Bizarre Box

Other Tutorials:

Michael Karas (demonstration)

     The Bizarre Box is an odd variation of the Box in which the horizontal pass is made to the same hand that threw it. This is achieved by throwing the ball from one side of your body and then crossing the passing hand to the opposite side to catch it. This peculiar horizontal pass gives the Bizarre Box a unique aesthetic while also making it one of the most difficult Box variations to master.

    To learn the Bizarre Box, start with just one ball in your dominant hand. Make a very low throw toward the non-dominant side of your body, and then cross your dominant hand underneath your non-dominant hand (which should itself be crossing over to your dominant side). If done correctly, the ball you just threw should pass over your non-dominant hand and then be caught under-the-arm by your dominant hand.
    Practice this on both sides (although you may want to run through the entire tutorial for one side, and then go through it all again for the other side). It is important that you be able to perform this "pass" consistently, since you will have to do it while juggling two other balls. To add in the second ball, start with one ball in each hand. Make a vertical throw from your non-dominant hand, and then perform the pass/arm crossing done in step one. As the vertical ball begins to descend, uncross your arms and catch the ball in your non-dominant hand.
    Practice these two throws extensively. This step will likely feel very awkward at first, with your hands naturally wanting to make throws of complementary height and direction. With practice however this step will become almost second nature. To add in the third ball, start with two balls in your dominant hand and one ball in your non-dominant. Make a vertical throw from your dominant hand and then, as that ball begins to descend, make the vertical throw/horizontal "pass" combination done in step two. This time however, you are going to use your non-dominant hand to catch the vertical throw made by your dominant hand. Then catch the second vertical throw with your non-dominant hand.
    As shown practice this on both sides (again, it might be better to first practice all the way through on just one side). To add in the final throws, do step three again, except make a vertical throw from your non-dominant hand before it uncrosses, clearing space for you to catch the previous vertical throw made from your non-dominant hand. As that vertical throw from your non-dominant hand begins to descend (it should be located on the dominant side of your body), make a vertical throw from your non-dominant hand along with a horizontal pass from your dominant hand, clearing space for your dominant hand to catch that descending vertical ball. Then catch the vertical ball just thrown with your non-dominant hand.
    Practice this until you can do all the throws consistently. To run the full Bizarre Box, just make another vertical throw/crossed-arm "pass" combination as the last vertical throw shown in the previous step begins to descend. This will set you up for a new cycle, after which you will simply continue to repeat the pattern on alternating sides of your body.