Best products from r/juggling

If you want quality juggling balls soon, Gballz are NOT your answer. They are very high quality, but take 8 weeks for your order to go through, and another week for them to ship. I quite like my Gballz, but I assume that you want to start juggling this summer. If you order them now, then you will only have about 2-3 weeks of summer left.

I recommend ordering the MMX1 balls from play juggling. (http://www.playjuggling.com/juggling-balls-2365/mmx-balls/mmx1-all.html) If you have small hands, these will get the job done. The shipping is great from this website; it only took 5 days for my order to get to my house in the US, when their headquarters and in Italy.

You can also just get some cheap ones off amazon like these (https://www.amazon.com/Juggling-Burlap-online-Instructional-MisterM/dp/B00GXZLE3I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466306456&sr=8-1&keywords=mister+m) which is what I did. They lasted about 6-7 months and got me going as a juggler. Hope you have fun juggling!

If I was looking for some solid color juggling bags on Amazon I'd check out the Zeekios. However, I've never used them so I can't vouch for them, but they look like reasonably good price and quality.

https://www.amazon.com/Zeekio-Galaxy-Juggling-Ball-Balls-RED/dp/B009P8GPE8/ref=pd_bxgy_21_3/140-4119063-7497455?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B009P8GPE8&pd_rd_r=e72aecf0-96e3-4740-94c8-1aefdfd3cef3&pd_rd_w=REQUc&pd_rd_wg=7dRA6&pf_rd_p=a2006322-0bc0-4db9-a08e-d168c18ce6f0&pf_rd_r=X8HXXE9G74625AVPG5VV&psc=1&refRID=X8HXXE9G74625AVPG5VV

If you didn't want to spend much money, then I would suggest making your own from balloons. I use 12" party balloons filled with 130g of lentils. It takes 3 balloons per bag and all you need is scissors, a funnel, and a kitchen scale. They don't last forever but they are cheap, easy to make, exactly the colors you want, super grippy, and probably superior to the set you already own.

http://www.juggler.org/diy/balls.shtml

Thanks for the comments. Yes that is an interesting thing to watch for, I often scan for and select those freeze-frames for my video thumbnails (e.g. here is one of my favorites, includes equidistant ball distances and symmetric hand positions). It's quite frustrating when I know that there is a perfect line moment in a pattern I've recorded, but there's no screenshot to be captured because the line happens between frames because a) unlucky, b) very fast pattern and 30fps sampling just wasn't adequate, c) didn't run it for long enough, d) some combination of all of the above. A couple side notes: 1) The Mathematics of Juggling book has a page or two (edit found it! section 5.3.2 "Why Clubs and Balls Line Up") about alignment, 2) I really enjoy watching expert 5 club jugglers with all clubs spinning perfectly in phase, there's something deeply satisfying about that.

A similar aspect I frequently consider is the minimum distance between any two balls at any time. I usually try to maximize that variable for the pattern (without increasing the overall height/width bounding box perimeter of the whole pattern) giving each ball as much personal space as possible, especially in the animations where I can easily fine tune the tiny adjustments to the timing and throw/catch locations. It's not just aesthetic, makes the pattern paths much easier to follow visually (less of shell game), and the obvious practical purpose is maximizing your margin of error, i.e. minimizing the risk of two balls colliding midair.

I'm kind of crazy about trying out different kinds of juggling balls. I've got close to 20 sets of balls, of different types, size & weight. I've enjoyed trying them all out and have learned some interesting things. For example, my first set of Russians were Norwiks, which are highly regarded by quite a few notable jugglers. I couldn't get used to them. A little later I tried Sil-X, in both the 67mm and 78mm sizes. I didn't like them either. From this, I nearly concluded that Russian balls would never work for me. But despite that I ended up trying a set of Plug & Play 75mm shells that I could fill to whatever weight I desired, which I sort of liked. Then later I tried making my own DIY Russians with 2.5" play pit balls, and fell in love with them. But after juggling with them almost exclusively for about six months, I impulsively gave away a couple sets to some kids at a park, thinking I would immediately make some more. But the next day I wanted to juggle and I didn't want to take the time to make more, so I picked up my old favorite SportCo bags, and never got around to making more Russians.

There's even more of interest here. I think I didn't like the Norwiks because they were too big and too light. I know this because I like the Plug & Play better when I fill them to heavier weight, but I also like the smaller 2.5" DIY Russians even when I fill them to be lighter than the Norwiks. But some of this has to do with the fact that I almost always juggle outdoors and there is almost always a breeze. The Norwiks size and weight make them especially prone to being blown around by the wind. But on windy days, I can only use heavy Russians or beanbags.

