Here`s my dairy of learning to juggle with 5 balls
Friday 16th March 07
I caught my first 5 ball flash!
A tip or maybe technique: I started by flashing 3 (fast) and waited until a saw the cascade pattern in the air then continued with ball 4 through the left split of the cascade then 5 through the right split.
1,2,3…4,5
I found this easier than just launching 5 balls because you don’t get to see the pattern forming in the air it’s just a mass of balls.
Wednesday 20th June 07
I have been working on a few 4 ball techniques since I first made my 5 ball flash, it seemed to help a lot you can concentrate more on the position of your balls and recognize your mistakes.
4 ball pattern which simulates 5
Method: Start with 3 balls in your right hand and 1 in the other. Begin with the hand that has 3 balls. Make 2 quick throws both with this hand to the other hand. When these balls come down make 2 quick throws with the other hand and so on. The pattern will have a rhythm of "Right, Right, Left, Left, Right, Right, Left, Left."
3 ball snake/chase
Method: Start with 3 in your right hand, then toss right right right left left left right right right... etc. The balls should all follow each other like they were attached, this improves your throws from your weaker hand.
Anyway yesterday I went back to the 5 ball flash and made a 7 ball throw! Just the once, but after I that I made a 6 ball throw a couple of times, I was STOKED and I totally believe these two techniques above helped me progress.
I Will be adding more as I progress further.......
You have balls, i could never juggle even just 3 balls at one time.
TIPS ON LEARNING 5 BALL CASCADE
I learned juggling 3 more than 15 years ago, but couldn't do anything
but the cascade, reverse cascade and an occasional shower, although at
that time i didn't know that there were names for the juggling
patterns.
I didn't juggle anything for about 8 years or so, except for an
occasional orange cascade at X-mas. Approx. two years ago, I found
rec.juggling and got inspired to start juggling, now that I knew the
theory behind 4-ball juggling (a secret to me for 8+ years). It didn't
take long before I learned the 4 ball fountain.
Instead of setting my goals at 5 immediately I had the following
subgoals along the way. And I really recommend them because they are
all nice patterns on their own and learning them makes you happy, an
important positive feedback on the way to 5.
Don't consider yourself done with any subgoal along the way. Always go
back to perfect the individual patterns now and then. I used to
practice all these things in sequence at every practice session. It
worked pretty well. My 5 ball cascade is not solid, but that's because
I only practice it about twice a week.
With 3 balls:
* Learn showering 3 in both directions.
* Work a bit on the snake.
* Flash 3. Clap.
* Try to continuously flash 3.
* Any other nice three ball tricks that keep you happy. (Important!)
With 4 balls:
* Fountain (as a base for the following site swaps)
* 552 - Start with fountain, then throw 552, continue with fountain.
Next learn doing 552 continuously.
* 5551 - Start with fountain, then throw 5551, continue with fountain.
Next learn doing 5551 continuously. In both directions.
* 55550 - "Five with a hole". Start with fountain, then throw 55550,
continue with fountain. Work on doing 55550 continuously. This
might actually be a bit harder than 5 due to the weird timing.
If you have problems with this one don't worry.
With 5 balls:
* Flash 5
* Learn juggling with 5 in steps. First learn 5 throws. Then learn 6
throws. Go on to 7, 8, 9, 10. Then try to juggle as long as
you can. Don't always try to do endurance runs. Set your goal
to perhaps 20 throws and make sure that you can do that really
good, and perhaps with a neck catch as finish.
Nothing to it, really. 
I can juggle three balls fairly easily, but I could never get the hang of four balls. I congratulate you on accomplishing 5 balls. That's pretty impressive. Now just try flaming torches 
Yesterday I throw 8 and caught 8 I am happy about my progression I'm not super gifted at juggling its hard for me but I really like the challenge and the progress.
Its a passion sport,Love it or Hate it.!
wow.. nice one. I cannot even juggle three balls. It'd be fun to learn though.
Today I throw and caught twice seven balls and at the end of my practice session I made another eight ball throw with catches,thats my second ever I am happy,just need another two throws and I can qualify for the five ball cascade.!
I have realized a few little tips on the way which I can share maybe its just a personal thing,but it helped me,well tonight it did:-
Here we go..The first three balls which are thrown,its VERY important that these balls are launched at a similar pace this seems to keep the casacade in time.
Also the four and fifth ball are thrown just like a normal three ball cascade but with more pace and angle,its helps (me) to keep my arms a bit further apart to get the throws.
Thats it for now my goal is to get ten throws with catches by the end of the year.
Its a passion sport,Love it or Hate it.!
Juggling is fun to look at. Good job keeping a logbook, that works with a lot of things when you want to achieve something.
