Wednesday 30 January 2013

FRESH: CLYW Arctic Circle


Name: Arctic Circle
Bearing Size: Centre Trac / Large
Response: CLYW Snow Tires (Silicone)

The Arctic Circle by CLYW is the Signature yo-yo of CLYW team member Zach Gormley, and was first introduced to the world sometime in May 2012. Since then, the Arctic Circle has gone on to be one of the best playing yo-yos of 2012, and was very used by Zach to win the 2012 US National Yo-Yo Contest held back in October 2012.


Zach worked closely with CLYW owner Chris Mikulin to produce the Arctic Circle. The yo-yo has a few elements of the Chief, Avalanche and Canvas put together, creating the ulitmate throw for Zach. Though Zach may be a relatively young player (age-wise), his trick composition, style and control is incredibly unique, creative and a delight to watch.


Coming off his win at the US National Contest, Zach then flew over to Japan for the annual 44Clash event held in November, and came in a very respectable 2nd place with his Arctic Circle, beating many past World, Asian and National champions in the competition.


Zach is definitely one of the players to watch out for in 2013. With his signature throw, the Arctic Circle, he is destined for big, big things to come. Every great player should have a great yo-yo to his name, and we must say that the Arctic Circle definitely does not disappoint. One of the best we have thrown thus far!

Many players may think that the Arctic Circle is similar to the CLYW Chief. No doubt, that is correct. However, let us take a look at the 2 and see what differences they have.


As seen in the picture above, the Chief has a slightly larger diameter as compared to the Arctic Circle. When playing with a Chief, you will definitely feel that the yo-yo is larger than most other full-sized yo-yos. The Arctic Circle, on the other hand, feels closer to a regular full-sized yo-yo.

Furthermore, the Chief sports a rounder shape than the Arctic Circle.


Here, we can also see that the Chief is very slightly wider than the Arctic Circle. To be honest, we could not really feel the difference in gap width between the Arctic Circle and the Chief.

Now, let us take a look at the inner workings of the Arctic Circle.


The Arctic Circle uses Snow Tires for response, and it is slightly larger than regular slim silicone pads, allowing the yo-yo to have tighter and more reliable, solid binds. The large bearing that comes with the Arctic Circle (either Large flat bearing or Centre Trac bearing) gives the yo-yo smooth and long spinning performance.


The CLYW Arctic Circle is definitely a must in your collection of yo-yos if you are a fan of great playing, well-manufactured, title-winning yo-yos. It has this special, unique feeling when in play, that you do not get with other yo-yos. You just need to try it to understand!

The Arctic Circle by CLYW is available at Spinworkx today!
Get them while they are still in stock.


Monday 28 January 2013

Inspirational: Kelvin Chua


Just in case anyone missed this article in the newspapers on the 27th of January 2013, here it is!


We have known Kelvin for the past 2 to 3 years, but to be honest, we never knew about this. He never did like to talk about it, but nonetheless each time he came by to Spinworkx and lent a hand teaching tricks, or just hanging out and throwing, Kelvin always did it with a smile.

There was never a time that Kelvin would not want to teach a fellow spinner some tricks, or give him or her some tips. During workshops, Kelvin would selflessly devote his time to helping others, arriving with a smile, and leaving with a smile.

On top of teaching others, Kelvin also took the time to practice and perfect his own tricks, participating at the Asia Pacific Yo-Yo Championships, Singapore Yo-Yo Championships and West Coast Classic (Singapore Regionals).



We are really humbled to know Kelvin, and to watch how he goes about doing things not just for himself, but to go about helping and blessing the lives of others. Just watching Kelvin spin and practice his tricks, reminds us that sometimes, it's really the little things in life that makes it all worthwhile!

Friday 25 January 2013

Spotlight Player: Kendrick Hu


The first player that we would like to put in the spotlight for 2013 is Kendrick Hu. Many Singapore players will know Kendrick as he volunteers to teach yo-yo tricks, and helps out around the Spinworkx store on both weekdays and weekends.

We have seen Kendrick grow and improve tremendously as a spinner, and as an individual. 2013 is definitely going to be a big year for Kendrick!

Name: Kendrick Hu

D.O.B.: 21 September 1994

Country: Singapore

Handed: Right

Style of play: 1A

Number of years Spinning: 3 years

Sponsor: Top Yo

Favorite Yo-Yos: Top Yo Pluto, Yoyofactory Genesis, YoyoRecreation Blink

Other Hobbies: Flying Airplanes

Favorite color: Blue

Favorite Spinners: Yuuki Spencer, Tatsuya Fujisaka, Jensen Kimmitt

Why yo-yos?
"Creating and teaching tricks always gives me a sense of accomplishment. Exploring different tricks is fun and hanging out with fellow spinners is always the best!"

Trick that Kendrick would like to show the world:



Wednesday 23 January 2013

Spinworkx First Mount #2 - Braintwister Mount

#2 - Braintwister Mount



Since our last Spinworkx First Mount post, have you been wondering what is the other main string trick that every spinner needs to know before progressing on to the more cool and difficult tricks? Well, look no further.

