5-club 1-count (or ultimates) is a learning pattern that's pretty easy for beginners, but it's also a rhythm that lends itself to numerous variations and pattern evolutions for more experienced passers.

Normal 1-count

It's a rather slow passing pattern in which all throws are passes, so the sequence is not at all complicated:  Right Hand pass, LH pass, RH pass, LH pass...  The passes are normal singles, with one of the jugglers throwing all crossing passes.  The club that's in the air sets off the next throw and so on; you might compare it to a domino effect (the causal diagram reflects this).

The siteswap is a little strange: <3p2*|2*3p>.  For those who are wondering why it's not simply <2.5p | 2.5p>, or even 5 in 4-hand siteswaps, see the fast 1-count below.

5-club 1-count

Slow 1-count, or 726, or Flurry

This version is very, very similar to normal 1-count; all you need to do is make lofty passes instead of normal passes (you could also try with doubles).  The siteswap becomes:  3.5p22 or 744 in 4-hand siteswap.

Hold on, I can see you going, "It's written 726 in the title, and now it's 744, what's the deal with that?"  OK, let's look back at the normal siteswap: 3.5p22.  The two 2's represent two consecutive pauses, and you could replace those with 31 (self then handacross).  Besides, that's the interesting part of this rhythm--to make the most of the pauses.  The sequence thus becomes  3.5p31, or in 4-hand siteswap, 726.  

Two footnotes concerning the above explanations:
1- Sorry to those who don't know (and don't want to know) siteswap.  I fully understand that they must have a hell of a time trying to make sense of what I wrote.  The basics of siteswap are, however, an essential tool for any self-respecting juggler.
2- Here you have the opportunity to show what you can do with two pauses, and the numerous variations of 31 make up only a few of many possibilities. It's up to you to use your imagination.

Fast 1-count

In theory, one would simply have 5 as a 4-hand siteswap for 5-club ultimates (just as six- and seven-club ultimates are noted as 6 and 7, respectively).  But that means you'd have to be able to make passes with a value of 2.5p, i.e. very fast passes. 
The solution:  get closer together and pass in flats, pushing the club forward (with one juggler always crossing his passes).  Thus we get a very quick rhythm that's visual, fun, and not that difficult.

Finally, here's a very interesting rhythm for 5 clubs that is very different from the 1-count and yet doesn't have any holds.

The sequence goes: pass, pass, handacross, pass, handacross (PPZPZ). It can be seen as bookends (PPSPS) with handacrosses instead of selfs. The siteswap sequence is 3.5p 3.5p 1 3.5p 1, which is 77722 in 4-hand siteswaps.

All passes are floaty singles; J1 does straight passes and J2 crossing passes. J1 starts with the Right Hand with PPZPZ, and J2 starts with the RH very soon after J1 (half a beat) with PZ, then PPZPZ.

5 clubs: 77722

This amazing rhythm was first revealed (at least I think so) in an article from Christophe Prechac: Symmetric Passing Patterns.

One juggler does crossing passes, while the other one does straight passes. All passes are singles (floaty singles, the siteswap value being 3.5).

The 5-club version may be considered a rhythm on its own (and surely is), but is a compulsory first step to the 6-club version. It will make it a lot easier for you to learn the double-zip thing that will allow you to catch a pass.

Explanation of the double-zip: when a pass is coming to your right hand (and similarly to your left hand), instead of freeing it with a usual self (3), you have to do a left hand double (4), followed by a right to left hand-across (1).

The 5-club rhythm is then:
double, zip, pass, hold, hold, and start again from the other hand. The hard part at the beginning is to know from which side you must throw the double.

WhyNot ? - 5 clubs: 3.5p 2 2 4 1

We're using the holds on the 5-club version to add the 6th club (check out the diagrams: we've added another line instead of the 2s). The cycle becomes:
double, zip, pass, self, pass. If you can remember the pass-self-pass thing, which is a short 2-count, the 6-club rhythm feels natural once the 5-club one is mastered.

WhyNot ? - 6 clubs: 3.5p 3 3.5p 4 1

To start, the best is to have J1 starting with 4 clubs, and doing pass, self, pass, double, zip. J2 starts half a beat later with the self double.
If you have 3 clubs each, J2 starts half a beat before J1 with a pass, then you do as if J1 had 4 clubs (as explained above).

The whynot can be seen as a four-hand siteswap: 86277

So why the name NotWhy?
There are two reasons, and I'll take responsibility for that.  NotWhy and WhyNot? can also be described by a 4-handed siteswap, and the two look very much alike:  86277 for WhyNot?, and 86772 for NotWhy?.  Moreover, I stumbled upon the fact that, if you read the causal diagram for WhyNot from right to left (instead of left to right), you find that it's NotWhy?.  To this day, I haven't found another rhythm which, thus reversed, produces anything other than itself.  
There you have it, and now we'll move on to the serious stuff.

Here also, one of the jugglers will make only crossing passes while the other  makes straight passes.  The passes are lofty singles.

If you have previously learned WhyNot, or if you are used to juggling a pattern as soon as you're given the complete cycle, you may skip straight to the 6-club version.  Otherwise, the 5-club version will help you learn.  Here, in order to catch a pass, you throw just one double, followed by a pass and a hand-across (zip).  It's a little easier to get used to than the double zip in WhyNot?.  

Thus the rhythm with 5 clubs is:  double, pass, zip, pause, pause (then you start over on the other side).  Instead of two pauses (siteswap 22), you could do a self, zip (siteswap 31).

NotWhy ? - 5 clubs : 4 3.5p 1 2 2

We're using the holds on the 5-club version to add the 6th club (check out the diagrams: we've added another line instead of the 2s). The cycle becomes:
double, pass, zip, self, pass.

NotWhy ? - 6 clubs : 4 3.5p 1 3 3.5p

Start: 3 clubs each (2 in the RH), J1 starts with a RH double and does crossing passes. J2 starts half a beat after J1's first pass (1.5 beat after J1's start) with a RH pass, followed by a double to start the cycle. J2 does straight passes.

The principle of these rhythms is exactly the same with 5, 6, 7 (or more) clubs. The base pattern is the 1-count (or ultimate) with 5, 6 or7 clubs.
Reminder: the rhythm is RH pass, LH pass, RH pass, LH pass, ...

What's currently happening for the right hand is:
1 - a club is coming to my right hand
2 - in order to catch it, I throw back a club from my right hand

What you're going to do instead is:
1 - a club is coming to my right hand
2 - in order to catch it, I do a right to left hand-across (or zip)
3 - In order to catch the zipped club in my left hand, I throw back a club from my left hand

In fact, 2 and 3 are happening simultaneously. And since both your hands are working, you get a lot of hurries.
Note also that if the right hand throw is crossed in the normal ultimate, then the pass made from the left hand (step 3) are straight in ultimate-zip (and conversely).

You can have only one of the jugglers doing the ultimate-zip; the other one does the normal version.

To start the rhythm, it's better to start from a normal 1-count, and, passing twice from the same hand, begin to do the zips. For example with a 5-count:

RH pass - LH pass - RH pass - LH pass - RH pass - [ RH pass | zip LH to RH ] - [ LH pass | zip RH to LH ] - ..........
In the blue part, all passes are cross, in the red one, they are straight.

The more clubs the faster. Try making floaty passes, and begin with 5 clubs.

ultimate-zip with 5 clubs

ultimate-zip with 6 clubs (J1 only)

ultimate-zip with 6 clubs (J1 & J2): collisions !

ultimate-zip with 7 clubs

Here there is no more selfs, only some passes. It's as if you were juggling 3 clubs on each side of the passing (if you cut it along the line that pass through both jugglers). You both start at the same time doing RH pass, LH pass, RH pass, LH pass...
To get used to left hand passing, you can try 3-count or PPS if you haven't already done so.

6 clubs, ultimate : <3p | 3p>

Syncops from BN theory

 

BN : 53 SiteSwap : <3p 3p 2 3p 3p ...| 3p 4p 3 3p 3p ...> With plain words : double-self

BN : 534 (continuously) SiteSwap : <3p 2 3p| 4p 3 3p> With plain words : double, self, pass, double, self, pass,... remark : it's almost a PPS

BN : 552 SiteSwap : <3p 3p 2 3p 3p ...| 3p 4p 4p 2 3p...> With plain words : double, double, hold

BN : 5551 SiteSwap : <3p 3p 2 3p 3p 3p...| 3p 4p 4p 4p 1 3p...> With plain words : double, double, double, zip

BN : 55550 SiteSwap : <3p 3p 2 3p 3p 3p...| 3p 4p 4p 4p 4p 0 ...> With plain words : double, double, double, double, empty hand

BN : 633 SiteSwap : <3p 3p 2 2 3p ...| 3p 5p 3 3 3p...> With plain words : triple, self, self

Brendan's Folly is a 1-count (or ultimate) rhythm for 6 clubs. The two jugglers have a different role :

• J1 (top line) does "Right-Left-Right-Left" as "crossing-crossing-straight-straight"
• J2 does "Right-Right-Left-Left" as "straight-crossing-crossing-straight" and gets the hurried throws (in green)

6 clubs, Brendan's Folly : <3px 3px 3p 3p | 3p 3px* 3px 3p*>

There is also a heavy risk of collision no later than beat 2 (red circle). To avoid that, you can agree that J2 (right hand crossing pass) will throw from the outside and J2 (left hand crossing pass) will throw from the inside. See page collisions for some diagrams.

This is the ultimate (or 1-count) version of Jim's 3 count (which should be mastered first). Hurried passes are colored in green in the diagram.

J1 (upper line) does straight passes, J2 does crossing passes. The rhythm for both jugglers goes : right right left left... On a similar style, you can try Brendan's Folly.

6 clubs, Jim's 1-count: <3p 3p* | 3p* 3p>

This can be seen as the 1-count (ultimate) version of Mild Madness. The principle is the same: making zips when a pass arrives in your "wrong" hand. Just keep thinking you must only do passes, as one might want to add a few selfs when used to doing Mild Madness.

The rhythm can also be seen from a different point en view and be used to go on to Martin's Mildness, as it is a good way to learn to make zips without getting confused by the rhythm. You need for that to see it as being :
- PPPPZ: pass, pass, pass, pass, zip (handacross)
The juggler doing straight passes (upper line) will need to start at the middle of the sequence by PPZ (and then PPPPZ...).

You can try to find the corresponding variants of Mild Madness variants.

This is the second most popular passing rhythm (after the 4-count, and despite all efforts made by ambidextrous freaks to have the 3-count recognised as the "base pattern"). Here, all throws made from the right hand are passes, all throws made from the left are selfs. You keep doing:

• RH: pass
• LH: self

6 clubs, 2-count: 3p 3

Tricks

"Late double" and "early double"

"Early triple" and "Late triple"

Right, Left, Triple


Duplex

The 3-count (also called waltz or tic-tac) is not as widely known as it should. It requires some left hand passes, which jugglers are afraid of at the beginning. Don't be scared, this is not as difficult as it seems, and it paves the way for more passing fun (see below the 3-count advantages).

Explications:
In 3 count, passes are made alternately by both hands: if a pass is made from the right hand, the following pass will be done from the left hand. A simple way to ease up the pattern is to use 2 clubs from a different color and to use them for doing the passes, because in 3-count, it's always the same 2 clubs that are being passed back and forth between the 2 jugglers.

From a more practical point of view, here is how you go (Ti being throw number i):
- T1 : RH pass
- T2 : LH self (to catch the incoming pass: say you have used red clubs for passes)
- T3 : RH self
- T4 : LH pass (with the red club)
- T5 : RH self
- T6 : LH self

You can check: a pass is being made every 3 counts (T1, T4, T7, .... T3n+1).

6 clubs, 3-count : <3p 3 3 | 3p 3 3 >

What is good in 3-count ?
- You still have a few selfs to play with (as in a 4-count)
- Each RH trick (in 2 and 4-count) can now be done with both hands. To name only but a few:

• early and left doubles
• triples, quadruples
• special passes: tomahawks, flats, over the shoulder
• ...

- It's more convenient for solo tricks that follows a 3-count throws rule (such as Mill's Mess).
- It's less tiring for your right arm, and allows you to use your left arm equally, making you a more balanced juggler.
- It opens the doors of the realm of ambidextrous rhythms, which it is the base pattern. You now can choose between 10 times more patterns to play with !

This pattern allows one juggler to work on the 7 clubs 3-count while the other one juggles a very slow 1-count on doubles (and can use some holds). It's not exactly a slow-fast though because the jugglers keep juggling at the same speed (if we count a hold as being a throw).
All passes are crossing doubles.

6 clubs, 3-count/1-count : <4p 3 3 | 2 2 4p>

An easy way to start this pattern is to start from a 4-count, and then to throw a late double. The one who throws the double starts juggling on a 3-count, the other one starts his 1-count side of the pattern by throwing back a crossing double under the incoming double (see diagram below).

3-count/1-count with a 4-count start

This rhythm is very similar to regular 3-count, and is not really harder. His main utility is when you do a feed with mild madness (these feeds are called Martin's mildness and Martin's madness), both feedees juggle Jim's 3-count.

