Diabolo Tricks – Grinds, Whips, Rope Climbs, Cradles and More!

If you don’t know how to start a diabolo, check out my other diabolo article to get started with the basics and come back to this article once you’ve achieved these new skills. Time to continue …

Need for speed: There are many ways to increase the speed of your diabolo. A great way to start is called a horizontal power whip. Make the diabolo rotate using the normal method, then pull the right lever to the right, then rotate it to the left so that the string hits against the shaft of the diabolo. Keep doing this and increase your speed and intensity. If the diabolo appears to tilt, stop and correct it.

Grind: Throw the diabolo slightly up into the air. Point your right stick inward and keep it horizontal. When the diabolo falls, catch it with the horizontal stick. Diabolo must rotate on the stick (this is known as grinding). Because the stick is horizontal and the shaft keeps rotating in one direction, then you have to adjust the horizontal stick accordingly to keep the shaft on the stick. Alternatively, you can make sure the diabolo is back on the string ready for your next awesome trick!

Whip catch: As soon as you throw the diabolo high, you should quickly pass the club from your weaker hand to your favorite hand so that they form a “v” shape in your favorite hand with the string hanging down in a loop. When the diabolo goes down, you catch the diabolo with a whiplash motion. One side of the loop has to hit the shaft (middle part of the diabolo), and the other part has to miss and go through one of the two bowls (the ends of the diabolo). This trick takes a bit of practice, but you can start by simply holding the diabolo with your arms extended in front of you with your weaker hand and trying to catch the whip.

Catch bounce: Make the diabolo spin as fast as it can, then lower it to the ground and turn it from the side letting it bounce once on the ground, make the string taut and straight, while the diabolo bounces up, move the string under it and grab it! (advice from Todd, Australia)

Rope climb: People love this one! All you need to do is make your diabolo spin quickly and wrap around the axis with the stick of your dominant hand, then hold the string vertically (pull the string tight), and the diabolo will climb up the string. If the diabolo isn’t spinning fast enough it may run out of power while climbing, so quickly unhook the lever so you can do the next trick or spin the diabolo faster.

Cross cradle: Begin by performing a standard trapeze, for example, swinging the diabolo on the stick so that it lands on the opposite string, then insert your free hand into the loop caused by the crossover on the other string and spread them apart. This will form the base for catching the diabolo. To escape, simply swing or tilt the sticks inward and the string will slide off the top of the hand stick.

Arm wrap: Make the diabolo spin quickly and then hold both sticks in your left hand by raising them above your head, place your hand on the string over your diabolo and then force your hand around and around the string and the diabolo should orbit around your hand. It may take a while to get it, but it’s worth it!

J-Whip: You will have to practice loosening the stick a lot and grabbing the loop on the front cup of the diabolo. point the dominant stick towards the shaft and then give a slight tug on the dominant stick which should bounce the shaft slightly in the air. then make a clockwise motion with your dominant hand, this should go around the loop. all you have to do now is aim for the loop to grab the front cup of the diabolo.

Whip in C: This is just a different way of doing the trapeze which is done by placing the dominant stick on the opposite piece of string. then do a rocking motion so that the diabolo, which is now in a loop, flies over the lever. all you have to do now is catch it with the rope. To make the C-whip, point the dominant stick towards the diabolo and make a counterclockwise whip motion. the loop will go around the stick and you have to make the loop hit the shaft, pull down and turn the dominant stick. Now you have the C whip! Good luck!