Four ball juggling is a skill that even relative beginners can learn, but which even master jugglers can still improve on with new variations. Most beginner jugglers start juggling by learning how to juggle three balls in a basic cascade pattern. After getting a solid grasp on the three ball cascade, there are two main directions that a juggler can go in improving their skills and broadening their range: they can learn more complex three ball patterns, or they can start juggling higher numbers of balls. If you wish to truly become a great juggler, you should work on improving both skills.
The first step in learning to juggle four balls is learning how to juggle two balls in one hand. Although it may sound easier than three ball juggling because it uses less balls, remember that there are more balls per hand, and therefore most jugglers actually have a more difficult time learning two ball juggling. You should learn three basic two ball patterns: throwing the balls in a inward circle, and outward circle, and in columns. Like with all juggling, practice makes perfect. Keep practicing two ball juggling until you can do all of these patterns for around one thousand throws. Practice two ball juggling with both your right and your left hand. It’s always important in juggling to practice moves with your non-dominant hand in addition to your dominant one, even though it is much more difficult. To learn four ball juggling, it is essential to be able to juggle two balls with each hand.
The most basic four ball juggling patterns (and some of the most complex) are done by simply doing two ball juggling with each hand at the same time. You can juggle either synchronously or asynchronously, which means throwing with both hands at the same time, or throwing alternately. Asynchronous four ball juggling is often easier for beginners to learn, because it feels more similar to three ball juggling, and it makes the balls easier to watch as the peak in the pattern. Beginners often notice their pattern switch from synchronous to asynchronous accidentally. With enough practice, this will stop happening.
You should start four ball juggling with whichever pattern is easiest for you to do two ball juggling with. For most people this is an inner circle, but if columns are easiest for you, then start with that. Eventually you’ll want to learn how to juggle four balls in all the patterns you learned with two balls, as well as some patterns that are unique to four balls. The key to learning all four ball patterns is simply to practice. If you can do two ball juggling, you will figure out four ball juggling with enough time spent.
When you are ready to start learning more four ball patterns, look online for some popular siteswaps. Siteswaps are a juggling notation which you should research if you have not already. They make it easy to explain juggling patterns using only a short series of numbers. Also, check out some tutorials on a four ball Mills’ Mess, one of my personal favorite four ball patterns.