The difference to regular 3-count is that a juggler crosses his passes (for every throw). Hence it creates a hurry, but as long as you remember that you have to throw the club you just received, it should present no particular problem. A consequence of the hurry is that each juggler regularly throws twice in a row with the same hand (see the following causal diagrams) .

regular 3-count : <3p 3 3 | 3p 3 3>

Jim's 3-count : <3p 3* 3 3p 3 3 | 3p 3 3 3p 3* 3>

The difference with a normal 4-count is that one of the jugglers (the bottom one in the diagrams) will cross all their passes. This is very similar to Jim's 3-count but with 3 self's instead of 2 between each pass.

See also: introduction to hurries

normal 4-count: <3p 3 3 3 | 3p 3 3 3>

Jim's 4-count: <3p 3* 3 3 3p 3 3 3 | 3p 3 3 3 3p 3* 3 3>

THE classical pattern of passing. When a juggler starts passing with you nine times out of ten you will end up passing a 4-count. You throw every pass with your right hand, and receive in your left hand.

When a clubs arrives on your left hand, you go:

• LH to RH self (to free your left hand before catching the pass)
• RH to LH self
• LH to RH self
• RH pass (you pass 1 time out of 4, hence the name 4-count)
• and then you do it again. Your partner throws exactly at the same time you do.

The following diagram shows it, starting with the passes. How to read this diagram : click here.

6 clubs, 4-count : <3p 3 3 3 | 3p 3 3 3>

Tricks

The columns

This rhythm is not that interesting, but it can be used for beginners who are learning to pass (since it's slow), or in some passing patterns with more than 2 jugglers: speed-weave....

You always throw from the right hand, throwing back the club you've just received as soon as it gets to your right hand.

6 clubs, 6-count: <3p 3 3 3 3 3 | 3p 3 3 3 3 3>

Its other name is PPSPS, a 5-count with 3 passes and 2 selfs. You'd better be quite comfortable with PPS because it's slightly harder for the brain, quite easy though. It is mainly used as a practice for the 7 clubs versions.

6 clubs, bookends : <3p 3p 3 3p 3| 3p 3p 3 3p 3>

note : There are two ways of considering bookends rhythms. One is just PPSPS, the other is PSPSP (i.e., 3 passes with RH in 2-count followed immediately by 3 LH passes in 2-count, without any self in between). Try to run this single rhythm with both ways, you will have two different feelings, even if your arms are doing exactly the same movements.

Once you say PPSS, there is not much left to say. A good practice to PPS but PPSS is not fully ambidextrous.

6 clubs, chocolate bar : <3p 3p 3 3 | 3p 3p 3 3>

This rhythm is also called Desmond Tutu, or more simply Desmond, or even two-two (2-2).

The countdowns are a family of patterns in which you constantly change the main pattern. For instance, you start with a 4-count cycle, a 3-count cycle, a 2-count cycle, an ultimate cycle (only one pass) and back, and so on.

As you can guess, the word "countdown" is not completely appropriate, since you count up as much as you count down. The countdown from 3 is the shorter, since a countdown from 2 is a simple PPS. .

Countdown from 3

We start then from 3-count, hence we do a 3-count cycle, then a 2-count cycle a 1-count, a 2-count, and then we start again.
This rhythm is a cycle of 8 throws, which means there are two versions of it (one starts with a RH pass, the other with a LH pass). This rhythm is not symetrical, since it has an even number of throws.
The entire sequence is PSSPSPPS, easier to remember when you think of it as PSSP-SPPS.

It's also a practice for the 7 clubs version : Copenhagen countdown

countdown from 4

Run a 4-count cycle, a 3-count cycle, a 2-count, a 1-count, a 2-count and a 3-count, then starts from the other hand. As opposed to the countdown from 3 there is only one version since you alternate a start with the RH and a start in the LH in the same pattern.
The sequence is PSSSPSSPSPPSPSS, but you'd rather count in your head than learn it by heart.

And it's also a practice for the 7 clubs version : Oslo countdown

Not much more things to say than PPPSS.It's a 5-count and thus completely symetrical. It's mostly a practice to his elder brother : 7 clubs PPPSS.

These are variations on mild madness.

Variations are made by having the 2 jugglers swap between crossing and straight passes. I've used colored bars to help you see if a juggler is doing crossing (blue) or straight (red) passes. It's always quite fun to see who's going to drop first.

Synchronous change (6 beats)

The two jugglers change at the same time every 6 beats (the time for PPS PPZS). The consequence is that each juggler has the zip twice in a row, the new cycle being PPS PPZS PPZS PPS.

Synchronous change (3 beats)

The two jugglers change at the same time every 3 beats (the time for PPS or for PPZS). As a consequence, one juggler now has all the zips, while the other one is just doing PPS.

Asynchronous change (6 beats)

The two jugglers change every 6 beats but not at the same time. As a consequence, one of them has no more zips, while the other one keeps having as many zips as usual. There are some collision problems.

Mild Madness (some people may call it Martin's PPS, but Martin Frost frowns on that) is an evolved version of the normal PPS, whose causal diagrams I've placed below in order to compare a few things. Being comfortable with PPS is required.

normal PPS: <3p 3p 3 | 3p 3p 3>

In Mild Madness, one juggler will cross all his passes (Right Hand to RH, LH to LH). If you try it this way (it's worth it), you'll realize very soon that there is a small problem. The 'small' problem is solved as follows:

• You sometimes need to do some hand-acrosses or zips. 'Sometimes' being in fact at the same moment as the second pass in a PPS cycle, when you need to do the zip. Since both are done at the same time, this is where the hurries occur.
• These zips (noted Z, or sometimes H) are made in turns by both the jugglers.
• The cycle becomes: PPS PPZS. Plainly speaking, it's "normal PPS", then "PPS with a zip".
• The pattern is ambidextrous, which means, to be more precise, that the true cycle is PPS PP'Zrl'S PPS PP'Zlr'S (Zrl meaning zip from right to left).
• At any moment, if A is doing PPS, B is doing PPZS and conversely.
• The causal diagram (for a full cycle) sums it all up (zips being the red arrows). You'll notice that the bottom juggler is doing the crossing passes.

Mild Madness

A few tips:

• A classical mistake is to forget the self. So be careful, the zip does not replace the self.
• When you've mastered it, you can change (both of you) between crossing and straight passes on the fly every 6 beats.
  The new cycle is then: PPS PPZS PPZS PPS. See variations on mild madness.
• You can feed with mild madness.
• There also is a 1-count version: Martin's ultimate.
  

Slow version

On a theoretical point of view, there also is a version with no hurries, and passes done with floaty singles. Practically speaking, you'll be juggling something in between. This slow version can be seen as a 4-hand siteswap: 7777266

Mild madness: slow version with no hurry

This pattern is quite a mess at the beginning, you always have to count PPS PPS PPS in your mind. If you have no problems with 3 count (for the LH passes), it's not so difficult once you get used to rhythm problems. It can also be an efficient practice to ultimate (1-count) (and back).

Both jugglers do exactly at the same time :

RH pass LH pass RH self LH pass RH pass LH self

PPS 6 clubs : <3p 3p 3 | 3p 3p 3>

NB : The 4 passed clubs are always the same, just like the two clubs that are used for selfs.

This rhythm is a combination of a 2-count and a chocolate bar. The easiest way to describe it consists in saying : PS PS PPSS. It can also be considered as a 2, 2, 1, 3-count.

6 clubs, tango : <3p 3 3p 3 3p 3p 3 3 | 3p 3 3p 3 3p 3p 3 3>

All these rhythms are based on a 2-count, on which we add some hurries with the following combinations:

Selfs: make a synchronous self-zip with the self being either straight (3x: half-box), or cross (3: shower).
Passes: Either the 2 jugglers do straight passes, or one of them does cross passes and the other straight passes.

This gives us 4 possibles combinations.
Being able to juggle the box or the shower on singles will help.

1- half-box, straight passes
This one might be the easiest. Upon receiving a pass to the LH, throw a RH straight self and a handacross LH to RH at a the same time. When the self comes down again, throw the handacrossed club. Both jugglers do straight passes. Not an ambidextrous pattern!

2- half-box, straight and cross passes
Same than above, but one of the jugglers cross his passes. The result is a nice ambidextrous rhythm.

3- shower, straight passes
Upon receiving a pass to the LH, throw a RH self to the LH and a handacross LH to RH at a the same time. When the self comes down again, throw the club you've just caught. Both jugglers do straight passes. Ambidextrous pattern.

4- shower, straight and cross passes
Same than above, but one of the jugglers cross his passes. Passes are made twice in a row on each side. Rather a difficult one.

More:
On the same principle, you have to try out what the 3-count has to offer, especially if you juggle a box instead of normal selfs. In fact, you can try on any rhythm to replace the selfs by some synchronous selfs-handacrosses. PPS somebody? :-).

There's no "big secret" to this amazing pattern. You just need a lot of practice and some precision. You can either juggle in on doubles (harder because of the precision needed) or on floaty singles (faster but easier to get down and nicer). Since the siteswap is <3.5p|3.5p>, it's theorically just between a double (4) and a single (3).

J1 starts with 4 clubs (2 in each hand) and make tramline passes (the RH make the first pass), J2 starts half a beat later (with 3 clubs) and throw diagonal passes (the RH make the first pass).

On singles, try to slow down the pattern by throwing higher passes.

7 clubs ultimate : <3.5p | 3.5p>

Reminder : Ultimate = no self

Patterns inspired by the BN theory

BN : 64 Sequence : double pass, double self

BN : 663 Sequence : double pass, double pass, self

BN : 744 Sequence : triple pass, self, self

If you've understood the BN theory, you'll discover many more patterns using some 5 ball siteswaps.

This pattern is nearly identical to the classic 7 clubs pattern except that :

• J2 make left hand passes
• Both J1 and J2 make diagonal passes.
  

7 clubs, 2-count crossing : <4p 3 | 3 4p>

You can look for more details on the relationship between the two patterns in the examples of the causual diagrams explanations.

This is THE basic 7 clubs pattern. Both jugglers are passing a 2-count on doubles (i.e. : RH tramline pass on double, LH self).

J1 (on top) starts with 2 clubs in each hand and begins with a pass, J2 starts a beat later with a pass.

7 clubs, 2-count : <4p 3 | 3 4p>

You can also try this pattern with floaty singles instead of doubles. If it goes too fast, keep cool and throw higher passes and selfs.

In both the doubles and singles version, any trick of the 6 clubs 2-count will work (doubles, triples, tomahawk, duplex...) provided that you make the necessary adjusments (the doubles become triples for example).

A very nice rhythm for 7 clubs. It's balanced, it isn't as hard as it looks (because the mistakes are easy to correct) and you can throw many tricks in it once you get the base pattern solid.More than than, it's also the door to all the ambidextrous 7 clubs patterns.
Here are a few tips :
- It's a 3-count, so the feeling is the same as the 6 clubs 3-count. The incoming clubs are those that are thrown back (it's always the same 3 clubs in the air).
- The passes are made on doubles. The theorical siteswap of the passes is 4.5 so make them high and slow. It's also possible to make the passes on single (see below).
- J1 starts with 2 clubs in each hand and juggles : RH pass, self, self, ...
- J2 waits for as long as possible (one and a half beat) and starts with a pass : RH pass, self, self, ...

7 clubs, 3-count : 4.5p 3 3

Nothing really tough here : both passers are juggling a 4-count and the passes are made on triples (you got to make them nice & clean). The passes are not thrown at the same time : there's two beat between the pass of the first juggler and the pass of his partner. To get started, J1 starts with a pass and J2 starts at the same time with the sequence : RH self, LH self, pass...

Since it's a 4-count, you can use many of the 6 clubs 4-count tricks (441 for example).

7 clubs, 4-count : <3 3 5p 3 | 5p 3 3 3>

I've highlighted in red the beats when the jugglers can make a pass (and get one club back a beat later) to other jugglers like in the 7 clubs torture chamber pattern.

For a speedy but easier variation (because the passes are usually better), throw doubles instead of triples: a good pattern that helps to master the 11 clubs 2-count feed.

What follows was written by Jon in Kaskade 65:

Now we get into 7-club versions of the 'old' 6-club pattern 'bookends', a 5-count with 3 passes and 2 selfs. The selfs always have min. one pass in between. There are (at least) two different ways to think about bookends patterns. One is to just do ppsps, the other is to pspsp (i.e., three right hand shower passes in a row followed immediately - no self in between! - by three left hand passes). Try to do the same pattern with both "feelings" - it doesn't feel like the same pattern even though your body is doing exactly the same (trippy, huh).

Basic bookends

The basic pattern in this section is another great fusion of technology, creative inspiration and skill (thanx for your patience, Mandy), but it isn't actually that hard, you just add another pass and another self to the basic pps. J2 starts with 4 clubs.
I also discovered that this pattern is exactly the same as one that Wolfgang describes in Kaskade 57 as
<4p 3 4p 3 3p|3 4p 3 4p 4p>, but never mind…
Don't forget to try both ends and to reverse the passes like in the pps patterns

7 clubs, basic bookends

Asynchronous Bookends

Here is a version where both jugglers do (almost) the same. J1 does floaty crossing singles and straight floaty doubles and J2 does the opposite - is that clear?!?.
J2 has 4 clubs and starts RH with PPSPS, and J1 starts immediately (half a beat) after with PS (then PPSPS) on the LH.
As this pattern is asynchronous (none of the four hands throw at the same time) it can be written down as a fourhanded siteswap: 96677 (see footnote 2). Each juggler throws 96767.

