the legs from back to front or from front to back.

Flats: Clubs thrown with no spin.

Half Shower: Throwing objects from one hand over the top of the pattern to the other side.

Pancake Throws: Flipping rings similarly to the technique used to juggle clubs.

Flash: Throwing and catching the exact same number of objects are trying to juggle. (7 throws and catches of 7 balls)

Slapback: Under rotating the clubs and then slapping the shell of the club in the opposite direction of the spin to land the handle back in the hand.

Clubs: Most non-jugglers refer to this piece of juggling equipment as bowling pins. They are not. Clubs are long shaped props, bulbous on one end and having a catching handle on the other with a knob at the bottom. These props are usually thrown and rotated in varying numbers of spins depending on the number of clubs being used and the moves being attempted with them.

Endurance Juggling: The juggling of a high number of objects for as long of a period of time as one can manage.

Isolated Endurance: Juggling without moving your feet. Done atop a chair in WJF competition.

Freestyle Competition: Competition designed by the WJF and first held in 2004. This competition is formatted to allow competitors to try their most difficult move and not be penalized for drops or bad form. If you pull off the move, you get points for it. If you dont, you get nothing.

Site Swap: The numeric notation used to describe a juggling move.

Juggling Builds Your Brain

Mastering the skill increases the amount of grey matter in areas of the brain that process and store visual information, proving what was not thought possible -- that new stimuli can alter the brain's structure.
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