A number of kendama players were introduced to the toy when they were first playing yoyos. Some of us have branched out and picked up a number of other skill toys as well like the yoyo, begleri, and most recently the kururin among others. What other skill toys/activities do you guys also do? Do you think practicing more than just one helps you grow in each skill toy? I.e. practicing yoyo helps with certain tricks on kendama or begleri and vice versa? Or do you think focusing on just one skill toy is better?
One skill that I've picked up on through kendama is juggling. I've learned several basic juggling techniques along with some intermediate tricks such as Mill's Mess and Machine. I've tried yoyo and begleri, but I just can't seem to gain any interest in either of them. I am eager to get my hands on a Kururin eventually. They seem to be quick to learn, and make for a great table game with friends or family who are hesitant to try other skill toys. As far as focus between skill toys goes, I don't think one ever takes away from another. If anything they probably help inspire creativity of tricks, and the hand eye coordination and muscle memory develops by using each of them together.
I throw (yoyo). I certainly believe my throwing experience helps me with Kendama. I can't pinpoint how but I feel it does. I feel switching up the two hobbies helps me not feel bored and keeps the mind fresh.
I got into juggling because of kendama and actually joined a juggling club while I was still in Arizona. I didn't get very good but I can still do a few cool tricks.
I use the pill and skillboquet, while they are similar they're also very different. I've learned too juggle, got a kururin, and begleri.
I yoyo now and I love it. Got into by watching a kendama edit called Herding Cats by Charles Haycock and saw the yoyo videos he made during his time CLYW and I was hooked.
I did a bunch of skilltoy and juggling stuff before I even heard about kendama: juggling (balls, clubs, knives, rings, torches, etc) diabolo devil sticks yoyo etc Kendama has really replaced almost all of those currently (though I'm enjoying kururin quite a bit too). I do think that my background in object manipulation, even though it was pretty amateurish, has helped me with my kendama progression. For instance, I learned to do the basic kendama juggle pretty quickly because I could already juggle two balls in one hand very easily. And in general I think that the hand eye coordination does transfer over at some rudimentary level. For now I think kendama will still be my main skilltoy. I have limited time so I don't want to spread myself thin across a bunch of different toys, but picking up something else every now and again is still quite fun!
I feel the same, I have 2 Terra pills but rarely pick them up in favor of kendama. Maybe once I hit a certain plateau of skill with kendama I can start spending more time learning new skill toys.
I've only ever had heavier metal beads. They personally helped me do tricks easier, but they hurt your knuckles more.
Most of the monkeyfist begleri have some kind of marble or metal ball inside so they can be just as heavy. Heavier is generally easier to start with. When you're good I don't think it matters as much.
it's all preference. I notice that most the pros like heavier options. Lighter things flip slower which is easier for beginners. As far as companies go, aroundsquare is where you wanna go to pick stuff up.
I recently received a pink silk PILL (s/o TERRA KENDAMA) that I absolute love. It's not too far off a kendama and is easy enough because there are a lot of similar tricks between both a pill and kendama.
I was (and still am) a magician and a cardist before I discovered kendama. Where my cardistry folks at?
Tried yoyo but ended up more a collector than player. Balisong is fun but again more of a knife collector than skilled flipper. Begleri I just tried because I wanted to see if I could make a double Monkey Fist version myself. The Pill kind of counts as kendama for me since I'm not that great at it and I usually just translate kendama tricks to it.