I haven’t been active on the forums for a while. I’m not asking if anyone misses me, and I’m not going to go into a giant “my life has lost all meaning” rant. But, the truth is I’ve been yoyoing very little. I pick up a yoyo maybe 2-3 times a week but only 1 or two out of those times do I actually yoyo, and less then 1 out of three times do I actually go somewhere with it. I have gone to a local club pretty much every month, but that probably the only enjoyable/creative/satisfying time yoyoing in the whole month.
I don’t necessarily fell burnt out, but more “meh” towards throwing. I can’t seem to get into a rhythm where I feel competent at my tricks and ready to learn or create like I often used to. I’m not any sort of sponsored player, and I don’t do this for a living, so my main reason to throw has been as an outlet for creativity and having a skill to practice that is so different from everything in my daily life.
This has been kind of long and rambling, but why yoyo? What gives throwing meaning and makes your body and brain enjoy this hobby?
Don’t analyze it too much man, just do what makes you happy. I feel the same way about it but yoyos have always been a fringe hobby for me. I went through a borderline breakdown recently with cycling. I had been racing and training like a madman for a few years, and I finally just asked myself why. I was racing with a decent amateur team, but I realized how much it was causing me to miss out on other things in life, so I backed off. And that’s when the wheels really fell off. It was all I had known for so long that I felt like I had nothing going for myself anymore. It took a good amount of time to just get back to enjoying riding like I used to. TLDR don’t let yourself get to that point with a hobby. I know you say you aren’t burned out, but what you describe is pretty much that. It sounds scary but it doesn’t have to be a big deal. Throw when you want to
Yoyoing has been quite an experience for me personally. Definitely an amazing hobby and I was burned in a grease fire back in September, it has actually been recommended by the hospital to keep and improve the dexterity in my fingers hands and arms, borderline saving my life. The tricks are satisfying when you actually land them that first time, every time, and it’s WAY cheaper than racing (old hobby). Plus since I do it at work every time I’m excited about a new trick I get a ton of feedback and “what looks cooler” from people. TLDR; it’s challenging, easy to keep up with, relaxing, and better than physical therapy! Dopest hobby I’ll ever get.
Well, I’ve only been throwing a couple years, so I may still be in the honeymoon phase. For me throwing is great for stress management. I have an extremely stressful job and throwing in front of the TV helps me relax. I also like progressively getting better at something through practice. I have a few solid combos I’ve put together, and I enjoy really studying and practicing those rather than trying to absorb every trick I can find. Getting good at the few things I know is more relaxing to me than trying to build a huge catalog of tricks or elements I can technically do…poorly. So I guess knowing my limits and enjoying the journey keeps me from burning out.
Having thrown every day since 5/22/05 (at least a sleeper or two before setting my alarm), I think that’s a deeply personal question, and the reasons I’ve arrived at might not apply to you. Honestly, the answers you’d get could be as varied as the individuals who tie the slip-knot.
For me, it’s definitely something I’m just… compelled to do. I don’t mean extrinsically, and I really hesitate to use words like “meditation” because I spend time doing that too and it’s not the same. But it also kind of is. Yo-yoing is a way for me to get out of my own way both rationally/mentally and physically. It’s time (sometimes just a few minutes) which I take for myself to kind of reset and be explorative and creative. I like it for that because, there’s not necessarily a “product” - I’m not drawing a picture which I then need to evaluate or writing a song that I need to arrange, complete, listen to. It’s just ideas, and it’s ok for them to be ephemeral. It ONLY actually exists in the moment, which shakes me up and reminds me “hey… so do I!” In that way, it’s a lot like skating but with fewer skinned knees (both a benefit AND a liability).
I also think being a “serious” yo-yoer - in my case an old guy who carves out time to work on tricks - kind of represents a declaration to myself. It’s a physical statement that being silly and frivolous and lighthearted is still really important sometimes. And the yo-yo, itself, becomes a talisman, a rosary, a temple in my pocket. I really do associate some of the best parts of my personality with it, which makes it not so much “impossible” as “pointless” to put down.
There are certainly days when I get way less out of it. And days when I swear I can hit absolutely nothing I try. But there aren’t really days when I don’t want to pick it up, or even when I forget it’s in my bag or pocket. There aren’t really days I can remember having been made WORSE by a couple of Shoot-the-Moons or Skin-the-Cats. I like having it in my hand. I like throwing down. Countless people have asked me why I stuck with it as a grown-up. Well… it goes anywhere. It makes kids and older folks smile. It pulls me out of my anxieties and regrets and into a living moment. And it drives and engages some of the most wonderfully, insanely talented and creative people I’ve met. Like I said, it’s different for everybody, but man, I’d need a really good reason to stop!
I’ve been gone/out of it for a while too (would still throw on occasion) but have been also feeling “lazy” so to speak…to where I’ve opted to just sit on my breaks inside as opposed to going outside and throwing. I’ve not really been up to it either to try and watch some tricks to even get inspiration which is something I need. Meantime I’ve been doing the same tricks I already know just so I don’t go completely stale.
I’ve been trying to get myself back up even if it’s as simple as throwing while I’m walking somewhere or waiting at the local McDonalds for my food. Something will click and get me back in the swing again, this happened before and out of the blue I picked up a throw and told myself that I’m going to learn Spirit Bomb.
