Juggling is a skill that involves tossing and catching objects in a creative manner. Professional jugglers take years to practice to perfect this art. One of the basic needs for juggling is juggling balls. These balls have to be of a certain weight and shape to help jugglers catch them easily. Here is a simple guide on how to buy juggling balls.
Decide on the number of balls you can juggle
Some people juggle with three balls, some with five, while others can juggle with even seven balls. You will have to invest in the number of balls once you’ve decided how many balls you can juggle. This answer also decides what size to opt for when you are going to purchase juggling balls.
If you are going to juggle with just three balls, large-sized balls are great. These are easily visible to the audience too, and that’s an added advantage. Look for balls that are 6-7 cm in diameter. However, if you are going to juggle with more than five balls, handling balls of larger diameter is going to be a challenge. In such cases, opt for slightly smaller balls (4-6 cm) in diameter.
Choose between the different types of balls
There are so many types of balls to choose from, such as those listed below:
The size of the ball
When you select juggling balls, the size of the ball is another vital point to keep in mind. Smaller balls are easier to handle while softer balls are easy to maneuver. The bigger the diameter of the ball, the more challenging the juggling will be.
If you are a beginner juggler, buy juggling balls that are from brands that are reputed in the industry. You can start with basic beanbag balls and move to more professional models as you get better.
Juggling balls come in all shapes and sizes. Along with this, their price varies too. Whether you are a beginner or an expert in juggling balls, there are plenty of options to consider. The weight of the ball, size, and other such factors influence the ease of handling them. So, it is important to know about the various types of juggling balls before deciding to purchase them. To make this purchase decision easy, here are some types of juggling balls you can consider buying.
Beanbag juggling balls
Given the lightweight profile, these are suitable even for young learners. Kids who want to try their hands at juggling for the first time will find these to be safe to use. Most of them come with an outer casing made of PU leather and other durable materials. So these balls can also be used for outdoor juggling sessions. These are suitable mainly for recreational jugglers who are looking for a cool party trick to learn.
Bouncy juggling balls
These are made of materials like rubber that make them bounce better than most other juggling ball variants. If you’re deciding to get these juggling balls, look for the thickness, weight, and bounce ratio to understand the performance of the ball. These are often composed of solid rubber that gives them that superior bounce. Its versatility makes this type suitable for all types of jugglers.
Stage balls
The distinguishing feature of stage balls is that they often come with an empty shell. The shell is made up of a light yet durable material like PVC or plastic. Not too rigid like the beanbags and not too bouncy like the bounce juggling balls, these are just right for performers who are still perfecting their skills.
LED juggling balls
These come with different kinds of LED lights including steady lights and fading ones. When you buy juggling balls with LED lights, most are battery operated, and the batteries can be easily replaced. You will also find some exceptionally balanced LED juggling balls that performers can use to capture the attention of the audience.
Russian juggling balls
These are juggling balls that come with a partial filling. The design is such that the filling can move around the ball. This helps in creating a weighted design wherein the ball’s center of gravity remains low. This can positively impact the control over the ball, thus helping beginners to perform better.