Another building block of string tricks would be the Braintwister. The Trapeze (Sidestyle) and Braintwister (Frontstyle) are the 2 main string tricks that every spinner absolutely needs to know! To be able to perform a Braintwister, one must first learn how to pull off the Braintwister Mount.

The Braintwister mount is not difficult, and with some practice, you will be doing it with your eyes closed in no time.

The Braintwister mount starts off with a Long Sleeper. Throw the yo-yo down straight and hard.

Once the yo-yo is spinning, stick out the index finger of your non-throwing hand (the hand that the yo-yo is not tied to), and use that index finger to lift up (slightly lower than halfway between your hand and the yo-yo) the string.

When the string has been lifted up, raise it up above your throwing hand (the hand that the yo-yo is tied to).

Then, land the yo-yo onto the string and bring up your throwing hand so the yo-yo now sits onto the string while spinning.

Voila, the Braintwister Mount!

A pointer to take note when learning this trick:
1) Ensure that at all times, the yo-yo is spinning straight and not tilting to one side. If the yo-yo is tilting, catch it and try the trick from the start. Remember, you do not need to throw super hard. Main thing to note is that the yo-yo must be upright and straight!

Thats all for #2 of the Spinworkx First Mount project.
If you have any questions or feedback, do drop us a comment or leave us a message on our Facebook Page!

Till next time,
Keep practicing! Keep spinning!~

Wednesday 16 January 2013

Yo-Yo Setup of the Month: Duncan Freehand Zero with Mod Spacers

Hello one and all!

It is time for our first Yo-Yo Setup of the Month column for 2013, and it definitely is great to be back blogging once again!

Well, for the yo-yo this month, we have been feeling rather nostalgic and wanted to throw something that is pretty old-school but with a modern twist.


Duncan Freehand Zero with Mod Spacers

The Duncan Freehand Zero has been a classic favorite throughout the early 2000s, and it was definitely one of my favorite yo-yos and daily throws. With the introduction of the new Mod Spacers by Duncan, we figured that it would be worth a try, throwing in those spacers into our beloved yo-yo, adding not just weight and gap width, but enhancing an already good yo-yo with recessed sticker response.



After adding the Mod Spacers, the gap width (as seen above) in increased dramatically and now, the gap width is HUGE! This is great for those of you practicing your Circular Eli Hops and need a really wide but affordable yo-yo.

Now, let us go into the things you will need to put this yo-yo together.


Firstly, you will need a Freehand Zero. In this case, we will be using a limited edition AP Freehand Zero, in that beautiful shade of orange.


Next, you will need a pair of Duncan sticker response Mod Spacers. In this instance, we chose to use the Red pair to match with our nice and bright orange Freehand Zero, giving a cool and unique look to our yo-yo. Another benefit that comes with using/adding the Mod Spacers would be that it allows the Spinner to mix and match colors according to his/her preference.

Along with the Mod Spacers, you will need the regular Duncan bearing and spacers. These Mod Spacers, bearing and spacers are the exact same ones used in the Duncan Pro-Z.


Most importantly, you will need to get a longer axle to assemble all of these items together. This longer axle is readily available together with the Duncan Offstring Mod Spacers. If not, you could check out your local D.I.Y. store to see if they have long hex-nut axles in stock. Without this longer axle, you will not be able to screw together your Freehand Zero with the added Mod Spacers.


Now, with all those parts, assemble all of them together and this is what you should get. For the Mod Spacers that we are using, we chose to stick with the stock response that is Duncan Friction Stickers. However, if you prefer something less responsive and longer lasting, we would recommend using the Duncan Silicone Stickers or any other Small bearing stickers available out there like IrPads, etc.


Now, let us give it a whirl and see how it is! After adding our favorite Kitty String to our yo-yo and giving it a throw, we realised that there is a slight tinge of wobble to the yo-yo. This is due to the largeness of it. If you find that your yo-yo is wobbling like Santa's belly, one way to fix it is to remove the axle from the yo-yo halve, turn it one hex-nut adjustment to the left, reassemble the yo-yo and try again. Keep repeating this step till you find that sweet spot where the yo-yo doesn't wobble as much, and you are good to go.


The super wide gap on this yo-yo allows Spinners to perform and learn string tricks with ease.


Aiming, and landing the yo-yo on the string has never been easier, and this is definitely due to the added Mod Spacers. The Freehand Zero with Mod Spacers is good for Spinners wanting to perform string tricks but can't afford expensive metal yo-yos that come with huge gap widths.



Just to recap on our Yo-Yo Setup of the Month.

Freehand Zero with Mod Spacers

1) Duncan Freehand Zero (AP edition)
2) Duncan sticker response Mod Spacers (Red)
3) Stock Size A (Small) bearing & Duncan Spacers
4) Longer Duncan Axle (Comes with Offstring Mod Spacers)
5) Duncan Friction Stickers
6) Normal Kitty String (Blue/Pink)

And there you have it. Our Yo-Yo Setup for the Month of January! Stay tuned for our next installment of Yo-Yo Setup of the Month.

