Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Advanced unresponsive yoyos, part two








So now I am going to talk about some more advanced unresponsive yoyos.

A good one is the Hspin Beysick. It is the first Hspin Core Series yoyo.
Another one is the Yoyojam Axiom, an undersized yoyo built to be super smooth for string tricks.
Also from Yoyojam is the Meteor. It is the Signature yoyo of champion Hiroyuki Suzuki.
There is also the Trinity, another signature yoyo of champion Andre Boulay.
A final Yoyojam is the ENEME. The ENEME is a great yoyo, rounded and super smooth.
Now, from Duncan, there are a couple more.
The Duncan Vendetta has a cutting edge shape and is very well weighted.
Also from Duncan, there is the MayheM. It is stable spinning and comfortable in your hand.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Advanced unresponsive yoyos, part one






Now, you begin to have tons of choices for yoyos to get. I'll start with Yoyofactory.

A good choice is the 44. It's nicely rounded and is all metal, like all the yoyos I'll be discussing from now on.

Another good option is the Boss. It is nicely circular with raised rims.
Also, the Genesis is pretty good. It is more angular than the Boss or 44.
You could also look at the G5. It has Z-stacks, which I talked about in my hubstacks guide. It is a very nice all around yoyo.
A final option from Yoyofactory is the Severe. This is an amazing yoyo. It costs a little more, but it is worth it.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Hubstacks



Hubstacks. What are they? Well, hubstacks are cylindrical protrusions that come out of a yoyo's side. You can grab them and the yoyo won't stop spinning and you can hold it.
Another Yoyofactory innovation is Z-stacks. They are hubstacks x5. Basically, they are circular hubstacks that cover the whole yoyo side, allowing you to toss the yoyo up in the air and catch it. The only yoyos that have this are the Yoyofactory G5 and the Duncan MonMentuM. However, many yoyos have hubstacks.

Intermediate unresponsive yoyos







After your first unresponsive yoyo, what should you get? Well, here's your answer!

You're still probably going to want to stick with Yoyofactory and Yoyojam.
A good choice is the Yoyofactory Protostar. It is all plastic, but capable of playing with some of the best metal yoyos out there.
Another good choice would be a yoyo from the Yoyofactory Fundametal series, such as the Hectic or the Dv888. They are all metal.
Also, there are a lot of good Yoyojams, such as the Dark Magic. It is plastic with metal rims.
There also is the Yoyojam New Breed, which is basically a better and more rounded Dark Magic.
A final choice would be the Yoyojam Atmosphere. This is a great yoyo that is also plastic with metal rims.
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Advanced unresponsive yoyos coming soon!

Intermediate tricks #1

So, now that you have learned all the beginner tricks, it's time to learn some tricks to do with bearing yoyos.

1. Barrel Rolls- Start with a front mount, which means pull the string over your finger and into the groove and up. Then take the front string and pull it over your yoyo hand's index finger. Then push the front string under. Do this as many times as you want. To dismount, take the string off your finger and out of the groove. Pull the yoyo up.

2. Brain Twister- Start with a front mount, and then pull your yoyo finger against the string, pulling the string towards you. Flip it into one or more repetitions, and then flip it off into a loop the loop if you like.

3. Hop the Fence- Throw a sleeper. Then pull it up, but don't catch it. Flip it over your hand. Do this as many times as you want, and then pull it up and catch it.

4. Three Leaf Clover- Throw a loop the loop upward. Then when it comes back do a regular loop the loop. When that one comes back, do a very low loop, and then catch it.

5. Trapeze- This is the basis of all string tricks. Throw a breakaway. Then flip it over your non-yoyo hand's index finger and onto the string. To dismount, toss your hands up and slightly away from each other, causing the yoyo to come off the string and into your hand.

6. Split the Atom- Throw a sleeper. Then, pull the string over your yoyo hand index finger, and flip the yoyo over your non-yoyo hand's index finger onto the string. You are now in a split bottom mount. Then push the front string down. Then push the front string down again with your other index finger. Do this as many times as you want, and then flip the yoyo off the string. Pull it up to end the trick.

