US ASTROJAX Blog

Astrojax: The Gateway Skill Toy

I consider myself a “Jack of all Trades, Master of Astrojax” kinda guy when it comes to the skill toy world.  Astrojax may be my primary focus, but I'm proficient with many other skill toys as well. Astrojax was the second skill toy I learned how to use (yoyos were my first), so I picked up a whole lot of others after learning Astrojax.  What I’d like to share with you today are the skill toys I’ve found easy to pick up after learning Astrojax.  Because Astrojax served as a 'gateway toy' of sorts, this seemed like a great opportunity to point out some other toys that you can cross-train with as you refine your skill toy techniques. As it's not uncommon for a player proficient in one toy to gravitate toward another skill toy I thought this would be a fun post to share with you today.

First, let's take a look at poi;

Poi is described as the art of spinning tethered balls in an artistic fashion.  Essentially, it’s the art of spinning stuff in beautiful patterns.  It’s got a very zen-like feel and if done to the right music, it’s a wonderful stress reliever.  The moves in poi are called “Patterns” since most (if not all) poi moves are continuous, so patterns develop.

Poi spinning is very easy to pick up especially if your jaxing style involves a lot of powerplay, or full-string, moves.  I don’t consider poi a “toy” but more like an “apparatus” or extension of one’s body movements.

One of the reasons why Astrojax relates easily to Poi is because, well, Astrojax can be used exactly as you use poi!  You can hold one end ball, and swing the two-ball end in the various poi patterns.  (Using Saturn balls can mimic a great set of light-poi as well). There are numerous instructional poi videos, but Playpoi.com has the best in my opinion (YouTube handle:  Meenik ) whereas he has the videos I use to learn new patterns/moves.  

Once you've learned how to spin poi with your Astrojax, you are ready to either pick up a set, or make a set of "sock poi" using two soccer-socks (or your sister’s knee-length socks) and a pair of tennis balls.  US Astrojax actually sell three great sets of Kite Poi (Poi with streamers on the end, two regular sized ones, and one set for younger children) and the Boing Swing can be used as poi (I use Boing Swing with extensions tied to them so I can make the spin radius longer).

Because Astrojax combines features of the yo-yo, juggling balls, the lasso, poi and many others and we've already taken a look at poi, let's check out the 5A Yoyo style.

The 5A style of yoyo is also referred to as a “Counter Weight” style of yo-yoing.  In this style, the part of the string that is usually tied to your finger is tied to a counterweight. This allows one more degree of freedom and opens up a whole new set of tricks that can be done by manipulating the counterweight. I do not claim to be extremely good at this style, since I only can do the basics, it’s easy to see how many Astrojax moves can be incorporated into this style by looking at the professionals.

Notice how he basically starts with a horizontal Thriller move??  And then he proceeds to blow your mind!!

Now, what do you need to get into this style?  Well, for starters, you need a yoyo. Basically, you’d want a standard butterfly shape metal bearing yoyo.  (Sadly, Plastic bearings have a hard time with this style due to the small spin time)  After that, you need a counterweight.  Now what can we use…. wait a second, let’s use ASTROJAX!!!  (since, obviously, you should have a ball or two lying around)  Best way to put the ball on the string is to take the string off the yoyo, thread the yoyo-end through the center of the Jax ball and let the ball slide to the knot-side of the string.  Take the yoyo-end of the string and thread it through the loop at the knot end of the string.  After that, attach the string back to the yoyo.

Once again, I’d recommend looking up videos on YouTube on how to start the 5A style since there are others much better than I that can explain the basics.  However, when you start learning moves, look to practicing first with Astrojax since the string length and weight distribution are roughly the same as a yoyo.  The only difference is that you don’t have to worry about the throw, and landing the yoyo on the string.  Get the basics down with Astrojax, then transition to the yoyo.

These are two of the most prominent gateways to other skill toys. By taking the time to use Astrojax, you learn how to visualize moves and become creative.  This is very useful when picking up any other skill toy.  Through hard work and that big word called “perseverance” (that’s a big word for a non English major!) you can pick up any other toy you set your heart on! 

