Difficulty: 3 - Intermediate Trick
Siteswap: (4,4)(6,0)(2x,2x)
Prerequisite Skills: Columns
Watch Video - WMV - 0.5 MB
The (2x,2x) throw is something I call a shuffle switch, where you make a quick exchange of two balls underneath the rest of the pattern. You can add it to all sorts of patterns for a little lagniappe.
Instructions:
After you have the basic columns pattern solid, you need to practice the shuffle switch pass. Take two balls and make a quick, simultaneous exchange. To avoid collisions, I throw one ball from a slightly higher elevation. Practice this until you can do it with your eyes closed.
Now, in your columns pattern, just throw the 1-up ball a little higher than normal, and perform the shuffle switch underneath it before it comes back down. Then throw the two balls up as soon as they land in the new hands.
The shuffle switch pass requires a fast hand speed, so it will take some practice before it becomes second nature. Once you get it though, you can add it to almost any pattern.
Variations:
You can add a double or triple shuffle switch under a high throw.
But if you really want to get crazy, this is the highest siteswap I've ever done. I throw a ball as high as I can and then I do 10 quick shuffle passes underneath the high throw. It ends up being a siteswap throw of 24 (or the letter "o")