7. Mach 5- Do a split bottom mount. Then push the string forward with your yoyo hand's index finger like you were going to do a split the atom, but do it again. Now rotate your hands. It will look like the yoyo is floating on the strings. To dismount, straighten your hands out. You will be in a front mount. Dismount and pull up the yoyo.

Intermediate tricks #2 coming soon!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Smaller yoyo companies

There are many smaller yoyo companies, which usually make higher end metal yoyos. These are some of them.

1. Hspin- Hspin was founded in 1997 by Christopher Kayatz and based in Switzerland. It is completely non-profit, and makes high end metal and collectible yoyos.

2. SPYY- SPYY stands for Saturn Precision Yoyos. They are based in Canada and run by Steve Buffel. They make high end metal yoyos. The first consumer yoyo was made in 2005.

3. Caribou Lodge- Caribou Lodge is a high end yoyo company based in Canada and run by Chris Mikulin.

4. ILOVEYOYO- ILOVEYOYO was founded in 2006 by 2 students. Their first yoyo was not intended for public release, but in after positive feedback in 2007, they released a limited run of 60. They are nonprofit, mostly because of sponsoring players and events.

Beginning unresponsive yoyos


An unresponsive yoyo is a yoyo that does not come back up. This has many advantages for tricks. Here are some good beginning unresponsive yoyos to get.

You should probably start with a Yoyofactory or a Yoyojam. A good first yoyo is the Yoyofactory Pocket Change. It is made of plastic, and is completely unresponsive.

Another good choice would be the Yoyofactory Velocity. This has a switch that can turn it form responsive to unresponsive to a second. It is made of plastic as well.
Also, there is the Yoyojam Legacy. It is a plastic version of the famous Dark Magic. That is another good option.

Finally, there is the Yoyofactory Grind Machine. It is plastic and has hubstacks, which will get their own post.

Intermediate unresponsive guide coming soon!

Tricks- beginner

Here are some tricks you should learn before you get into bearing yoyos.

1. Sleeper- Hold the yoyo in your hand. Make a muscle, and throw the yoyo down. It will "sleep" at the end of the string. Give it a jerk to pull it back up.

2. Walk the Dog- Throw a sleeper. Then lower the yoyo to the ground and "walk the dog". Give it a quick jerk to get it back up.

3. Forward Pass- Hold the yoyo upside down. Then hold it back behind your waist. Throw it forward, releasing it when it passes your waist. It will go to the end of the string, and then bounce back to your hand when it hits the end.

4. Lariat- Hold the yoyo in your hand sideways. If you are righthanded, throw it to your right, and vice versa. It will spin on its side until you pull it back up. If you are right handed, the string will tighten, and vice versa.

5. Around the World- Throw a forward pass, except don't pull it back to your hand, let it continue going in a circle. When it finishes 1 or more circles, let it come back to your hand.

6. Elevator- Throw a hard sleeper. Then pull the string over your finger and put it into the groove of the yoyo. Then pull the yoyo up while it is still in the groove. Drop everything and pull the yoyo up.

7. Rock the Baby- Throw a hard sleeper. Then make a triangle by taking the string and pulling it over your hand and grabbing it. Then "rock the baby" through the triangle. Drop it and pull the yoyo up.

8. Breakaway- Hold the yoyo like you are going to throw a sleeper, but then put your hand to the side next to your shoulder. Throw the yoyo to the side, letting it continue around to your other shoulder. Then pull it back.

9. Jamaican Flag- This one is hard to explain, so just click on the link!

10. Eiffel Tower- Again, hard to explain, so just click the link.

11. Loop the Loop- Throw a forward pass, but when it comes back, make a motion like you are flicking dust off your shirt, and send the yoyo into 1 or more repetitions. When you are done, just jerk the yoyo back.

