Forklift

Other Tutorials:

Guillaume Riesen (video)

     The Forklift is a unique three ball pattern established by Michael Karas which combines a split multiplex with an odd throw made from the top of your hand called a Fork. This Fork quickly separates the multiplexed balls, allowing for extra throws/catches to be made while also creating a very unique aesthetic. The actual throws made in the Forklift are fairly simple, but controlling the Fork "throw" takes a fair amount of practice.

    To learn the Forklift, it is best to begin by practicing the Fork. Start with two balls in your non-dominant hand, and then make a fairly vertical throw at the center of your body. As this ball reaches its peak, you are going to make a second vertical throw underneath it from your non-dominant hand while simultaneously pushing the first ball upwards using the first two fingers of your dominant hand (your palm should be facing downward). If done correctly, the first ball should stay in the same vertical column as the second ball, and the distance between the two balls should remain roughly the same. After the Fork, you are going to bring your dominant hand down and claw catch the second ball, allowing the first ball to fall into your non-dominant hand.
    Practice this on both sides, making sure that the Fork is done in a controlled manner. To add in the third ball, start with two balls in your dominant hand and one ball in your non-dominant. Make a normal Cascade throw from your non-dominant hand, and then do a split multiplex from your dominant hand, clearing space for that hand to catch the first throw. After that ball is caught, you are going to bring your dominant hand underneath the multiplexed ball that is farthest away from your dominant side. Simultaneously, you are going to bring your non-dominant hand directly underneath the multiplexed ball closest to it (the same ball that your dominant hand is now under). Once your hands are in these positions, you are going to make a vertical throw from your dominant hand, immediately followed by a vertical Fork "throw". These two throws are identical to the ones practiced in step one. Your dominant hand will now be free to catch the other multiplexed ball, while your non-dominant hand will claw catch the vertical ball just thrown from your dominant hand. The Forked ball will then be caught by your dominant hand.
     Again, practice this on both sides. To finish the cycle, you are going to make a second vertical throw along the outside of your body from your dominant hand to clear space for the Forked ball to be caught. You will then take your non-dominant hand, which has just claw caught a ball, and swing it up and around to the outside of your body, claw catching the ball just thrown from your dominant hand.
    As shown, practice this on both sides. You may have noticed that this step finishes with a ball configuration that is opposite of the one you started with. To run another cycle and continue the full Forklift pattern, you simply need to make another Cascade throw (with the other hand this time) after you swing your arm around to catch the final ball. The Forklift is an intermediate pattern, and as such it may take a couple of days to fully master. Remember, to achieve the best aesthetic, you will want to make your Fork "throw" as vertical as possible.