Forums > Beginner Staff Moves > Single Handed Staff Moves
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Liquid Cow
2,629 posts
Location: High Wycombe, England
Liquid Cow
2,629 posts
Location: High Wycombe, England
Posted:
Since I've managed to break my wrist, I've taken up spinning my staff with one hand, but I'm starting to run out of ideas of what I can do without switching hands.
So far I can do some basic spinning on both sides of my body, a wrist wrap/roll and a couple of throws.
Does anyone else have any suggestions for reasonably easy moves I'd be able to do with one hand?
Since I've managed to break my wrist, I've taken up spinning my staff with one hand, but I'm starting to run out of ideas of what I can do without switching hands.
So far I can do some basic spinning on both sides of my body, a wrist wrap/roll and a couple of throws.
Does anyone else have any suggestions for reasonably easy moves I'd be able to do with one hand?
But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.
member
250 posts
Location: Upland, CA., USA
250 posts
Location: Upland, CA., USA
Posted:
Finger twirls. Palm spin/corkscrew combos. Neck wraps. Foot stall and then toss it up with a kick toss. Ground work.
And the "Popeye," (see thread) if the cast doesn't cover up your elbow.
Sorry to hear about your wrist but I am glad you aren't discouraged by it.
Maximus
Finger twirls. Palm spin/corkscrew combos. Neck wraps. Foot stall and then toss it up with a kick toss. Ground work.
And the "Popeye," (see thread) if the cast doesn't cover up your elbow.
Sorry to hear about your wrist but I am glad you aren't discouraged by it.
Maximus
Ninja Rockstar!
1,100 posts
Location: Denver, Co. U.S.A.
1,100 posts
Location: Denver, Co. U.S.A.
Posted:
And don't forget the classic shoulder wraps.
Not as easy with one hand, but really sweet when you get it down.
And don't forget the classic shoulder wraps.
Not as easy with one hand, but really sweet when you get it down.
Jesus helps me trick people.
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Posted:
Bummer! Sorry to hear that dude. But awesome to hear your spirits are still up and this could be a great start to a great thread as well.
On with the suggestions tho...
An awesome one handed move, (which i don't have solid by any means yet) is to do a double figure-8. When it goes behind your back, instead of bringing it around the same side of your body, leave the arm behind your back so your hand is sticking out underneath the other arm.
You can then do a fingerspins and other onehanded stuff. Also, it's possible to continue the figure8 motion by moving your body around the different planes and keeping your hand stuck behind your back...
Hope you heal faster than a thing that heals really fast
Bummer! Sorry to hear that dude. But awesome to hear your spirits are still up and this could be a great start to a great thread as well.
On with the suggestions tho...
An awesome one handed move, (which i don't have solid by any means yet) is to do a double figure-8. When it goes behind your back, instead of bringing it around the same side of your body, leave the arm behind your back so your hand is sticking out underneath the other arm.
You can then do a fingerspins and other onehanded stuff. Also, it's possible to continue the figure8 motion by moving your body around the different planes and keeping your hand stuck behind your back...
Hope you heal faster than a thing that heals really fast
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Posted:
Double figure 8 !!! That sounds fun!!! But I have to admit, I didn't really get it from the description, Charles Sorry...
Can you run through one more time, slowly for the dummy?
T'anks muchly
R.
Double figure 8 !!! That sounds fun!!! But I have to admit, I didn't really get it from the description, Charles Sorry...
Can you run through one more time, slowly for the dummy?
T'anks muchly
R.
It was a day for screaming at inanimate objects.
What this calls for is a special mix of psychology and extreme violence...
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Posted:
EEEEK! The double figure-8 is one of the hardest "common" moves that I know to try and describe in words. I'll have a go, but need to difine the figure8 to make sure we both have the same starting move as well.
Please forgive me for the wordiness of this post, it may be almost impossible to understand it just by reading, however if you have a staff in your hand and go through each step it SHOULD make sense. If I've done it right that it...
Here goes nothing...
Figure 8
S
tart with a basic figure-8, where one leading edge of the staff dips in front of you, comes up and to your side and then dips behind you. It turns 180 degrees in front and another 180 degrees behind. For this explanation we'll say it is your right hand-side.
Your hand/wrist (if trailing smoke) should make a figure-8 symbol in the air with one loop in front, the x where it crosses on your side and the other loop behind you. Also the staff is held in a closed grip with the thumb end of the hand pointing up the leading end and the pinky finger end stuck with the following end of the staff.
Is that the way you do your current figure 8? If so...
Double Figure 8
When the leading end starts coming up in front of you, it will be approaching the furthest point to your left of its arc. And also exactly halfway between the top and bottom of the arc. At this point you usually pull it back and up across your chest to dip it down to your right again.