Funky Bookends

For an even weirder bookends (as if it needs to get any weirder!) try 86777, where each juggler juggles 87767 in turn. J1 has 4 clubs, and J2 starts half a beat later with PS (then PPSPS) on the LH.

7 clubs, funky bookends

P: floaty single P: floaty single S: single P: floaty single S: straight double

Sdnekoob

For a 'reverse' bookends (SSPSP or PSPSS) try this one - it even has a triple in it - oooohhh. J1 starts with 4 clubs by PSS (at the same time as J2 who starts with SSP).
This one cannot be written in a fourhanded site swap as it is a synchronous pattern, which also means that the passes don't need to be floaty, and that you can try making the crossing passes straight and vice versa.

7 clubs, sdnekoob

P: straight triple for J1     crossing double for J2 S: single S: single P: crossing double S: single

What follows was written by Jon in Kaskade 66:

This pattern is a countdown from 3 - (that is, one round of three-count, then a two-count, a one-count, a two-count and then all over again). As you can see, the name 'countdown' is actually not really appropriate as there is as much counting up as there is down, but what the heck. The countdown from 3 is the shortest of the patterns worth denoting with the dubious term (a countdown from 2 would be a pps). It actually only has 8 throws before it repeats itself, which makes it one-sided (as 8 is an even number). The entire throwing sequence is then psspspps. Some people (myself included) find it easier to remember the entire sequence rather than counting down (and up). I normally think of it as one round of a three-count (that is 'pssp') followed immediately by the reverse (that is 'spps').

To do this pattern warm up by doing it with 6 clubs. When that feels comfortable pick up that extra club and proceed to the Copenhagen Countdown.

In this pattern 'Juggler 1' (let this be the best of you if you are not at the same level - the reason for this will become clear in a moment) starts with two clubs in each hand throwing the countdown sequence like in the 6-club version but making his passes crossing floaty doubles. If 'Juggler 1' (J1) starts from the left hand it will be easier for 'Juggler 2' (J2), (so J1 actually does the left-handed version of the countdown, while 'J2 does it right-handed. You could practice the left-handed version with 6 clubs first if you are sure this won't mess up your partner's head even more as he will then have to learn it left-handed. The terms 'left-handed' and 'right-handed' are not totally appropriate in this context as the pattern has two right passes and two left passes, no matter what hand you start from. However, the pattern is still one-sided since it repeats every eight beats, and it actually feels a bit different doing the 'left-handed' version.).
J2 has two clubs in his right and one in his left and does exactly what he was doing in 6-club version (starting right-handed), only his passes are (straight) floaty doubles (this will be fairly easy if you have the 6-club version solid). J2 starts one and a half beats after J1, so the timing of the start is exactly like in a 7-club three-count.

But wait! There is more! Because to get this to work J1, gets two 'zips' (aka 'handacrosses' or '1s' in normal siteswap) instead of two selfs. The zips are in the diagram represented by the back pointing arrows. So her entire throwing sequence is pzspsppz (Note: The first zip in the first round should be thrown as a normal self, meaning that the first actual zip is throw number 8). This might all sound very complicated but it is a lot easier than it sounds, as the zips come natural (if you are used to doing zips, that is). It might also be helpful to know that the two zips are both from right to left so J1's right hand will be doing no normal selfs (except for its very first throw) so the her right hand will be starting with a self and then doing pass, pass, zip, zip, pass, pass, zip, etc.

In case anyone is interested, the fourhanded siteswap for the Copenhagen Countdown is 9629669669969929. J1 does 92696992 and J2 starts one and a half beats later and does 96696996.
OK, enough explanations. Enjoy and remember that this pattern is not so difficult - so if you are an ambidextrous 7-club passer and this seems impossible you are probably doing something wrong.

Oslo countdown

This one is a real bastard as the sequence is 15 beats long (from each side, that is), and furthermore because of collision danger. If you are planning on just a little bit of success with this pattern do yourself the favour to learn the 6-club version (countdown from 4). Just do one round of four-count, one of three-count, one of two-count, a one-count, a two count, a three-count, and then all over starting with the other hand. The throwing sequence is pssspsspsppspss.
The original version of the Oslo Countdown is a synchronous pattern where both jugglers do straight (!) passes - either on triples or doubles (mathematically it is supposed to be triples, but doubles may - or may not - be easier to control). It was courageously invented and attempted last summer with Magnus in the centre of Oslo). Especially around the one-count the pattern gets a bit weird for J1 as the sequence goes (starting from throw number 8) … pass, hold, pass, pass, zip, pass, empty hand, zip, pass, hold … Anyway - here it is. Good luck. J1 starts with 4 clubs.

If you can't get it work, don't worry - I have only managed to do three quarters of it so far, but since that is counting down, up and down again it means that it by no means is impossible. When we tried it in doubles we found that making the four-count very fast (try to do a 7-club four-count in doubles in stead of triples to warm up). The one-count, on the other hand, should be nice and slooooow.

Asynchronous Oslo countdown

Once you have tried your luck with this one you can try a version that is (possibly) a bit easier. (I say 'possibly' because I have actually never done this one as the only decent passing partner here in Copenhagen is JoePass!) there is an asynchronous version that might be a bit easier, as all the passes are floaty doubles (definitely doubles!), and as it contains no holds or empty hands. However there is a self double, but hey - if you have gotten this far that shouldn't be a problem. J1 starts with 4 clubs, and J2 starts one and a half beats later.

The monster 4 hands siteswap for that one would be
966966869669669669969929962966
where each juggler juggles:
J1: 9668 966 96 9 92 926
J2: 9666 966 96 9 96 966

A hardcore rhythm, highly collision prone.

Both jugglers are passing on doubles (die-hard passing fanatics can try it on singles too).

• J1 juggles : Pass, pass, pass, zip. (PPPZ)
• J2 juggles : Pass, pass, pass, self. (PPPS)

To avoid collisions, try to keep the passes in corridors. That's all the help I can give you at the moment.

7 clubs, compressed mesopotamia : <4p 4p 4p 1 | 4p 4p 4p 3>

I've found 2 variations that I've written down below (mainly to remember them). The idea is to create a 0.5 delay (make passes as 3.5p or 4.5p with one juggler passing tramline passes and the other diagonal passes to avoid collisions).

1) 3.5p passes (6 clubs)

• J1 juggles : Pass, pass, pass, zip. (3.5p 3.5p 3.5p 1)
• J2 juggles : Pass, pass, pass, hold. (3.5p 3.5p 3.5p 2)

2) 4.5p passes, an 8 clubs pattern.

• J1 juggles : Pass, pass, pass, zip. (4.5p 4.5p 4.5p 1)
• J2 juggles : Pass, pass, pass, double. (4.5p 4.5p 4.5p 4)

Last variation of the basic pattern : J1 makes triple passes while J2 makes single passes. Even better would be floaty doubles and floaty singles.

Oddz Godz is (for me), the hurry of the normal 7 clubs 2-count. It's definitely a hurried pattern and you'll feel the hurries, believe me ! (All red passes in the diagram are hurries).

Here is the pattern in details :

• One of the juggler makes tramline passes on doubles.
• The other one makes diagonal passes on doubles.
• The rhythm for each juggler is : RH pass, RH self, LH pass, LH self. Each hand throw two times in a row.
• At the beginning, J1 (on top) starts with 3 clubs in the RH and one in LH. He goes like this : RH pass, RH self, ...
• J2 starts with 2 clubs in the RH and one in LH. He starts at the same time as J1 and juggles : RH self, LH pass, LH self, .... Please, note that the diagram bellow doesn't show the first self.

7 clubs, oddz goddz : <4p 3* | 3* 4p>

This one is really cool ! Everybody juggles the magic pattern :

• pass (floaty diagonal single for one of you and tramline pass for the other)
• self (crossing single)
• double (non-crossing self)

Since you will be juggling with a delay of a half beat, the second passer needs to wait a bit before throwing his first pass. He can wait half a beat and start with the double or wait one and a half beat and start with the pass.

7 clubs, pass-self-double : <3.5p 3 4 | 3.5p 3 4>

Please note (red line on the diagram) that you only throw a pass when you receive one, and only then.

Fast 3-count Popcorn

There's a 3-count popcorn that follows the logic of the 7-count and 5-count popcorns. The sequence would be : a self triple followed by a normal self and a very fast pass (a low flat).

Fast 3-count popcorn

This pattern is nearly impossible to juggle properly (and even improperly, it's tough enough) - it can even prove dangerous with clubs because the pass is a 5 (a 2,5 in solo juggling). But it seems that it can be done with rings.

To juggle it with clubs, you can throw all the passes a beat earlier as floaty singles or throw all the passes on the beat as floaty singles too (swapping the tramline-diagonal in each case). Both patterns will have a hold (or a very low throw, siteswap 2) so the 4 hands siteswaps are 10-7-4 and 10-4-7. A 8 clubs PPS variatation can also be extrapolated if you throw passes instead of holds.

Fast 3-count popcorn, with early singles

Fast 3-count popcorn, with late singles

The 4-count popcorn, non-ambidextrous and of a limited interest in itself, is still usefull as a mean to boost the difficulty of some feeds (see popcorn feeds).

The sequence is : RH triple, LH self, RH single pass, LH self. J1 starts with 4 clubs and begins with the pass, J2 starts at the same time with the triple.

Since the sequence is short because of the single passes, it can be difficult to find the correct tempo. Try to concentrate on making your triples high enough and your passes low and fast.

You can also try the "twin towers" version : RH double, LH double (each double comes back in the hand that threw it) instead of the RH triple, LH self. For the siteswap inclined : 44 instead of 53.

Here's a popcorn that will force you to work on your left hand as much as your right (see also : popcorn 7-counts and 3-counts among others)

Here is what you have to do : thing, thing, (floaty) single pass, self, self where :
- thing, thing = triple, self (original but tricky because of the triple)
- or : thing, thing = double, double ("twin towers" version, easier)

When a pass comes your way, you throw 2 doubles (or a triple-self) to get the 4 clubs, make a pass, then throw two selfs before starting again on the other side.

With triple-self : 5 3 3.5p 3 3

With double double (twin towers) : 4 4 3.5p 3 3

Let's assume that you're juggling the triple-single version.
Note : Since the triple (siteswap 5) is thrown every 5 beats, it's always the same club that is thrown as the triple.
Tricks : There's not too many siteswap variations here because we only have 2 selfs. 42 is a possibility, especially if you throw the 2 as a very fast single. You can also try to throw a self triple on the beat before the normal triple, forcing you to make a transfer instead of a self after the second triple (know why ? Because you're juggling 551 before the pass instead of 353). Here's the diagram with J1 juggling 551 and J2 juggling 42.

popcorn 5-count with 551 and 42

You can also throw an early double followed by a hold - something that opens new possibilities since there's now the hold and the 2 selfs (ie : 233) to have fun with. Try 530 for example, 440 or 413, 512 (throwing the 2 or not, you decide). You can see below those 4 variations, with J1 juggling 413 and 512 while J2 juggles 440 and 530.

popcorn 5-count with 413 and 512 for J1, 440 and 530 for J2.

The name "popcorn" for these patterns comes from the fact that the jugglers throw singles, doubles and triples ; something visually similar to what happens to corn in a frying pan.

The right hand sequence (the left hand throws only singles) for each juggler is :

• triple-self (thrown to the left hand)
• tramline pass on double
• self (thrown to the left hand).

It's just a round of solo triple-single (the triple is a self) when the double (the pass) comes in.

7 clubs, regular popcorn : <3 3 3 5p 3 4p | 5p 3 4p 3 3 3>

One of the possible variations consists of replacing the triple-self's by double-self's and the passes on doubles by passes on singles. It's a little faster and it breaks the rhythm but since the pattern is lower, it's easier to master.

Another variation, one that simplifies things a bit, is to replace the triple-singles (siteswap 53) by 2 self doubles (44). As a matter of fact, you can switch between the two at any moment. The double-double variation is knows as the "Twin Towers" by some and can prove helpful for 5-count and 7-count popcorn. Moreover, since each juggler gets 3 normal self's after the pass, you can get into 441 or 531 (leading to their own variations). 531 is more visual since the 5 is thrown at the same time as your partner throws a triple. A final variation can be juggled by throwing a right hand double self instead of the pass followed by a diagonal pass on single (landing in your partner's hand just in time).

Variations : - J1 juggles triple-singles with a bit of 441 then throws the diagonal pass with single spin. - J2 does the "twin towers" beginning with 531.

Take the 6-count popcorn (regular), and apply theses modifications :
- add a self (we now have an ambidextrous pattern)
- make the passes more "floaty" (4,5p)
- convince your partner that it's not going to work at all until one of you makes diagonal passes.

7 clubs 7-count popcorn with triple-single

If we break it down, we have:
- triple-self (or double-double; see notes on the 6-count popcorn "twin towers" variation)
- pass as a floaty double (tramline for you, diagonal for your partner)
- 4 normal selfs
- ... (same thing on the other side of the pattern)

Try the same variations as in the 6-count. You can choose when to throw the 441 or the 531 because of the 4 selfs that you have to play with. Or you can do any 3 club siteswap of length 4, like the superfunky 5340. If you juggle it continously, add another club and make the pass a floaty single, you have the 8 clubs 7-count popcorn of Jon and Dani.

