Ripcord is a pretty cool trick that I learned during my trip to the X Games, by a demonstrator named Dave. While not totally "blow-your-mind-impressive," it is one of those tricks you will see and wonder how it works (sort of like Mach 5). The basic look of Ripcord is simple: do a couple of "yo-yo hops" onto different strings, then with one swift pull, the yo-yo untangles itself from those strings, still sleeping at the end. This trick is also the beginning of another trick known as Wormhole.
Step 1
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Ripcord begins with a standard split bottom entry mount. If you do not know how to do this mount, please visit Ken's World on a String. |
Steps 2 through 6 can be skipped, and are only additional "flash" for the trick. Click here to skip to Step 7.
Step 2
| Next, you want to tilt your whole "string-and-yo-yo-setup" toward you. This is the beginning of another trick called Chain Reaction (This trick can be found at Ken's World, if you wish to see it), and is accomplished by moving your left hand behind your right hand. As this happens, the yo-yo will follow the orange arrow and you will be left in the position shown in Step 3. |  |
Step 3
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As you move your hand in the direction of the blue arrow in Step 2, you will arrive in this position at one moment. Without stopping, continue moving your left hand behind your right as shown in the current picture. As this happens, the yo-yo will eventually jump strings from its current position onto the red string. |
Step 4
| You should now be in this position. The red string segment in this picture is the same red segment shown in Step 3. |  |
Step 5
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The red yo-yo string segment in this picture is not the same
red segments shown in Steps 3 and 4. Now, you are going to go back to the position of the split bottom mount you started with. To do so, simply move your hands back in the direction you came from. The yo-yo will hop off it's current string and onto the newly colored red string |
Step 6
| As your left hand follows the arrow from Step 5, your hand will end up in the position shown to the right. The red string in this picture is the same as in Step 5. Continue moving your left hand in the direction of the arrow, and you will return to the position from Step 1. |  |
You will be back in this position.
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This position to the left is a split bottom mount but may look a
little deformed if you compare it to the picture above. Next, you are going to swing the yo-yo in the direction of the orange arrow. This can be done by slightly moving both hands in a small semi-circle forward motion as shown by the blue arrows, or just give the yo-yo some forward momentum any way you can. |
Step 8
| As you can see, the yo-yo is continuing to travel in the direction of the orange arrow because of the "push" you gave in Step 7. While this is happening, move your hand in the arc motion shown by the blue arrow. You will end up pushing against the two string segments that are wrapped around your right pointer finger. |  |
Step 9
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After following the blue arc arrow of Step 8, you will notice you
separated the bottom two segments into two halves. In the picture to the left, one pair of
strings (the ones closest to you), are colored red. This red string is going to become
important in the next step. The yo-yo is continuing around in the direction of the orange arrow. While this is occurring, move your left hand forward and upward to the same height of your right hand. |
This is a picture of Step 9, except the dotted lines show what is going on behind the hand.
Step 10
| As the yo-yo continues around the left hand, it will begin to fall on the red string segments shown to the right. These segments are the same ones shown in Step 9. Make you sure you land the yo-yo on both segments (this is not hard, because the segments are vertically aligned). |  |
Step 11
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You will find yourself in the position to the left. The red strings are the same as in Steps 9 and 10. Before doing the arrow motions shown, take a clear look at the black and white, arrow free, picture below this text so you can make sure you are clearly in this position. |
You should be in this position. There are three string segments between the left hand and
the yo-yo, and two segments between the right hand and the yo-yo.
Step 12
| The string that is newly colored red is going to play an important
role in the next few steps, so please pay attention to it. The next pictures will not show
it red. Now, doing a little "swing" motion like in Step 7 (keeping both hands about the same height), fling the yo-yo over your left hand in the direction of the orange arrow as shown in the picture to the right. |
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You will end up in the following position. The arrows in this picture do not show what to do next. They show what you just did to get into this position.
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This picture is a no-arrow, black and white of where you should be at. Of course, this is in mid yo-yo swing so you wont be in this position for more than a split second. |
Step 13
| The red string segments in the picture to the right are the same as
the ones in Step 12. You will notice that the yo-yo will still be rotating in its circular path from the "swing motion." As it rotates up in the air, move your left hand forward just a little (this is not required, but it gives you more room for the next part of this step). Then, the yo-yo will continue in its path until it lands on both red strings, as the blue arrow depicts. |
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Step 14
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The red string segments in the picture to the left are the same ones
in Step 13. You should arrive in a new complicated position. Notice how many segments there are coming from the hands to the yo-yo: 5 from the left hand and 2 from the right! The yo-yo will probably start to slow down since there are so many strings there, so quickly move on to step 15. |
Step 15
| Now, the red string that is in the picture to the right is going to be dropped from the right pointer finger (just let it fall). As soon as it slips off, immediately pull your right hand down in the direction of the arrow. This pull should be sharp and straight. You can also pull the your hand straight down, instead of diagonal like the arrow shows. This pull is how the trick got the name "Ripcord." |  |
Step 16
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You should now be in the following position, or something very similar to it. Move your right hand forward so the string coming from it does not look bent. This step may not be required. |
Step 17
| And finally, you will have your yo-yo in the position shown to the right. The yo-yo should still be sleeping. |  |