How to Use a Yo Yo

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Last Updated: February 22, 2024 Fact Checked

A yo-yo is a classic toy that's seemingly simple but actually rather tricky to master. It takes deftness and agility as well as careful hand coordination to successfully operate a yo-yo. With practice you can be a master in no time, taking something so simple into the extraordinary. Start with Step number one below to know which yo-yo to choose, how to work it, and how to do some basic tricks.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Knowing Your Yo-Yo

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1
Choose between types of yo-yos. Since yo-yos have been around for literally thousands of years (they've changed a bit since ancient Greece), a few different kinds have emerged that serve slightly different purposes:
- Imperial yo-yos. This is your classic, circular shape. These are for "looping tricks" -- where the yo-yo isn't sleeping but routinely coming back to your hand as you make loops and circles with the string.^{[1]
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- Butterfly yo-yos. These are shaped just like their name -- larger on the outside, smaller on the inside (like wings). They're good for string tricks, where the yo-yoist creates intricate, woven webs with the string.^{[2]
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- Automatic yo-yos. Yomega quite a few years back started the craze of automatic yo-yos: ones that could "sleep" (stay on the bottom of the string, spinning) and "wake up" (come back to your hand) on their own. These are fine, but it's kind of like cheating. If you want to actually do your own tricks, you don't want an automatic yo-yo.
- Off-string yo-yos. They're literally that -- off the string. It's technically a yo-yo but it's more like an awesome grooved disc that bounces on a string as you manipulate. It's generally reserved for very serious, competitive yo-yoists.^{[3]
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2
Know your string length. Hold your yo-yo out so it hangs off its string just before the floor. Where is the string in relation to your body? If it's at your belly button, you're good to go. If it's any longer, just cut the string. It's just string, after all. If it's too long, you won't be able to do any neat stuff with it!
- Cut it a few inches above your belly button to leave room for creating a new loop. Then make a knotted loop at the end big enough for your middle finger to slip into. Or just recreate the loop size you cut off.
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In other words, open up your yo-yo. Odds are you can twist the two halves apart. Yo-yos used to have the string knotted around the center, but now they have a bearing system (if yours doesn't, tricks will most likely be impossible). That means the string is just looped around the center (you'll see a silver bit and maybe some metal balls), and if physics were different, the yo-yo could just spin on the end of the string forever. This leaves a lot of time to do really neat stuff!
4
Know how to wind your yo-yo. There will be a time when your yo-yo just doesn't cooperate and you have to wind it yourself. Don't freak out! This is totally normal. Just hold your yo-yo in your non-dominant hand with your pointer finger across your yo-yo. Wind the string around the yo-yo and your finger once.^{[4]
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Research source} Then loop the string two or three times underneath your finger (creating a loop). Remove your finger and wind up as normal. A loop will be there at first, but it'll come out with your first throw.
- After one throw, it'll be back to normal. So when you give it your first go, be sure to snap it back up!

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Understanding the Basics

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1
Slip the ring on your yo-yo's string onto your middle finger. It's best to keep it around your first knuckle, near the tip of your finger. If it's at the base of your finger, it'll be hard to rotate the string around your hand.
- Turn your hand palm-side up, with the yo-yo in your palm. Now hold onto it. This is the position you'll return to almost always.
2
Thrust your arm down, releasing the yo-yo and spreading your fingers. Point them a bit downward while you throw your yo-yo down, rotating your palm to the floor to snap the yo-yo back up.
- For a more basic move, start with your palm facing down. Then with an upward movement of your arm and an extension of your fingers, release the yo-yo. With this variation, you don't need to worry about rotating your palm (but you get less speed).
3
Give it a sharp tug when the yo-yo is fully extended to bring it back. It's only right before the tug that you need to rotate your palm to the floor. It's this part of the move that makes it important the string is near the tip of your finger.
- Your hand should just give a slight twitch. The yo-yo will then land in your hand, coming to you 100% of the way. No need to go grabbing after it or looking to catch it -- just keep your arm where it is.
That's the basic movement of the yo-yo. Pretty simple, huh? But there's so much more you can do! Once you get the feel for what speed is necessary for you and how to position your hands, arm, and wrist, you can move onto tricks. Keep reading!