7 clubs 7-count popcorn with continuous 5340

By replacing the pass on the double by a right self double (a normal 4), followed by a floaty single pass (diagonal if you were throwing tramline doubles and vice-versa), we obtain a fantastic rhythm (10-6-6-6-8-6-7 in the 4 hand siteswap notation, each juggler does 10-6-8-7-6-6-6). It's easier if you can both juggle 534 solo, because what you're doing here is a 534 followed by a floaty single pass then 3 normal selfs before starting again on the other side.

7 clubs, 7-count popcorn with triple-single and late single pass.


For a spicier variation even, you can try any of the 6-count variations since you still have 3 selfs left to play with. Here's the diagram of J1 juggling a popcorn and 531 (10-6-8-7-10-6-2) while J2 does the Twin Towers with a 441 (8-8-8-7-8-8-2). Good luck...

7 clubs 7-count popcorn with triple-single, late single pass, 531 and 441.

The idea here is the same as with any popcorn pattern: juggling 4 clubs for a very short period of time while your partner is juggling 3, then passing them the extra club.

In this pattern, it's always the same club that is passed between the jugglers as a single. When the pass comes in, flash your 3 clubs (as triples in theory, however it's easier with floaty doubles), catch the pass, feed it to the other hand, pass it back to your partner then catch everything that comes down.

7 clubs, popcorn 5551 : <5 5 5 1 3p 3 3 3 | 3p 3 3 3 5 5 5 1>

Tip: make your flash on doubles (make sure you don't throw them forward) and concentrate on throwing the second double (left hand) high enough to calm things down. Also, be careful with your single passes; there's a natural tendency to throw them a bit too high.

This is the full ambidextrous variation of the 8-count 5551 popcorn (you dreamt about it, we made it a reality!). All you have to do is add an extra self. In order to do that, one of you must throw tramline passes while the other responds with diagonal passes. All passes have are single spins and must be as floaty as possible.

The beginning is the same as in the 8-count. The sequence becomes: triple, triple, triple, feed, pass, self, self, self, self and repeats on the other side. Throwing doubles instead of triples will probably be easier here too.

Preliminaries: try the 6-clubs version to familiarise yourself with the tempo.

J1 starts with 4 clubs and throws three diagonal passes on doubles followed by two normal selfs. J2 starts at the same time but throws a self first, before going into their PPPSS sequence: tramline pass on single, tramline pass on single, tramline pass on triple. Since the sequence has an odd length cycle, it takes 10 throws to arrive back at the beginning.

The diagram below shows the same thing, only with all the crossing throws inverted. You can try the 2 versions; it just depends on which hand J1 and J2 will start with.

Before going any further, we suggest you to get familiar with the 6 clubs PPS (for the rhythm) and the 7 clubs 3-count  (for the right and left hand double throws).
You also need to know that there is no such thing as a symetrical PPS (i.e. : 2 jugglers doing the same thing) with 7 clubs. You may think that you just need to make the passes on doubles with one of you making tramline passes while the other throw diagonally, but it doesn't work. In the version below (there's others, depending on who is the tramline passer and who is the diagonal one) one of the juggler must alternate between passes on singles and passes on doubles.

7 clubs, PPS (tramline doubles) : <4p 4p 3 | 3 3p 4p>

In details :

• The juggler at the top is doing a PPS with double tramline passes. It's the easy end of the pattern (well, you still need to catch the incoming passes!).
• The juggler at the bottom is also doing a PPS but:
  • the first pass is a diagonal single
  • the second pass is a tramline double

  You pass twice in a row to the same side of the pattern. You need to make your singles really low compared to the height of the doubles.

Variation:

Here's a variation with a different feel, even if the siteswap sequence stays the same: throw the doubles as diagonal passes and the singles as tramline.

7 clubs, PPS (diagonal doubles) : <4p 4p 3 | 3 3p 4p>

see also: 7 clubs PPS double vs single.

Here's an easy PPS pattern: J1 is juggling everything on single spins, J2 on doubles - even the uncrossing selfs. The passes from J1 are tramline singles and those from J2 are diagonal doubles.

We can see that J1 is juggling a regular 6 clubs PPS while J2 is juggling a PPS inspired by the 8 clubs patterns made out of 4 clubs solo. The average of all this is indeed 7.

7 clubs, PPS doubles vs singles : <3p 3p 3 | 4p 4 4p>

For more PPS with 7 clubs, see the Regular PPS.

From 2-count to ultimate

From a 2-count on singles (floaty ones), A throws a double (instead of the single; in red in the diagram) to B. A then makes a last self before going into ultimate with diagonal throws. B waits for the double to come down before getting into ultimate with tramline passes by throwing a left hand passes (in blue) under the incoming doubles.

2-count to ultimate

From ultimate to 2-count

From ultimate on singles, the juggler who is throwing diagonal passes makes a diagonal double (LH to LH) instead of a single, followed by a tramline double (RH to LH) before clicking into the 2-count. When the first double arrives, the other juggler goes directly into a 2-count (a self instead of a pass, you'd better react quickly!).
The 2-count you both fall into can be juggled on singles or doubles.

ultimate to 2-count

I've also found these two variations (from ultimate to 2-count) while drawing the diagram of the transition above.

From 2-count to crossing 2-count

2-count to crossing 2-count / with hurry

2-count to crossing 2-count / slow version

From crossing 2-count to 2-count

Crossing 2-count to 2-count / with hurry

Crossing 2-count to 2-count / slow version

From 2-count to 3-count

From 3-count to 2-count

From 2-count to regular popcorn

From popcorn to 2-count

Kylie had suggested on rec.juggling the idea of a passing pattern in which one juggler does 441, but you replace the 1's with normal passes.  So I attacked the problem with JoePass!, and I came up with this rhythm (and Kylie did the same in the meantime).

J1 does 443p, i.e. double-double-pass.  J2 does pass-self-double, which is a 3-count popcorn. The result is a particular sort of asymmetrical popcorn (J1 and J2 are not doing the same thing) that includes no selfs for J1, his share of juggling 3 objects reduced to the pass.  The passes are normal straight singles for both jugglers.

The easiest way to get it going is for J1 to start with 4 clubs and jump right into the sequence.  J2 starts with 2 clubs in the right hand and 1 in the left.  He waits for J1's first pass to arrive and then starts with his left hand with pass-self-double.

If we apply a basic mathematics theory, we can guess that for an 8 clubs ultimate, both jugglers throw doubles, i.e. <4p | 4p>, just like in the following scheme. Nevertheless there is a huge problem with collisions (every red circle). Hence it is quite hard to do it this way (if you really wish to do it, you'll have to define a "row" for each juggler and for each hand, and be really precise -see page collisions).
NB : JoePass! is not concern about these collision problems.

8 ultimate, not so believable : <4p | 4p>

8 ultimate, possible versions

A doable solution (but hard anyway) consists in having a juggler throwing very high (triples), and the other very low (singles). The juggler who starts with singles has 5 clubs (at least on the following scheme).

8 clubs ultimate, doable but hard version : <5p | 3p>

A much easier solution is to have a juggler throwing floating doubles and the other one throwing floating singles, just under the doubles. On the following scheme, both jugglers starts with 4 clubs each.

8 clubs ultimate, "easier" version: <4.5p | 3.5p>

Note : In the following schemes, I represented desynchronized rhythms (LH, then RH, LH...). Since in 8 ultimate you juggle 4 clubs separately on each side of the pattern (red lines & orange lines on one side, blue lines & black lines on the other), you can have the matching synchronized version, with RH and LH throws at the same time, in which it's easier to see what's going on in this pattern (even if it's harder to achieve).

There is also a last version, completely different from the firsts (cf. things to know about 8 clubs theory ). It consists in crossing every pass (RH->RH et LH->LH, see also avoid collisions ). You'll have to be desynchronized. The height of the passes is doubles' height, but you can also throw higher singles. Obviously it's much harder with singles.

8 clubs, crossed ultimate : <4p | 4p>

This rhythm is the first one you will try with eight clubs if you are a regular juggler. If you can easily deal with seven clubs doubles (for the passes) and singles (for the speed), that shouldn't be too hard for you.

Theory would request triples for eight clubs 2-count, the matching siteswap being '5p 3'. Though, most of passers use doubles because it is easier to throw doubles than triples, even if the rhythm is faster. On the other hand, triples will be more spectacular and a good training for nine 2-count.
Assuming you are throwing doubles, it will be the same as 7 clubs 2-count, the only difference being beginning at the same time with four clubs each, and also it's a little faster. Once you'll manage to get it steady, you can try to be more precise for your partner (same height, same spin, same timing): seen from the side, clubs should cross exactly between you two.

8 clubs (doubles ou triples) : <5p 3 | 5p 3>

8 clubs singles

Things will start to get harder, and you'll have to become way more precise. The trick is to have your own self and your single pass thrown at the same time. Your two hands throw at the same time. For the rest, I'll let you experience for yourself (the main problem is it's hard to throw good selfs, sometimes because of passes arriving too much on the left......).

With a little practice, it's possible to throw not exactly at the same time and it's what is shown in the following diagram.

8 clubs singles

With a lot more practice, on can go from 8 clubs 2-count triples to doubles, and then to singles, and back (the return is easier).

I'll get back to it as soon as I try it (at first triple passes seem right, as much as a some experience with 4 clubs 633).

8 clubs, 3-count : <6p 3 3 | 6p 3 3 >

Complete version

The complete version is a real nightmare. Both passers MUST be extremely steady with four clubs. On the other hand, the theory is quite simple: each juggler starts with 4 clubs doubles (in the same time), then you throw a pass every 3 throw (double pass)

Each juggler should then do: double self RH double self LH double pass RH double self LH double self RH double pass LH

8 clubs, 3-count, coming from 4 clubs solo : <4p 4 4 | 4p 4 4> Be careful : On the scheme, it starts with the pass

If you feel really confident (or just for fun with JoePass!), you can try the super-complete version by replacing 2 double selfs in a row by triple-single, thus you get an 8-club popcorn !!
You can notice that this rhythm (just like the following scheme) is a part of a whole family: the rhythms taken from 4 clubs solo.

"Half" version

This one is much more easier, and you will use it as a practice for the whole version. It's all about throwing half of the passes: you pass only either the LH passes or the RH passes. It's in fact a 6-count.

8 clubs, 6-count popcorn: <4p 4 4 4 4 4 | 4p 4 4 4 4 4>

Uh... ?????? Let's say we are trying separately and then we'll see. A little bit like 7 clubs popcorn, and also like 534 alone with your 4 little friends.

8 clubs, pass-self-double pass : <5p 3 4 | 5p 3 4>

This rhythm comes directly from regular 7 clubs popcorn, but it is not so usual with eight clubs, though quite easy to manage. In theory, each juggler throws:

• triple self RH
• single self LH
• triple pass RH
• single self LH

8 clubs, 4-count popcorn : <5 3 5p 3 | 5 3 5p 3>

When you practice, you realize it's easier to replace triples (passes and selfs) with doubles (as you would do with 7 clubs popcorn). It's a little faster and lower, but not so ugly to look at.

Warning : crazy rhythm that will challenge your physical and mentral abilities

This rhythm comes from a complicated variation of 7-count 7 clubs popcorn in which you uses the 4 selfs to throw 5 3 4 0. To get the 8 clubs version, you will 'just' have to replace 0's by single floating passes (3,5p). Here are the two diagrams, for you to compare both rhythms:

7 clubs 7-count popcorn with 5340

Jon and Dani's 8 clubs 7-count pocorn

Here is the pattern for J1 (for J2 you'll have to switch crossed and straight passes):
- triple self
- single self
- double floating crossed pass
- triple self
- single self
- double self over the same hand
- single floating straight pass

J2 starts with a triple left hand self, immediately followed by a triple right hand self by J1. The 4 hands siteswap is 10 10 6 6 8 9 7, and each juggler throws 10 6 9 10 6 8 7.

I only quote it to be as exhaustive as one can be: since he feats in Charlie Dancey's Compendium of Club Juggling, maybe somewhere in another dimension (or in the Gandini's practice gym) people are currently running it.

8 clubs, popcorn PPS : <4p 5p 3 | 4p 5p 3>

Things start to get really serious now. Let's say it's half way between 7 clubs PPS and 9 clubs 1-count (and a good practice for the latter). One of the jugglers crosses, the other goes straight. All passes are floaty doubles.

The easier start probably has each juggler starting with 4 clubs. The upper juggler throws (starting RH) pass, self, then PPS with crossing passes. The lower throws (starting RH) directly PPS with straight passes half a beat later.

On the following diagram, the upper juggler starts with 5 clubs (3 in RH) throwing pass, pass, self with crossing passes. The lower starts with 3 clubs (2 in RH) and throwing self and then starting the PPS pattern.

8 clubs, PPS : <4.5p 4.5p 3 | 3 4.5p 4.5p>

Uh... pass, pass, triple self.... something like that. We'll talk about it after a few tries. If you try it, I'll be glad to hear about it (use the comments).
The 4 hands siteswap is 1077.

