Switched Box

Other Tutorials:

eMrestiM (demonstration)

     The Switched Box is a shape distortion of the Box pattern in which each column is caught and thrown by the opposite hand (i.e. the left column is caught by your right hand and the right column is caught by your left hand). This makes for a more awkward trick as both hands must quickly move side-to-side to accommodate the catches. In general however the Switched Box is only slightly more difficult to perform than the normal Box, and most jugglers will pick it up fairly easily.

    To begin learning the Switched Box, start with two balls in your dominant hand and one ball in your non-dominant hand. Make a vertical throw from your dominant hand and then shift your dominant hand over to the non-dominant side of your body. When the first ball reaches its peak and begins to descend you are going to make a second vertical throw from your dominant hand (this time on the non-dominant side of your body) and then simultaneously shift both hands to the dominant side of your body while making a horizontal pass from your non-dominant hand to your dominant hand. This will clear space for your non-dominant hand to catch the first vertical ball. The second vertical ball will be caught by your dominant hand.
    Practice this on both sides until you can perform it smoothly and without collisions. To run the full pattern simply make another vertical throw from your dominant hand and horizontal pass from your non-dominant hand as the second vertical ball begins to descend.