3D help!

[Pipspin]

Hi I've been trying to learn 3D for about 5 weeks (an hour a day) and I've probably max.4 rotations which is just so depressingly crap.
My questions are:
1) Is speed really important?? Can I get enough speed by doing speed wraps every third orbit or should I do continuous speed pulls (I can do them but they tend to tilt the diabolos and I'm assuming that having alignment is more important than speed right now)
2) How do I 'hover' the third in? Like how do you even do 2-in-one-hand while the third is being pulled- should I be concentrating on the one being pulled, or the two going round in the string??

Any advice is appreciated!!!

[Ronnie]

Can I get enough speed by doing speed wraps every third orbit or should I do continuous speed pulls

At this point you shouldn't be considering speed pulls at all, all they will do is distract you from the shuffle. Learn the shuffle consistently for many many catches and only then will speeding the diabolos up make a difference. The hover is really useful here because I understand that with the wrap start you may not be able to get enough speed (as well as consistency in the opening) but the hover will solve this problem instantly

How do I 'hover' the third in?

If I were in your place I'd try wrapping the 3rd diabolo like a lot of people do with the 4 diabolo hover. Hold the diabolo in your hand and make the wrap and don't release the diabolo immediately. Rather, hold it in the wrap and keep the shuffle with 2 going to get used to feeling like the extra weight your right hand has to deal with, and after that you should release the 3rd diabolo. The basic feeling is that you push down with the 3rd diabolo at the time you push up with the other hand to lift the second diabolo up in the mini shuffle. You pull the diabolo in the hover until t one of the diabolos in the hover is at its peak height and then lower your stick to catch it. Hopefully these instructions are clear however even without them it's something you will develop soon enough, just keep at it and stay calm. Seriously, stay calm, the hover is just as slow as the 2D shuffle would usually be, you've just got another one 'stuck' to one of your sticks. Good luck! 

[Pipspin]

Thank you Ronnie, a very helpful description! But now my next question is how to do 2 in one hand?? I dont move my left hand, I just keep it still. Should I be bouncing it up and down?

[7531]

I learnt 3dlow with trapeze start. Maybe you can try it.
The important thing is to get the rhythm, after you can practice other starts. Goog luck and be patient!

[Wis]

You can do the shuffle of 2d in one hand either way, moving the holding hand, or not moving it.

I do it without moving the holding hand, then:
- the shuffle last shorter
- I believe it is harder to feel the timing on the right hand to start the hover and for the opening.

But is is possible. So I would try moving the holding hand and if you desperate just try without moving it, and fast enough diabolos.

PS: If you can try to get together with people that can do 3D low, I believe it helps quite a lot

PS2: I am VERY happy that you posted this kind of thread asking technical things, I would like to have more in the future

[Chloé F.]

I agree with Wis, the best thing is to actually meet 3d players in real life, it does help an enormous lot!
If you can’t, maybe you can try and find your own preferred way to start the shuffle (wrap, no wrap, hover,... there are numerous ways) by watching 3 low entry videos and try things out by yourself.

One video which really helped me understand things at first was Austin Bruckner’s tutorial :

He explains how not to make the most common mistakes. Now don’t get too frustrated if 3 low takes you  a long time, for me it took more than 3 years. However this isn’t the case with everybody, but it probably will take several months and you might not always witness any progress for a while.

But don’t get discouraged, I have to say 3 low is worth the effort!!
Good luck with it all!

[nickbonnes]

Agree with Wis and Chloe, maybe you could take a clip and show your progress. 3 low is ****in hard to learn and it takes his wear and tear. But its worth! Maybe you could try 3 high first. Takes alot less progress and its easier to learn 3 low (high to low)

[Pipspin]

So a quick update 1 month later (now onto month 3)- I've mastered the unwrap!! I can (almost every time) 'pop' the diabolos to split them and get the  'triangle' with the 3. However I can't keep them going. They just bounce off the string and I'm trying to work out how to move my hands to keep them going. I either need to 'push' them round with my right hand, or 'pop' them with my left hand. But I haven't got it... yet...