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Doing Tricks

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1
Throw a strong sleeper. This is the first step to doing string tricks -- most involve a "sleeping" yo-yo: one that is just spinning on the end of the string (sometimes for minutes on end). The idea is to thrust out the yo-yo and keep it from coming back to you until you want it to. It hovers on the ground, spinning freely. Here's the basics:
- With the yo-yo in hand, make a muscle-man pose, bringing your hand toward your shoulder. Your palm should stay up as you wind up, give it a straight snap, and release the yo-yo forcefully, extending your arm. Make sure to do this with a lot of strength or the yo-yo will pop right back up to you, never sleeping.
- Having trouble? It's probably because you're jerking your hand trying to get all that speed.^{[5]
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  Research source} That jerk you have at the release forces it to wake up. Concentrate on having force and speed, but keeping your hand and wrist stable. And definitely don't bounce!
- When you're ready to wake 'er up, rotate your palm down and give it a slight tug up, per usual.
2
Master the forward toss. This one is the precursor to looping or 2A tricks. With your yo-yo in hand, place your hand at your side with your palm down. Swing back a little to wind up, and swing the yo-yo forward. When it hits the end of the string, pull it back, twist your hand, and catch.
- It's important that you view this as a swing and not a throw or a snap; there's a very circular motion to it. If you snap or throw it, it will just jut out and come right back to you, not catching any air.
3
Start walking the dog and doing the creeper. Never thought that'd be a sentence, right? These two are very, very similar to the sleeper. In fact, if you can do the sleeper, you can do these tricks, too, so it's almost a three-for-one. Here's how to get started:
- To walk the dog, you're basically just doing the sleeper as you walk forward. However, as you're holding it on the ground, move your hand forward and then back, forcing the yo-yo to follow suit but a second or two later (as the momentum moves down the string). This gives the illusion that the yo-yo is walking, too, just like a dog.
- The creeper is the same sentiment, only nearer to the ground. However, instead of throwing it straight, throw it a bit behind you, sort of winding up to bring it out in front of you. As it hits the farthest point behind you, bring it out in front of you and kneel. The yo-yo should now be on the ground in front of you, ready to be snapped back into your hand that's ready on the ground to retrieve it.
  - For both of these tricks, it's much, much easier to do it on a solid surface, like a wood or concrete floor. Carpet makes things much more difficult. Not impossible, but difficult.
  - Both of these also need a strong, strong sleeper. If you're having trouble, try focusing on your speed. The yo-yo may need more to rotate longer on the end of its string.
4
Go around the world. Remember the forward pass? It's the same idea, only you're going in an entire circle around you. So instead of snapping it back up as you see it outstretch in front of you, you're going to hold it down by your leg, shoot it out, and continue a rotating motion with your arm, forcing the yo-yo to go "around the world," or around in a large circle. When you're ready for it to come back, wait until the yo-yo is at your 90-degree angle and snap it back.
- If the yo-yo is "falling" after it reaches the top, you're not swinging enough. You need to maintain a very small circular motion at your end of the string to keep it rotating evenly.
- The breakaway move is very similar to the "around the world" trick. In fact, it basically is this trick, but to your side. Just rotate your arm out like a chicken wing and proceed to do the same movement, and catch when the yo-yo is at shoulder height.

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Question

What should I do if my yo yo will not come back into my palm?

Community Answer

It may be an unresponsive yo yo which does not come back to your hand unless you do a special trick called the bind. If it is a bearing yo yo, it may turn unresponsive after heavy use without being lubricated.

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Will this work with a plastic yo-yo?

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Maybe. It's not the material that makes up the body that matters very hard. It is the axle system. If the yo-yo is not trans-axle (fixed axle, meaning that the string is tied directly to the axle) many of these tricks will be harder.

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What type of bearing system does a wooden yo-yo typically have?

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Your wooden yo-yo probably has a wooden axle bearing system.

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Tips

When thrusting forward, make sure you have a tight grip on the ring so that the yo-yo doesn't fly off.

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When you turn your hand palm-face down, keep your fingers down while you do it.

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When you get really good, try doing two at once!

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

The "Bow and Arrow" trick is a great one for beginners. Look it up online if you're a newbie!
Focus on wrist movements rather than moving your entire arm. It's all in the flick!

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Warnings

Make sure you don't hit yourself in the face. It'll be no one's fault but your own.

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Be aware of your surroundings.

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