Instead of doing that, when it is at that far left and middle-height point, stop your forearm and arm from moving at all. The staff should be vertical with your forearm parallel with the ground. The staff still has some kinetic energy, so it will want to spin in one place. You now allow this spin to change your grip on the staff by pointing your fingers to the left and letting the staff's oringinal leading end point across your forearm to the right. Your wrist should now be pointing upwards, with your thumb on top of the staff and your four fingers underneath it. The leading edge of the staff needs to be outside your arm slightly so it is pointing slight away from your body on the right and slightly towards your body on the left. At this point it has done a 1/4 spin with your hand as the fulcrum, the arm has still not moved.
The staff still wants to spin on the existing axis so keeping the wrist still as well, you "roll" the staff between your thumb and the fingers underneath. I.E Push your thumb down and away from your chest and bring your four fingers up and towards your chest.
This has rotated the staff 180 degrees again, with the arm still stationary, and the original leading end now pointing to your left.
As usual the staff still wants to keep moving, but as far as I know, there is no closed grip movements to let it spin with your hand as the fulcrum. So we now move the arm to the right to keep using this energy, first rotate your forearm at the elbow so that the NEW LEADING END is pointing down at the ground and the forearm is pointing upwards (90 degrees). Try to bring your elbow in to your body a few inches as well. (the original is now pointing to your left).
As the forearm goes past the 90 degrees position swivel your shoulder a little to allow the whole arm to straighten out and bring the path of the staff behind you a little (all previous motions have happened in front of your body). This the point of crossover as in the normal figure-8, where the X between the two loops normally occurs.
And now the whole process is reversed behind you. I can explain that too if you wish, but don't want to make this post any longer than it already is.
Especially if I haven't described it properly anyway. i look forward to your reply (and others on my explanation).
[ 30 April 2002, 11:34: Message edited by: Charles (INFERNO) ]
EEEEK! The double figure-8 is one of the hardest "common" moves that I know to try and describe in words. I'll have a go, but need to difine the figure8 to make sure we both have the same starting move as well.
Please forgive me for the wordiness of this post, it may be almost impossible to understand it just by reading, however if you have a staff in your hand and go through each step it SHOULD make sense. If I've done it right that it...
Here goes nothing...
Figure 8
S
tart with a basic figure-8, where one leading edge of the staff dips in front of you, comes up and to your side and then dips behind you. It turns 180 degrees in front and another 180 degrees behind. For this explanation we'll say it is your right hand-side.
Your hand/wrist (if trailing smoke) should make a figure-8 symbol in the air with one loop in front, the x where it crosses on your side and the other loop behind you. Also the staff is held in a closed grip with the thumb end of the hand pointing up the leading end and the pinky finger end stuck with the following end of the staff.
Is that the way you do your current figure 8? If so...
Double Figure 8
When the leading end starts coming up in front of you, it will be approaching the furthest point to your left of its arc. And also exactly halfway between the top and bottom of the arc. At this point you usually pull it back and up across your chest to dip it down to your right again.
Instead of doing that, when it is at that far left and middle-height point, stop your forearm and arm from moving at all. The staff should be vertical with your forearm parallel with the ground. The staff still has some kinetic energy, so it will want to spin in one place. You now allow this spin to change your grip on the staff by pointing your fingers to the left and letting the staff's oringinal leading end point across your forearm to the right. Your wrist should now be pointing upwards, with your thumb on top of the staff and your four fingers underneath it. The leading edge of the staff needs to be outside your arm slightly so it is pointing slight away from your body on the right and slightly towards your body on the left. At this point it has done a 1/4 spin with your hand as the fulcrum, the arm has still not moved.
The staff still wants to spin on the existing axis so keeping the wrist still as well, you "roll" the staff between your thumb and the fingers underneath. I.E Push your thumb down and away from your chest and bring your four fingers up and towards your chest.
This has rotated the staff 180 degrees again, with the arm still stationary, and the original leading end now pointing to your left.
As usual the staff still wants to keep moving, but as far as I know, there is no closed grip movements to let it spin with your hand as the fulcrum. So we now move the arm to the right to keep using this energy, first rotate your forearm at the elbow so that the NEW LEADING END is pointing down at the ground and the forearm is pointing upwards (90 degrees). Try to bring your elbow in to your body a few inches as well. (the original is now pointing to your left).
As the forearm goes past the 90 degrees position swivel your shoulder a little to allow the whole arm to straighten out and bring the path of the staff behind you a little (all previous motions have happened in front of your body). This the point of crossover as in the normal figure-8, where the X between the two loops normally occurs.
And now the whole process is reversed behind you. I can explain that too if you wish, but don't want to make this post any longer than it already is.
Especially if I haven't described it properly anyway. i look forward to your reply (and others on my explanation).
[ 30 April 2002, 11:34: Message edited by: Charles (INFERNO) ]
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Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
Charles, I thought it was a good description on Double Figure 8's.
There is some also some additional info in this thread on shoulder rolls. Bec says in her book that some people call the forward shoulder roll the double figure 8, but you need the extra spin for a proper Figure 8. So, that’s 2 circles at the front, and 2 circles at the back.
Charles, I thought it was a good description on Double Figure 8's.
