Forums > Beginner Staff Moves > Need help with fire staff throwing

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Ranunculusmember
8 posts
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand


Posted:
Has anyone out there got any hints, tips or tricks for catching a thrown fire staff?When practising during the day I can catch everything (well, almost everything) including a tricky double staff throw but when darkness falls and the fire begins......it all goes pear-shaped! I seem to miss the catch by a couple of inches, even the lower throws. My doubles are quite short (but hey, so are my arms) but even my long staff seems to elude my fingers when thrown.This is damn frustrating. It it just psychological ('cause of the firey thing falling from the sky) or is it in the design of my staffs (like, should I have a glowy bit in the middle as a guide)? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

AnonymousPLATINUM Member


Posted:
You should have some kind of marking at the middle of the staff - I use white electrical tape. Thats all you need! then you just have to sight on the white dot and you know you have the centre of the staff!Good luck,Josh

.draevonBRONZE Member
member
92 posts
Location: Androgen, Australia


Posted:
I do a similar thing to Mr [Josh] but i put white electrical tape at each end of my grip. It seems to catch the light a bit better where it comes down over the edge of my raised grip. Either way, have a play with some white electrical tape and see what works best for you.Ðraevonof Incendiumwww.incendium.org

Ranunculusmember
8 posts
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand


Posted:
Thanks for the tips. First day without rain for 13 days (and this is the middle of our summer!) so I practised a bit more with fire tonight. Much better success rate on the catching grin I'll run off and grab some white tape tomorrow. Thanks again.

CharlesBRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
I do the same as josh and draevon!I've got tape in the very centre of the staff and also about a handspan away from the centre too.I've found finding a lit public place at night to practice gets you the confidence to do super-high throws, then you can practice in near darkness but be ready for it to be a lot harder than in the lit area.Also, try a few low gentle throws with your eyes closed, suddenly the open eye throws will seem a lot easier...just my 0.02c------------------Charles (INFERNO)newdolbel@hotmail.comhttps://juggling.co.nz

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J4Playmember
24 posts
Location: Melbourne, Vic, Australia


Posted:
Yeah, catching during the night can be tricky. One way I practise throws is with a trick I call 'the tap'. It simply involves tapping the staff up in the air so that it does a 360 and continuing to do so without using your thumb. just keep tapping it up in the air. once you have 360s down, try 720s, 1080s, 1440s (pretty hard!). You can then mix it up and change directions\hands etc. This is really good cos you will really learn the exact moment when you have to shove your hand in for the catch.As for night catching, what I do is the 360 tap looking at the staff, then looking past the staff, then at some object to the left (or right) of staff, then at some object further to the left or right and so on. This should teach you to manage with less and less visual information (such as at night). Ultimately I would like to do the 360 tap with eyes closed but I can't get it down yet!It's also good at first to practise throws at dawn. And ofcourse practise at night with wicks lit! Hmm, thats about all I have to offer. Good Luck! J4Play

RoziSILVER Member
100 characters max...
2,996 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
Hey guys,I've actually found that playing with fire changes the way the staff moves. I seem to need more force to do throws when it is lit, as though there is greater air resistance. It is also makes it difficult to do flat throws, keeping the staff level rather than spinning it in the air.Has anyone else found this, or am I just weird?...Roz------------------A bit like getting mugged by a hamster...

It was a day for screaming at inanimate objects.

What this calls for is a special mix of psychology and extreme violence...


J4Playmember
24 posts
Location: Melbourne, Vic, Australia


Posted:
You are not weird Rozi (or maybe we are both weird!). Lit wicks definetly create much more drag, hence requiring more force for all staff movement. As for flat throws, lit wicks shouldn't make a difference, unless one wick is bigger or burns differently to the other. Does the staff consistenly spin in one direction when you attempt a flat throw?One other point for those practising throws: Get some practise staffs together or you will chew through your good wicks very quickly (very costly with double staffs!). Cheers.

