Forums > Beginner Poi Moves > adjusting poi length while spinning

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JuggleSeanGOLD Member
Ooops
116 posts
Location: EARTH, USA


Posted:
Hey everyone,

I was wondering what were some different techniques for adjusting the length of your poi while spinning. For instance, I like slightly longer poi for doing weaves/windmills, but then to enter a trick on the inside of my arms (like the buzzsaw) I need to make the poi shorter to avoid hitting my chest. When ever I try to adjust the length during spinning it takes several spins and looks ugly (very non flow like). Has anyone seen a tutorial on this subject? Love...

Groovy


Sister ElevenGOLD Member
owner of the group property
1,277 posts
Location: Seattle, WA, USA


Posted:
The main way I shorten them is in a 3bt forward weave. When your hands are on the opposite side of your body you can just let them wrap around your palm. It's pretty seamless, doesn't require you to change any of the weave's timing.

p|.q|r:|::s|.s|s:|:.s|q.|:p|s.|.p|s


Derek_FaughnDIAMOND Member
DerekJF85
101 posts
Location: Garland, TX, USA


Posted:
When i used longer poi i would go into reverse butterfly. But no my poi only go up to mid bicep. I find this better for tech spinning.

"Dream as you will live forever, and live as you will die today"
James Dean


Chloe'GOLD Member
enthusiast
324 posts
Location: SouthDakota, USA


Posted:
I do it like Sister 11 mentioned only in a reverse weave. Easy and doesn't interupt flow.

Listen to Your heartbeat and dance...


Sister ElevenGOLD Member
owner of the group property
1,277 posts
Location: Seattle, WA, USA


Posted:
Really? I can unwrap them in a reverse weave, but if I try to wrap them like that the end up going the wrong way down my palm.

p|.q|r:|::s|.s|s:|:.s|q.|:p|s.|.p|s


astonSILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa


Posted:
eleven: It depends on your grip and such. I also prefer wrapping while going reverse. Otherwise I need to get it through a finger somewhere as well.

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland


Sister ElevenGOLD Member
owner of the group property
1,277 posts
Location: Seattle, WA, USA


Posted:
Interesting. I'll have to keep an eye out for someone doing it in reverse. I tried to figure it out both ways and I like having options for those sorts of things.

p|.q|r:|::s|.s|s:|:.s|q.|:p|s.|.p|s


StoutBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
I like wrapping them when doing the forward weave too. I tend to wrap twice for inside moves, like the buzzsaw, so it's rather slow as I only do one wrap per "cross" of the weave. It just seems to work smoother that way. Sometimes I'll wrap just one hand first and spin one long, one short for a while, then turn and come out of short chains in a reverse weave.

The easiest way to shorten chains though is wrapping during simple backwards spinning or reverse butterfly.

to wrap in reverse spinning try extending your arms straight out at your sides, like you're playing " I'm an aeroplane!". If you want , you can bend your knees and sink to the ground as the poi wrap, then yoink 'em into reverse BS.

ryan_crownoverBRONZE Member
stranger
9 posts
Location: USA


Posted:
i switch it up alot but i most the time will do a few flowers and start wraping from there making smaller pedels then go into a 3 beat the a kindof 5 i guess with a buzzsaw in the middle then three to a buzz lean back almost to the ground then some ground work its one of my top things i like to do like a laying down butterfly

AlienJonGOLD Member
enthusiast
290 posts
Location: Everywhere, USA


Posted:
The overarching mechanics are as follows, from your wrists' local frames of reference: for the right hand you shorten when your poi is rotating clockwise, and lengthen anti-clockwise. For the left hand, you shorten anti-clockwise and lengthen clockwise.

That means you can shorten or lengthen just about anywhere. You just have to wrap or unwrap at the proper moment in your pattern, when your poi's plane-facing is the right way.

Once you really get a feel for this, you can shorten and lengthen during flow at will.

+Alien Jon


StoutBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
Cheers Jon, I never really thought of it in that respect and it explains how and why shortening your poi while spinning same direction wall plane circles doesn't work.

One thing I find interesting to do is shorten one poi first, spin for a few seconds with one long, one short, then continue with shortening the other chain.

16.15.8GOLD Member
I can´t think therefore I´m not
291 posts
Location: In my backpack, United Kingdom


Posted:
Asking the poi what possibilities is hidden within getting used to spinning poi where the bottom part of the hand is the exit point of the cord/string/chain?

"I don´t like shoes, definitely not spinning with shoes, they make my feet feel flat, my feet are not flat...."


RovoGOLD Member
(the person actually known as Chris Bailey)
544 posts
Location: Austin, TX, USA


Posted:
Besides wrapping the poi around your hands there is another way to change the length of your poi. Basically the idea is that while spinning at full length let the momentum go out of your poi so that it is slack for a moment. As the line goes slack and the poi is momentarily in "free-fall" grab the chain/sock/rope halfway up the poi and continue spinning. You'll now be gripping the poi halfway up it's length with a bit of slack hanging down from your hand. Continue spinning shortened like this as long as you'd like and then release your grip on the center of your chains (without letting go of the handle) and you'll be spinning at full length again.

Using this method to adjust the length of your poi is really nice as you can immediately go from a shortened length to full length without having to wait for the poi to unwrap thus creating a different visual effect. The further down the poi you grab the chain the more pronounced the lengthening will be. Oh and this can be done in any timing and direction, although some are a bit trickier then others.

Peace, Love, Circles


astonSILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa


Posted:
Chris: That is a very cool idea. Will have play with it.

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland


DekanSILVER Member
stranger
8 posts
Location: USA


Posted:
Reverse butterfly works for me, as they are coming back up, i usually let my chain fall around my hand and come between my middle and index fingers, right back across the original hold. I really like what sister eleven said though about the 3b forward weave. def have to try that out.

astonSILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa


Posted:
Originally Posted By: AlienJonThe overarching mechanics are as follows, from your wrists' local frames of reference: for the right hand you shorten when your poi is rotating clockwise, and lengthen anti-clockwise. For the left hand, you shorten anti-clockwise and lengthen clockwise.

That means you can shorten or lengthen just about anywhere. You just have to wrap or unwrap at the proper moment in your pattern, when your poi's plane-facing is the right way.

Once you really get a feel for this, you can shorten and lengthen during flow at will.

Forgot to mention that I overlooked this, although it has always been lurking in the back of my mind. After playing with it, it is well worth drilling.

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland


AlienJonGOLD Member
enthusiast
290 posts
Location: Everywhere, USA


Posted:
Rovo's hangtime grab is sweet too!

+Alien Jon


RovoGOLD Member
(the person actually known as Chris Bailey)
544 posts
Location: Austin, TX, USA


Posted:
Cheers Jon, and what a nice name. smile

Peace, Love, Circles


JuggleSeanGOLD Member
Ooops
116 posts
Location: EARTH, USA


Posted:
Hello friends, I am grateful for the good advice. I can almost do it freely now. Back to practice.

Groovy



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