Musings of a staff newbie

I picked up the staff a while back, practiced, and quit after a couple weeks. I decided I really wanted to learn it, so I've been practicing more intently lately and really enjoying it. Although staff is coming to me more slowly than poi did, it is coming--the motions are embedding themselves in my muscles and I can see how to put moves together, sorta.

I've noticed that staff weight makes a huge difference. My first staff was one of the 3-piece staves sold through this site, which I've decided was too light for me. I made a wooden staff that has a lot more momentum in it, and I'm happier.

One weird thing I've noticed is that I seem to be better with my right hand, even though I'm a leftie. Not sure why--I think maybe I'm instinctively guarding my good hand from getting tweaked on catches or wrist-twisty moves. It took me about a week longer to smoothly do the forward shoulder-roll (as Bec & Elke call it) with my left hand than it did with my right. Anyone else notice this?

Still haven't had my first burn (give me another week or two) but I'm already thinking about working with short doubles...

Adam,
That is most unusual to pick things up with your "weaker" hand quicker than your dominant. I am a rightie and so was able to go pretty smoothely with my right with a minimal practice. As with most things, my left is taking some training.

When I first began on staff, I *only* did staff for a few weeks. The moves were automatic and flowed pretty nicely, but I when I picked up my poi again, I tried to move my wrists as I do with staff subconciously, and it was rather humorous. I have learned I have to balance between the two to keep from my body memory setting tightly to one or the other.

The other thing I have noticed, for me personally, is that if I walk away from poi for a week or two, when I come back I have new moves that appear and things seem to resume where I left off, or be better. Not so with staff. It takes a more concentrated effort on my part and therefore, I "lose" the movements faster than with poi. When I pick up the staff after putting it down for a couple weeks, I have to go over the basics again for a short bit to get the flow back before I can move on to something new.

------------------
Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...

http://www.pyromorph.com

Hi Adam, yes I've noticed that I pick up some things quicker, or can do some moves better with my left (non-dominant) hand.

I thought about it for a while, but I never came up with an adequate explanation. Now, I just accept that sometimes my left can teach my right.

I started with staff, but i'm really enjoying Poi at the moment. I like the feel of a wood staff, but many people go for aluminium.

The best hint I can give regarding staff is to learn to do the rotor properly. Cheers

yeah ive found that if i have a break from the poi for a while and keep on practising my martial arts, then i can usually do at least a few things a bit better!
weird tho....
ive noticed too that sometimes the old left hand has a mind of its own (im a righty) and does things of its own accord which i can then translate to the right, usually it's too busy hitting me to worry about new moves though

hmm, quite funny pele that poi hinders your progress in staff, its quite the oppostie with me...

i actually started twirling with staff and did so for about a month and made very little progress...

i took up poi and did that for about 6 months becoming a decent twirler...

picked up my staffs again, and found to my amazement, i was actually fluid and smooth, and could transition between moves, the weaves in poi helped greatly with figure eights and turning to rortos, and thus allowed me to move a lot more with my staffs, and thus openeing whole new doors for me for staff twirling...

now i practice both each about the same amount each day...