What could be contributing to mine? I think it’s a few things… For starters due to time constraints/holidays/weather I haven’t even gone to my local yoyo club so I don’t really have anyone to share my experience with or to learn from…The weather hasn’t been the most pleasant so no throwing outside where I generally like to do. Secondly I run 2 instagram accounts and have been laser focused on running my secondary (theme park) account that I’ve gotten too lazy to switch between things.
I did just pick up a couple new throws (if you wonder, finally snagged the TopYo Impulse S I had been looking at and the newly released/limited YoyoFreaks bimetal), first ones for 2018 and some fresh string as I was running low…feels great to have something fresh to work with. I should start reading the forums again and check out what’s all going on.
I’m sure this happens in other hobbies too, especially with those who write their own music or partake in any other form of art.
I’m a gown up old guy (or maybe an old guy who hasn’t grown up). I throw because it is ‘me’ time, a chance to decompress from the real world, if only for a few minutes. Some days, I feel like everything works, some days, I feel like I can’t even throw a sleeper, most days are somewhere in between. I enjoy it, it helps me relax, it lets the creative part of my brain do its thing.
I don’t feel like I need to throw, I do it when I want to. Days where I’m not feeling it or run out of time, so it goes. Everyone has their own reasons, none are better or worse. To the OP, what makes it fun for me is the trying new things out, exploring…‘if I get into this mount, what happens if I do this?’ type of thing. What keeps me going back is the one time in 1000 I do something remotely cool then realize I have no idea what I just did or how to recreate it.
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Grendel
(The Voice of All Grendel’s world wide.)
10
I just really like it. Been throwing consistently since I was 5. That was 1987. I love playing with skilltoys in general. I don’t always create, or feel like I need to throw, but I do take a yoyo everywhere with me. I throw anytime I am just standing around. I like to throw when I am contemplating random stuff. I feel the way you are feeling about a lot of skilltoys, but never yoyo’s.
I just really enjoy it, I can simply forget all my stress just to focus at what the yoyo are doing, I can relieve my anger just by playing yoyo, and can feel productive and creative while wasting time.
But if I may be a little bit personal, I just enjoy designing and understanding things, and one thing that I can make into reality is a yoyo of all things, so I stick with yoyo.
Plus, the community is really awesome.
Indonesia will held it’s National yoyo Championship next month, that is another thing that make me excited.
Why not throw?
Waiting for my wife while she shops. Why not throw?
Waiting for vehicle maintenance. Why not throw?
Standing in a line. Why not throw?
Nice day to be out side. Why not throw?
Resting after a day of skiing, biking, playing, or working. Why not throw?
Boring movie. Why not throw?
Unexpected 10 minute break. Why not throw?
Watched an inspiring yoyo vid. Why not throw?
Just finished a job on the “honey do” list. Why not throw?
I see some people that seem bored and need entertained. Why not throw?
So…Why throw?
I mean… I guess I keep yoyoing because I feel like it makes me who I am. Aside from being able to do cool yoyo tricks, I’m pretty sure most of us throwers are just normal people. I am, at least. When I’m not throwing, I’m just a normal kid who goes to school during the daytime and does homework at nighttime. I don’t even think I’d count as a person if that’s all I ever did with my life, so I guess that’s why I throw.
There are still times where I just don’t feel the drive to yoyo, and I’m fairly certain every thrower has gone through that at some point, but I feel like those phases are always temporary, and if they aren’t then you just gotta try something new. Maybe watch a tutorial, maybe yoyo to music if you don’t already, try yoyoing in silence if you usually listen to music, try a new style, yoyo in a different environment, change the string, change the yoyo, maybe even take a break for a few days. Anything to keep it fresh.
Also, when you think about all the money that we all spend on new yoyos when as a part of this community, can any of us really even afford to quit? I’m sure my parents would kill me… I’ve put too much time into yoyoing to ever consider leaving it behind and my parents have spent too much money on yoyos to let me. That should never be the main reason to keep yoyoing, but it should always be one of them.
And finally, the yoyo community is so supportive and accepting that I’d keep throwing just to be a part of it, if for no other reason. When everything sucks in your normal life, you can fall back on this community and use it as an escape from all the sucky stuff that we all have to deal with as normal functioning human beings. Yoyoing ties us all together into a community that doesn’t care about all of our outside problems. I guess that might not mean much to other people, but I think that’s pretty great.
As Skitrz said, something to do while waiting. I’m currently waiting on my car in the shop and going slowly insane because I didn’t bring a yoyo. It’s why I’m here on the forum, otherwise I’d be throwing.
Throwing is a great icebreaker, too. I look around and all I see are people with their faces in their crotches, huddled over a cell phone. I’ve been guilty of that, too. But I prefer, when possible, to spend some time unplugged and in the real world. It’s interesting to see peoples’ reactions to that. Some are uncomfortable when they see someone who isn’t plugged into the Matrix. Some seem grateful at the opportunity to have a real-life conversation. By a) not being on a cell phone and b) doing something interesting, I stand a chance of a) bringing others into reality and b) making that reality more pleasant.
Also kids love it. Kids are ALWAYS glad to exist in the moment, especially when all the adults around them are, again, huddled over electronics.
Not that I hate technology or anything, but it’s lonely, you know? You need to have people interacting with people also.