If you're interested in learning a new skill toy, feel free to mention it in the comments section, or post it on the AP-Club.net forum under the “General Discussion Skill Toys” section, and I’ll be glad to share what I know.  For reference, here’s a list of the other toys I'm proficient with that I'd be happy to talk about.

Diabolo, Gyro-ring, Kendama, Shaker Cups, Juggling (3 balls/3 rings), Meteors, Flower stix/Devil Stix, Bolero (Mexican version of Kendama)

Until next time folks, this is Theferrell, signing out.

How to Paint with Light

Ever wonder how photographs like the above are even possible?  I mean, what dark magic are these people using that allows them to create these brilliant light displays and what poor photographer actually sticks around to try and capture this forbidden alchemy before getting obliterated by the fireballs these wizards are throwing around?

Actually, there's no wizardry here, just pure technological!  Sorry, thought that would work better but no matter, let's take a look at how you can re-create this at home.

WHAT YOU NEED:

• Camera
• Light source (Flashlight, Boing, Astrojax Saturn)
• Tripod
• A friend to photograph or play while you photograph (or an exceedingly talented dog that will run around with a Boing in his mouth)
• Imagination!

Painting/drawing with light as pictured above is actually accomplished by using a long/extended exposure on your camera. Having the shutter open longer allows the light trail to be captured on the image sensor. To achieve best results you should shoot with a SLR or DSLR. If you have a point and shoot digital camera you can set your camera to night mode to get comparable results. 

While this is the technical instruction for how to accomplish the light painting, we can't provide you artistic direction.  That's on you, so really push the limits of what's possible and experiment!  Try photographing multiple subjects. Shoot a set of Astrojax Saturn and a Boing at the same time! Play with depth. Start off close to the camera at beginning of the shot and further away at the end of the shot.  See what kind of ambient effects you get shooting in the woods!  There are tons of ways to spice up your light painting so go crazy!  Using Boing (Large), the first photo above (1) was achieved by having four people stand perfectly still, while four people "traced" their silhouettes or outlines from behind!  Click on the third photo (3) to view sea creatures! A white LED Astrojax was used for the second photo (2), and a Boing Swing for the fourth photo (4). You are only limited by your imagination...

And when you're done shooting some awesome light painting?  Don't forget to head over to our Facebook page to show off what dazzling displays you've captured!  Because occasionally we'll hold contests for photo submissions there as well where you can win free USAstrojax stuff!  Sweet!

Light Up the Night

Hey all! OceanJax here.

It's summer and when I think of summer, I think of... well, a lot of things. Hot dogs. Especially hot dogs... mmmmmmm, hot dogs....

But when it comes to summer and skill toys, I can't think of two concepts that go better together (except for maybe hot dogs and summer, but I think we've covered that). The days are warm. The nights are cool. The hot dogs are fresh (why are we still mentioning hot dogs...)

What that all means is: It's time to play!

You already know that USAstrojax is your head-quarters for a vast array of skill toy fun, and I'm sure you are more than familiar with your favorite daytime skill toy. But have you had a chance to light up the night? And I don't mean with the midnight grilling of hot dogs (DOH!).

What I am talking about are light-up skill toys. Yes, USAstrojax has those too! From Boing balls to Saturns to Aqua Glows, you are sure to find the perfect nighttime companion to your skill toy repertoire.

My favorite? The Saturn Astrojax. The beauty of the Saturn series is three-fold: 

1. You get THREE balls that light up for you to orbit to your heart's content.
2. There is a vast array of Saturn options to choose from.
3. You can purchase individual Saturn balls to customize your own individual set .

Myachi - Way of the Hand Sack

What is Myachi?

If you have action figures, it makes an excellent body pillow for a G.I. Joe or Barbie.

If you're a Jaxologist, it is one of the greatest skill toys ever created.

It seems like only yesterday (by yesterday, I mean 1999) that I received my first Myachi in my hometown of Salida, Colorado. It was summer. Fibark was in full swing. The sun was shining and the river roaring as people swarmed around vendors selling at marked-up prices. I was 17 years old and like any teenager with money, it was burning a hole in my pocket. Between $4 funnel cakes and $2 junk toys, I arrived at destiny; The Myachi guys. I was already familiar with hackysack and quite good at it. So when I saw these guys throwing down a version of hackysack that broke the rules (see: playing with hands) I knew I had to see what was going on. 

