Hello everybody, I always wanted to juggle, but I never could . So I'm asking jugglers if there is anything that helped them out when they began juggling? Help is wanted. Thanks!

Start simple. Here are some tips that helped me:

Use something with a bit of weight to it. Tennis balls are very hard to learn with. Bean Bags are ideal. The Klutz book comes with a great set.
Practice over a bed so you don't wear yourself out picking up things.
Have good lighting, no distracting patterns in your field of vision
Face a wall so bad throws deflect back down to your hands
Arms at sides, hands straight out at waist level.
Don't throw any higher than eye level
Stare straight ahead, using peripheral vision
Start with one ball (bag) and toss a smooth arc (no higher than eye level, remember?) and catch with other hand. Practice equally with both hands until you don't even have to think about where it will land.
If you want to try three, hold one on one hand, two in the other and again, just throw one(with the two ball hand) and catch with the other.
Eventually work up to tossing two, one right after the other. Switch sides and throw the same two toss pattern starting with the other hand.

Once you get the feel of throwing and catching, just do exactly the same thing, two ball toss, first with one hand and then the other.

This whole procedure can be done with a weekend of constant effort.

Congratulations! You're juggling!

Thanks a lot DaveV, you've become one of my respected penguiners!

I'm honored

There is a klutz book that is REALLY helpful. I think it's called Juggling for the Complete Klutz. This is how I learned.

DaveV gave a lot of good information. Just one extra thing, if you don't seem like you're getting it, that's alright. Either you will learn quickly, or you will learn slow. But don't let that put you off. Take a rest, and pick it up again. When I started learning, I would listen to music as it would let me kind of zone out and just think about juggling.

Just one last point, many people seem to get better after they have slept. I can't remember why this is, but if you practice during the day, and then practice just a little more a little while before going to bed, it's been shown that once you wake up, you have actually improved. I really didn't believe this at first, but every source that I learned from, said the same thing. And it seems to work.

Have fun with it though, and take DaveV's advice.

If you don't have the Klutz book. Get it! Pretty much all I said was written there.

You can find a nice video tutorial to compliment the above advice here: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-juggle-3-balls

Also, juggling balls = good.

I had the misfortune (or stupidity) or learning with the first balls I could lay my hands on...which happened to be the billiard balls from my pool table. Needless to say, several things in my basement have small round dents in them

Thanks Trestkon!

Ok, It's hard to explain, but if you know the pattern that the objects must go in, but can't seem to get it, try laying the objects out on the floor. This is a lot easier with a small ball (golf balls work well). Then, simply roll the balls in the pattern that you know they need to go in. This is how I learned.


One thing though. I have three down to a science. Now, I'm looking to expand to four. I've tried my above method to visualise the pattern, but I can't seem to understand the pattern that the balls need to move in to get an effective juggle. Any help is greatly appreciated.

you probably know how to juggle two balls with one hand right? If you have got that down then just juggle two balls in each hand. None of the balls EVER should switch hands.

I personally think it looks more impressive to delay the timing on one of the hands.

The second version is alot easier if you have smaller balls. Mine are quite large, making it difficult.

Besides from the Klutz book, where can I purchase quality sand-filled balls made for beginners?

My two local magic shops both sell quality suede (sp?) balls for about four bucks each. Try checking out yours. Also, a lot of book stores have them. But I would suggest getting the Klutz book. It comes with bean bags and a book.