How to Juggle Three Balls: A Step-by-Step Guide
The three-ball cascade is the first pattern almost every juggler learns, and it is the base for clubs, rings and most tricks that follow. Most people can get their first few catches in an afternoon.
What you need
Three beanbags or thud balls. They land dead instead of bouncing away, so you spend your time practising rather than chasing. Bouncy or very light balls make learning harder.
Step 1: One ball, hand to hand
Throw one ball from your right hand to your left in an arc that peaks just above eye level. Then throw it back. Keep your elbows by your sides and your hands at waist height. The throw should be the same every time: aim for the peak, not the other hand.
Step 2: Two balls, one exchange
Hold a ball in each hand. Throw the right ball. When it reaches its peak, throw the left ball underneath it. Catch both. That is the "exchange", and it is the whole secret of the cascade.
Step 3: Two balls, starting with either hand
Repeat the exchange starting with your left hand. Both sides need to feel equally comfortable.
Step 4: Three balls, three throws
Hold two balls in your right hand and one in your left. Throw right, left, right, with each throw going up as the previous ball peaks. Catch all three and stop. That is called a "flash".
Step 5: Keep it going
Once the flash is reliable, keep throwing. Every time a ball peaks, throw the ball in the hand it is heading towards.
Common problems
- Walking forward: your throws drift out in front. Practise facing a wall or bed.
- Throws getting faster and lower: slow down and wait for each peak.
- Passing instead of throwing: every ball must go up in an arc, never straight across.
