1 – Gear
To get started with diabolo, your gear is not that important. Start with what you’ve got!
Diabolo
My recommendation for diabolos are : Henry’s Circus or Sundia EVO G2 (buy here). They are both affordable and durable and check all the boxes of a good diabolo.
Sticks
Any type of sticks is ok to begin with, however if you broke yours or if you are ready to change, my recommendation is either aluminum sticks or carbon sticks, in both case short (around 30cm).
If you’d like to know more about diabolo sticks, check out this guide.
String
This is in my opinion the most important part of your gear and the only thing you’ll need to have a good roll of. You can learn diabolo with a bad diabolo and a bad pair of sticks, but having bad string will make it very difficult for you to improve.
My recommendation: any diabolo string from a good diabolo brand that is NOT Henry’s white string.
2 – Starting Out Diabolo Juggling
Before you start, make sure your string is the right length: roughly from the floor to your armpit.
There are only 4 things to learn before you start learning tricks:
2. Correcting the axle: tipping
3. Correcting the axle: turning
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSJ-au9H2Cw
3 – Picking Up Speed
To do any tricks, you will need the diabolo to spin. So it is very important that you learn how to accelerate your diabolo.
Orbit acceleration
4 – Your First Diabolo Tricks
Here is a list of 20 diabolo tricks for beginners:
Half-spaghetti
Arm stall
Back to front sun
Throw 180
Leg orbit
Double slowcide
Duicide
Circle acceleration
Grind
Trampoline
Loop
Whip catch
5 – Diabolo Juggling Community
Where To Find Fellow Diabolo Players
- https://umap.openstreetmap.de/en/map/diabolo-people_22104#4/50.64/34.75 : Put yourself on the map and find fellow jugglers in your area
- FB : a very active and supportive FaceBook group.
- Here you can find a list of upcoming juggling conventions from all over the world.
- IG : Follow (
me) fellow diabolists and get inspired.