Getting very frustrated.(with 2d)

[ne00xide]

Well first off let me introduce myself. My name is Frank Switalski from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. I've just recently gotten back into Diabolo after seeing people juggling at college. When I say getting back into it I only mean I did it for a month or so before about a year ago. My biggest problem is I am getting so frustrated with two diabolos. I can't do more than shuffle them for a few moments. I understand I've only been at this a few months. Everytime I start it, I try to correct, it falls, I try again... Only to the same fate. Could my equipment have something to do with it. I'm using two 4" Harlequins and a pair of very ordinary wooden sticks.  Also, could string length play a part in this at all? I plan on getting some fiberglass short sticks and two Henrys Circus diabolos. Another thing is my string gets very dirty and old very quick. Could this also have much to do with the lack of consistancies? I would appriciate any comments.

Thanks,
Frank

[lemony]

I'm afraid to say that most people seem to find learning to shuffle Very frustrating... it's just not an easy thing to learn.

Your equipment sounds fine to me but if you're after more information about what's good for 2D stuff then the kit sticky at the top of the forum has a great discussion of just this. One important tip i had at first was that a slightly shorter string than you'd usually use is helpful; i used one that reached from the ground to just above my belly button at first.

The difficulty might also be to do with how you're starting the shuffle. If you've been trying with a throw start then i'd suggest trying a wrap, some people just find one more natural.

There's a huge amount of info in the thread Starting and correcting 2 diabolos which might help you and i've also learned a lot from barnesy's site. You must remember though that the key is probably going to be patience, you'll find you get smoother and can hold the shuffle for longer with the diabolos spinning faster and more evenly and then you can really start correcting and pulling tricks. When you get it, it feels great!

(then you'll find yourself in the position where i am now, where the shuffle seems easy enough but the tricks mostly evade you   )

[ne00xide]

Yea, I've been able to hold it longer and longer each day, now I'm trying simple tricks like a trapeze on the right or left side. I've also noticed I'm fixing it a little more and more each day, I do think that new sticks would help. I'd like to use the method where you push the diabolo on the center part with the stick. Smaller width sticks seem to be used for this.

Thanks for the info.

[kragen]

2 diabolo can be very fustrating to learn - it took me a good 2-3 weeks to get a solid shuffle, I had being diaboloing for about a year by that point. Dont get discouraged - just keep at it and you will get it

[jw]

Id say use the wrap start. I had tried with the throw start for like a week and couldnt even get a few orbits. Then I read on the internet about the wrapstart and could do the shuffle in like 2 days (not good ofcourse, and without correcting but at least I could see some serious improvement). Good luck with it.

[ne00xide]

I've tried the wrap start and find it much harder than just tossing it in with my right hand. I can get it going for like 1 or 2 minutes but my problem is I don't hold the sticks in alignment so they both start going sideways... Any easier way not to do that?

- Frank -

[seán_]

hold sticks slightly shorter helped me, holding left one pointing in line with the string helped with alignment as well and keeping hands closer together. If you have a 2 minute shuffle its just down to putting the time in. lots of advice in the 2 diabolo threads have a look through them

[kragen]

What do you mean - out of alignment? if your diabolo are going out of line with the string then how are you holding your handsticks?

I hold mine with the right handstick as normal (perpendicular to the string), but the left handstick I keep parallel to the string / shuffle and pointed slightly downwards into the shuffle. I find that this helps to keep the whole thing in line (probably something to do with not being able to judge the distance to the end of the handstick so theyre not in line all of the time).

If the shuffle is going for as long as a miniute or even 2 then you probably just need to learn to correct.