8 clubs, PPS with triples selfs

5-club 1-count (or ultimates) is a learning pattern that's pretty easy for beginners, but it's also a rhythm that lends itself to numerous variations and pattern evolutions for more experienced passers.

Normal 1-count

It's a rather slow passing pattern in which all throws are passes, so the sequence is not at all complicated:  Right Hand pass, LH pass, RH pass, LH pass...  The passes are normal singles, with one of the jugglers throwing all crossing passes.  The club that's in the air sets off the next throw and so on; you might compare it to a domino effect (the causal diagram reflects this).

The siteswap is a little strange: <3p2*|2*3p>.  For those who are wondering why it's not simply <2.5p | 2.5p>, or even 5 in 4-hand siteswaps, see the fast 1-count below.

5-club 1-count

Slow 1-count, or 726, or Flurry

This version is very, very similar to normal 1-count; all you need to do is make lofty passes instead of normal passes (you could also try with doubles).  The siteswap becomes:  3.5p22 or 744 in 4-hand siteswap.

Hold on, I can see you going, "It's written 726 in the title, and now it's 744, what's the deal with that?"  OK, let's look back at the normal siteswap: 3.5p22.  The two 2's represent two consecutive pauses, and you could replace those with 31 (self then handacross).  Besides, that's the interesting part of this rhythm--to make the most of the pauses.  The sequence thus becomes  3.5p31, or in 4-hand siteswap, 726.  

Two footnotes concerning the above explanations:
1- Sorry to those who don't know (and don't want to know) siteswap.  I fully understand that they must have a hell of a time trying to make sense of what I wrote.  The basics of siteswap are, however, an essential tool for any self-respecting juggler.
2- Here you have the opportunity to show what you can do with two pauses, and the numerous variations of 31 make up only a few of many possibilities. It's up to you to use your imagination.

Fast 1-count

In theory, one would simply have 5 as a 4-hand siteswap for 5-club ultimates (just as six- and seven-club ultimates are noted as 6 and 7, respectively).  But that means you'd have to be able to make passes with a value of 2.5p, i.e. very fast passes. 
The solution:  get closer together and pass in flats, pushing the club forward (with one juggler always crossing his passes).  Thus we get a very quick rhythm that's visual, fun, and not that difficult.

Finally, here's a very interesting rhythm for 5 clubs that is very different from the 1-count and yet doesn't have any holds.

The sequence goes: pass, pass, handacross, pass, handacross (PPZPZ). It can be seen as bookends (PPSPS) with handacrosses instead of selfs. The siteswap sequence is 3.5p 3.5p 1 3.5p 1, which is 77722 in 4-hand siteswaps.

All passes are floaty singles; J1 does straight passes and J2 crossing passes. J1 starts with the Right Hand with PPZPZ, and J2 starts with the RH very soon after J1 (half a beat) with PZ, then PPZPZ.

5 clubs: 77722

This amazing rhythm was first revealed (at least I think so) in an article from Christophe Prechac: Symmetric Passing Patterns.

One juggler does crossing passes, while the other one does straight passes. All passes are singles (floaty singles, the siteswap value being 3.5).

The 5-club version may be considered a rhythm on its own (and surely is), but is a compulsory first step to the 6-club version. It will make it a lot easier for you to learn the double-zip thing that will allow you to catch a pass.

Explanation of the double-zip: when a pass is coming to your right hand (and similarly to your left hand), instead of freeing it with a usual self (3), you have to do a left hand double (4), followed by a right to left hand-across (1).

The 5-club rhythm is then:
double, zip, pass, hold, hold, and start again from the other hand. The hard part at the beginning is to know from which side you must throw the double.

WhyNot ? - 5 clubs: 3.5p 2 2 4 1

We're using the holds on the 5-club version to add the 6th club (check out the diagrams: we've added another line instead of the 2s). The cycle becomes:
double, zip, pass, self, pass. If you can remember the pass-self-pass thing, which is a short 2-count, the 6-club rhythm feels natural once the 5-club one is mastered.

WhyNot ? - 6 clubs: 3.5p 3 3.5p 4 1

To start, the best is to have J1 starting with 4 clubs, and doing pass, self, pass, double, zip. J2 starts half a beat later with the self double.
If you have 3 clubs each, J2 starts half a beat before J1 with a pass, then you do as if J1 had 4 clubs (as explained above).

The whynot can be seen as a four-hand siteswap: 86277

So why the name NotWhy?
There are two reasons, and I'll take responsibility for that.  NotWhy and WhyNot? can also be described by a 4-handed siteswap, and the two look very much alike:  86277 for WhyNot?, and 86772 for NotWhy?.  Moreover, I stumbled upon the fact that, if you read the causal diagram for WhyNot from right to left (instead of left to right), you find that it's NotWhy?.  To this day, I haven't found another rhythm which, thus reversed, produces anything other than itself.  
There you have it, and now we'll move on to the serious stuff.

Here also, one of the jugglers will make only crossing passes while the other  makes straight passes.  The passes are lofty singles.

If you have previously learned WhyNot, or if you are used to juggling a pattern as soon as you're given the complete cycle, you may skip straight to the 6-club version.  Otherwise, the 5-club version will help you learn.  Here, in order to catch a pass, you throw just one double, followed by a pass and a hand-across (zip).  It's a little easier to get used to than the double zip in WhyNot?.  

Thus the rhythm with 5 clubs is:  double, pass, zip, pause, pause (then you start over on the other side).  Instead of two pauses (siteswap 22), you could do a self, zip (siteswap 31).

NotWhy ? - 5 clubs : 4 3.5p 1 2 2

We're using the holds on the 5-club version to add the 6th club (check out the diagrams: we've added another line instead of the 2s). The cycle becomes:
double, pass, zip, self, pass.

NotWhy ? - 6 clubs : 4 3.5p 1 3 3.5p

Start: 3 clubs each (2 in the RH), J1 starts with a RH double and does crossing passes. J2 starts half a beat after J1's first pass (1.5 beat after J1's start) with a RH pass, followed by a double to start the cycle. J2 does straight passes.

The principle of these rhythms is exactly the same with 5, 6, 7 (or more) clubs. The base pattern is the 1-count (or ultimate) with 5, 6 or7 clubs.
Reminder: the rhythm is RH pass, LH pass, RH pass, LH pass, ...

What's currently happening for the right hand is:
1 - a club is coming to my right hand
2 - in order to catch it, I throw back a club from my right hand

What you're going to do instead is:
1 - a club is coming to my right hand
2 - in order to catch it, I do a right to left hand-across (or zip)
3 - In order to catch the zipped club in my left hand, I throw back a club from my left hand

In fact, 2 and 3 are happening simultaneously. And since both your hands are working, you get a lot of hurries.
Note also that if the right hand throw is crossed in the normal ultimate, then the pass made from the left hand (step 3) are straight in ultimate-zip (and conversely).

You can have only one of the jugglers doing the ultimate-zip; the other one does the normal version.

To start the rhythm, it's better to start from a normal 1-count, and, passing twice from the same hand, begin to do the zips. For example with a 5-count:

RH pass - LH pass - RH pass - LH pass - RH pass - [ RH pass | zip LH to RH ] - [ LH pass | zip RH to LH ] - ..........
In the blue part, all passes are cross, in the red one, they are straight.

The more clubs the faster. Try making floaty passes, and begin with 5 clubs.

ultimate-zip with 5 clubs

ultimate-zip with 6 clubs (J1 only)

ultimate-zip with 6 clubs (J1 & J2): collisions !

ultimate-zip with 7 clubs

Here there is no more selfs, only some passes. It's as if you were juggling 3 clubs on each side of the passing (if you cut it along the line that pass through both jugglers). You both start at the same time doing RH pass, LH pass, RH pass, LH pass...
To get used to left hand passing, you can try 3-count or PPS if you haven't already done so.

6 clubs, ultimate : <3p | 3p>

Syncops from BN theory

 

BN : 53 SiteSwap : <3p 3p 2 3p 3p ...| 3p 4p 3 3p 3p ...> With plain words : double-self

BN : 534 (continuously) SiteSwap : <3p 2 3p| 4p 3 3p> With plain words : double, self, pass, double, self, pass,... remark : it's almost a PPS

BN : 552 SiteSwap : <3p 3p 2 3p 3p ...| 3p 4p 4p 2 3p...> With plain words : double, double, hold

BN : 5551 SiteSwap : <3p 3p 2 3p 3p 3p...| 3p 4p 4p 4p 1 3p...> With plain words : double, double, double, zip

BN : 55550 SiteSwap : <3p 3p 2 3p 3p 3p...| 3p 4p 4p 4p 4p 0 ...> With plain words : double, double, double, double, empty hand

BN : 633 SiteSwap : <3p 3p 2 2 3p ...| 3p 5p 3 3 3p...> With plain words : triple, self, self

Brendan's Folly is a 1-count (or ultimate) rhythm for 6 clubs. The two jugglers have a different role :

• J1 (top line) does "Right-Left-Right-Left" as "crossing-crossing-straight-straight"
• J2 does "Right-Right-Left-Left" as "straight-crossing-crossing-straight" and gets the hurried throws (in green)

6 clubs, Brendan's Folly : <3px 3px 3p 3p | 3p 3px* 3px 3p*>

There is also a heavy risk of collision no later than beat 2 (red circle). To avoid that, you can agree that J2 (right hand crossing pass) will throw from the outside and J2 (left hand crossing pass) will throw from the inside. See page collisions for some diagrams.

This is the ultimate (or 1-count) version of Jim's 3 count (which should be mastered first). Hurried passes are colored in green in the diagram.

J1 (upper line) does straight passes, J2 does crossing passes. The rhythm for both jugglers goes : right right left left... On a similar style, you can try Brendan's Folly.

6 clubs, Jim's 1-count: <3p 3p* | 3p* 3p>

This can be seen as the 1-count (ultimate) version of Mild Madness. The principle is the same: making zips when a pass arrives in your "wrong" hand. Just keep thinking you must only do passes, as one might want to add a few selfs when used to doing Mild Madness.

The rhythm can also be seen from a different point en view and be used to go on to Martin's Mildness, as it is a good way to learn to make zips without getting confused by the rhythm. You need for that to see it as being :
- PPPPZ: pass, pass, pass, pass, zip (handacross)
The juggler doing straight passes (upper line) will need to start at the middle of the sequence by PPZ (and then PPPPZ...).

You can try to find the corresponding variants of Mild Madness variants.

This is the second most popular passing rhythm (after the 4-count, and despite all efforts made by ambidextrous freaks to have the 3-count recognised as the "base pattern"). Here, all throws made from the right hand are passes, all throws made from the left are selfs. You keep doing:

• RH: pass
• LH: self

6 clubs, 2-count: 3p 3

Tricks

"Late double" and "early double"

"Early triple" and "Late triple"

Right, Left, Triple


Duplex

The 3-count (also called waltz or tic-tac) is not as widely known as it should. It requires some left hand passes, which jugglers are afraid of at the beginning. Don't be scared, this is not as difficult as it seems, and it paves the way for more passing fun (see below the 3-count advantages).

Explications:
In 3 count, passes are made alternately by both hands: if a pass is made from the right hand, the following pass will be done from the left hand. A simple way to ease up the pattern is to use 2 clubs from a different color and to use them for doing the passes, because in 3-count, it's always the same 2 clubs that are being passed back and forth between the 2 jugglers.

From a more practical point of view, here is how you go (Ti being throw number i):
- T1 : RH pass
- T2 : LH self (to catch the incoming pass: say you have used red clubs for passes)
- T3 : RH self
- T4 : LH pass (with the red club)
- T5 : RH self
- T6 : LH self

You can check: a pass is being made every 3 counts (T1, T4, T7, .... T3n+1).

6 clubs, 3-count : <3p 3 3 | 3p 3 3 >

What is good in 3-count ?
- You still have a few selfs to play with (as in a 4-count)
- Each RH trick (in 2 and 4-count) can now be done with both hands. To name only but a few:

• early and left doubles
• triples, quadruples
• special passes: tomahawks, flats, over the shoulder
• ...

- It's more convenient for solo tricks that follows a 3-count throws rule (such as Mill's Mess).
- It's less tiring for your right arm, and allows you to use your left arm equally, making you a more balanced juggler.
- It opens the doors of the realm of ambidextrous rhythms, which it is the base pattern. You now can choose between 10 times more patterns to play with !

This pattern allows one juggler to work on the 7 clubs 3-count while the other one juggles a very slow 1-count on doubles (and can use some holds). It's not exactly a slow-fast though because the jugglers keep juggling at the same speed (if we count a hold as being a throw).
All passes are crossing doubles.

6 clubs, 3-count/1-count : <4p 3 3 | 2 2 4p>

An easy way to start this pattern is to start from a 4-count, and then to throw a late double. The one who throws the double starts juggling on a 3-count, the other one starts his 1-count side of the pattern by throwing back a crossing double under the incoming double (see diagram below).

3-count/1-count with a 4-count start

This rhythm is very similar to regular 3-count, and is not really harder. His main utility is when you do a feed with mild madness (these feeds are called Martin's mildness and Martin's madness), both feedees juggle Jim's 3-count.