There is some also some additional info in this thread on shoulder rolls. Bec says in her book that some people call the forward shoulder roll the double figure 8, but you need the extra spin for a proper Figure 8. So, that’s 2 circles at the front, and 2 circles at the back.
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Posted:
Thanks Charles & Stone!!! It all makes sense now (although I still can't do it smoothly;))
Thanks Charles & Stone!!! It all makes sense now (although I still can't do it smoothly;))
It was a day for screaming at inanimate objects.
What this calls for is a special mix of psychology and extreme violence...
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Liquid Cow
2,629 posts
Location: High Wycombe, England
Liquid Cow
2,629 posts
Location: High Wycombe, England
Posted:
Damn you Charles, your description was plenty good enough for me to understand where the staff should go, I'm just not quite good enough to do it quickly yet.
I just smacked myself in the head and almost put the end of the staff through the glass pane in a door (it's been raining here since yesterday - except when I'm stuck at work, so I've had to practise inside).
I blame you for all the concussions I'm probably going to get trying to get that move
Damn you Charles, your description was plenty good enough for me to understand where the staff should go, I'm just not quite good enough to do it quickly yet.
I just smacked myself in the head and almost put the end of the staff through the glass pane in a door (it's been raining here since yesterday - except when I'm stuck at work, so I've had to practise inside).
I blame you for all the concussions I'm probably going to get trying to get that move
But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.
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Posted:
Thanks guys, I'm not going to tell you how much time I spent on writing that description. Fortunately, I have taught it to a number of people one on one, which means I have sorted out in my head exactly how the body achieves it.
Stone. The shoulder roll I've found to be easier to describe as simply rotating the wrist and straightening the arm. This is because people are more used to consciously controlling their arms and wrists than their shoulders. If they do that, the shoulder rolls itself without having to consciously direct the shoulder arm and wrist all at the same time... Does that make sense?
Thanks guys, I'm not going to tell you how much time I spent on writing that description. Fortunately, I have taught it to a number of people one on one, which means I have sorted out in my head exactly how the body achieves it.
Stone. The shoulder roll I've found to be easier to describe as simply rotating the wrist and straightening the arm. This is because people are more used to consciously controlling their arms and wrists than their shoulders. If they do that, the shoulder rolls itself without having to consciously direct the shoulder arm and wrist all at the same time... Does that make sense?
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Posted:
Charles you are a star!!!
I have been practicing that move a little. I usually do a figure 8 side to side (circle on left, circle on right). So the double figure eight creates a very punchy little move that looks like a poi-weave, but with one hand!!! It is coming together and looking very spunky.
Thank you soooo much
Now I just have to get these shoulder rolls happening...
R.
Charles you are a star!!!
I have been practicing that move a little. I usually do a figure 8 side to side (circle on left, circle on right). So the double figure eight creates a very punchy little move that looks like a poi-weave, but with one hand!!! It is coming together and looking very spunky.
Thank you soooo much
Now I just have to get these shoulder rolls happening...
R.
It was a day for screaming at inanimate objects.
What this calls for is a special mix of psychology and extreme violence...
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still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
Charles! you must be an awesome teacher in person, if you can explain so well online! - the evocative language (trailing smoke, dipping staff) really eases the confusion that gets in the way (sorry Tjoni!)
There's a whole new neighbourhood of groviness when you can do it with a staff in one hand a a poi in the other - same goes with corkscrew and 3 beat weave. although not with a long staff.
keep on flaring like an antagonised nostril!
Charles! you must be an awesome teacher in person, if you can explain so well online! - the evocative language (trailing smoke, dipping staff) really eases the confusion that gets in the way (sorry Tjoni!)
There's a whole new neighbourhood of groviness when you can do it with a staff in one hand a a poi in the other - same goes with corkscrew and 3 beat weave. although not with a long staff.
keep on flaring like an antagonised nostril!
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Posted:
Rozi, try the wrist and arm movements and forget about the shoulder, it may make things easier (not always though, everyone is different).
Thanks again guys, but I may not be so good at teaching other moves so well, the 2x8 is the one that I've spent the most time teaching.
For those learning the 2xf8, it's a lot more than just another fancy move.
It allows a number of different transitions because of the variety of movements involved.
And, as an added bonus, the action of stopping the arm and allowing the staff to spin in one place converts kinetic energy into movement in a very effecient manner. Thats techno-garble for
'It makes the staff go faster with less effort!'
Wahooooo
Rozi, try the wrist and arm movements and forget about the shoulder, it may make things easier (not always though, everyone is different).
Thanks again guys, but I may not be so good at teaching other moves so well, the 2x8 is the one that I've spent the most time teaching.
For those learning the 2xf8, it's a lot more than just another fancy move.
It allows a number of different transitions because of the variety of movements involved.
And, as an added bonus, the action of stopping the arm and allowing the staff to spin in one place converts kinetic energy into movement in a very effecient manner. Thats techno-garble for
'It makes the staff go faster with less effort!'
Wahooooo
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