Forums > Social Chat > Downtime (What to do when you hit a plateau in practice)
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43 posts
43 posts
Posted:
I'm a juggler and a poi spinner, and I spend about four hours three times a week practicing. Since I have a really awful school schedule and I'm also a musician, I sometimes find it hard to always have things to practice, and oftentimes I find myself feeling disappointed if I haven't really worked on much in a while.
I'm sure that everyone gets this, I'm just wondering what everyone else does to conquer downtime.
Personally, for example, I've made lists of tricks that I want to work on from videos and stuff, so I don't run out of things that I want to do. I've also built new toys if I get stuck, or just work on technique or doing stuff with partners and jazz like that.
I'm a juggler and a poi spinner, and I spend about four hours three times a week practicing. Since I have a really awful school schedule and I'm also a musician, I sometimes find it hard to always have things to practice, and oftentimes I find myself feeling disappointed if I haven't really worked on much in a while.
I'm sure that everyone gets this, I'm just wondering what everyone else does to conquer downtime.
Personally, for example, I've made lists of tricks that I want to work on from videos and stuff, so I don't run out of things that I want to do. I've also built new toys if I get stuck, or just work on technique or doing stuff with partners and jazz like that.
BRONZE Member
1 + 1 = 3
3,540 posts
Location: Bristol UK
1 + 1 = 3
3,540 posts
Location: Bristol UK
Posted:
When I hit a plateau on a learning curve, I do a couple of things.
Try a different prop. when you're stuck on poi, try staff etc.
Go dance. If i've reached a plateau, I'll go clubbing. It helps remind me why I enjoy spinning or whatever it is I take with me so much.
Teach others. There's no feeling better than when you get someone else to do something they've been trying for ages!
hope that little list helps...
When I hit a plateau on a learning curve, I do a couple of things.
Try a different prop. when you're stuck on poi, try staff etc.
Go dance. If i've reached a plateau, I'll go clubbing. It helps remind me why I enjoy spinning or whatever it is I take with me so much.
Teach others. There's no feeling better than when you get someone else to do something they've been trying for ages!
hope that little list helps...
Empty your mind. Be formless, Shapeless, like Water.
Put Water into a cup, it becomes the cup, put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, put water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot.
Water can flow, or it can Crash.
Be Water My Friend.
GOLD Member
master of disaster
3,354 posts
Location: New York, USA
master of disaster
3,354 posts
Location: New York, USA
Posted:
teaching others is a great way to go. Not only does it give you a chance to improve your skills, but the person you're teaching will more than likely spark some new ideas with questions like..what if you did ___.
another prop is also a good way to go.
and maybe some people will have issues with this, but....practicing less. If you spend more time trying ot figure something out in your head and not doing it so much, it gives you a greater sense of accomplishment
Spinning with other people, especially those with different styles is a good way to go.
teaching others is a great way to go. Not only does it give you a chance to improve your skills, but the person you're teaching will more than likely spark some new ideas with questions like..what if you did ___.
another prop is also a good way to go.
and maybe some people will have issues with this, but....practicing less. If you spend more time trying ot figure something out in your head and not doing it so much, it gives you a greater sense of accomplishment
Spinning with other people, especially those with different styles is a good way to go. kyrian: I've felt your finger connect with me many times
lou kitten: sneaky little meatball..
ezz: please corrupt me more
SILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia
Posted:
i never seem to have that problem as i dont practice anything as much as i *should*, which also means if i ever do practice i have plenty of things to do!
i never seem to have that problem as i dont practice anything as much as i *should*, which also means if i ever do practice i have plenty of things to do!
"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"
jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley
SILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales
Posted:
"I sometimes find it hard to always have things to practice"
You shoudlnt feel as if you need to practise spinning. This may lead to you resenting it, and thus not enjoying it.
Try doing nothing for a while.
Its nice
*lays down and does nothing for a few hours*
"I sometimes find it hard to always have things to practice"
You shoudlnt feel as if you need to practise spinning. This may lead to you resenting it, and thus not enjoying it.
Try doing nothing for a while.
Its nice
*lays down and does nothing for a few hours*
SILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia
Posted:
play CoD2 online!
play CoD2 online!
"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"
jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley
addict
663 posts
Location: Glasgow
663 posts
Location: Glasgow
Posted:
If I get stuck with poi or staff I mess about with some of the basic moves and find new variations in them that I didn't know about before. I can spend hours just spinning butterfly and weaves thinking about what would happen if I put my hands in different places and how that would look. I figured out butterfly weaves and some of the contact poi stuff that way.
I also play guitar, that seems to help relax me enough to spin and hit myself a thousand times more.
Or I play Homeworld 2 lots and watch Lost, Brass Eye and The Day Today.
If I get stuck with poi or staff I mess about with some of the basic moves and find new variations in them that I didn't know about before. I can spend hours just spinning butterfly and weaves thinking about what would happen if I put my hands in different places and how that would look. I figured out butterfly weaves and some of the contact poi stuff that way.
I also play guitar, that seems to help relax me enough to spin and hit myself a thousand times more.
Or I play Homeworld 2 lots and watch Lost, Brass Eye and The Day Today.
Have faith in what you can do and respect for what you can't
Stalking amidst the desert, carrying an oversized scalpel...
1,019 posts
Location: Huddersfield + Hull Uni... UK.
1,019 posts
Location: Huddersfield + Hull Uni... UK.
Posted:
In juggling, I move onto a different prop.
In juggling, I move onto a different prop.
Willy - is bad for your health...
Stargazer
6,650 posts
6,650 posts
Posted:
try
ion ?
try
ion ? the best smiles are the ones you lead to 
member
43 posts
43 posts
Posted:
Haha. Lots of "Lost" going on here lately, don't you worry. I've also been henna'd a whole lot, and doing school crap.
I've been trying to break things up, but I juggle ("Juggle"=do poi, juggling, passing, etc etc) three times a week and I don't always have the energy to even think about what I want to do. There are some kids who've been dropping by lately wanting to "learn" poi, if you know what I mean, but teaching them gets a little taxing.
I like the idea of messing around with basic stuff and trying different props and also just SLEEPING, so we'll see how that goes. =)
Haha. Lots of "Lost" going on here lately, don't you worry. I've also been henna'd a whole lot, and doing school crap.
I've been trying to break things up, but I juggle ("Juggle"=do poi, juggling, passing, etc etc) three times a week and I don't always have the energy to even think about what I want to do. There are some kids who've been dropping by lately wanting to "learn" poi, if you know what I mean, but teaching them gets a little taxing.
I like the idea of messing around with basic stuff and trying different props and also just SLEEPING, so we'll see how that goes. =)
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