01/08/99

Yo-Yo Mania!

Have you noticed all the new yo-yos walking around since the holidays? And have you considered whose job it is to remove the knots from all those new yo-yo strings? It's Mom's. I thought it was just me, but this week in the grocery store I saw another Mom stopped in the middle of an aisle, detangling a yo-yo string for her son. So, if you don't mind the inevitable tangles, here are a few fun sites for the yo-yo enthusiast in your family.

Cosmic Yo-Yos

When Cosmic Yo-Yo owner Brad Urani was seventeen, he began putting his newly-learned yo-yo tricks on the Web. Three years and 150 tricks later, Brad says his yo-yo trick listing is the biggest on the Net. Each trick is rated for difficulty on a scale of one star (beginner) to five stars (professional). Cosmic welcomes new tricks or questions via email. Other not-to-be-missed clicks are his yo-yo reviews (find out why he thinks the $30 Bumble Bee is a better transaxle yo- yo than the $90 Silver Bullet 2) and his frequently asked questions (starting with the ever-popular "Why won't my yo-yo sleep?")

Infinite Illusions Yo-Yo Instruction

Aha! I found the answer to a question that has plagued me for months: How long should a yo- yo string be? "The official string length for a yo-yo is from the floor to the height of your belly button when the string is on your finger. Measure the length 3" above your belly button. Fold the string over and tie an overhand knot to make the yo-yo loop. Trim off the excess string." With that out of the way, you can progress through the instructions from "Getting Started" to "Spinning Tricks."

Jennifer's Yo-Yo Page

Jennifer "Yo-Yo Princess" Baybrook began yo-yoing when she was six-years old. She soon started performing for schools and fairs around New England. At the age of eight she made her professional debut, performing with the Smothers Brothers. "Her repertoire consists of over 300 different tricks, including two-handed yo-yoing. She can knock a quarter or poker chip off a person's ear with her yo-yo. She can also light a match with her yo-yo." Jennifer recently won the 1998 World Yo-Yo Championship, becoming the first women to do so.

Ken's World on a String

Want your yo-yo to sleep a bit longer? Here is Ken's advice: "Technique is a major factor. It's all in the wrist action . . . You'll also get best results from a brand new string since it still has a lot of elasticity. The type of yo-yo is a factor too. Modified yo-yos have most of their weight on the rims so they usually sleep longer . . But the key to longer sleep times is plain and simple, practice." Best clicks here are the photo-illustrated tricks and VIVO videos of Ken performing them.

Whole Island of Yo-Yo Tricks

The spinner "is the first trick that the beginner should master, as it is the basis for many other tricks. The yo-yo is first thrown sharply with the palm up, then turn your hand over. Immediately after the yo-yo has been released from the hand by the downward fling, the movement of the hand and arm should be stopped. If the throw has been correctly done, the yo-yo will sink into a spin at the end of its string before returning to the hand. To make the yo-yo climb the string before dying, give a slight jerk. Be sure that the palm of the hand is towards the yo-yo before it starts its upward climb."

Please send questions or comments to feldman@surfnetkids.com.