1) First, firmly rub your thumb against the edge of the big cup that you will be catching. I find it helps with the grip.
2) Launch the ken straight up, and bring the ball to about 1-2 cm from the big cup. Then use your thumb to pull the ken/big cup towards the ball for the final trap.
See the [noembed]EKO 2012 Advanced video[/noembed] (http://juggling.tv/11705) (trick #4) if you're unfamiliar with the trick.
I've come to really like this trick since it was put on the BKO list. I find its important to trap with as much of the thumb as you can because if you just use the tip the ken seems to spring off.
It's great as well if you can get the angle right and hide your hand from an audience member behind the ball and quickly flip it in so it looks like it breifly magically stuck to the ball (this has only worked once to a cry of "how did you do that?!?!" from my flatmate)
Also I just tried some variations which include:
Thumb trap -> somersault -> thumbtrap (also half somesault to small cup thumb trap (spike down)) (jumping thumb?)
Thumb trap -> tornado -> thumbtrap (also half tornado -> small cup thumbtrap)
Thumbtrap (horizontally) -> UFO -> thumbtrap (horizontally)
Thumbtrap -> little wrist flick not letting go -> Lunar
Another use for the thumb is a tricky balance trick I'm choosing to call "Hitchhiker"[nb]The name came first and apologies if this has already been done and named by someone else but I'm not aware of it[/nb] which is a lighthouse balance on the end of your outstretched thumb.
*thumbs up!*
Sam: Thumb trap variations video! The world[nb]Well, the forum...[nb]Come on people, back me up here![/nb][/nb] demands it!
Hitchhiker sounds good. I've seen/done it on index fingertip, and palm (that's really hard!), but not on the thumb. Presumably it has to be done with the right gesture and patiently hopeful expression? 8)
There's a very cool variation of Thumb trap in this Edit called "The Vacuum Machine".
Kendama Bitter Beans Vol.2 (http://vimeo.com/19839023)
Look at 1'18"
Quote from: The Void on 01 March, 2012, 17:11:55
Sam: Thumb trap variations video! The world demands it!
You asked, I delivered[nb]If youtube plays nicely...[/nb]:
http://youtu.be/28ZoVGCMR2A (http://youtu.be/28ZoVGCMR2A)
This is the best I could do in the 20 minutes I had in the train vestibule this evening. Sadly I just couldn't land a jumping thumb or spike any of the longer hitchhiker balances so they can wait for when I finally make a video longer than one minute.
Enjoy!
Oh and I absolutely love that Bitter Beans video. I'm definitely going to give the washing machine a go.
What I find awkward is the grip on the ball, I find myself touching the ken with the index finger straight after the Thumb traps it, and I believe that is not allowed, or is it?
Another question: how horizontal needs the ken to be to consider it valid? I do a lot of horrible catches in something like 45 degrees inclination.
I'll check out the tips, but I think I was doing that by instinct.
About the videos, the first one is plain crazy, I love Lunar monkey.
The other variations of Thumb trap are quite nice, the hitchhiker is amazing, now if instead of that finishing you do a lunar, you can have "hitchhiker guide to the galaxy" :-P
Yeah, the ken should not touch any other finger, only the thumb. Here's a pic of the grip I use, from above:
(http://kendama.co.uk/images/ThumbTrapGrip.jpg)
I think it's probably okay to *catch* the ken with the sara-do not horizontal (Let's say 45˚ leeway), as long as you then immediately turn it to horizontal and hold it there for 3 seconds. (Check out Sam's catch at about 30seconds in the vid)
Sam, the video is ace. Thank you! I love that you practice on the train. The Hitchhiker is cool!
The hitchhiker was dope dude! I'm going to have to learn these tricks now, they're so cheeky 8)
-Curtis
Thanks for the photo Void, I will try that grip, if you grab it like a normal ball grip (i.e. aeroplane / lighthouse) I always had the problem with the index, and then I got a very awkward grip to avoid it, this one seems better.
I'll let you know how it works.