Having a tough time with a 4 beat wave....

I am really new to poi, (I'm a staffer) but have recently decided to pick up this habit to help feed my firepoi addiction. I figured out the butterfly and the weave pretty quick, and I can kinda do the weave (3 beat) behind my back for 4 or 5 rotations, but i have yet to learn how to do a couple of things, and this really bugs me.

the 2 things i have been working on are the 4 and 5 beat weaves, as well as smoothly bringing the poi to a point behind me where i can dive into the btb weave. I have hit myself in the face too many times to count, and I have permanent welts all over because i just can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. i've looked at the lessons and seen the videos, but they just don't helo, and i don't know any poiers up here, and would like to have a decent base to start with for when i hit up new zealand.

any advice?

To bring the poi behind you, you just break the weave, spin split-time for a while and then put your arms behind your back and the btb should start by itself, just don't think about it too much.; o)

The 4 bt, well just spin the weave and keep it on one side, don't transfer... Check how the poi go and then try to transfer so that you go left with the left hand and right with the right hand, as opposed to the 3 bt where you go with the opposite hand first... erm.. this is confusing, hope you'll find somebody who'll explain it better...

i'm gonna pass on giving any 4bt advice cos its hard to type out the wrist curl stuff but for smooth btb transfer, i say carries work well.

these are basically spread out circles.

easiest one imho for smooth transition to btb:

spin right poi backwards on your left hand side (arm crossed in front of your body).
as the poi passes your foot guide it across to your right hand side.
it needs to get there before it gets to the top of its circle because as it starts to swing downwards again, you are going to guide it to btb on your left hand side.

so you have spun one whole circle spread out so the poi goes:
past left foot (arm in front)
past right ear
past left foot (arm btb)

once this transition is smooth, you can use it out of any weave type motion to transition to btb or waistwrap positions in just one beat.

i'll try to help...
the four beat weave i learnt by just doing a normal weave & then adding an extra beat in on one side. The other side automatically gains an extra beat. practice adding the extra beat with both sides & then combine them to get the 5 beat!

and about the btb weaves... maybe you need some padding on your poi?
everyone hits themselves learning btb weave. i kept hitting one of my legs... stupid left hand not doing what it's supposed to do...
maybe try shortening your poi? then you won't hit yourself in the face.

Hope that helps a lil bit!

You're the second person in a week to call a weave a wave. The above advice is solid though. I learned it 'in time' before splitting it to 'follow time'... but that's just me.

I think it was two weeks ago, actually.

for the 4 beat, i did the 3 beat and swung the poi an extra half beat around, and had to do like an under the other poi-type thing going on, very confusing, but i think if i continue to work on it, it might develop into a 4 beat. is this right? i do:
with my right hand over the left, (left side)bring the left poi down and around and turn so left hand is over the right, (left side) swing right poi down and up while bringing left poi to right side and keep right poi on left side to finish the swing, then bring it over to the right. is this right? cuz this is what i did