The ever popular "Today I..." thread

[The Void]

"Under stilts"? Do you mean Axe/まさかり[1]? Dave's got that one, but I just fail horribly at it. If not that, what do you mean?

"Stabbing Bird" I think I understand, although I may have called it "Scoop Bird", but hey. Don't think I've seen that one before. Neat.

Batdancer, it's all about consistency. Keep it up, you should be able to get 1 in 2 soon. Kettle it!

Sara grip Birds - I don't think I've ever tried them. "Why are they so hard?" - 'Cos there's an easier way! :-)

1.	http://www19.atwiki.jp/shakemid/pages/332.html

[grotesquecub]

Today i...just got back from work and went for it, landing:

aeroplane -> jumping stick -> rotorblade -> 720 rotorblade!

Many people prefer a relaxing bath. Give me another trick 

[The Void]

Today I hit Gunslinger->Base Cup, Gunslinger->Base Cup, Spike.

I'm told it's "one of the hardest tricks in Japan". Not that I'm anywhere near consistent.

[LarsVegas]

... caught "Thumb Trap" for the first time - three times. I'm heavily practicing the Czech Kendama Open trick ladder. Yet, I find it very difficult after #5.

I keep on trying, there's still some time left.

lars

[MasterKatra42]

Yes, the Axe trick was what I did.  Got another two today in less time than it took me for the first one.

Also, is there a name for a furiken, but instead of catching the dama on the ken, you throw the ken and catch in todai?  I've been doing a lot of throwing tricks with the ken and was wondering what the official terminology is for that genre of tricks.

[BatDancer]

Are you talking about Swing to Lighthouse (ikkaiten toudai)?

If you look at http://www.kendama.co.uk/100tricks.html and search for 'toudai' you'll find some interesting trick names!!

[MasterKatra42]

Not a swing to lighthouse, you swing the ball, flip the ken once, catch the ball and then catch the ken in lighthouse.

[BatDancer]

Suicide/Spacewalk Lighthouse?

Can you post a video

[Toby]

I reckon maybe fast hand lighthouse?

[The Void]

I know the kind of tricks that you mean, Joe. They have started to appear as gnarly tricks on the more recent 'hardcore' videos that are coming out. (An example escapes me right now.)

"Fast hand" tricks mean (to my mind, at least) that you switch which bit of the kendama you are holding on to just before the trick is completed. Thus "fast hand base cup" ends the same as base cup, but begins with the hand holding the ball and not the ken.

I don't think the tricks in question are "fast hand", since there is the additional factor of a throw, rather than just a release & change of hand position. I don't know what they're called, or if anyone Japanese or otherwise has already christened them, but how about a working title of "fast throw (lighthouse/whatever)"? It at least distinguishes them from other tricks, and gives you a chance to work out what the trick is from the name.

So, let's test that theory. I'm thinking of a trick, which I'm calling "Fast Throw Base Cup". What do you cats think I mean?

[LarsVegas]

... managed to do three CKO tricks for the very first time - however with no chance to repeat in a controlled way:

• Bat
• Big cup to small cup (with flip)
• Reverse swing in

Tap Back is getting more consistent now ...

It feels so great if some trick works for the first time 

[Cand1ez]

cycling thru aeroplane, lunar and lighthouse.
lighthouse to lunar proving the most difficult for me.

[MasterKatra42]

So, let's test that theory. I'm thinking of a trick, which I'm calling "Fast Throw Base Cup". What do you cats think I mean?

Start holding the ball, some type of pull or swing up, toss the ball, catch ken, catch in base cup.  That's what I recon you mean.

Either way, they're all cool tricks.  I've really been getting into them recently.  Do you think there's a difference between that and throwing the kendama from a static position?  For instance, I just pulled to big cup, now I'm going to throw the whole kendama, catch the ball, the ken will rotate, and will land in lighthouse.  Same, or different than your above mentioned example?

[The Void]

@Lars: Yes, I think that Thumb Trap will probably catch out quite a few people at CKO. But then if they (you) start practising it regularly now, then maybe not.

So, let's test that theory. I'm thinking of a trick, which I'm calling "Fast Throw Base Cup". What do you cats think I mean?

Start holding the ball, some type of pull or swing up, toss the ball, catch ken, catch in base cup.  That's what I recon you mean.

Yes. I was thinking of a start as per Aeroplane, throwing the ball just as the ken peaks, and then catching the ken, and the ball in the base cup.

Either way, they're all cool tricks.  I've really been getting into them recently.  Do you think there's a difference between that and throwing the kendama from a static position?  For instance, I just pulled to big cup, now I'm going to throw the whole kendama, catch the ball, the ken will rotate, and will land in lighthouse.  Same, or different than your above mentioned example?

I'd say there was a difference, yes, as a Fast Throw happens during the middle of a trick (ie whilst things are moving through the air), but the example you describe (and many many other possibilities) are transitions from what Hans was calling "Pauses" (ie static positions, whether that be a cup or spike catch, or a balance such as lighthouse or bird). So for your example I'd just call it "Big Cup to 1-Turn Lighthouse"[1]. It gives a clear description of what the trick is. If you were to give a name to that trick, then that opens up the possibilites of naming pretty much every transition trick possible, which would (IMHO) potentially get very confusing very quickly.

1.	I'm assuming you mean that the ken would rotate 450˚. If you just meant a 90˚ turn, then "Big Cup to Lighthouse" would cover it.

[AlexSmith]

Hmm I like the thumb catch as a trick in a competition. We always try to keep our trick ladders fairly diverse, might have to include that one for our next competition