Size and weight also matter a lot for beanbags. In general I prefer heavy bags. Gballz offers a heavy-up option. My 2.5" 115g Gballz are my preferred set for working on 7b. For fewer balls I mostly juggle with my SportCo 2.625" 135g balls, but I also like the SportCo 2.75" 140g balls.

If you don't have the budget to buy a variety of sets, I recommend you go with DIY Russians, making them from play pit balls and salt or sand. Then you can at least experiment with weight. You'll find there is a big difference between 70g and 120g for Russian balls. You still have to decide on size. You can go with either the 65mm/2.5" size or the 70mm/2.75" size. Search in /r/juggling for "DIY Russians", or just use this link, to find some threads that talk about how to make them.

> Are there any must-read books or is watching youtube videos enough?

This used to be an easy answer, but juggling has advanced so quickly in the last decade that even the best books show age. Charlie Dancey's Encyclopaedia of Ball Juggling is the best book I can recommend. Only a couple names have gone out of style since its publishing, and it's a very charming read.

There are a couple videos that are essentially glossaries of juggling patterns - I have to leave now, but I'll edit this post later with them.

Edit: here's the one I was thinking of for all sort of standard tricks, and here's Steve's 101 Mills Mess Variations video.

I recently went through a similar situation. I decided I wanted to try clubs about a month ago. after doing very little reading I bought a set of these and I almost immediately regretted it. After reading about the green club project I think it would have been a better idea to just make a set of these to play with until I was sure I liked clubs. I made do with the one piece clubs for about a week before giving in and ordering a set of Play px3 Sirius clubs with wrapped handles. My hand are extremely grateful. I only wish I hadn't wasted money on the cheap clubs first.

Here's a classic - Dr Dropo's Juggling Buffonery.

https://www.amazon.com/Dropos-Juggling-Buffoonery-Bruce-Fife/dp/0941599051

If you're looking for inspiration in general, check this out - The Clown Omnibus.

https://www.amazon.com/CLOWN-ACT-OMNIBUS-Guide-Clowning-ebook/dp/B00B2E1YVC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525205604&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=clown+omnibus&dpPl=1&dpID=51VXTd9cZ0L&ref=plSrch

I'm not going to say that any of the material in these are particularly good, but if you're looking for examples of acts that have apparently tested well in front of kid audiences, these are probably a good start.

Note about kids shows (with the added note that I'm not a kids' entertainer) - when you do these kinds of gigs, you're usually also performing for the parents - even if it doesn't seem like they're paying much attention. If you're looking to break into the kids/birthday/whatever market, those half-watching parents are the ones who'll refer you to others. Being polished and having a plan might not make a difference in the kids' enjoyment, but it'll have an impact on your success in the long run.

Hey that’s really cool! I was thinking about getting a membership at my nearby gym for this very reason.

I agree that I’d probably go if it meant I had a good place to juggle, especially now that it’s cold outside!

If you want to add a extra “workout” element to it, I’d also pick up some of these:

Champion Barbell Hand Held Fitness Ball, Royal, 4-Pound https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QTLKFI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UVX2DbY2FRDAW

I have some 2.5 pound ones from awhile ago and I’ll tell ya, just doing endurance runs with 3 balls is quite a workout.

This is hands down the best pit ball i've found so far. The quality is superior, each ball is exactly the same and most importantly, they stay very firm even when deflated to put the filler in.

I've tried intex - maybe i got a bad batch and it was a few years ago but the shells were variable in thickness and collapse easy when deflated for filling. They were good but these are better.

They also come in a perfect size - 3.0 inch. Intex 3.125 are very large and 2.5 are too small for me.

LINK

I'm sure there are brighter ones and programmable ones but the boing ones are bright enough, have different color settings and also two color changing modes. When I bought mine, two years ago, they were definitely the best for the money. I haven't really researched it recently.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000GI33Y6/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/187-4694895-4483053

You can get a set of 3 Yoho balls for ~$30. The balance is lopsided due to the batteries and they are going to be uncomfortably light at first. This means when you drop them, they will scatter.

But they are the brightest juggling balls I have encountered to-date and the batteries last a damn long time. Also, since I primarily play with 3 ball tricks, having balls with very little weight means i can flow between tricks at incredible speeds.


The Fire Mecca All-Light balls have an absurd number of flashing and color-changing modes (27). They are extremely well balanced and I quite like their weight. Unfortunately, the batteries aren't rechargeable and I have had a bad habit of letting the batteries go dead before festivals. (Changing batteries in a dark tent can be a pain) The light these balls put off is easy to see from a distance, but won't compete with fire. I think they are around $13 a piece.