Like someone else already said, I can't even juggle 3 balls, haha 
I don’t have the coordination to juggle three balls. Good on you man, you should post a gif animation when you sussed it out. Cool.
PS. Is juggling two balls called juggling or just plain pathetic?
Today I throw 11 balls with all 11 catches and caught it on video
I will post a link or maybe embed a gif animation clip of the film when Ive got a bit of time.
Thanks for all the response and support,it really helps!
I could make a new post for people who cant juggle 3,its really simple once you know and relaxing.
mark
| Rico wrote: |
I don’t have the coordination to juggle three balls. Good on you man, you should post a gif animation when you sussed it out. Cool.
PS. Is juggling two balls called juggling or just plain pathetic? |
No not its not pathetic at all thats all four balls are anyway two in each hand its really not too hard to master it,try it use the tips I made in another post from me techniques in juggling four balls.
You will succeed if you really want to! | marrs wrote: |
Today I throw and caught twice seven balls and at the end of my practice session I made another eight ball throw with catches,thats my second ever I am happy,just need another two throws and I can qualify for the five ball cascade.!
I have realized a few little tips on the way which I can share maybe its just a personal thing,but it helped me,well tonight it did:-
Here we go..The first three balls which are thrown,its VERY important that these balls are launched at a similar pace this seems to keep the casacade in time.
Also the four and fifth ball are thrown just like a normal three ball cascade but with more pace and angle,its helps (me) to keep my arms a bit further apart to get the throws.
Thats it for now my goal is to get ten throws with catches by the end of the year.
Its a passion sport,Love it or Hate it.! |
After practicing a few hours each day I have got a more stable 5 ball pattern
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=E7HFgAfuA7Q
It not perfect by a long way but im happy with the progression.
If any tips are needed please ask me.
MarkI was in to circus some years ago, mainly juggling. Five balls was my goal for a long time, but no matter how much
I trained I didn't seem to be able to handle it. Well, finally I climed over the wall, and it was through dreaming. Practiced
a lot in the evening, and visualised the cascuade before I went to sleep. The next morning I produced! 
Fascinating how the brain works. For you can be sure, the skill of juggling is in the mind, not in the hands. At Last someone who can juggle five.
Its really interesting,what circus did you work for?
Yeah and its totally true about visualizing the pattern before starting and eh after the first three are up its really just a fast steep cascade.
I'm having problems with my left hands throws at present they seem to run away from me,but the general pattern is looking nice,getting around 15-20 catches on a good run.
Nice to hear from you
Maybe a few hints would be nice.
Regards mark
Hints, hm... they are the obvious ones.
* Training, training and more training. While the 3ball cascuade is like riding a bike, once you've learned it, you will
always be able to do it, the 5ball cascuade isn't as easy. Stop doing it and you loose the skill. I've noticed that most
5ball jugglers can show their skill almost flawless for about 30+ throws. Ask them to do it a couple of minutes, and the
number drops fast, including myself. It's simply to hard for most to keep the concentration.
* Like I think you've mentioned, flashing three balls repeditlly is a way to go.
* Resting, and training the same time every day increased my skill when I was active. Five to ten minutes is
enough to see the results.
I'm afraid I can't give you anything new there, for I belive you already are familiar with the ones above?
The cirkus was educational, not preformance. Called Norsholm in Norrköping, Sweden. I didn't keep it up, but one
of my mates is still going strong in Cirkus Cirkör. Perhaps you've heard of them?
Funny hobby, juggling, and almost as relaxing as meditation. One recomended thing to try is juggling three
balls blindfolded. Nope, I'm not joking. Doing the five-ball cascauade you should be so familiar with three that
the knowledge is in the back-bone. Your mind knows the pattern you usually throw and can catch rather many
balls. 5 balls! that's a lot. I can only juggle three for about 8 seconds.
5 balls that is just unbelievable, I am struggeling with just 3, but maybe practise makes perfect.... GOOD ON YA!!!
| tijn01 wrote: |
| 5 balls that is just unbelievable, I am struggeling with just 3, but maybe practise makes perfect.... GOOD ON YA!!! |
Thx!
Unbelievable, na... That's just it, to understand the pattern and get a grip of it in the mind - that's the whole trick.
In juggling, perhaps more then in other cases, to belive one self is the key to succes. Well, and the other thing ya
mentioned, practise *boooring*. I have a bunch of friends who juggle for a living, they also do that trick where you wrap yourself in fabric and jump out of a tree. (I have no idea what it's called in English.) I personally could never do it though, juggling was all the rage when I was about eight years old, all my friends learned to juggle at least three balls but I was by far the most un-coordinated. Oh, and I'm legally blind in my right eye, which means I have no depth perception, which apparently is bad news for juggling. Perhaps in my next life!
Problems
At some time or other, you may face problems like the throws are not consistent in strength making the cascade lop-sided. Or maybe you are going in circles!
