| 51 | |
|---|---|
 3 ball shower | |
|
Capacity |
3 |
|
Period |
2 |
|
Full period |
6 |
|
Orbits |
1 |
|
Composition |
Prime |
|
(Excited state) | |
|
| |
|
31 | |
|
Self-dual | |
| 71 | |
|---|---|
 4 ball shower | |
|
Capacity |
4 |
|
Period |
2 |
|
Full period |
8 |
|
Orbits |
1 |
|
Composition |
Prime |
|
(Excited state) | |
|
| |
|
41 | |
|
Self-dual | |
| 91 | |
|---|---|
 5 ball shower | |
|
Capacity |
5 |
|
Period |
2 |
|
Full period |
10 |
|
Orbits |
1 |
|
Composition |
Prime |
|
(Excited state) | |
|
| |
|
51 | |
|
Self-dual | |
In the shower pattern, one hand does all the throwing, and the other hand does all the catching. The throwing hand throws objects across to the catching hand, and the catching hand passes the objects back over to the throwing hand.
A shower can be represented in siteswap notation by either an odd number followed by 1 (e.g. 51, 71, 91), or an even number with an "x" followed by a 2x in synchronous notation (e.g. (4x,2x), (6x,2x), (8x,2x)). Either way, the two numbers in the siteswap should add up to twice the number of objects in the pattern.
- Animation: Three ways to transition from a 5 ball cascade to a shower and back
World records[]
Shower world records with publicly available video evidence (only the high throws are counted):
- 5 ball shower: 5 minutes and 12 seconds by Alex Rumford in 2014 (video)
- 6 ball shower: 146 catches by Jan Daumin in 2020 (video)
- 7 ball shower: 58 catches by Alex Rumford in 2014 (video)
- 8 ball shower: 18 catches by Alex Rumford in 2014 (video)
- 4 ring shower: 223 catches by Willy Colombaioni in 2016 (video)
- 5 ring shower: 58 catches by Willy Colombaioni in 2017 (video)
- 6 ring shower: 14 catches by Willy Colombaioni in 2015 (video)
- 7 ring shower: 8 catches by Willy Colombaioni in 2015 (video)
- 3 club shower: 27 minutes by Alexandr Inozemtzev in 2023 (video)
- 4 club shower: 4 minutes and 16 seconds by Willy Colombaioni in 2015 (video)
- 5 club shower: 150 catches by Willy Colombaioni in 2017 (video)
- 6 club shower: 19 catches by Willy Colombaioni in 2017 (video)
Unverified claims:
- 5 ball shower: 15 minutes+ by a Tongan girl in 1773 (claim)
- 9 ball shower: 9 catches by Dave Leahy (claim)
Hiko and Nagedama[]
Juggling in the shower pattern is a traditional activity in the Pacific Islands, most notably in Tonga, where juggling fruits or nuts is part of a traditional game for girls called Hiko. Showering 5 or 6 objects used to be commonplace among Tongan women. There is video of a Tongan woman juggling 7, and there have been reports of Tongan and other Polynesian jugglers showering up to 10 objects.
Until the mid-20th century, there was also a traditional game for girls in Japan that involved juggling in the shower pattern, sometimes with up to 4 or 5 beanbags. This activity is called Nagedama, which was one version of the game Otedama.
Siteswap exercises[]
You can use these exercises to practice the same kinds of throws that are done in shower patterns, 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 able to do the pattern on either side.
3 ball shower:
Exercises to prepare for 51:
4 ball shower:
Prerequisites: 4 ball fountain, 3 ball shower
Exercises to prepare for 71:
5 ball shower:
Prerequisites: 5 ball cascade, 4 ball shower
Exercises to prepare for 91:
- 1 ball 9
- 2 ball 91
- 2 ball 919
- 3 ball 91
- 3 ball 9191
- 3 ball 91919
- 4 ball 9191
- 4 ball 919191
- 4 ball 9191919
Variations[]
- Alternating shower
- Pseudoshower
- Box
- High-low shower
- Multiplex shower
- David's dilemma
- Overhead shower
- Backcross shower
- Behind the neck shower
- Shuffle
- Upside-down shower
Shower pattern juggling tutorial
Shower tutorial
3ball showers
3 ball shower variations
I love shower
5 and 6 ball shower variations