12. Warp Drive- Throw an around the world, but when it comes back, do a loop the loop. Do as many repetitions of this as you want, and then call the yoyo back.

Intermediate tricks #1 coming soon!

Friday, July 9, 2010

Yoyo companies

Yoyo companies. Well, there are many of them, some with over 100 designs. I will introduce you to some of the more well known ones.

1. Yomega- Yomega was founded in 1983, and in 1984 released the Yomega Brain. Its yoyos have led to many yoyoing booms, such as the yoyo craze of 1998. Yomega continues to make high quality responsive yoyos. They are based in Fall River, Massachusetts.

2. Yoyofactory- Yoyofactory was founded in 2001 by Benjamin McPhee and Hans Van Dan Elzen. They make high quality unresponsive* yoyos. One of their most famous innovations was F.A.S.T. or Fully Adjustable Starburst Technology. It makes use of teeth that allow you to change how responsive the yoyo is.

3. Yoyojam- Yoyojam was founded in 2000, and has made many different yoyos. They are known for making signature yoyos for members of their yoyo team and then selling them to the public. (I have one- the Eric Koloski signature New Breed). They are based in Palm Beach, Florida.

4. Duncan- Duncan is the world's most well known yoyo company and makes many yoyos. They have some high quality unresponsive yoyos, and sell the famed duncan freehand MG, which retails for $400!
*unresponsive means the yoyo does not come back up when you pull it. This is good for grinds, and tricks such as plastic whip and suicide.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Bearing Yoyos







WARNING- THIS GUIDE IS MEANT FOR YOYOERS WHO HAVE ALREADY USED CLUTCH AND TRANSAXLE YOYOS. DO NOT BUY A BEARING YOYO AS YOUR FIRST YOYO.

A bearing yoyo is what you should get after your transaxle. The bearing inside will usually be a ball bearing. A ball bearing is, as the picture shows, a round
piece of metal that looks kind of like a transaxle except that it has no groove. On the inside, it has small balls made of metal that spin around very fast. That is what makes a bearing yoyo spin so long.
Ball Bearing


So now you are probably wondering what kind of bearing yoyo to get. I would recommend the Yomega Raider. It is basically a Fireball with a bearing. It will spin for quite a bit longer than the Fireball, however. You could also get the Saber Raider, which has the "butterfly" or "winged" shape so it is easier to land the yoyo on the string, but is still a Raider. After your Raider then I would recommend a Hot Shot or an Xodus II. The Hot Shot is aluminum on the inside, then covered with plastic so it is super durable. The Xodus II is all plastic. I personally got the Hot Shot, but it's your decision. Finally, for your last responsive(which means the yoyo comes up when you pull it) yoyo, go with either the Maverick or the Dash. They are both the same except the Dash is a couple grams heavier and slightly wider. They are both aluminium, so be extra careful to not chip them.
Again, you can get all these yoyos at Yomega.

A guide to unresponsive yoyos coming soon!!!!!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Yoyoing- A beginner's guide



Hi! If you are visiting this blog you are probably a yoyoer. If not, here is a guide for beginning yoyoers. You will probably want to start with a Yomega yoyo, such as the powerbrain XP. It has what are called clutches, which make the yoyo come back up if you don't throw it hard enough. It also has a "smart switch", which can turn yoyo into a non-automatic if you use it. Another good option would be the basic Brain. It does not have a switch, so if you throw it lightly it will just pop back up, but if you throw it hard it will sleep for a bit, like the XP. Never buy a Duncan yoyo. They used to be good, but now they are just horribly made pieces of plastic. The Duncan Imperial is about as good as a penny tied to a string.

When you get a little better, then you'll want to start using what is called a transaxle. A good option would be the Yomega Fireball. It has a transaxle, which is a round piece of plastic with a groove in the middle for the string and a hole for the axle. A guide to bearing yoyos is coming soon!
You can get all these yoyos at Yomega.
Hey everyone! I am here to explain to you all I know about yo-yoing! Posts will be coming soon!!!