(8,4)*, short for (8,4)(4,8), is a symmetrical synchronous 6 object siteswap where none of the throws cross. Four balls are juggled in a fountain at 8 ball height, while the other two balls alternate going up and down at 4 ball height. Each time you throw, you throw two balls: The right hand does an 8 (twice as high as the 6 ball fountain), and the left hand does a 4 (about a third of the height of the 6 ball fountain). Then in the next pair of throws, the left hand throws an 8 and the right hand throws a 4. The 8s should be around 5 times as high as the 4s, and each 8 should peak at the same time as the next 4 thrown by the same hand.
- Video: 6 club 6 up 360 in (8,4)* by Kaito Tanioka
This is an excited state siteswap, so you can't go directly into it from the basic pattern. To transition from a synch fountain to (8,4)*, throw an 8 from one hand while throwing a 6 from the other hand, and then start the (8,4)* pattern by throwing the 8 with the hand that did the 6 in the pair of transition throws: ...(6,6)(6,6)(6,6) (8,6) (4,8)(8,4)(4,8)(8,4)(4,8)(8,4)... To transition back to the fountain, make a high throw from one hand and a low throw from the other hand, throwing high with the same hand that would throw high if you were continuing the (8,4)* pattern, but do the high throw at 6 ball height instead of 8 ball height: ...(4,8)(8,4)(4,8)(8,4)(4,8)(8,4) (4,6) (6,6)(6,6)(6,6)...
You can switch between (8,4)* and (8x,4x)* at any time during the patterns, as long as you always alternate making a high throw that goes to the left and making a high throw that goes to the right.
To do a 360 in (8,4)*, you have to start the high throws with (a,4)(4,a) instead of (a,6)(6,a) to keep the lower of the high throws from coming down too soon. The rest of the high throws are (a,6) pairs. A 4 up is (a,4)(4,a)(a,6)(2,2), and a 6 up is (a,4)(4,a)(a,6)(6,a)(0,0).
100+ catches of (8,4)*
6 ball (8,4)* run by Phil Thompson
Siteswap exercises[]
You can use these exercises to practice the same kinds of throws that are done in this pattern, before you learn the full pattern.
Some of the siteswaps listed below are shortened to leave out parts where you’re not doing anything. Click on them to see animations of the exercises.
You should practice doing these starting with your right hand and with your left hand, so that you will be ready to learn the full symmetrical pattern.
Exercises to prepare for (8,4)*:
- 3 ball (8,2)(4,8)
- 4 ball (8,4)(4,8)
- 5 ball (8,4)(4,8)(4x,2)*
- 5 ball (8,4)(4,8)(8,4)(4,0)
(8,6) overhead -shorts
6 ball (8,4)* in overhead throws by Salvo Stassi
Variations[]
- (a,4)(4,6)*
- (a,4)(4,a)(4,4)
- a26
- c42