How to Speed Stack Cups

Speed stacking cups is a fun sport that anyone can get involved in. The skills needed for speed stacking cups can be helpful when playing other sports as well. Speed stacking improves on an individual's hand eye coordination, improves a person's speed, and enhances a person's concentration. Once you learn the basics of speed stacking with 3 cups you can move on to using 6 or 10 cups and just apply the same techniques.

Things You'll Need

• 10 speed stacking cups
• Stack mat
• Instructions

Instructions

1. Buy 10 speed stacking cups or use 10 plastic cups that are all the same size (height and width).

2. Set up a stack mat or find a flat surface to work on. A table, counter top, or hardwood floor will do.

3. Set 3 cups in front of you and have them all inside of each other waiting for you to take them out and create a stack with them. You are going to lead with the hand you use the most often. If you are right handed you will lead with your right hand and if you are left handed you would lead with your left hand.

4. Take your right hand and take the top cup off the pile and place it down next to the pile. With your left hand you take the cup that was in the middle and position it on top of the two cups creating a stack.

5. Take your stack down the same way you put it up starting with your leading hand. So take your right hand and slide the top cup down in to the cup you took off first and then use your left hand to grab the remaining cup and slide it on top of the other two cups.

6. Start slow with the beginning three cups. After you have mastered the concept slow try it a little faster. Once you have mastered that you can place 3 cups to your left and 3 to your right. See how fast you can stack both sets and take them back down. A rule in speed stacking is that you can not use two hands. That means that you cannot set up the stack to your right with your right hand and the stack to your left with your left hand. You must do each one individually with both hands beginning with your leading hand and taking the cups down beginning with your leading hand.

7. Remember to always hold on to the sides oft the cups and never the top. Placing your hands on the top of the cups will make you get in the way of yourself. That will slow down your stacking time and the whole object of speed stacking is to do it fast.

8. Make sure the base of your cups are touching and don't have any big gaps. The cups you place on top won't stay if you put the cups far apart.

9. Try a 6 stack. Place 6 cups all inside each other in front of you. Use your leading hand to grab 3 cups from the pile and your other hand to grab 2 cups leaving one cup remaining. Place the bottom cup from each hand one on each side of the remaining 1 cup. Then place one cup from each hand on top of the three cups. Finally place one cup on the top. That is a 6 stack. Make sure you alternate. That means you go right, left, right, left, right, etc. To take the cups down lead with your right hand by placing it on the top cup and your left hand on the opposite side second cup. Bring the top cup down all 3 level and the second cup down 2 level. Then place the 3 pile on top of the 1 remaining and the 2 pile on top of the that. Do this process slow and then work on getting faster.

10. Once you have the 3 stack and the 6 stack down you can use the same principals to create up to 10 stacks. If you get fast enough you may even want to look in to competing at a more professional level.

Tips & Warnings

• Be soft when you stack and unstack the cups and never slam them. It's not necessary, it can cause the cups to break, and it can make you get a penalty.

• Keep your hands on the touch pad until the signal is given to begin and place your hand back on the touch pad when finished stacking. This is a rule and you can be disqualified if you don't follow this rule.