How to Do a Yo-Yo String Trick
There are many dozens of possible yo-yo tricks. Some yo-yo aficionados spend hours learning tricks, spins and flips, both for personal satisfaction and to impress their friends and peers. Rock the baby is a yo-yo string trick that is relatively easy to learn but, when mastered, is an excellent complement to a yo-yo trick repertoire. Rock the baby involves wrapping the string of a spinning yo-yo around the fingers, then rocking the yo-yo through the string several times, before bringing the device back to resting position in your hand.
Instructions
-
-
1
Begin by putting the yo-yo into sleeper position. Hold the yo-yo in your hand with your palm facing toward you. Snap your wrist out and turn it over, so the yo-yo ends up spinning underneath your hand on the end of its string. Practice putting the yo-yo into sleeper position and then snapping it back up, so that the string winds back around the device and ends up back in your hand. Try to keep the yo-yo in the sleeper position for as long as possible before moving on to learn how to rock the baby.
-
2
Put the yo-yo into the sleeper position using your dominant hand. Pinch the string of the yo-yo with your other hand about halfway down the string's length. Lift the recessive hand up, firmly holding the string, to about chin height. With your dominant hand, grasp the string about three-quarters of the way down to the yo-yo. Ensure that the yo-yo is still spinning in the sleeper position; wind the yo-yo string back up and try again if the yo-yo comes out of the sleeper position. Raise your dominant hand up while spreading the thumb and pinky finger of the recessive hand outwards, so that a triangle is formed; the yo-yo should start rocking back and forwards through this string triangle.
-
-
3
Rock the yo-yo back and forth several times until the yo-yo starts spinning more slowly. Bring your recessive hand up and over the yo-yo, and carefully let go of the string with the dominant hand; the yo-yo should continue to spin in the sleeper position at the end of the string. Jerk your dominant hand upwards with a sharp motion to bring the yo-yo out of sleeper position and back into your open hand. Practice rocking the baby with your yo-yo until you can do it effortlessly and without mistakes.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Practice the motions of the rock the baby trick when the yo-yo isn't spinning; this will help you perfect the motions needed to execute this trick with a spinning yo-yo.
Practice yo-yo tricks away from fragile or valuable possessions.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Ablestock.com/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
