Michael Nakamura is a player well known for both his 1A and 4A skill, recently taking both the 1A and 4A titled at PNWR 2014 as well at the 4A title at the 2013 World YoYo Contest.  I had the chance to interview Michael and discuss contests, tricks, his start in yoyoing, and more!

Michael, as an extremely skilled 4A and 1A player, the current 4A World YoYo Champion, and recently taking 1st in both 1A and 4A at PNWR 2014, you’ve definitely left a mark on yoyoing. How did you first pick up a yoyo?

I got my first yoyo in 2009. After coming across of one of Hiroyuki Suzuki’s Japan National’s videos, I was influenced to also start learning how to yoyo so I started learning through the tutorials on YoYoExpert.

I would definitely say you progressed quickly! How did you get integrated into the actual yoyo scene?

I attended my first yoyo event in the 2010 DXL yoyo battle where I made friends with most of the people I know today. Then I did my first real freestyle at 2011 SoCal yoyo contest where I got 2nd in the Open division.

That’s pretty impressive for your first real freestyle. Did you start with 1A or 4A at first?

I started with 1A, but I quickly took an interest in 4A because I was formerly a diabolo player before I started yoyoing.

Who was influencing your yoyoing early on?

Some of my main 1A inspirations when I started were Hiroyuki Suzuki and Eric Koloski. As for 4A, I had been a big fan of Rei Iwakura.

What’s your process like with coming up with tricks for freestyles?

For 1A, I usually try to think of a movement that I think would look cool and fit it into my combo somehow.

Do you have a similar method for both 1A and 4A?

In 4A, I would sort of convert tricks from other styles and use it in 4A.

I think those methods work well for both styles. Touching more on the contests we mentioned earlier, how long do you usually prepare for a contest that you know you’re going to compete in?

When there’s an upcoming contest, I usually practice really hard weeks in advance, but when the contest gets nearer I chill out to prevent tiring myself out before the day of the contest.

How do you put together your freestyles?

I would usually find songs that have a nice rhythm that could fit my faster tricks. For my bigger tricks, I would match them with key portions of the song that seem to fit. But my process of making a freestyle varies depending on the contest.

Did you think you would take 1st in 1A and 4A at PNWR recently?

Because I focus on 4A, I felt I had a good chance at 4A. Winning 1A was definitely a surprise because I’ve never really placed high in 1A very often.

Were you nervous before getting on stage?

With the exception of some small contests, I always get nervous before I get on stage. But, somehow when I’m on stage it starts to go away.

Who are some of your favorites to watch compete?

I usually like to watch Bryan Figueroa, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Christopher Chia, and Takeshi Matsuura.

Besides winning two divisions at PNWR, what else can we expect to see from you in 2014?

You can definitely expect to see me at Worlds, and I’m gonna be trying to make my 1A more serious this year.

I definitely think you have what it takes after that PNWR win. What’s some advice you could share for any aspiring champions out there?

I’d definitely have to say that while it’s important to practice hard, it’s about making the most out of the practice you put in.

I totally agree, I personally like seeing someone prove that they’ve worked their hardest on what they’re doing and making the most out of what you practice is a great way to do that. Thanks for the interview, Michael!