In the meantime, do let us know YOUR setup of the month. Drop us either a comment right below, or give us a shout out on our Facebook page with the title - My Yo-Yo Setup of the Month, and show us what you got!

Till then,
Super Squirrel signing off!~

Wednesday 9 January 2013

Spinworkx First Mount #1 - Trapeze

The Spinworkx First Mount project was conceived so as to be able to provide yet another area of learning/development for both learned and up-and-coming players.

Question: What are Mounts anyway?!
Answer: Well, Mounts are when a yo-yo lands on the string, or a segment of the string, and forms a trick or part of a string trick.

This resource provides players with key starting Mounts that they can consider doing before going into their entire trick/combo development. Although some mounts may already be tricks in of itself, they could be further used as another step in creating a mind-blowingly awesome trick.

Each of these first Mounts could also be used as a visual representation of what players may want to get into (from another Mount, etc) during the course of his/her trick combo.

Hopefully, this resource will come in handy for all the spinners out there!
Without further ado, here we kick off the Spinworkx First Mount project with trick #1.

#1 - Trapeze


Ask any yo-yo player and they will tell you that the Trapeze is one of two main string tricks that every spinner absolutely must know to be able to progress on to more cool, interesting and difficult tricks.

The trick itself may not look difficult, but if you are just starting out, you will need to keep practicing to land the Trapeze consistently.

The Trapeze starts with a sidestyle breakaway and the yo-yo swings from the side of your throwing hand over to the other side (your non-throwing hand).

Upon reaching your non-throw hand, stick out your index finger of your non-throw hand and have the yo-yo flip over and land onto the string.

Voila, the Trapeze!

A couple of pointers to take note of when learning this trick:
1) Try to keep your non-throw hand closer (1-2 inches but not too close) to the yo-yo as the yo-yo flips over and lands onto the string.
2) After the yo-yo has landed onto the string, try to move both your hands slightly closer together.

This wraps up #1 of the Spinworkx First Mount project.
If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to drop us a comment or give us a shout out on our Facebook page!

Keep spinning!~


Wednesday 2 January 2013

FRESH: sOMEThING ANGLAM / ANGLAM Ver. CC


Name: ANGLAM / ANGLAM Ver. Christopher Chia
Bearing Size: ADC bearing (Large)
Response: sOMEThING Pads (Silicone)

The ANGLAM Ver. Christopher Chia is the very first offering of the 2013 season for sOMEThING. sOMEThING, being the independent yo-yo company straight out of Japan, run by 4 time World Single-Handed Champion Hiroyuki Suzuki, produces stunning, well-playing and contest winning yo-yos.


The ANGLAM Ver. Christopher Chia was a yo-yo design based on the classic ANGLAM yo-yo that became wildly popular after Hiroyuki Suzuki used it to take home the 2012 Japan National, Asia Pacific and World Yo-Yo Contest Single-Handed Division champion titles. This version of the ANGLAM was made for Singapore National and Asia Pacific 2011 Single-Handed Champion, Christopher Chia.

Christopher, needing no introduction, was the first Asian other than Hiroyuki Suzuki, to win the 1A division at AP. His unique tricks and visually appealing style of play made Christopher one of the most popular yo-yo players in the world today! The ANGLAM Ver. Christopher Chia is his own take on the ANGLAM and Christopher will be sporting his ANGLAM at competitions throughout 2013. Will his ANGLAM follow the original ANGLAM and bag the big titles at contests? Only time will tell!


The ANGLAM is Hiroyuki Suzuki's signature yo-yo that he used throughout the 2012 contest season, winning practically every contest he took part in! Being the 4 time World Yo-Yo Champion, being able to maintain his winning streak after all these years, in the most competitive 1A division, is an incredible feat for any player. The ANGLAM is a reflection of Hiroyuki as a yo-yo player, the complete package and the perfect yo-yo for any contest.

Here, let us take a look at the various comparison shots between the 2 versions of the ANGLAM.


As seen in the photo above, the ANGLAM Ver. Christopher Chia has a slightly large diameter as compared to the original ANGLAM.


Here, we can see that the ANGLAM Ver. Christopher Chia also has a slightly wider gap as compared to the original ANGLAM.


If you look closely at the 2 yo-yo halves, the original ANGLAM on the left & ANGLAM Ver. CC on the right, you will be able to see that the new ANGLAM Ver. CC has another slight step in the centre of the yo-yo halve. This is to allow the yo-yo to perform even better for horizontal style tricks that Christopher is famous for.


Both the ANGLAM and ANGLAM Ver. Christopher Chia are great yo-yos that were built for competitive, top-level competition play. With their slight differences in shape, gap width and material used, you can be sure that the ANGLAMs will perform and feel unlike any other yo-yo! Another difference between the two is that the ANGLAM comes with titanium metal rims, whereas the ANGLAM Ver. CC does not.


Without a doubt, the ANGLAM & ANGLAM Ver. Christopher Chia are delights to throw! If you are a fan of high quality, well-manufactured yo-yos that guarantee performance, these ANGLAMs are definitely the ones for you!

The ANGLAM & ANGLAM Ver. Christopher Chia is available at Spinworkx today!
Get them while they are in stock!



 
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