The Meteorlite balls are waterproof (juggling in the ocean / hot tub / group showers is amazing) and are exceptionally balanced. The weighting is my favorite of this trio. However these were meant to be dog toys, so they bounce. When you get used to that, the bounce is just enough to save a performance. The batteries last a while, but the light is never pupil-dilatingly amazing if you are looking to juggle for friends who are 'inebriated'. Those are $10 per.

Happy juggling!

Soft Plastic Kids Play Balls - Non Toxic, 50 Phthalate & BPA Free - Crush Proof & No Sharp Edges; Ideal for Baby or Toddler Ball Pit, Kiddie Pool, Indoor Playpen & Parties, 50 Balls https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076KT1F8V/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_NMNpDbQH11EKW

These are the ones I got, theres like 50 different kinds on amazon.

Thanks for the reply. I'll take your word and get those balls instead. I was going to buy the first ones that were 19 something. And are the first ones that come up when you search play pit balls. And will definitely read that post too.

EDIT: so [these were the ones I was looking at.] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000066SW0/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1381000863&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70) seems like they are slightly larger diameter. Are they the ones you previously bought by any chance?

I bought these from a local Meijers for $20USD and followed this guide. I wanted a decent quantity and color selection so I could experiment with weights, give sets to other people, and it's an inexpensive way to meet that criteria. The 3" diameter makes them quite visible and the size has been sufficient for me to learn 5 balls and get started with 6. I can hold 4 of them in a hand using a pyramid, so I can see myself going into 7-8 with these balls too. They have also been holding up very well, I made my first 6 balls about a year ago and only one of them is broken from my shoddy work and one other has had a leak, which I fixed with tape.

Sorry I don't have much experience with professionally made balls, so I can't offer much advice there. I have tried the Sil-X silicone filled balls and have to say it feels rather unique and smooth and they look pretty cool. I've also heard great things about a set of Japanese made Russians from Dan Barron(box/technical juggling god) and they felt very nice; he said they were filled with something other than salt but i forget.

Again, I have limited experience with different russians, but I think the difference in feel between russians is much less varied than in beanbags so I think everything is a pretty safe choice.

I have a set of these. They juggle really well. I find them to be a little slippery when catching more than two in a hand. The thicker shells give them a little more roll than my other DIY russians. Not ideal for foot stalls. If your friend is really interested in foot stuff, they should also check out intex shells. You have to dig through to find good even shells, but well worth it.

There's a book on this nature vs. nurture debate when it comes to athletic performance: The Sports Gene.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AEDDQKE

Here's an interview with the author:
https://www.npr.org/2013/08/05/209160709/talent-or-skill-honing-in-on-the-elusive-sports-gene

Relevant excerpt from the interview:
"...what genetics is teaching us is the more important kind of talent is actually your biological setup to respond well to training, your ability to get more benefit from your one hour of training than your training partner's one hour of training, and that is emerging as the real talent."

What do you think about these? They're some decent looking ones I found on Amazon. They might be a bit light though. I like using Amazon cause of the money I save on shipping and the 2 day shipping time as well.

Yes! I just bought some of these Speevers to be my outdoor balls. Super cheap, machine washable and durable, and i like them a lot.

https://www.amazon.com/Speevers-Juggling-Joggling-Professional-Design/dp/B0755BB7RX/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1525350189&sr=1-2&keywords=speevers%2Bjuggling&th=1

If anyone is on the fence, it's really easy! I used this video as a guide:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh8yIkrdV9g&t=155s

And purchased these plastic balls from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000066SW0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I realize now how silly it was to purchase Brontosaurus Balls and other similar sand-filled balls. The ones I made are better quality and will last longer now that I know how to do repairs.

Broadly, you have two options:

One piece clubs are cheaper and a good starting point if you aren't sure if you are going to stick with it for a while. You can get a set of three for around $20 here or here

The other option is to spend a bit more an get multi-piece clubs. They have a much softer feel on the catch because they are made with a dowel rod in the center, around which is a plastic/tape handle which has some give to it. You can expect to pay $15-20 per club for a set of these. link If you decide to go this route, there are a lot of manufacturers and everyone has different preferences. Beard, Dube, Renegade, and Henry are some well regarded club makers.

The third, dirt cheap option is to make a set out of newspaper like this.
I learned on a set of these and upgraded to some multi-piece clubs once I was sure it would be worth the money for me.

Burkard Polster (aka Mathologer) has a book all about the mathematics of juggling. It's quite interesting, but can get advanced.

Dave Finigans Complete Juggler used to have qualification tests and skill levels for various pieces of equipment in it. It might be something worth looking into.

Nite Ize MTLP-08-07 MeteorLight K-9 Led dog ball, Disc-O https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QC9DTU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_cfC1AbYE05JP3

Here is the desktop version of your link

Here is the mobile version of your link

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000066SW0/

These are the balls that I use and I know many people use.