My all time favorite trick, Z Rolls. This trick can be extremely challenging to learn, especially if you don’t have enough skill to keep the counterweight perpendicular to the strings between your hands. If it isn’t performed perfectly, you’ll end up in a knot.

Keep practicing and good luck.

 

Alternating Neck Wraps is a fun trick. It big,  incorporates the use of your body, and has some cross arm elements in it too. Alternating Neck Wraps always gets attention when you do it in front of non yoyo crowds.

I’d recommend learning this trick in an open area with few breakables around.

There is a lot going on in Roundabout Underpass. The counterweight is never caught during the trick, so proper timing on all elements is essential.

This trick is going to take a lot of practice, but if you can do this trick you’re on your way to mastering counterweight control.

Bee Sting Switch is a repeater that you need strong Bee Sting and stall skills to perform. Most 5a players have a habit of placing their fingers under the string while doing Bee Sting like tricks, but this trick requires you to go over the string. This different way of looking at Bee Stings will help you come up with new tricks and figure out some interesting transitions.

 

This is the basic Electric Fan to Green Triangle trick. It’s one of those trick that you’ll struggle to hit at first, but after a little practice it should be no issue.

This is one of the best places to start before you get into more advanced 5a Green Triangles.

Cross Arm Pops is my favorite E fan trick. It looks good and is a ton of fun to perform. It takes strong cross arm skills, but this trick is a must learn.

Dice Grind is a unique trick. It can be tough, especially if your horizontal skills aren’t too strong, but it can be a ton of fun to do. If you’re performing in front of a non yoyo crowd, this trick looks like magic and, if you sell it right, you’ll always get a big reaction.

This is the most basic of the Dice Grind tricks. You can do all kinds of hops and throws between hands, under the leg, behind the back, etc.

When I first saw Hideo Ishida hit this trick at the end of his 2012 World Yoyo Contest performance, my mind was blown. 5a bind tricks have been getting more and more popular recently, and this trick is one of the best places to start.

The arm flair is optional, but it’s an excellent performance element and non yoyo crowds love it.

Undermount Figure 8’s has always been one of my favorite tricks. It’s tough, but it’s a ton of fun to do and looks good.

 

I’ve probably put more time into mastering Swing Mount than any other element I know. Getting it consistent is very tough. However, it is a versatile trick that easy leads into arm rebounds and body tricks.

Here are three basic Magic Knot tricks before we move onto some harder ones. Magic Knot tricks are high risk and look great, especially in front of a non yoyo crowd.

You can learn more about how to get into a Magic Knot from this video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4gYNq109w8

 

Double Propeller is a deceptively difficult but incredibly useful trick. There are an incredible amount of elements that can be performed from this one mobile mount.

Isolated Stall is a stall trick with a lot of moving parts. It’s not too hard, but if you can do this trick, you’re well on your way to mastering stalls.

Magic Knot is not as much of a trick as it is a concept, or even an entire substyle. With a Magic Knot mount, you can do juggling tricks, grind tricks, 3d tricks, body tricks, and even some tech tricks if you’re using a longer string. Many of the harder Magic Knot tricks are natural bangers and therefore make for excellent stage tricks, regardless of what kind of crowd you’re performing for.

Not Quite Horizontal is one of my favorite tricks. It adds an extra layer of difficultly to a classic trick.

If you’re doing this trick in a contest, get the best bang for your buck: Have as few difficult windmills as you can. Under the leg, behind the back, over the arm, etc. Just doing the regular windmill repeatedly will make the yoyo spin out very quickly.