What I discovered opened my eyes to hackysack play and the world of skill toys in general. What I learned was:

• You can bend the rules of a game if you'll just bend your mind.
• There are way more skill toys in the world than I could've imagined
• I would look pretty lame in comparison to these guys when I try Myachi

 
And I did look lame. It was hard at first. These guys were total rock stars. But most importantly? They were supportive, positive, and they opened my eyes. I plunked down $10 cash (the price back then) and left with my very first purple crush velvet Myachi.

So what is Myachi? In short, it's a hand hackysack. But the beauty of a Myachi is that it functions as a regular hackysack for like, you know, your feet. You can stall, kick, flick, spin it the old fashioned way, and now you can use your hands. There's only one rule-

NO PALMS ALLOWED! 

Or more simply- using the back of your hand exclusively. The first thing you will learn as a Myachi noob is the lotus position. How to form and hold your hand the proper way in order to effectively use your hands with a Myachi. If you've played hackysack but are not familiar with stalls, then the next thing you will (quickly) learn is how to stall. That simple technique that everyone claims they can do but cannot (technique is everything in a stall). Stalls are essential in Myachi. It's not all hits like in hackysack. Can you hit? Sure. It's just not the predominant move. But eventually, you will learn how to catch or stall. When you start getting the hang of it, you will find that you feel (and look like) a ninja with this thing! Once you find your Myachi flow, you'll find your body moving in ways and rhythms you may have never experienced before!

Below I've posted videos of some seasoned Myachi players (see: Myachi ninjas) so you can get an idea of how Myachi works because words just don't do it justice.

Much like hackysack, the Myachi is formed on the ideal of community. There are many skill toys out there that are meant for solo-use. And while you can practice/play Myachi on your own, the real fun comes in getting a group and jammin' together!  Learning new tricks. Showing off new tricks. Everyone laughing when someone gets smacked in the face "on accident". It's revolutionary and much like Astrojax, Myachi is open to new ways of play and interpretation based on the individuals playing. So, check out the videos and if you like what you see, click here to order your very own Myachi from USAstrojax!

World's Largest Paddleball

Believe me, you don't have to tell us because we already know what it means to have a respect for skill toys that is larger than life.  But, now it's about to be taken to an entirely new level and a literal one at that!

Enter the world's largest paddleball.  Courtesy of The Paddleball King, Steve Langley, he's about to set his 3rd Guinness world record.  Having already set 2 records with his favorite skill toy, it was time for a new feat of skill-toy awesomeness.  The first was done in Italy where Steve successfully controlled 7 paddleballs at the same time and the second was set after Steve painstakingly organized 356 people to control a paddleball simultaneously. 

But now?  Steve's about to smash another record using Paddlezilla, the 9-foot, custom monstrosity he'll use to snag the 'world's largest functioning paddleball' Guinness record. Go ahead and check Steve out here to see see it in action!

In addition to being The Paddleball King, Steve is also an accomplished juggler and professional entertainer with a deep love for skill toys and breaking records.  His primary motivator?  Making people smile and laugh.

Learn more about Steve's crazy skills and commitment to skill toys here at his personal page.

Spotlight on Iriska

Welcome to our first ever Player Spotlight of Iriska!  We may be US Astrojax, but that doesn't mean we don't have friends and pros all over the world, so we decided to showcase exactly that by asking Iriska to answer a few questions all the way from her home country of Russia. Read on to hear about her origins with Astrojax, tips for aspiring pros, and some of her favorite reactions from adoring fans!

NAME: IRISKA
COUNTRY: RUSSIA
AGE: 16
PLAYER SINCE: 03/2011 

US ASTROJAX: For someone who's completely unfamiliar with you, tell the world a little about who you are and how you first learned of Astrojax.