[Nx?]BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both


Posted:
I had a prob with this, I decided ther best way for me (I dont like grips on my staffs) was to look at the centre of the staff but know where it is by being concious of the position oif the flames. you dont look at one flame cos that would blind you and not work but if you look between the two and use your perihedrial vision you should work out the timing quite quickly.How many cents in a pound?or a euro for that matter.LoveN

This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti


Maximusmember
250 posts
Location: Upland, CA., USA


Posted:
Yeah, I have oft noted how hard it is to see the grip of a flaming flying firestick at night. I have the solution. One word: glowstick bracelets.There are these glowstick bracelets that come two in a pack (despite three being shown on the package) that are about six in. long (15cm.) and as thick as a straw and come in the usual glowstick colors (colours).You bend them around to make the bracelets, but come straight.What I did was use simple clear tape and taped one of them straight out on both sides next to the grip. They were thin enough they never bothered my handling of the staff, and they showed up real good when I tossed it up into the night. No misses or running for cover. Maximus

HitokageSILVER Member
member
70 posts
Location: New York, NY, USA


Posted:
As for catching a thrown staff...this won't help as much in the actual catching (it actually might make it harder), but it helps in the smoothness of the throw immediately after the staff has been caught. What am I talking about? Catch the staff with your hand "upside-down" have your hand twisted by having the left side of your hand go down and to the right, ending up with your whole palm facing the sky. Catch it like it is right now, and as you bring the staff down, twist it like it naturally wants to twist (back to normal). Everyone probably does this anyway, however, if you didn't thinkt to do it when catching the staff, it really helps.As for the glowstick bracelets, check out GlowProducts. The sell glowstick "Bracelets" that have two glowsticks and wire in the middle, making it easier to wrap it around things. I'm not so sure how strong the grip to the staff would be.------------------"Burning--the process of breaking things down into a simpler form." -Hitokage---FireStorm---(jimidawg@snet.net)

Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever -Mahatma Ghandi

Burning--the process of breaking things down into a simpler form. -Hitokage-


Whiffle Squeekaddict
416 posts
Location: Hartford, CT USA


Posted:
hahaha, cause you catch so many of your throws Hitokage...but eh, i cant talk cause hes loads better tham me in staff...[This message has been edited by Whiffle Squeek (edited 24 January 2002).]

Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


Maximusmember
250 posts
Location: Upland, CA., USA


Posted:
I didn't wrap them around the shaft, but straight along with it, like a splint, and with plenty of clear tape.I got mine at the 99 Cents Store. (Please don't ask how much they cost.)Maximus

phuzzzmember
160 posts
Location: saltspring island, bc , kanada


Posted:
now do it blindfolded.

Whiffle Squeekaddict
416 posts
Location: Hartford, CT USA


Posted:
deepest apologies to all those offended by my earlier comment, i mean nothing by it and promise to watch my mouth more closely in the future...

Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


CantusSILVER Member
Tantamount to fatuity
15,966 posts
Location: Down the road, United Kingdom


Posted:
I never look at my staffs. They simply are where they're meant to be. And i catch them.But then I practise a lot.There's only one throw I keep my eye on and that's an overhead helicopter. Because that one is nasty when it goes bad.------------------C@ntusThere's only one way of life and that's your own.

Meh


CharlesBRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
No problem Whiffle, (if anyone is confused, he has kindly edited a responce that said in giood humour, but received in bad humour by others, no more info available unless it's from whiffle - cheers all)Pleased to see the thread resurrected so soon too.And Cantus...was that a humouress thread or not? wink I'm the first to say I drop the odd throw, especially when it goes really high and is spinning really fast.For a decent 10 metre one to look good you need to have a decent amount of spin on it to look dangerous enough to the crowd.And certainly in my case, i have to look to see where the fast spinning centre of the staff is so that i catch it instead of bludgeoning my fingers into a messy bloody pulp... shockedI once took a week to recover from a spinning throw where one end of the staff hit my middle fingertip, the staff reversed it's spin and flew severla metres away afterward.I had to keep telling people that no, it's not a bottle of ribena juice, its my finger!!!! shockedIf you weren't being humouress, please tell me the secret of cathing without looking... grin grin grin grin------------------Charles (INFERNO)newdolbel@hotmail.comhttps://juggling.co.nz[This message has been edited by Charles (edited 24 January 2002).]

HoP Posting Guidelines
* Is it the Truth?
* Is it Fair to all concerned?
* Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
* Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?


phuzzzmember
160 posts
Location: saltspring island, bc , kanada


Posted:
use the force.

CantusSILVER Member
Tantamount to fatuity
15,966 posts
Location: Down the road, United Kingdom


Posted:
You practice lots. And when you practice you look at your staffs. You know where they will go (99% of the time). So that when you're out you don't have to think as much. Might be just me though.As I'm catching my hand is moving into the next fig 8 (this takes some of the force out of the blow). You can usually sense when the throw is going wrong and do something about it.If you're getting hurt maybe you're playing to hard.I don't spin to impress the crowds. Maybe that's something to do with it.I'm not trying to sound arrogant or anything BTW. I was just saying what I do. Reading it back it does make sound a tad bigheaded.------------------C@ntusThere's only one way of life and that's your own.

