JackJuggles - #
Hey, I'm just wondering if anybody has a technique for staying focused while doing a long endurance run. I can't really go past a couple minutes for most patterns, because I lose focus which causes my pattern to get sloppier.
So for anyone who can juggle a pattern for a long time while staying focused, is there a certain strategy that you use, or is it just that I have a short attention span?
Stephen Meschke - - Parent #
If attention is an issue, consider your diet. Eating lots sugar before juggling negatively effects my ability to focus past 40 catches. Proper nutrition is necessary for both the body and mind.
Loss of attention can be caused by anxiety and preoccupation. There is no easy fix to this, but doing some yoga sun salutations in you juggling warm-up may help.
The mind wanders because it longs to be somewhere else. Maybe you are juggling in the wrong spot? Try different juggling locations like a gym, pavilion, park, or foyer. In a good location you can feed off of the positive energy.
It is most likely that your technique is the problem, not your attention span. A lapse in attention usually causes a collision or a low throw, not a pattern that gets gradually sloppier. Check you alignment and symmetry.
I am working toward 1 minute with 7b and 5c, I'm currently at around 40 seconds with both.
I have the opposite problem. If I haven't had a snack for a few hours my mind starts to wonder where my next biscuit is coming from.
Stephen Meschke - - Parent #
In my previous comment, I was referring to added sugar that could be found in candy or soda.
'Simple added sugars are digested and absorbed more quickly, resulting in a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. This gives you a rapid, immediate burst of energy. But, this energy is short lasting. High blood sugar levels trigger a rapid surge of the hormone insulin. Insulin causes a rapid drop in blood sugar.'
-https://www.lifeed.ucla.edu/documents/CHS19Carbohydrates.pdf
This is my preferred nutrition for juggling:
4 hrs before juggling - some complex carbs like bread, rice, or pasta
30 min before juggling - some simple sugars like dried fruit or applesauce
I always eat a protein packed cereal bar before my practises..........Chia seeds are also good......
ok, this has nothing to do with this thread. I'm just too lazy to start a new thread, so, is it just me, or is the commenting on the log section not working?
Ameron Rosvall - - Parent #
Do you mean long endurance runs as in 10 minute+ attempts of tricks or patterns that are (supposed to be) easy for you?
If so, try moving around, turning, sitting down for a while, changing the height and pace of the pattern, standing back up etc. until about 5 minutes has passed. Keeping yourself occupied like this is a great way to avoid thinking about how pointless long endurance runs of easy tricks are.
Also try setting a clear goal for yourself before you begin, listen to music while juggling to keep track of time, and constantly remind yourself of the goal. Try to imagine that reaching the goal is important and getting there will make you a better juggler.
Maybe e.g. count loud (starting whenever with whatever number), maybe emphasizing weakhand if is, or e.g. word every or every second throw, or e.g. do a melody loud .. as soon as slightest sloppy comes lulling you .. ? (But I'm also mostly below a minute with anything, I endure)
I'm wondering if the "inner game" approach would be of any use ie. distracting the conscious mind by reciting a poem/singing a song etc.
Anybody ever tried applying "inner game" concepts to juggling?
I do this using the T.V just try and focus my attention away from the balls, and change the pattern when my arms get tired or keep mixing it up depending how I feel. It really helped when I first learned mills mess.
Playing music helps. Or playing a film that you've seen before. You can visualize what's going on in your mind. You want your subconscious to take control by distracting your conscious.
Stephen Meschke - - Parent #
Can you describe this in greater detail? When I juggle, I focus 100% of my attention on a single point (usually the crossing point in a cascade).
Little Paul - - Parent #
So you don't count catches then?
Stephen Meschke - - Parent #
The only patterns I count catches with are 7b cascade and 5c cascade. I use a different color prop to count, so I am always looking through the crossing point.
Little Paul - - Parent #
My point being, if you are doing something else (eg counting catches - even if you are counting one ball) then you aren't 100% focussed on the crossing point
You have brain capacity available, which you're using to count catches. Try using that for something else, like listening to the radio or TV and forget the number of catches.
Stephen Meschke - - Parent #
Little Paul,
About a month ago I started training 7 balls using a set of blue, light blue, red, orange, yellow, pink, and green balls. I have noticed that it is quite different than using my previous set of one orange and 6 blue.
After two weeks of getting used to the new set, I was able to juggle them as well as the previous set. It still somehow feels different in a way that is difficult to describe.
I still count catches, counting every time I throw the green ball with my right hand.
Do you think that juggling a set of balls that is a variety of colors takes more brain capacity than juggling a set of balls that is all the same color?
Have you ever tried juggling with several different color balls and calling out the color as they are thrown?
You can focus your attention on one thing, but when juggling you need to focus on many things at the same time. Only your subconscious muscle memory (not literally anything to do with the muscles) can achieve that. When learning a trick is can be useful to think about a single aspect of the trick and then move on to another aspect. But when you've already learnt all the aspects of the trick then you're ready for endurance and already have all the subconscious muscle memory to do the trick without thinking. Trying to think about it again will normally be much less effective than just letting your muscle memory get on with it based on all the training you've done. It's something that all successful sport players have learnt at some point. For example, when confronted with a high stress situation such as playing in a final, or getting close to breaking a juggling record, people will often start to over think, which gets in the way of all their muscle memory training. This is called choking. In order to avoid it you need to distract your conscious mind and also convince yourself that the situation is relaxing rather than stressful and be very confident (doublethink).
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