Iriska: Now I'm a sixteen years old girl who is jaxing for 1.5 years. At first I was beginning my skilltoy career with yo-yo but it has come to bad end. Maybe because I had no fervor or no inspiration or no uniqueness because a lot of teenagers plays with yo-yo and I could be inconspicuous among them. Further I tried penspinning and rubik's cube but it was boring. No activity at all as in yoing or jaxing. And then I've noticed a link "Astrojax" at the russian skilltoy shop [gyroscope.ru]. It was really big and bold and wery attractive so I wanted to play with it. I have felt that it was my way. But I haven't enough money for buying and that's why I've made my own astrojax from a yo-yo string and three very little balls. Now I can't imagine how I could play with them then, they're so little! Then I've bought aquas and pluses later and my skilltoy life has begun. Around the clock I watched ap-club tutorials and Cizrek's videos and it has worked out. Then I filmed my first jax video after two weeks jaxing, a month later I've come out on the scene and have  come to light.

US ASTROJAX: How many sets do you personally own?

Iriska: Now I have 14 sets of astrojax, 3 T-shirts, 1 hoodie and a lot of stickers.

US ASTROJAX: What is your absolute favorite trick?  The one that you could perform for hours without getting tired of it?

Iriska: When I jax I don't prefer any particular tricks, I love all tricks, all process of jaxing, that's why it's hard to choose one favourite trick. In a broader sense I like beautiful orbital tricks like turbine, hyper chimes and their variations.

US ASTROJAX: Where do you normally play?

Iriska: A lot of time I play at home and sometimes I jax outdoors when I'm hanging out with friends or walking around the city.

US ASTROJAX: When people see what you can do, what kind of reactions have you received?

Iriska: I have no negative reactions at all from people when I'm playing outdoors. They pass and look back at me, sometimes gawp and ask me about it. But recently I 've gotten into a nice situation; I was jaxing in the subway and a boy with biker helmet come to me with words "You're so beautiful, please show me more (tricks). Here's my phone number, let's walk together. I like you." It was very kindly :)

US ASTROJAX: How do you see the future of Astrojax evolving?

Iriska: It will be very cool if the amount of jaxers overtakes amount of yoers, if we have difficult competitions, battles for the first place and rank "Best Russian Jaxer", if we organize jax schools like yo-yo schools. I think I'll walk on air. But downing to earth there are few jaxers in Russia, so I can only build castles in the air.

US ASTROJAX: What advice would you give anyone who's trying to take their game to your level?

Iriska: First of all, you must believe you can play as well as I and overcome me. So many things is based on your faith in your strength. The second aspect is wish. You should really want it! Be zealous! "There's no happiness without desire." © Lope de Vega, "The dancing master".  Then listen your favourite music which can inspire you. And just play!!!

US ASTROJAX: What do you like to do when you're not practicing with your Astrojax?

Iriska: My freinds marvel at my interests and call me all-rounder girl. I love to read books, especially West Europe playwrighters. Then I'm fond of drawing. I draw everything I am impressed by; Books' & films' characters, online-game scenes, my favors etc. A short time ago I started to learn modern teenager's dance - jumpstyle. And I'm a sporstman - I'm in Russian amateur baseball team. :) I sucsessfully combine all my interests and everything is coming up with roses.

US ASTROJAX: Any final words of wisdom?

Iriska: Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy. - Norman Vincent Peale. Astrojax: once and for all. Now and forever!

Practical Everyday Ways to Use Your Xa

If you're like me (and thank goodness you're not cause that's years of counseling on your shoulders), you may be asking yourself this question:

How can I make Xa work for me?

Well, ask no more. On today's show, we're going discuss how to take your Xa to the next level and make it work for you. 

Now, you probably already know that you can stuff a sock inside and swing it around. You probably already have inflated a balloon inside of it to make for some cool looking pics. And I know you've stuffed your Xa with an icy cold sponge and have flung at the nearest unaware cohort (TEE HEE!). But did you know you could do these things:

01 BOOGER Xa: If you're the parent of small children, you probably already know about those busy fingers. You know, the ones that make a run for the nose and come out different shades of yellow and green (eww!). Time to say goodbye to those busy fingers and put them where they belong: not in your child's nose.

02 GRAPE Xa: I love grapes. Especially green grapes. But did you know that in some places of the world, they ban green grapes? Mainly in red grape factories (or farms or crops or vineyards... whatever the kids are calling it these days). And as a green grape lover, I cannot be anywhere without my green grapes... ANYWHERE! But if you walk onto a red grape plantation/vineyard/pyramid scheme, they will beat you down like pop stars security guards. But then I found my answer in Xa. Specifically the green one. See the photo above and to the left? Yeah, I'm holding a green Xa. But look closer. See what I see? Green grapes. Know who doesn't see it? Those red grape people. Not. A. Clue.

