Windmill
Other Tutorials:
- Siteswap: 3
- Difficulty (1-10): 5
- Prerequisites: Reverse Cascade, Mills Mess (optional)
- Related Tricks: Four Ball Windmill
The Windmill—also known as the
False Shower—is a three ball trick in which the balls travel in a circular
pattern, being thrown from one side and caught on the other. As you can see
from the siteswap (3), the Windmill is actually just an incredibly distorted
Cascade, with the balls being thrown between hands. The arm movements of the
Windmill are also very similar to Mills Mess, such that knowing Mills Mess
makes it very easy to learn the Windmill. This tutorial however will assume
you do not already know the Mills Mess pattern.
To learn the Windmill, start with two balls in your
non-dominant hand and one ball in your dominant. Cross your arms such that
your non-dominant hand is on top. Then, make a throw from your non-dominant
hand toward the center of your body, and uncross your arms. After your arms
have completely uncrossed, make a throw from your dominant hand in the same
direction as the first ball. Then, recross your arms such that your dominant
hand is on top, and then catch the first ball with your dominant hand. As
the second ball begins descending, throw the last ball from your
non-dominant hand under your dominant arm and then catch the second ball
with your non-dominant hand. Finally, catch the third ball with your
dominant hand.
Practice this until your are comfortable with those three
throws. Next, we are going to add in an additional two throws. The previous
step leaves off with your dominant arm crossed over your non-dominant arm.
To add in the two throws, you are going to uncross your arms (while the
third throw is still in the air) and make a fourth throw going the same
direction. You will then recross your arms with your dominant arm staying on
top, and catch the third throw with your dominant hand. As the fourth throw
begins its descent, you will make a fifth throw with your non-dominant hand
under your dominant arm (this is identical to the last throw of the previous
step) and then uncross your arms to catch the fourth ball. Then catch the
fifth ball with your dominant hand.
And that's all there is to the Windmill. To run the full
pattern, just keep making those alternating fourth and fifth throws, and
make sure that only one hand is ever on top when your arms are crossed. The
Windmill can also be juggled in the other direction, with the opposite hand
on top.