June 16, 2025 at 06:30 PM EST
Fragments of personal notes on complex juggling tricks.
Personal Juggling Tips
Heads up
The juggling tricks discussed here are mainly for toss juggling. Like any other form of art, juggling is incredibly vast in its props and styles. I’d also add that the coolest part is how accessible it is — you can do it anywhere, anytime, and at any age. It’s also genuinely appreciated — I’ve never encountered someone look at me with disdain while I was practicing. That’s a relief.
Mindset
Whatever trick you’re practicing, trust that you’ll get it one day. But that outcome isn’t what matters most. Instead, focus on applying solid methodology consistently. Try to be honest with yourself. In my case, I feel like I don’t record enough footage to analyze myself — either because I forget or just want to jump straight into action. But honestly, the smarter choice would be to slow down and pull out my phone camera.
General Tips
- Decrease the complexity of a move if you’re struggling with it.
- Restrict some of your practice time to your non-dominant hand.
- Intentionally miss the pattern to see where your props are dropping. Intentionally making a mistake is great for any activity you do — it keeps your ego in check.
- Go for either controlled runs or do as many runs as you can. You have to use your judgement 1. in knowing the timing to do so.
- Change your point of focus: focus on your arms, focus on your fingers.
- Try to go faster or slower than usual.
- Film yourself, you’re not immune to mistakes.
- Watch good tutorials.
- Make it fun.
When you practice, it’s unrealistic to load all these questions in your mind at once. Pick none, one or a few to answer in your practice sessions. Sometimes, you just want to juggle without any intention of improving. Trust your judgement.
Balls
4 Ball Mills Mess
Try: 3, 441 and 531 Mills Mess.
- By filming, I can see that I release the ball too early from under the shoulder so my throws look static and choppy.
- My arms also look like bricks which means I have to loosen them up.
- The cross throws to the opposite hand don’t travel horizontally enough. This means I have to practice clean cross throws in a simple 3 ball Mills Mess.
- It’s important to keep your elbows close to your chest. When doing the trick, your arms will naturally feel tired from being crossed together, and that leads to missed throws.
6 Ball Fountain
Try: 3-in-1 with the non-dominant hand.
- Try keeping your elbows glued to your ribs. Elbows too far apart will tire you out.
- Wrists towards your face if the balls are dropping far away from you.
- Keep your arms tight and closer than you would expect.
- Drawing circles with the rotation of the elbows.
- 3 in 1 with a pulling motion inward.
- Watch out for inconsistent heights and orbits between each hand.
7 Ball Cascade
Try: 4 Ball Snake
- What’s your initial position looking like? Are your arms low and wrists relaxed?
- Are you throwing your balls too low?
- Are you rushing to throw the balls?
- What ball(s) is giving you trouble?
- Don’t be afraid to throw faster than you can.
- Throw high with more horizontal spread.
- Try to maintain uniformity in the ball heights.
- Don’t think of it as juggling 7 balls. Try to think of it as 5 balls, plus 2.
- Relax while throwing. Every ball should be thrown comfortably, with consistent force.
- Lower your arms if you’re starting too high. Starting too high gives you less momentum when throwing.
- Make sure the balls are drawing similar orbits in the air.
Remember that you lose accuracy from throwing higher. This breaks your form and makes you rush the pattern. It’s okay to drop your props, breathe a bit, and do it again.
Clubs
5 Clubs
Try: 4 club half-shower, 55050, 55500.
- Focus on the uniformity of spins.
- Throw higher than you think you need to.
- Throw close to your body to avoid tiring your arms.
- Add triple spins in your 4 club patterns.
Resources
Footnotes
- judgement in U.K English and judgment in U.S. English. The first one looks much better. Similar to colour and color.