The difference to regular 3-count is that a juggler crosses his passes (for every throw). Hence it creates a hurry, but as long as you remember that you have to throw the club you just received, it should present no particular problem. A consequence of the hurry is that each juggler regularly throws twice in a row with the same hand (see the following causal diagrams) .

regular 3-count : <3p 3 3 | 3p 3 3>

Jim's 3-count : <3p 3* 3 3p 3 3 | 3p 3 3 3p 3* 3>

The difference with a normal 4-count is that one of the jugglers (the bottom one in the diagrams) will cross all their passes. This is very similar to Jim's 3-count but with 3 self's instead of 2 between each pass.

See also: introduction to hurries

normal 4-count: <3p 3 3 3 | 3p 3 3 3>

Jim's 4-count: <3p 3* 3 3 3p 3 3 3 | 3p 3 3 3 3p 3* 3 3>

THE classical pattern of passing. When a juggler starts passing with you nine times out of ten you will end up passing a 4-count. You throw every pass with your right hand, and receive in your left hand.

When a clubs arrives on your left hand, you go:

• LH to RH self (to free your left hand before catching the pass)
• RH to LH self
• LH to RH self
• RH pass (you pass 1 time out of 4, hence the name 4-count)
• and then you do it again. Your partner throws exactly at the same time you do.

The following diagram shows it, starting with the passes. How to read this diagram : click here.

6 clubs, 4-count : <3p 3 3 3 | 3p 3 3 3>

Tricks

The columns

This rhythm is not that interesting, but it can be used for beginners who are learning to pass (since it's slow), or in some passing patterns with more than 2 jugglers: speed-weave....

You always throw from the right hand, throwing back the club you've just received as soon as it gets to your right hand.

6 clubs, 6-count: <3p 3 3 3 3 3 | 3p 3 3 3 3 3>

Its other name is PPSPS, a 5-count with 3 passes and 2 selfs. You'd better be quite comfortable with PPS because it's slightly harder for the brain, quite easy though. It is mainly used as a practice for the 7 clubs versions.

6 clubs, bookends : <3p 3p 3 3p 3| 3p 3p 3 3p 3>

note : There are two ways of considering bookends rhythms. One is just PPSPS, the other is PSPSP (i.e., 3 passes with RH in 2-count followed immediately by 3 LH passes in 2-count, without any self in between). Try to run this single rhythm with both ways, you will have two different feelings, even if your arms are doing exactly the same movements.

Once you say PPSS, there is not much left to say. A good practice to PPS but PPSS is not fully ambidextrous.

6 clubs, chocolate bar : <3p 3p 3 3 | 3p 3p 3 3>

This rhythm is also called Desmond Tutu, or more simply Desmond, or even two-two (2-2).

The countdowns are a family of patterns in which you constantly change the main pattern. For instance, you start with a 4-count cycle, a 3-count cycle, a 2-count cycle, an ultimate cycle (only one pass) and back, and so on.

As you can guess, the word "countdown" is not completely appropriate, since you count up as much as you count down. The countdown from 3 is the shorter, since a countdown from 2 is a simple PPS. .

Countdown from 3

We start then from 3-count, hence we do a 3-count cycle, then a 2-count cycle a 1-count, a 2-count, and then we start again.
This rhythm is a cycle of 8 throws, which means there are two versions of it (one starts with a RH pass, the other with a LH pass). This rhythm is not symetrical, since it has an even number of throws.
The entire sequence is PSSPSPPS, easier to remember when you think of it as PSSP-SPPS.

It's also a practice for the 7 clubs version : Copenhagen countdown

countdown from 4

Run a 4-count cycle, a 3-count cycle, a 2-count, a 1-count, a 2-count and a 3-count, then starts from the other hand. As opposed to the countdown from 3 there is only one version since you alternate a start with the RH and a start in the LH in the same pattern.
The sequence is PSSSPSSPSPPSPSS, but you'd rather count in your head than learn it by heart.

And it's also a practice for the 7 clubs version : Oslo countdown

Not much more things to say than PPPSS.It's a 5-count and thus completely symetrical. It's mostly a practice to his elder brother : 7 clubs PPPSS.

These are variations on mild madness.

Variations are made by having the 2 jugglers swap between crossing and straight passes. I've used colored bars to help you see if a juggler is doing crossing (blue) or straight (red) passes. It's always quite fun to see who's going to drop first.

Synchronous change (6 beats)

The two jugglers change at the same time every 6 beats (the time for PPS PPZS). The consequence is that each juggler has the zip twice in a row, the new cycle being PPS PPZS PPZS PPS.

Synchronous change (3 beats)

The two jugglers change at the same time every 3 beats (the time for PPS or for PPZS). As a consequence, one juggler now has all the zips, while the other one is just doing PPS.

Asynchronous change (6 beats)

The two jugglers change every 6 beats but not at the same time. As a consequence, one of them has no more zips, while the other one keeps having as many zips as usual. There are some collision problems.

Mild Madness (some people may call it Martin's PPS, but Martin Frost frowns on that) is an evolved version of the normal PPS, whose causal diagrams I've placed below in order to compare a few things. Being comfortable with PPS is required.

normal PPS: <3p 3p 3 | 3p 3p 3>

In Mild Madness, one juggler will cross all his passes (Right Hand to RH, LH to LH). If you try it this way (it's worth it), you'll realize very soon that there is a small problem. The 'small' problem is solved as follows:

• You sometimes need to do some hand-acrosses or zips. 'Sometimes' being in fact at the same moment as the second pass in a PPS cycle, when you need to do the zip. Since both are done at the same time, this is where the hurries occur.
• These zips (noted Z, or sometimes H) are made in turns by both the jugglers.
• The cycle becomes: PPS PPZS. Plainly speaking, it's "normal PPS", then "PPS with a zip".
• The pattern is ambidextrous, which means, to be more precise, that the true cycle is PPS PP'Zrl'S PPS PP'Zlr'S (Zrl meaning zip from right to left).
• At any moment, if A is doing PPS, B is doing PPZS and conversely.
• The causal diagram (for a full cycle) sums it all up (zips being the red arrows). You'll notice that the bottom juggler is doing the crossing passes.

Mild Madness

A few tips:

• A classical mistake is to forget the self. So be careful, the zip does not replace the self.
• When you've mastered it, you can change (both of you) between crossing and straight passes on the fly every 6 beats.
  The new cycle is then: PPS PPZS PPZS PPS. See variations on mild madness.
• You can feed with mild madness.
• There also is a 1-count version: Martin's ultimate.
  

Slow version

On a theoretical point of view, there also is a version with no hurries, and passes done with floaty singles. Practically speaking, you'll be juggling something in between. This slow version can be seen as a 4-hand siteswap: 7777266

Mild madness: slow version with no hurry

This pattern is quite a mess at the beginning, you always have to count PPS PPS PPS in your mind. If you have no problems with 3 count (for the LH passes), it's not so difficult once you get used to rhythm problems. It can also be an efficient practice to ultimate (1-count) (and back).

Both jugglers do exactly at the same time :

RH pass LH pass RH self LH pass RH pass LH self

PPS 6 clubs : <3p 3p 3 | 3p 3p 3>

NB : The 4 passed clubs are always the same, just like the two clubs that are used for selfs.

This rhythm is a combination of a 2-count and a chocolate bar. The easiest way to describe it consists in saying : PS PS PPSS. It can also be considered as a 2, 2, 1, 3-count.

6 clubs, tango : <3p 3 3p 3 3p 3p 3 3 | 3p 3 3p 3 3p 3p 3 3>

All these rhythms are based on a 2-count, on which we add some hurries with the following combinations:

Selfs: make a synchronous self-zip with the self being either straight (3x: half-box), or cross (3: shower).
Passes: Either the 2 jugglers do straight passes, or one of them does cross passes and the other straight passes.

This gives us 4 possibles combinations.
Being able to juggle the box or the shower on singles will help.

1- half-box, straight passes
This one might be the easiest. Upon receiving a pass to the LH, throw a RH straight self and a handacross LH to RH at a the same time. When the self comes down again, throw the handacrossed club. Both jugglers do straight passes. Not an ambidextrous pattern!

2- half-box, straight and cross passes
Same than above, but one of the jugglers cross his passes. The result is a nice ambidextrous rhythm.

3- shower, straight passes
Upon receiving a pass to the LH, throw a RH self to the LH and a handacross LH to RH at a the same time. When the self comes down again, throw the club you've just caught. Both jugglers do straight passes. Ambidextrous pattern.

4- shower, straight and cross passes
Same than above, but one of the jugglers cross his passes. Passes are made twice in a row on each side. Rather a difficult one.

More:
On the same principle, you have to try out what the 3-count has to offer, especially if you juggle a box instead of normal selfs. In fact, you can try on any rhythm to replace the selfs by some synchronous selfs-handacrosses. PPS somebody? :-).

There's no "big secret" to this amazing pattern. You just need a lot of practice and some precision. You can either juggle in on doubles (harder because of the precision needed) or on floaty singles (faster but easier to get down and nicer). Since the siteswap is <3.5p|3.5p>, it's theorically just between a double (4) and a single (3).

J1 starts with 4 clubs (2 in each hand) and make tramline passes (the RH make the first pass), J2 starts half a beat later (with 3 clubs) and throw diagonal passes (the RH make the first pass).

On singles, try to slow down the pattern by throwing higher passes.

7 clubs ultimate : <3.5p | 3.5p>

Reminder : Ultimate = no self

Patterns inspired by the BN theory

BN : 64 Sequence : double pass, double self

BN : 663 Sequence : double pass, double pass, self

BN : 744 Sequence : triple pass, self, self

If you've understood the BN theory, you'll discover many more patterns using some 5 ball siteswaps.

This pattern is nearly identical to the classic 7 clubs pattern except that :

• J2 make left hand passes
• Both J1 and J2 make diagonal passes.
  

7 clubs, 2-count crossing : <4p 3 | 3 4p>

You can look for more details on the relationship between the two patterns in the examples of the causual diagrams explanations.

This is THE basic 7 clubs pattern. Both jugglers are passing a 2-count on doubles (i.e. : RH tramline pass on double, LH self).

J1 (on top) starts with 2 clubs in each hand and begins with a pass, J2 starts a beat later with a pass.

7 clubs, 2-count : <4p 3 | 3 4p>

You can also try this pattern with floaty singles instead of doubles. If it goes too fast, keep cool and throw higher passes and selfs.

In both the doubles and singles version, any trick of the 6 clubs 2-count will work (doubles, triples, tomahawk, duplex...) provided that you make the necessary adjusments (the doubles become triples for example).

A very nice rhythm for 7 clubs. It's balanced, it isn't as hard as it looks (because the mistakes are easy to correct) and you can throw many tricks in it once you get the base pattern solid.More than than, it's also the door to all the ambidextrous 7 clubs patterns.
Here are a few tips :
- It's a 3-count, so the feeling is the same as the 6 clubs 3-count. The incoming clubs are those that are thrown back (it's always the same 3 clubs in the air).
- The passes are made on doubles. The theorical siteswap of the passes is 4.5 so make them high and slow. It's also possible to make the passes on single (see below).
- J1 starts with 2 clubs in each hand and juggles : RH pass, self, self, ...
- J2 waits for as long as possible (one and a half beat) and starts with a pass : RH pass, self, self, ...

7 clubs, 3-count : 4.5p 3 3

Nothing really tough here : both passers are juggling a 4-count and the passes are made on triples (you got to make them nice & clean). The passes are not thrown at the same time : there's two beat between the pass of the first juggler and the pass of his partner. To get started, J1 starts with a pass and J2 starts at the same time with the sequence : RH self, LH self, pass...

Since it's a 4-count, you can use many of the 6 clubs 4-count tricks (441 for example).

7 clubs, 4-count : <3 3 5p 3 | 5p 3 3 3>

I've highlighted in red the beats when the jugglers can make a pass (and get one club back a beat later) to other jugglers like in the 7 clubs torture chamber pattern.

For a speedy but easier variation (because the passes are usually better), throw doubles instead of triples: a good pattern that helps to master the 11 clubs 2-count feed.

What follows was written by Jon in Kaskade 65:

Now we get into 7-club versions of the 'old' 6-club pattern 'bookends', a 5-count with 3 passes and 2 selfs. The selfs always have min. one pass in between. There are (at least) two different ways to think about bookends patterns. One is to just do ppsps, the other is to pspsp (i.e., three right hand shower passes in a row followed immediately - no self in between! - by three left hand passes). Try to do the same pattern with both "feelings" - it doesn't feel like the same pattern even though your body is doing exactly the same (trippy, huh).

Basic bookends

The basic pattern in this section is another great fusion of technology, creative inspiration and skill (thanx for your patience, Mandy), but it isn't actually that hard, you just add another pass and another self to the basic pps. J2 starts with 4 clubs.
I also discovered that this pattern is exactly the same as one that Wolfgang describes in Kaskade 57 as
<4p 3 4p 3 3p|3 4p 3 4p 4p>, but never mind…
Don't forget to try both ends and to reverse the passes like in the pps patterns

7 clubs, basic bookends

Asynchronous Bookends

Here is a version where both jugglers do (almost) the same. J1 does floaty crossing singles and straight floaty doubles and J2 does the opposite - is that clear?!?.
J2 has 4 clubs and starts RH with PPSPS, and J1 starts immediately (half a beat) after with PS (then PPSPS) on the LH.
As this pattern is asynchronous (none of the four hands throw at the same time) it can be written down as a fourhanded siteswap: 96677 (see footnote 2). Each juggler throws 96767.

