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Pre-requisite: Throwing first Zaps

Pre-requisite

• Throwing first Zaps

Remember to stand relatively close together.

Simplified Exercise

The pattern has 4 clubs. We start with 3 clubs to memorize the sequence a bit before having to deal with also catching clubs.

Doing a zip means quickly handing the club from one hand to the other - or doing this as a very short throw from one hand to the other. Whatever is faster. Zips can be made a little bit earlier than all other throws without speeding up the pattern - nearly in parallel to the throw that precedes it.

The sequence is zap,zap,zip - and that keeps repeating, so zap,zap,zip,zap,zap,zip,zap,zap,zip… The first run of the sequence starts from the right hand, the 2nd then begins with the left hand.

You start with two clubs in your right hand and one in your left hand. With three clubs, you can now throw zap(l)-zap(r)-zip(l)-zap(r) - and then you have no clubs left to continue. (r) and (l) denote the hand doing each throw (actually the hand order is always alternating hands: right, left, right…). The last zap that you throw in this exercise already is the first throw of the 2nd run of the sequence.

Written as throw(hand):

A: zap(r)            zap(l)             zip(r)               |  zap(l)           (( ran out of clubs to throw )))
B: just collects clubs            

Each partner just collects the clubs and then throws the same exercise sequence zap(l)-zap(r)-zip(l)-zap(r) back to their partner. If one person does all throws straight and the other person does all throws diagonal, both will have starts of that sequence beginning with the right and with he left hand.

Zap Zap Zip

Siteswap: 552

Animation and diagrams

Now do the full pattern continuously. If that is too much all at once, you can agree to stop after a fixed number of throws.

• A starts with 2 clubs in the right hand and one club in the left. This is written as A 2|1
• B starts a bit later with one club in the left hand this is written as B 1|0

A does straight zaps and B does diagonal zaps (Actually it doesn't matter who does straight and who does diagonal as long as the person with 3 clubs starts and starts with a throw to the full hand of the other person)

Written as throw(hand) he full sequence until the same motion repeats is :

A 2|1: zap(r)            zap(l)             zip(r)               | zap(l)            zap(r)             zip(l)             
B 1|0:            zip(r)             zap(l)             zap(r)   |             zip(l)             zap(r)             zap(l)

At the "|" the throw sequence repeats, but starting from the other hand.

Note that no throws happen at the same time. You can do the zips earlier than in a regular pattern to have the hand free earlier for catching, as this won't speed up the pattern as a whole. I recommend doing the zip earlier than with a regular beat.

Tricks to Remember the Sequence

If you can just throw the sequence by telling yourself that you have to keep doing the sequence "zap, zap, zip", this is great. There will be many more sequences to learn and it's a good skill to be able to just do any sequence you want to.

If you have problems getting the sequence right, there are several ways to regard the same pattern differently in your mind, that may make it easier:

• do the zip a bit earlier and group zip and zap together.

Instead of thinking

 zap, zap, zip, zap, zap, zip,...

think:

zap, (zap-zip), zap, (zap-zip),...

This shortens the sequence from 3 throws to remember and execute to two

• zips are often done "automatically" without even noticing them. If you mentally ignore the zips, the hand sequence of just the zaps becomes

R,R,L,L,R,R,L,L,… 

For B, this is true from the beginning, for A, the pattern starts in between the frist two "R".

Common Problems

• Standing too far apart.

  -The further you stand apart, the more likely it is for the club to turn.

• Bad rhythm.

  -The pattern only has 4 clubs on 4 hands, so there are points, where both can just stop. This may be a good idea to do at the very beginning, but at some point will stop you from "feeling" the pattern and being able to just do it without much thinking. At some point you must try to keep the pattern going and should continue with your throw even if your partner didn't do his part. This can actually help them to figure out what their next step would have been - or they may even manage to do their part

• Forgetting to throw upwards

  - Your will be focused on memorizing the sequence of steps and there will be less attention on the throw. But don't stop doing gentle "slow" throws from below. Speeding up the response (or stopping the pattern because your partner can't cope) won't help

• Throwing too early

  - You can do the zip "early", but you have to wait with the zaps as long as you can - but of course not so long that you have trouble catching. If you throw earlier than necessary, you will speed up the whole pattern and make it more difficult for both.

Additional Things To Do

• Do the zip behind your back

Next Patterns

5-club 1-count with zaps