So you just got your first diabolo, what now ?
You need to learn how to speed it up. Accelerating the diabolo is the first thing you need to do before performing any tricks.
STEP 0 : Before you start
Make sure:
- your string is the right length
- you have some space around you (1 metre or 3 feet in all directions)
- you stand on a smooth, flat surface
STEP 1 : Set up
- Place the diabolo on the ground, in front of your strong side foot (right foot for righties, left foot for lefties)
- Put the string under the axle
- Take one stick in each hand
STEP 2 : Initial speed
- Roll the diabolo over to your other foot
- When the diabolo reaches the foot, lift it off the ground
This will give your diabolo a bit of speed, but not enough to do any tricks.
STEP 3 : Acceleration
Before the diabolo stops spinning, move your strong hand (right for righties, left for lefties) up and down. Imagine playing the drum with just your strong hand, the other does nothing.
If your diabolo turns, turn with it. At first, you might turn in place a bit until you learn corrections. In the meantime, keep the circle of the cup parallel to your body.
Keep the tip of your sticks at the same distance from your body, otherwise your diabolo will start tipping. If the diabolo tips forward, bring your strong hand closer to your body while continuing drumming. If the diabolo tips backwards, push your strong hand away from your body while moving your strong hand up and down.
STEP 4 : Learn tricks and have fun
Once you mastered this way of accelerating your diabolo, you are ready to learn some tricks.
My suggestion is to first try to throw and catch the diabolo.
After learning some new tricks, you might want to learn other ways of giving spin. Those 3 steps are the easiest way to speed up your diabolo but not the most efficient.
You should be able to master giving speed fairly quickly and try your first tricks after half an hour or so. The corrections, when your diabolo is tipping, will take longer to master. So try a trick before your diabolo has tipped too much and work on correcting if it tipped a lot.