Funky Bookends

For an even weirder bookends (as if it needs to get any weirder!) try 86777, where each juggler juggles 87767 in turn. J1 has 4 clubs, and J2 starts half a beat later with PS (then PPSPS) on the LH.

7 clubs, funky bookends

P: floaty single P: floaty single S: single P: floaty single S: straight double

Sdnekoob

For a 'reverse' bookends (SSPSP or PSPSS) try this one - it even has a triple in it - oooohhh. J1 starts with 4 clubs by PSS (at the same time as J2 who starts with SSP).
This one cannot be written in a fourhanded site swap as it is a synchronous pattern, which also means that the passes don't need to be floaty, and that you can try making the crossing passes straight and vice versa.

7 clubs, sdnekoob

P: straight triple for J1     crossing double for J2 S: single S: single P: crossing double S: single

What follows was written by Jon in Kaskade 66:

This pattern is a countdown from 3 - (that is, one round of three-count, then a two-count, a one-count, a two-count and then all over again). As you can see, the name 'countdown' is actually not really appropriate as there is as much counting up as there is down, but what the heck. The countdown from 3 is the shortest of the patterns worth denoting with the dubious term (a countdown from 2 would be a pps). It actually only has 8 throws before it repeats itself, which makes it one-sided (as 8 is an even number). The entire throwing sequence is then psspspps. Some people (myself included) find it easier to remember the entire sequence rather than counting down (and up). I normally think of it as one round of a three-count (that is 'pssp') followed immediately by the reverse (that is 'spps').

To do this pattern warm up by doing it with 6 clubs. When that feels comfortable pick up that extra club and proceed to the Copenhagen Countdown.

In this pattern 'Juggler 1' (let this be the best of you if you are not at the same level - the reason for this will become clear in a moment) starts with two clubs in each hand throwing the countdown sequence like in the 6-club version but making his passes crossing floaty doubles. If 'Juggler 1' (J1) starts from the left hand it will be easier for 'Juggler 2' (J2), (so J1 actually does the left-handed version of the countdown, while 'J2 does it right-handed. You could practice the left-handed version with 6 clubs first if you are sure this won't mess up your partner's head even more as he will then have to learn it left-handed. The terms 'left-handed' and 'right-handed' are not totally appropriate in this context as the pattern has two right passes and two left passes, no matter what hand you start from. However, the pattern is still one-sided since it repeats every eight beats, and it actually feels a bit different doing the 'left-handed' version.).
J2 has two clubs in his right and one in his left and does exactly what he was doing in 6-club version (starting right-handed), only his passes are (straight) floaty doubles (this will be fairly easy if you have the 6-club version solid). J2 starts one and a half beats after J1, so the timing of the start is exactly like in a 7-club three-count.

But wait! There is more! Because to get this to work J1, gets two 'zips' (aka 'handacrosses' or '1s' in normal siteswap) instead of two selfs. The zips are in the diagram represented by the back pointing arrows. So her entire throwing sequence is pzspsppz (Note: The first zip in the first round should be thrown as a normal self, meaning that the first actual zip is throw number 8). This might all sound very complicated but it is a lot easier than it sounds, as the zips come natural (if you are used to doing zips, that is). It might also be helpful to know that the two zips are both from right to left so J1's right hand will be doing no normal selfs (except for its very first throw) so the her right hand will be starting with a self and then doing pass, pass, zip, zip, pass, pass, zip, etc.

In case anyone is interested, the fourhanded siteswap for the Copenhagen Countdown is 9629669669969929. J1 does 92696992 and J2 starts one and a half beats later and does 96696996.
OK, enough explanations. Enjoy and remember that this pattern is not so difficult - so if you are an ambidextrous 7-club passer and this seems impossible you are probably doing something wrong.

Oslo countdown

This one is a real bastard as the sequence is 15 beats long (from each side, that is), and furthermore because of collision danger. If you are planning on just a little bit of success with this pattern do yourself the favour to learn the 6-club version (countdown from 4). Just do one round of four-count, one of three-count, one of two-count, a one-count, a two count, a three-count, and then all over starting with the other hand. The throwing sequence is pssspsspsppspss.
The original version of the Oslo Countdown is a synchronous pattern where both jugglers do straight (!) passes - either on triples or doubles (mathematically it is supposed to be triples, but doubles may - or may not - be easier to control). It was courageously invented and attempted last summer with Magnus in the centre of Oslo). Especially around the one-count the pattern gets a bit weird for J1 as the sequence goes (starting from throw number 8) … pass, hold, pass, pass, zip, pass, empty hand, zip, pass, hold … Anyway - here it is. Good luck. J1 starts with 4 clubs.

If you can't get it work, don't worry - I have only managed to do three quarters of it so far, but since that is counting down, up and down again it means that it by no means is impossible. When we tried it in doubles we found that making the four-count very fast (try to do a 7-club four-count in doubles in stead of triples to warm up). The one-count, on the other hand, should be nice and slooooow.

Asynchronous Oslo countdown

Once you have tried your luck with this one you can try a version that is (possibly) a bit easier. (I say 'possibly' because I have actually never done this one as the only decent passing partner here in Copenhagen is JoePass!) there is an asynchronous version that might be a bit easier, as all the passes are floaty doubles (definitely doubles!), and as it contains no holds or empty hands. However there is a self double, but hey - if you have gotten this far that shouldn't be a problem. J1 starts with 4 clubs, and J2 starts one and a half beats later.

The monster 4 hands siteswap for that one would be
966966869669669669969929962966
where each juggler juggles:
J1: 9668 966 96 9 92 926
J2: 9666 966 96 9 96 966

A hardcore rhythm, highly collision prone.

Both jugglers are passing on doubles (die-hard passing fanatics can try it on singles too).

• J1 juggles : Pass, pass, pass, zip. (PPPZ)
• J2 juggles : Pass, pass, pass, self. (PPPS)

To avoid collisions, try to keep the passes in corridors. That's all the help I can give you at the moment.

7 clubs, compressed mesopotamia : <4p 4p 4p 1 | 4p 4p 4p 3>

I've found 2 variations that I've written down below (mainly to remember them). The idea is to create a 0.5 delay (make passes as 3.5p or 4.5p with one juggler passing tramline passes and the other diagonal passes to avoid collisions).

1) 3.5p passes (6 clubs)

• J1 juggles : Pass, pass, pass, zip. (3.5p 3.5p 3.5p 1)
• J2 juggles : Pass, pass, pass, hold. (3.5p 3.5p 3.5p 2)

2) 4.5p passes, an 8 clubs pattern.

• J1 juggles : Pass, pass, pass, zip. (4.5p 4.5p 4.5p 1)
• J2 juggles : Pass, pass, pass, double. (4.5p 4.5p 4.5p 4)

Last variation of the basic pattern : J1 makes triple passes while J2 makes single passes. Even better would be floaty doubles and floaty singles.

Oddz Godz is (for me), the hurry of the normal 7 clubs 2-count. It's definitely a hurried pattern and you'll feel the hurries, believe me ! (All red passes in the diagram are hurries).

Here is the pattern in details :

• One of the juggler makes tramline passes on doubles.
• The other one makes diagonal passes on doubles.
• The rhythm for each juggler is : RH pass, RH self, LH pass, LH self. Each hand throw two times in a row.
• At the beginning, J1 (on top) starts with 3 clubs in the RH and one in LH. He goes like this : RH pass, RH self, ...
• J2 starts with 2 clubs in the RH and one in LH. He starts at the same time as J1 and juggles : RH self, LH pass, LH self, .... Please, note that the diagram bellow doesn't show the first self.

7 clubs, oddz goddz : <4p 3* | 3* 4p>

This one is really cool ! Everybody juggles the magic pattern :

• pass (floaty diagonal single for one of you and tramline pass for the other)
• self (crossing single)
• double (non-crossing self)

Since you will be juggling with a delay of a half beat, the second passer needs to wait a bit before throwing his first pass. He can wait half a beat and start with the double or wait one and a half beat and start with the pass.

7 clubs, pass-self-double : <3.5p 3 4 | 3.5p 3 4>

Please note (red line on the diagram) that you only throw a pass when you receive one, and only then.

Fast 3-count Popcorn

There's a 3-count popcorn that follows the logic of the 7-count and 5-count popcorns. The sequence would be : a self triple followed by a normal self and a very fast pass (a low flat).

Fast 3-count popcorn

This pattern is nearly impossible to juggle properly (and even improperly, it's tough enough) - it can even prove dangerous with clubs because the pass is a 5 (a 2,5 in solo juggling). But it seems that it can be done with rings.

To juggle it with clubs, you can throw all the passes a beat earlier as floaty singles or throw all the passes on the beat as floaty singles too (swapping the tramline-diagonal in each case). Both patterns will have a hold (or a very low throw, siteswap 2) so the 4 hands siteswaps are 10-7-4 and 10-4-7. A 8 clubs PPS variatation can also be extrapolated if you throw passes instead of holds.

Fast 3-count popcorn, with early singles

Fast 3-count popcorn, with late singles

The 4-count popcorn, non-ambidextrous and of a limited interest in itself, is still usefull as a mean to boost the difficulty of some feeds (see popcorn feeds).

The sequence is : RH triple, LH self, RH single pass, LH self. J1 starts with 4 clubs and begins with the pass, J2 starts at the same time with the triple.

Since the sequence is short because of the single passes, it can be difficult to find the correct tempo. Try to concentrate on making your triples high enough and your passes low and fast.

You can also try the "twin towers" version : RH double, LH double (each double comes back in the hand that threw it) instead of the RH triple, LH self. For the siteswap inclined : 44 instead of 53.

Here's a popcorn that will force you to work on your left hand as much as your right (see also : popcorn 7-counts and 3-counts among others)

Here is what you have to do : thing, thing, (floaty) single pass, self, self where :
- thing, thing = triple, self (original but tricky because of the triple)
- or : thing, thing = double, double ("twin towers" version, easier)

When a pass comes your way, you throw 2 doubles (or a triple-self) to get the 4 clubs, make a pass, then throw two selfs before starting again on the other side.

With triple-self : 5 3 3.5p 3 3

With double double (twin towers) : 4 4 3.5p 3 3

Let's assume that you're juggling the triple-single version.
Note : Since the triple (siteswap 5) is thrown every 5 beats, it's always the same club that is thrown as the triple.
Tricks : There's not too many siteswap variations here because we only have 2 selfs. 42 is a possibility, especially if you throw the 2 as a very fast single. You can also try to throw a self triple on the beat before the normal triple, forcing you to make a transfer instead of a self after the second triple (know why ? Because you're juggling 551 before the pass instead of 353). Here's the diagram with J1 juggling 551 and J2 juggling 42.

popcorn 5-count with 551 and 42

You can also throw an early double followed by a hold - something that opens new possibilities since there's now the hold and the 2 selfs (ie : 233) to have fun with. Try 530 for example, 440 or 413, 512 (throwing the 2 or not, you decide). You can see below those 4 variations, with J1 juggling 413 and 512 while J2 juggles 440 and 530.

popcorn 5-count with 413 and 512 for J1, 440 and 530 for J2.

The name "popcorn" for these patterns comes from the fact that the jugglers throw singles, doubles and triples ; something visually similar to what happens to corn in a frying pan.

The right hand sequence (the left hand throws only singles) for each juggler is :

• triple-self (thrown to the left hand)
• tramline pass on double
• self (thrown to the left hand).

It's just a round of solo triple-single (the triple is a self) when the double (the pass) comes in.

7 clubs, regular popcorn : <3 3 3 5p 3 4p | 5p 3 4p 3 3 3>

One of the possible variations consists of replacing the triple-self's by double-self's and the passes on doubles by passes on singles. It's a little faster and it breaks the rhythm but since the pattern is lower, it's easier to master.

Another variation, one that simplifies things a bit, is to replace the triple-singles (siteswap 53) by 2 self doubles (44). As a matter of fact, you can switch between the two at any moment. The double-double variation is knows as the "Twin Towers" by some and can prove helpful for 5-count and 7-count popcorn. Moreover, since each juggler gets 3 normal self's after the pass, you can get into 441 or 531 (leading to their own variations). 531 is more visual since the 5 is thrown at the same time as your partner throws a triple. A final variation can be juggled by throwing a right hand double self instead of the pass followed by a diagonal pass on single (landing in your partner's hand just in time).

Variations : - J1 juggles triple-singles with a bit of 441 then throws the diagonal pass with single spin. - J2 does the "twin towers" beginning with 531.

Take the 6-count popcorn (regular), and apply theses modifications :
- add a self (we now have an ambidextrous pattern)
- make the passes more "floaty" (4,5p)
- convince your partner that it's not going to work at all until one of you makes diagonal passes.

7 clubs 7-count popcorn with triple-single

If we break it down, we have:
- triple-self (or double-double; see notes on the 6-count popcorn "twin towers" variation)
- pass as a floaty double (tramline for you, diagonal for your partner)
- 4 normal selfs
- ... (same thing on the other side of the pattern)

Try the same variations as in the 6-count. You can choose when to throw the 441 or the 531 because of the 4 selfs that you have to play with. Or you can do any 3 club siteswap of length 4, like the superfunky 5340. If you juggle it continously, add another club and make the pass a floaty single, you have the 8 clubs 7-count popcorn of Jon and Dani.

