club length/style influence on spin rate
Hi All,
After seeing a video of a unicyclist juggling double spins and other moves, I was inspired to do more. After 3 weeks of hard work, I'm almost there and my body is no longer rebelling against this new challenge.
The excessive dropping has destroyed my 1970s Dube plain AB plastic American fat belly clubs, 20" long. I pulled out a set of 19" European-bellied clubs I bought from a now-unknown manufacturer in the 1970s. I think they have a dowel running the length.
These clubs spin MUCH faster than the 20" fat belly clubs. Is that because they are 1" shorter? Or because they are European?
I want to experiment with them because I might integrate doubles into my unicycling workout . If so, I also have to keep my eyes on the road for bumps. For a slow spinning club to double turn, it must go high. In order to watch that club going high, it's a challenge to also keep my eyes on the bumpy road.
Ultimately, I'm considering whether I need to buy a new set of clubs, what length and style.
Also, how much has club technology evolved in the last 40 years?
Thank you!
William
Little Paul - - Parent #
Spin speed is related to:
- the length of the club
- the weight distribution (if the weight is mostly central it'll spin faster, if it's towards one end it'll be more loopy)
- where along the length of the club you hold it
"how long is the handle" feeds into all of the above, with short handle clubs generally being faster.
I used to know a juggler who loved the fast spinning style so much he'd buy spotlight short handle clubs (what was that, purple spot?) and then saw another 1.5" off the handle. That gave his clubs a really fast, snappy spin.
The size of the body mostly affects the weight distribution (as there's more material nearer the end of the club), so fatter clubs are likely to be more floaty and skinny clubs more spinny - which is why albatross are so lovely for passing and fish are not so nice.
I'm not sure anyone specifically makes short-handle clubs any more (apart from possibly Renegade). so if you're starting fresh and want spinny - I would go for something skinny with a wrapped handle, and cut a couple of inches off.
You'll need a wrapped handle rather than a moulded handle (so that you can re-wrap it after shortening it)
For loads of information about how club technology has evolved over the last hundred years (including the last 40!) you could do an awful lot worse than working your way through https://historicaljugglingprops.com
Also the weight of the club - a long time ago when I switched from Spotlights to Henry's Pirouettes I overspun everything for a while just because the same amount of work from the wrist yielded a much stronger spin.
Daniel Simu - - Parent #
Henrys classic shorts are fine for fast spinning clubs, and I am curious to try mister babache Mario Berousek "flash" clubs!
I'll leave this here.
https://pjb.com.au/jug/moi/index.html
Daniel Simu - - Parent #
For a few seconds I wondered "which brand makes a club called Human Tibia?"
Little Paul - - Parent #
I'll let you make up your own distasteful joke about Chris' bone
Daniel Simu - - Parent #
bwahaha I am laughing out loud so hard now!
For a history on the development of the juggling clubs, read the five articles below. If you send me a photo of the clubs you're now using, I'd love to see what they are. I may be able to identify them.
David Cain
http://ezine.juggle.org/2014/01/31/the-development-of-the-juggling-club-part-1/
http://ezine.juggle.org/2014/02/16/the-development-of-the-juggling-club-part-2/
http://ezine.juggle.org/2014/02/24/the-development-of-the-juggling-club-part-3/
http://ezine.juggle.org/2014/03/10/the-development-of-the-juggling-club-part-4/
http://ezine.juggle.org/2014/03/26/the-development-of-the-juggling-club-part-5/
(I'll upload a photo if I can figure out how).
Holy cow! I had not idea there was so much to understand about the speed of club spin, but it makes a lot of sense! Thank you, everyone who contributed to this thread!!
My very old Dube AB American big belly clubs have a very pleasant slow spin, probably as much from the extra inch as the big belly moves the balance point toward the belly end. That makes for far less throws and less fatigue or overuse injury over the course of an hour unicycle ride, juggling.
I also note that on that table (with the human tibia!!), Dube Knives have the highest Moment of Inertia and the slowest spin, which is kind of nice for something that actually can hurt you even though not sharpened.
Note, the gentleman who made that wonderful table said that the numbers confirm how they feel in the hands. If other people could measure other popular types of club, I'd be delighted to incorporate their results into the table . . . Send him the info!!
The 3 square solid wood clubs were my first, bought by mail in 1973 or 74, from a known juggler. Back then there were only about 300 jugglers in the IJA roster. Paul Kois already had years in and performed regularly. Rich Chamberlain, both from Buffalo like me.
I see them in the Juggling Museum photos of David Cain, too.
https://jugglingedge.com/userfiles/William/clubs1.jpg
https://jugglingedge.com/userfiles/William/clubs2.jpg