I started to learn 2D after 5 months, when I felt stuck with 1D and wanted to try something else. But you don’t have to wait that long.
You can learn the 2 diabolo shuffle as soon as you know how to do the leg orbit with 1 diabolo.
I know a diabolo player who started 2 diabolos after 3 weeks and mastered it in 2 weeks, he only learned advanced 1D tricks later on.
What you’ll need
Gear
You will have to have the same 2 diabolos to learn the shuffle, same brand and same model.
It doesn’t matter if your diabolos are bearings or fixed axle as long as they are the same.
It’s easier to learn 2D with the diabolo you are used to, but I think it’s better to change diabolos if your diabolo is small. Any big diabolo will do, for example I learned 2 diabolo with Harlequin by Mister Babache which is not ideal, but I still got it. Just choose one with the same type of axle you’re used to with 1D.
Skills
It’s true you can learn 2D as soon as you’ve mastered the leg orbit with one diabolo, but having a bit more skill will help.
The wrap acceleration is in my opinion alsmost a must-know, especially if you choose to practice your 2 diabolo with the wrap start. It will be very helpful very soon after you get the shuffle, to accelerate and help with corrections.
The leg orbit is a definite prerequisite, because it will accustom you to the movement of the diabolo in the shuffle and your hands will be approximately in the same position for both tricks. I also recommend you learn the other orbits too. The arm orbit will teach you the right motion for your non dominant hand and the body orbit will teach you how to have a wider orbit/shuffle.
Knowing how to correct the diabolo when it tilts will help too.
How long does it take to learn
This depends on your skill level, the more comfortable you are with 1D, the faster you’ll get 2 diabolo juggling. The majority of diabolo players master the 2D shuffle in 1 to 3 weeks.
It took me about 2 weeks to get 10 catches regularly, but i lost a lot of time going in every directions. Here’s how you can learn from my mistakes:
Stick to one way of starting
There are multiple ways to start the 2 low shuffle, well over 20 starts. To learn 2 low faster you need to choose one and stick to it.
The most common ones are the wrap start (the one I recommend because it helps later on) and the throw start. They are not the only options, but are tested and approved methods.
A friend of mine learned 2D pretty quickly with the rocket start, and in hindsight I think it’s a good alternative if you have some good 1diabolo skills.
I personnally learned with the wrap start (after going back and forth between wrap start and different throw starts). It took 10 days to get the shuffle started and another 4 to 5 days to keep the shuffle going.
Learn to keep the shuffle going
Focus one the movement on one hand first, it can be the dominant hand or the other, doesn’t matter.
When you get the movement of one hand focus on the other one. Do not try to focus on both hands at the same time. Working one hand after the other is way faster than trying to do everything at once.
The dominant hand needs to push the diabolo along the string to the other hand.
The non-dominant hand needs to throw the diabolo up to the other side.
If I had to choose, I would advise to start with the dominant hand as it’s the hand that gives speed to the diabolos.
Quick tips to learn 2 low faster
An older string will help you control the diabolos and “feel” the shuffle more easily, especially if you’re learning 2D with the wrap start. A new string will be too slippery, so rub it slightly under your shoe and you’re good to go.
Keep your non-dominant hand a bit higher (about 4”/10cm) than your dominant hand, it will help to throw the diabolo back.
Don’t bother with corrections until you get 8-10 catches, 7 times out of 10. I didn’t learn proper corrections until way later, I just learned the leg stall and would wrap the diabolo on the right (i’m right-handed) to get to the starting position again (wrap start) and then correct that way.
A quick word on synchronous vs asynchronous
In a synchrnous shuffle, both hands move up and down at the same time and in an asynchronous shuffle when the right hand goes up, the left hand goes down and vice versa.
The shuffle style has no impact on the time it takes to learn the shuffle or any of the 2D tricks afterwards.
Stick to the style that comes naturally to you, you will learn to transition from synchronous to asynchronous without realizing it when you learn tricks.