03 NOODLE Xa: Speaking of food and pop stars, nothing makes me empty my stomach faster than listening to Justin Bieber's album My World. But if I ever want to go to hungry from being full, that's exactly what I do. And when it comes to me being hungry, I sure like a heaping dish of spaghetti and meatballs. However, I have a problem. Being so young and smart and dashing (see above grape photo), I have a very busy schedule. And every time a warm plate of spaghetti and meatballs plops down in front of me, I find myself out of time to sit and enjoy. In fact, I can't. I have to run. I tried to grab a handful of it once and go, but those things are just too slippery. No longer. I figured if it worked with grapes on the go, spaghetti on the go should work just as well. And you know what... it worked! Quadruple bonus that Xa has numerous holes so I can slurp my dinner from any angle while keeping my eyes on the road.

04 POP STAR Xa: Are you tired of Justin Beiber? Me too. That's why Xa is the perfect solution to silencing the boy-wonder. Forever. I could elaborate. I could. But I think a picture is worth a thousand words. What's that Justin?? I can't hear you... Let you go? Is that what you said? Oh I misheard you. You said let you stay constricted in my Pop Star Xa prison forever... It is my pleasure. 

Well, we've sure had a good time today exploring the world of possibilities that Xa has to offer. But I want to know, what practical uses do YOU have for Xa? Feel free to comment below or shoot us an email with your own photo of how you apply the power of Xa to your daily routine!

~~OceanJax :)

The Breakdown of Astrojax MX

You've laughed with it, cried with it, shared awkward moments at the drive-in where it tried to get fresh with you, but today, in no uncertain terms, we'll be exploring the intricacies of the Astrojax MX line and why it's one of our favorites here at the office! But first? A little history...

History

The MX was so named due to its being the first implementation of Modular JaX. While everyone has a fondness for the original Astrojax, as Jaxologists the world over became more proficient, the desire to make that style into a more personal experience became palpable. So this was realized with the MX's easy customization without the use of tools, allowing players to fine-tune their sets to make it truly their own and even trade parts with friends.

Initially, several variations were prototyped, but ultimately scrapped having not met the final approval of the inventor and our most ardent Astrojax supporters. Our ongoing commitment to a quality skill toy experience is often a maddening road as we go through one iteration after another until we have that 'aHA!' moment when everything comes together. In this case, a year after concepts began in 2011, the MX was finally ready to head to retailers in January of 2012, much to our (and players') delight.

So let's take a look at the different types of MX and how they differ from other 'Jax™. But first a little background...

Features and Distinction

For starters, the MX series features detachable String Buds like the AQUA Astrojax. Also, it weighs in slightly larger and heavier than the PLUS, V-MAX, and SATURN, though not quite as large or heavy as the AQUA. This was also the first series to offer 2 differing materials.

However, by far the most unique feature of the MX, setting it apart from the rest of its Jaxorian brethren, is its easy disassembly. This lets players swap parts to their liking and allowed us to offer a play experience and connection to Astrojax to truly make it your own. Check out the breakdown below for a better understanding of how this works:

Modularity Breakdown

MX SPORT

Aerodynamics is the order of the day for the MX SPORT with its golf ball-like dimples. Despite appearances and its more cushioned feel, the MX SPORT is actually slightly heavier than the original Astrojax PLUS (18g), weighing in at a mind-boggling 22g on average. Also, the polyurethane body of the MX SPORT makes it more conducive to rebound tricks. This bad boy is available in red and baby blue.

MX POP

Currently we carry a couple of different colors of the MX POP in our online store, and both really do 'pop' due to the bold color scheme. Available in yellow and orange, POPs feature an slightly transparent ribbed body made of a thermoplastic resin, a safe rubber substitute with a distinctive texture.

Docking

The Dock is specifically designed for the Astrojax MX line (although it does fit the AQUAs pretty well). Simply click each ball into the dock to keep your Astrojax organized. You can also wrap up your Jax™ as featured in this post.