7 clubs 7-count popcorn with continuous 5340

By replacing the pass on the double by a right self double (a normal 4), followed by a floaty single pass (diagonal if you were throwing tramline doubles and vice-versa), we obtain a fantastic rhythm (10-6-6-6-8-6-7 in the 4 hand siteswap notation, each juggler does 10-6-8-7-6-6-6). It's easier if you can both juggle 534 solo, because what you're doing here is a 534 followed by a floaty single pass then 3 normal selfs before starting again on the other side.

7 clubs, 7-count popcorn with triple-single and late single pass.


For a spicier variation even, you can try any of the 6-count variations since you still have 3 selfs left to play with. Here's the diagram of J1 juggling a popcorn and 531 (10-6-8-7-10-6-2) while J2 does the Twin Towers with a 441 (8-8-8-7-8-8-2). Good luck...

7 clubs 7-count popcorn with triple-single, late single pass, 531 and 441.

The idea here is the same as with any popcorn pattern: juggling 4 clubs for a very short period of time while your partner is juggling 3, then passing them the extra club.

In this pattern, it's always the same club that is passed between the jugglers as a single. When the pass comes in, flash your 3 clubs (as triples in theory, however it's easier with floaty doubles), catch the pass, feed it to the other hand, pass it back to your partner then catch everything that comes down.

7 clubs, popcorn 5551 : <5 5 5 1 3p 3 3 3 | 3p 3 3 3 5 5 5 1>

Tip: make your flash on doubles (make sure you don't throw them forward) and concentrate on throwing the second double (left hand) high enough to calm things down. Also, be careful with your single passes; there's a natural tendency to throw them a bit too high.

This is the full ambidextrous variation of the 8-count 5551 popcorn (you dreamt about it, we made it a reality!). All you have to do is add an extra self. In order to do that, one of you must throw tramline passes while the other responds with diagonal passes. All passes have are single spins and must be as floaty as possible.

The beginning is the same as in the 8-count. The sequence becomes: triple, triple, triple, feed, pass, self, self, self, self and repeats on the other side. Throwing doubles instead of triples will probably be easier here too.

Preliminaries: try the 6-clubs version to familiarise yourself with the tempo.

J1 starts with 4 clubs and throws three diagonal passes on doubles followed by two normal selfs. J2 starts at the same time but throws a self first, before going into their PPPSS sequence: tramline pass on single, tramline pass on single, tramline pass on triple. Since the sequence has an odd length cycle, it takes 10 throws to arrive back at the beginning.

The diagram below shows the same thing, only with all the crossing throws inverted. You can try the 2 versions; it just depends on which hand J1 and J2 will start with.

Before going any further, we suggest you to get familiar with the 6 clubs PPS (for the rhythm) and the 7 clubs 3-count  (for the right and left hand double throws).
You also need to know that there is no such thing as a symetrical PPS (i.e. : 2 jugglers doing the same thing) with 7 clubs. You may think that you just need to make the passes on doubles with one of you making tramline passes while the other throw diagonally, but it doesn't work. In the version below (there's others, depending on who is the tramline passer and who is the diagonal one) one of the juggler must alternate between passes on singles and passes on doubles.

7 clubs, PPS (tramline doubles) : <4p 4p 3 | 3 3p 4p>

In details :

• The juggler at the top is doing a PPS with double tramline passes. It's the easy end of the pattern (well, you still need to catch the incoming passes!).
• The juggler at the bottom is also doing a PPS but:
  • the first pass is a diagonal single
  • the second pass is a tramline double

  You pass twice in a row to the same side of the pattern. You need to make your singles really low compared to the height of the doubles.

Variation:

Here's a variation with a different feel, even if the siteswap sequence stays the same: throw the doubles as diagonal passes and the singles as tramline.

7 clubs, PPS (diagonal doubles) : <4p 4p 3 | 3 3p 4p>

see also: 7 clubs PPS double vs single.

Here's an easy PPS pattern: J1 is juggling everything on single spins, J2 on doubles - even the uncrossing selfs. The passes from J1 are tramline singles and those from J2 are diagonal doubles.

We can see that J1 is juggling a regular 6 clubs PPS while J2 is juggling a PPS inspired by the 8 clubs patterns made out of 4 clubs solo. The average of all this is indeed 7.

7 clubs, PPS doubles vs singles : <3p 3p 3 | 4p 4 4p>

For more PPS with 7 clubs, see the Regular PPS.

From 2-count to ultimate

From a 2-count on singles (floaty ones), A throws a double (instead of the single; in red in the diagram) to B. A then makes a last self before going into ultimate with diagonal throws. B waits for the double to come down before getting into ultimate with tramline passes by throwing a left hand passes (in blue) under the incoming doubles.

2-count to ultimate

From ultimate to 2-count

From ultimate on singles, the juggler who is throwing diagonal passes makes a diagonal double (LH to LH) instead of a single, followed by a tramline double (RH to LH) before clicking into the 2-count. When the first double arrives, the other juggler goes directly into a 2-count (a self instead of a pass, you'd better react quickly!).
The 2-count you both fall into can be juggled on singles or doubles.

ultimate to 2-count

I've also found these two variations (from ultimate to 2-count) while drawing the diagram of the transition above.

From 2-count to crossing 2-count

2-count to crossing 2-count / with hurry

2-count to crossing 2-count / slow version

From crossing 2-count to 2-count

Crossing 2-count to 2-count / with hurry

Crossing 2-count to 2-count / slow version

From 2-count to 3-count

From 3-count to 2-count

From 2-count to regular popcorn

From popcorn to 2-count

Kylie had suggested on rec.juggling the idea of a passing pattern in which one juggler does 441, but you replace the 1's with normal passes.  So I attacked the problem with JoePass!, and I came up with this rhythm (and Kylie did the same in the meantime).

J1 does 443p, i.e. double-double-pass.  J2 does pass-self-double, which is a 3-count popcorn. The result is a particular sort of asymmetrical popcorn (J1 and J2 are not doing the same thing) that includes no selfs for J1, his share of juggling 3 objects reduced to the pass.  The passes are normal straight singles for both jugglers.

The easiest way to get it going is for J1 to start with 4 clubs and jump right into the sequence.  J2 starts with 2 clubs in the right hand and 1 in the left.  He waits for J1's first pass to arrive and then starts with his left hand with pass-self-double.

If we apply a basic mathematics theory, we can guess that for an 8 clubs ultimate, both jugglers throw doubles, i.e. <4p | 4p>, just like in the following scheme. Nevertheless there is a huge problem with collisions (every red circle). Hence it is quite hard to do it this way (if you really wish to do it, you'll have to define a "row" for each juggler and for each hand, and be really precise -see page collisions).
NB : JoePass! is not concern about these collision problems.

8 ultimate, not so believable : <4p | 4p>

8 ultimate, possible versions

A doable solution (but hard anyway) consists in having a juggler throwing very high (triples), and the other very low (singles). The juggler who starts with singles has 5 clubs (at least on the following scheme).

8 clubs ultimate, doable but hard version : <5p | 3p>

A much easier solution is to have a juggler throwing floating doubles and the other one throwing floating singles, just under the doubles. On the following scheme, both jugglers starts with 4 clubs each.

8 clubs ultimate, "easier" version: <4.5p | 3.5p>

Note : In the following schemes, I represented desynchronized rhythms (LH, then RH, LH...). Since in 8 ultimate you juggle 4 clubs separately on each side of the pattern (red lines & orange lines on one side, blue lines & black lines on the other), you can have the matching synchronized version, with RH and LH throws at the same time, in which it's easier to see what's going on in this pattern (even if it's harder to achieve).

There is also a last version, completely different from the firsts (cf. things to know about 8 clubs theory ). It consists in crossing every pass (RH->RH et LH->LH, see also avoid collisions ). You'll have to be desynchronized. The height of the passes is doubles' height, but you can also throw higher singles. Obviously it's much harder with singles.

8 clubs, crossed ultimate : <4p | 4p>

This rhythm is the first one you will try with eight clubs if you are a regular juggler. If you can easily deal with seven clubs doubles (for the passes) and singles (for the speed), that shouldn't be too hard for you.

Theory would request triples for eight clubs 2-count, the matching siteswap being '5p 3'. Though, most of passers use doubles because it is easier to throw doubles than triples, even if the rhythm is faster. On the other hand, triples will be more spectacular and a good training for nine 2-count.
Assuming you are throwing doubles, it will be the same as 7 clubs 2-count, the only difference being beginning at the same time with four clubs each, and also it's a little faster. Once you'll manage to get it steady, you can try to be more precise for your partner (same height, same spin, same timing): seen from the side, clubs should cross exactly between you two.

8 clubs (doubles ou triples) : <5p 3 | 5p 3>

8 clubs singles

Things will start to get harder, and you'll have to become way more precise. The trick is to have your own self and your single pass thrown at the same time. Your two hands throw at the same time. For the rest, I'll let you experience for yourself (the main problem is it's hard to throw good selfs, sometimes because of passes arriving too much on the left......).

With a little practice, it's possible to throw not exactly at the same time and it's what is shown in the following diagram.

8 clubs singles

With a lot more practice, on can go from 8 clubs 2-count triples to doubles, and then to singles, and back (the return is easier).

I'll get back to it as soon as I try it (at first triple passes seem right, as much as a some experience with 4 clubs 633).

8 clubs, 3-count : <6p 3 3 | 6p 3 3 >

Complete version

The complete version is a real nightmare. Both passers MUST be extremely steady with four clubs. On the other hand, the theory is quite simple: each juggler starts with 4 clubs doubles (in the same time), then you throw a pass every 3 throw (double pass)

Each juggler should then do: double self RH double self LH double pass RH double self LH double self RH double pass LH

8 clubs, 3-count, coming from 4 clubs solo : <4p 4 4 | 4p 4 4> Be careful : On the scheme, it starts with the pass

If you feel really confident (or just for fun with JoePass!), you can try the super-complete version by replacing 2 double selfs in a row by triple-single, thus you get an 8-club popcorn !!
You can notice that this rhythm (just like the following scheme) is a part of a whole family: the rhythms taken from 4 clubs solo.

"Half" version

This one is much more easier, and you will use it as a practice for the whole version. It's all about throwing half of the passes: you pass only either the LH passes or the RH passes. It's in fact a 6-count.

8 clubs, 6-count popcorn: <4p 4 4 4 4 4 | 4p 4 4 4 4 4>

Uh... ?????? Let's say we are trying separately and then we'll see. A little bit like 7 clubs popcorn, and also like 534 alone with your 4 little friends.

8 clubs, pass-self-double pass : <5p 3 4 | 5p 3 4>

This rhythm comes directly from regular 7 clubs popcorn, but it is not so usual with eight clubs, though quite easy to manage. In theory, each juggler throws:

• triple self RH
• single self LH
• triple pass RH
• single self LH

8 clubs, 4-count popcorn : <5 3 5p 3 | 5 3 5p 3>

When you practice, you realize it's easier to replace triples (passes and selfs) with doubles (as you would do with 7 clubs popcorn). It's a little faster and lower, but not so ugly to look at.

Warning : crazy rhythm that will challenge your physical and mentral abilities

This rhythm comes from a complicated variation of 7-count 7 clubs popcorn in which you uses the 4 selfs to throw 5 3 4 0. To get the 8 clubs version, you will 'just' have to replace 0's by single floating passes (3,5p). Here are the two diagrams, for you to compare both rhythms:

7 clubs 7-count popcorn with 5340

Jon and Dani's 8 clubs 7-count pocorn

Here is the pattern for J1 (for J2 you'll have to switch crossed and straight passes):
- triple self
- single self
- double floating crossed pass
- triple self
- single self
- double self over the same hand
- single floating straight pass

J2 starts with a triple left hand self, immediately followed by a triple right hand self by J1. The 4 hands siteswap is 10 10 6 6 8 9 7, and each juggler throws 10 6 9 10 6 8 7.

I only quote it to be as exhaustive as one can be: since he feats in Charlie Dancey's Compendium of Club Juggling, maybe somewhere in another dimension (or in the Gandini's practice gym) people are currently running it.

8 clubs, popcorn PPS : <4p 5p 3 | 4p 5p 3>

Things start to get really serious now. Let's say it's half way between 7 clubs PPS and 9 clubs 1-count (and a good practice for the latter). One of the jugglers crosses, the other goes straight. All passes are floaty doubles.

The easier start probably has each juggler starting with 4 clubs. The upper juggler throws (starting RH) pass, self, then PPS with crossing passes. The lower throws (starting RH) directly PPS with straight passes half a beat later.

On the following diagram, the upper juggler starts with 5 clubs (3 in RH) throwing pass, pass, self with crossing passes. The lower starts with 3 clubs (2 in RH) and throwing self and then starting the PPS pattern.

8 clubs, PPS : <4.5p 4.5p 3 | 3 4.5p 4.5p>

Uh... pass, pass, triple self.... something like that. We'll talk about it after a few tries. If you try it, I'll be glad to hear about it (use the comments).
The 4 hands siteswap is 1077.

8 clubs, PPS with triples selfs