I too have this problem today, but I am working to improving it. Some ways of solving the problems are:
* Having a good stance, feet apart at shoulder width.
* Having relaxed arms at start.
* Mentally visualising the pattern before the throws. And also when you are not juggling.
* Never try to correct a throw that is wrong. Try learning clean throws and catches instead!
* Take a break. Sometimes I find that I can do much longer runs at the start rather than after 10 or 15 minutes into the practice.
* Set goals on improving from your previous best.
* Go back to basics. Practice the routines as outlined above.
Lastly, there's no short-cut except to practice, practice, practice!
Ha ha anyone who can juggle 5 balls is amazing... it is funny when people tell me I am good at juggling 3 balls at one time... then I go and watch someone else and say wow! I wish I could do that!
If you could PM me how you learnt or post a video somewhere and tell me
Thanks.
Jacki I am able to juggle 4 balls at the moment. 5 balls just seems impossible at this point.
| anonex wrote: |
| I am able to juggle 4 balls at the moment. 5 balls just seems impossible at this point. |
Great things you are really closer than you think if you can juggle four balls there are lots of patterns you can train with four that will get you up to the speed of five.
I will give examples laters ok..Three balls is not too hard once you get the two ball sequence. Four balls seems much more difficult. 
I can get down 3 scarfs at once, but I've never really gotten the hang of three balls. I used to be pretty good at juggling two balls in one hand though, so that's strange.
Wow nice, the most I can manage juggling is 3. Used to practice waiting for the bus before school lol. Must take a lot of discipline and practice to get five happening.
| bonestorm74 wrote: |
| Must take a lot of discipline and practice to get five happening. |
Kind of, but actually, visualization (xuse the spelling, I think) is the key. For me it happened after I had a dream about it.
Had been training for a long time without getting there, but when I'd seen it in a dream it changed. | Idoru wrote: |
| bonestorm74 wrote: | | Must take a lot of discipline and practice to get five happening. |
Kind of, but actually, visualization (xuse the spelling, I think) is the key. For me it happened after I had a dream about it.
Had been training for a long time without getting there, but when I'd seen it in a dream it changed. |
Really you had a vision then you woke and could juggle a 5 ball cascade?
Amazing what do you eat before you go to bed...:=)It would be great if someone would create step-to-step video tutorial how to jungle | bulek wrote: |
| It would be great if someone would create step-to-step video tutorial how to jungle |
Hello bulek
First start with one ball. Throw the ball in an arc from hand to hand about eye level. The pattern will be an arc, not a circle.
Start with one ball in each hand. First toss the ball in your right hand (1) in the arc to about eye level to your left hand. When this ball (1) reaches the highest point in it's arc
Throw ball (2) in an arc from your left hand to your right. Catch (1) in your left hand, Then catch (2) in your right hand. Stop.
Do this same exercise, except start with your left hand instead of your right. Practice until you can do this smoothly.
Common mistakes include throwing two balls in a circle, or throwing both balls at the same time.
---------------------------------------------------------
Juggling 3 Balls
Start with 2 balls in one hand (1&3) (in this case the right hand, but if you are a lefty, use your left hand) and one ball (2) in the other. Start by throwing the ball in the front of your right hand in an arc to your left hand.
When ball (1) reaches its highest point, throw the ball in your left hand (2) in an arc to your right hand. Catch (1) in your left hand. This is like the two ball exercise. When the ball thrown to your right hand reaches its height . . .
Throw the ball from your right hand (3) in an arc to your left hand. Catch (2) in your right hand. This move can be difficult. It is often helpful to roll the ball (3) in your right hand to the front of your hand with a slight downward motion of the hand before you throw it.
When that ball (3) reaches its highest point, throw the ball in your left hand (1) in an arc to your right hand. Catch (3) in your left hand. And so on . . .
Good Luck5 is a good number..
wish u luck man, someday u can set a record..
btw the present records are
Solo ball records from the JISCON page or with publicly available video evidence:
* 12 beanbags for 12 catches by Bruce Sarafian in 1996 (JISCON), Ben Beever in 2001 (publicly available video), Peter Bone in 2006 (JISCON) (publicly available video) and Brian Koenig in 2007 (publicly available video).
* 11 beanbags for 15 catches by Bruce Sarafian in 2001 (JISCON).
* 10 beanbags for 23 catches by Bruce Sarafian in 2001 (JISCON).
* 9 balls for 54 seconds by Anthony Gatto in 2006 (JISCON).
* 8 balls for 1 minute 13 seconds by Anthony Gatto in 2006 (JISCON) (publicly available video).
* 7 balls for 10 minutes 12 seconds by Anthony Gatto in 2005 (JISCON).
beating that 9 ball one might be easy for u if u try