So that's a quick look at the types of MX Astrojax that we offer here at US ASTROJAX. While one isn't necessarily better than another, it does make sense to take a hard look at the types of tricks that you like to perform and decide what set matches up best with your requirements as a player. Because each experience is unique, we want to make sure that we're offering solid information for you to stay on top of the latest and greatest in the Astrojax community.

So thanks for stopping by to take a look at the different types of MX available, and make sure to check back often for the latest news and other exciting developments in skill toys!

Video Slowcase: An Intimate Look at Chris Manic's Astrojax Skills in Slo-Mo!

Why slow case?  Because this video comes to you at a high framerate that's been slowed down so you can catch every detail of Chris Manic's performance.  

Straight out of NY circa 2008 when Larry Shaw, the inventor, invited some of the top players in the world to hang out, eat pizza, and showoff their skills.  Chris Manic, Cizrek, and Jason Simard made the trip where we all explored the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan to shoot some footage.  While we love shooting out in the open, our hunger to see Astrojax slowed down Matrix-style was satiated when Larry arranged to have quarter speed film footage shot in a New York film studio. Be looking for part 2 featuring Cizrek soon, but for now feast your eyes on what we captured!

On behalf of Astrojax fans worldwide, we'd like to wish
Chris Manic a Happy Birthday!

Meet Contributing Blogger TheFerrell

Hello! There are many who are reading this blog post and already know who I am. You all have seen me regularly post on the AP-club forum and back on the Freedo and Allesastrojax forums. I even had a few posts on the astrojax.com forum BEFORE it became the Ap-club forum! Yes, that means I've been involved with Astrojax for more than 7 years now. I actually was one of the first to experience www.usastrojax.com because I tried to order a catalog from Jim back when he ACTUALLY had a catalog. (Memo to self, bug Jim to get one of those if he still has one).

Oh wait, where was I.... Oh yea, my introduction.

I am a resident of Southern California. I enjoy all those stereotypical "So-cal" things such as riding any board I can get my hands on (surfing, wakeboarding, longboarding, snowboarding, etc.) I also like playing with Astrojax and yoyos WHILE riding said boards. (haven't done it wiht Snowboards and Surfing yet...). I am married to a Civil Engineer who I met back in School. I am a Civil Engineer and currently work for my parents (also civil engineers) and we design pools (anything from custom pools to olympic competition pools), houses, and even the fake rocks you see at Disneyland or Disney World! Yup, it's a fun job! I also get to work with my parents and two sisters all day, so it's a fun family affair..Other than that, I currently work with the Cub Scouts with my church and I have addicted them all to skill toys.

Ok, now about my view of Astrojax/play style/mantra. I believe my strength in Astrojax is teaching. I try to regularly put out tutorial videos about how to not only learn, but master the basic moves. I am currently looking for tricks you want to learn, so feel free to contact me via Facebook or the Ap-club forums. I want everyone to enjoy Astrojax. The main key to enjoying astrojax is to simply LOVE to play. I believe that this is becoming a lost art with the advent of video games, cell phone games (which I extremely detest being a big time video-gamer myself). People simply don't imagine as they used to. Astrojax, to me, is about flow and rhythm and entertainment. I'll post on ways to always be putting on a show, even if you only have one person watch. I'll also make posts (and videos) on ways to practice so if you are in a crowd, you can bust great tricks without having people be completely scared of getting whacked on the head. My wife and I have Disneyland passes, and I'm always seen there with a set of jax putting on a show in those ungodly long lines. It's always fun to see kids' eyes light up and watch as you are in the flow.

I consider myself a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to the skill toy world. I own about a dozen different skill toys and I grade myself "proficient" and above with everything. For this forum, I will be posting about Astrojax and Yoyos. My first skill toy was a Yoyo, so I still keep those dear to my heart. I also realize that my yoyo skills are nowhere near world class, so I will not be making videos for trick descriptions, since those videos are all over the interwebz. I, however, will make videos for yoyos geared towards AP's yoyos and tips and tricks to get the beginner yoyo-slinger graduated from a clutch yoyo and into the world of non-responsive yoyos. That's where the real fun begins!

So yea, that's about it for me! Stay Tuned (pun intended) and hang onto something. This is the wildest ride in the wilderness!

- John Ferrell

a.k.a. Theferrell