Luke's Shuffle

Other Tutorials:

TWJ Club (text-based)
Guillaume Riesen (video)

     Luke's Shuffle (also known as the Drop Box) is a variation of the classic Box pattern in which the middle ball is tossed between hands using a slam throw, rather than a standard horizontal pass. This trick is fast paced and looks pretty cool, especially when combined with other Box patterns. Before learning Luke's Shuffle, it would be wise to already know both the Box and the Shuffle, since parts of both tricks are included in this pattern.

    The first step to learning Luke's Shuffle is to split the trick roughly in half, and practice the slam throw with two balls. Start with one ball in each hand. Then, throw the ball in your dominant hand straight up, while simultaneously passing the ball in your other hand toward your now empty dominant hand (as if juggling the normal Box). Once that second ball is caught, bring that hand up over the first ball, and do a slam throw out of your dominant hand, claw catching the first ball on your way down.
    Practice this extensively on both sides. Once you can perform the slam throw consistently, it is time to add it in to the full pattern. Start by juggling a normal Box, and then do a slam throw with your dominant hand. After the slam throw is caught by your non-dominant hand, perform another slam throw with that hand, and then return to the normal Box pattern.
    This is one cycle of Luke's Shuffle, and as you become more comfortable with the trick, you can add in more cycles. With practice, you will get to the point where you can juggle the pattern for extended periods of time, at which point it is safe to say you have learned Luke's Shuffle.