Supplies:

3 tennis ball sized objects (preferably heavier than tennis balls)
See Making Juggling Balls

[Pictures and animations created with the help of: JugglingLab software]

Before you begin

Hang your arms straight down, and then bend at the elbow until your forearms are pointing straight out in front of you and your hands palms up. This is the starting position. Imagine a blue rectangle in front of you. (Ok, you can imagine any color you like, but I'm imagining blue.) Your hands should be at the bottom corners. The top corners should be just above the height of your head.

1 ball.

Place 1 ball in 1 hand. With a slight scoop, release the ball when your hand reaches the bottom of the rectangle. Aim for the opposite upper corner of the rectangle. The ball should peak at the opposite upper corner of the rectangle. Now the ball should be in the opposite hand. If done correctly, the catching hand should move very little. Repeat the above procedures with the hand that now has the ball.

[Your throws should be as high as the diagram on the left. When you get good, it will look like the animation on the right.]

Tips:

• Work on both hands equally; both hands need to be able to make the throw and the catch easily.
• Keep feet in one spot. Do not step forward or reach for the ball. It’s not a proper throw if you need to move.

Challenge:

• 10 clean catches in a row with each hand.
  [No drops. No stepping forward. No reaches.]

2 balls.

Place 1 ball in each hand. Arms and hands should be in the starting position. Begin just as you would with 1 ball, however, when the first ball reaches its peak, you need to make room for it in the catching hand. So, make the proper throw with the second ball. If you say out loud on an even beat, “Throw, Throw, Catch, Catch,” and you make the throws and the catches at the same time as you say the words, you have the correct timing. This is a set. Practice one set of right-hand throw, left-hand throw then the next set of left-hand throw, right-hand throw. Repeat.

[Again, your throws should be as high as the diagram on the left. When you get good, it will look like the animation on the right.]

Tips:

• Work on both hands equally by beginning each set with the other hand.
• Keep timing to an even beat. Not “Throw, Throw…[pause], Catch, Catch.”
• Throw both balls. Do not pass the second ball directly to the opposite hand.
• Keep feet in one spot. Do not step forward or reach for the ball. It’s not a proper throw if you need to move.

Challenge:

• 10 clean catches in a row with each hand.
  [No drops. No stepping forward. No reaches.]

3 balls.

Place 1 ball in one hand and 2 balls in the other hand. In the hand with 2 balls place one ball in the palm of the hand and hold with the pinkie and ring fingers. Hold the other ball with the middle and pointer fingers and the thumb. Arms and hands should be in the starting position. Always begin with the hand that has the 2 balls. It doesn’t matter which hand that is as long as it has the 2 balls.

Throw the ball that is being held by the middle and pointer fingers and the thumb first. Then, just as you did with 2 balls, throw the second ball from the opposite hand. When the second ball reaches its peak, you need to make room for it in the catching hand. So, make the proper throw with the third ball. All throws should be even in height and timing.

If you keep going, you should be alternating throws between right-hand and left-hand. If you say out loud on an even beat, “right-hand, left-hand, right-hand, left-hand, right-hand, left-hand,” and you make the throws and the catches at the same time as you say the words, you have the correct timing.

[Once again, blah blah the diagram on the left. When you get good, blah blah the animation on the right.]

Tips:

• At this point, you have no choice but to work both hands equally.
• Keep timing to an even beat. Right-hand, left-hand, right-hand, left-hand… Not “Throw, Throw, Throw, Catch, Catch, Catch.”
• Throw all of the balls. Do not pass any directly to the opposite hand.
• Keep feet in one spot. Do not step forward or reach for the ball. It’s not a proper throw if you need to move.

Challenge:

• 10 clean catches in a row with each hand.
  [No drops. No stepping forward. No reaches.]

More Challenges

• 20 clean catches in a row with each hand.
  [No drops. No stepping forward. No reaches.]
• 30 clean catches in a row with each hand.
  [No drops. No stepping forward. No reaches.]
• 40 clean catches in a row with each hand.
  [No drops. No stepping forward. No reaches.]
• 50 clean catches in a row with each hand.
  [No drops. No stepping forward. No reaches.]
• Challenge yourself to get as many clean catches as you can get. Work on good even throws and good even timing. Your goal should be to achieve a Personal World Record (PWR) every time.