How to Juggle Three Balls

Co-authored by Nathan Taylor and Kyle Hall

Last Updated: September 23, 2024 Fact Checked

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An ancient performance art, juggling dates back four thousand years. Juggling effortlessly may look impossible, but with practice and patience, you can do it too! The key is perfecting the toss and practicing regularly so you get comfortable catching and throwing the balls.

Part 1

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Learning the Basics

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Find 3 matching balls. It will be easier to juggle when you're first starting out if all the balls are the same size and weight. Look for balls that are less bouncy since you may be dropping them on the floor a lot at first.
- Baseballs are a good kind of ball to practice with.
Holding the 2 balls in your dominant hand will be easier when you're starting out. As you practice and get better, you'll be able to use either hand.^{[1]
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Look straight out in front of you. You don't want to be looking down at your hands while you're juggling.^{[2]
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You want to toss it so it goes at eye level. When you get better at juggling, you will be able to throw it higher. Toss it at a slight angle so that when it starts to fall it's moving in the direction of your opposite hand. This will make it easier to catch.^{[3]
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Right after you toss the first ball, you want to gently toss the ball in your opposite hand into the air. Try to toss it with the same amount of force as you used to toss the first ball. Toss it at an angle so its trajectory ends in your other hand.^{[4]
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Toss it the same way you tossed the first 2 balls, and do it immediately after you toss the second ball. After you toss the last ball, there should be a brief moment where all 3 balls are in the air.
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Catch the balls in the order you threw them. You'll catch the first ball you threw first, then the second ball you threw, and then the last ball you threw. Each ball should end up in the opposite hand it started in. If your left hand had 2 balls in it when you started, those 2 balls should be in your right hand now.^{[5]
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- As you get better, you can work on tossing the balls faster and doing other tricks.

Part 2

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Improving Your Juggling Skills

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Practice tossing 1 ball back and forth between your hands. Practicing with 1 ball is a good way to perfect the tossing motion you need to juggle 3 balls. Work on tossing the ball so it goes up at an angle, peaks above your head, and then travels down at an angle into your opposite hand. When the ball lands in your hand, scoop your hand up into the air to toss the ball back to your other hand.^{[6]
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- Keep doing this until you're able to toss the ball back and forth between your hands without dropping it or looking down at your hands.
Once you've got the tossing motion down with 1 ball, try adding in a second ball. Hold a ball in each hand. Then, toss 1 of the balls up at an angle so it peaks just above your head. When the ball peaks, toss the second ball up using the same motion. Catch the first ball you threw, and then the second, so that both balls are in the opposite hand they started in.^{[7]
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Try different juggling variations as you get better. Once you master juggling 3 balls, incorporate variations into your routine so you can take your skills to the next level. Try juggling objects other than balls, like rings or clubs. You can even add a fourth object into the mix and try to juggle more than 3 things. If you have a friend that juggles, practice passing objects back and forth while you're juggling standing next to each other.^{[8]
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- A popular variation of 3-ball juggling you can try is the cascade. Instead of tossing all 3 balls in quick succession, toss 2 balls and wait until you catch 1 of them before you toss the third. Everytime a ball peaks above your head, toss a new ball. There should only ever be 2 balls in the air at once.
Don't get discouraged if you can't juggle 3 balls right away — learning how to juggle takes time! Keep practicing every day and eventually you'll get there. If you need to, start out with 1 ball. Then you can add a second and third ball as you improve.^{[9]
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Can I train my juggling skills using fruit?

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Of course! Oranges are perfect, but basically any round or semi-round fruit or vegetable works.

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What if I drop the balls while juggling?

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That is perfectly normal to do while learning, and will stop happening as you practice. Try to develop a consistent pattern so you know exactly when and where the balls are going to fall.

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What can I use if I don't have juggling balls?

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A normal ball like a tennis ball, basball or softball ball or even a foam or soft cricketball will be fine. If you don't want an actual ball you could try little beanbags.

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Keep your eyes up and forward. Don’t follow any given ball with your eyes, instead just look at where they’re being thrown.

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