Meh


CharlesBRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
So how high are these throws again?And I 'm guessing there is no wind when you do this either, as any medium-high throw will come down in dofferent positions and areas when a little gust hits it...------------------Charles (INFERNO)newdolbel@hotmail.comhttps://juggling.co.nz

HoP Posting Guidelines
* Is it the Truth?
* Is it Fair to all concerned?
* Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
* Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?


J4Playmember
24 posts
Location: Melbourne, Vic, Australia


Posted:
When you say you don't look at your staffs, do you mean you look straight ahead, letting the staff go out of your field of view? Or do you just generally look at the position of the staff. I agree that you don't really need glowsticks or tape cos with practise the two glowing ends will be all you need, but to not look at the staffs at all now that would be impressive. Can you do it blindfolded?

[Nx?]BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both


Posted:
yo,boys, boys, boys.Cantus, I know what you mean, but it only comes properly when in the deepest of flows after lots of practice. Also, like with juggling balls you can learn to monitor the staffs position without staring directly at it, I agree that moving into the next figure eight dissipates the force from very big catches, but...dont tell me you havent had your lumps.Love,Nix smile

This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti


SurlochSILVER Member
member
64 posts
Location: Brisbane, Australia


Posted:
Hmm, after reading all this I have been practising my throws more often these last few weeks and can now catch almost half of my high throws and pretty much all my simple 360's. While I was practising yesterday (which is the point of this post) I accidently flowed into this move, not sure if I've read it here but it is a type of wrap/throw.Basically, when you go across your body in standard figure 8 (lets say the staff is in your left hand) stick your right arm out at a 45 degree angle in front of you. Your left arm with the staff passes under your outstretched arm, then throws it in a really tight anti-clockwise spin (if you are looking at the staff on your right hand side). The staff should land in your outstreched right palm.The wrap version of this, is instead of throwing it into a spin, you let it wrap around your arm, then you can let it roll down your arm into your palm when it is in front of the arm. Looks pretty cool, but it is so easy I'm sure everyone already knows it. Just posting it for people who might not yet lol. I was happy with it at least grin

Ní mar a síltear a bítear

“Things may not be as they seem to be”


CharlesBRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
Still haven't told me how high.fast these throws are Cantus...PS One of the lovely ladies on here has been having dreams about you too, hopefully you'll log on soon... grin grin grin grin------------------Charles (INFERNO)newdolbel@hotmail.comhttps://juggling.co.nz

HoP Posting Guidelines
* Is it the Truth?
* Is it Fair to all concerned?
* Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
* Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?


DJ DantanaBRONZE Member
veteran
1,495 posts
Location: Stillwater, Ok. USA


Posted:
I always focus on the area between the flames (that is where the center of the staff is. Don't look at the flames, look between them. Oh yea, and using the force does help wink

we eat and we drink and we smoke and we try!


Kapura MataaroHoP resident longboarder.
195 posts
Location: Tasmania, Australia


Posted:
Written by: C@ntus

There's only one throw I keep my eye on and that's an overhead helicopter. Because that one is nasty when it goes bad.





ubblol ubblol ubblol ubbtickled lolsign beerchug

too right mate, i had to get four stitches about 9 months ago on my eyebrow from doing helli's...but it did contact another censored's staff...and yeah, wasn't impressed...

but i'm with the others, i can do nearly all my tricks with my eyes closed but big throws (over 5 metres....or about 10 feet ??) i get pretty nervous...but i have a wooden staff and its pretty heavy....

C@ntus u go straight into another fig 8 to get out of the drive of the staff? very cool...will try...

"surely a longboarding fire spinner should have no trouble getting some action!"- NYC....


DentrassiGOLD Member
ZORT!
3,045 posts
Location: Brisbane, Australia


Posted:
theres nothing like bumping a thread over 2 years old.....

"Here kitty kitty...." - Schroedinger.


Kapura MataaroHoP resident longboarder.
195 posts
Location: Tasmania, Australia


Posted:
ubbloco lolsign nana BUMP! ubbtickled its really a case of trawling and had to add my 2c....u know, that and the fact that it is good to go back and re-read some older threads to get a feel and reconnect with what was going on... well, thats my excuse anyway...

"surely a longboarding fire spinner should have no trouble getting some action!"- NYC....



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