Circles Guide!
This is for CW ones, if you want to learn em CCW just reverse lefts with rights.
Here we go...
--GENERAL INFO--
Ok now, remember it HELPS to have Flares before attemptin Circles, but that's not NEEDED. See it this way, unless it's a part of the move you want to learn, then nothing is fundamental. It may make your job easier, but nothin more.
Now let's get into Circles:
First of all, there are two main starts for this move: the
New Yorker Style start, which is the most used by bboys, and the
gymnastics start.
The New Yorker Style is a start that's good only after you learned Circles with the other one, which seems easier at first. Once you got this move with the gymnast start, move to New Yorker Style and you'll see it feels easier.
So it works just like with Mill starts: the standin start, which first felt harder, becomes the more comfortable way right after you learned the Handglide one.
Also remember Circles are a bit harder than Flares just cause here you have closed legs, and so the main way of gettin momentum in Flares, which was by swingin your open legs, now can't be used.
For replacin this lack of speed, the main keys are a good start and, most of all, usin shoulders more than in Flares. Leanin more to the sides. Alot more.
--NEW YORKER STYLE START--
As I said, you should learn Circles with the gymnast start first, it is easier at first. But after you learned to pull some of them with the easier way, you want to move to this start. This is just a small section for those who doesn't know how the New Yorker Start works.
1- Since this is the same start of a 90/Airflare, just do what you'd do for a 90: from the standin position, take a step behind you and to your right with your right foot. Not too huge and not too little, you have to find which is the more comfortable length for you.
http://www.bboy.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8662
2- Throw your left hand to the inside of your right foot, and at the same time or right after your hand swung towards the ground, swing your right foot off the ground in a circular motion (as low as you can) and try to follow its movement with your whole body by turnin to your right. Kinda hard to explain if you've never seen it, look at the pic.
http://www.bboy.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8663
3-Now you have your left hand on the ground and the leg is still straight behind you, still swingin.
When you have done about half a twist to the right, the left hand which you placed to your right now is to your left, right under your left shoulder. So it's in the Circle position.
http://www.bboy.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8664
4-Just leave the ground with the left foot and make it do the motion of your right one. From now on your legs will always stay closed together.
Place your right hand on the ground, and have your shoulders leanin forward to keep the balance.
Now you are in a position similar to a planche, and are about to lift your left hand to make your legs pass under. This is the New Yorker Style start, from now on just continue from Step 5 of the real guide!
http://www.bboy.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8665
--CIRCLES GUIDE--
Ok, here starts the proper Circles/Virgin Flares Guide. This is what you should do and learn in the first place, before movin to New Yorker Style Circles.
Here we go...
1- The gymnast start is the one that feels easier in the first place, so learn like this first. Start in a push-up position. Do NOT stick your butt up high in the air, keep it low to the ground. If you don't you're gonna crash on the ground right after you started.
http://www.bboy.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8666
2- Take a big step with your right foot and raise your left hand at the same time- it somehow helps. Have your right leg -the one that you took the step with- bent, your left leg still straight as in the beginnin.
Like with the New Yorker Style start, it's up to you to decide which width is more comfortable for you.
http://www.bboy.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8667
3- Swing your right leg back HARD. This will affect your whole Circles, so be sure you execute this step smoothly and fastly.
Be sure to swing your leg as low as you can too, if you swing it high you'll fall right after you got in the front.
While you do this, place your left hand back down on the ground for a second. I know this is contradictory, cause from there to a millisecond you'll be forced to lift it again to continue the Circle, but trust me, it works.
http://www.bboy.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8668
4- Until now your left leg didn't do anything. There it comes. As soon as the right leg comes to it, make it leave the ground, still keepin both of them low and straight, and start the rotation. From now on, they'll always stay straight and closed together.
http://www.bboy.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8669
5- If you didn't raise your left hand yet, do it now to allow your legs to pass under it. It's just a personal preference to make it sooner, when the kick was about to end, or later.
As soon as you raise your hand and your legs come under your left arm, lean right with your shoulders.
The trick for Circles is to lean further than with a Flare, cause there you have your legs closed, so a longer corpse to counter-balance.
Also remember, the more speed you have (so the harder you swing in the beginnin) the less you have to lean with your shoulders, and vice-versa.
http://www.bboy.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8670
6- Do NOT enter the front of the Circle with your feet, but with your groin/belly.
This means do not make your feet go before the rest of your body keepin it bent in an L position, keep it open and your legs straight.
Put your left hand back on the ground as soon as you can- you'll need it very soon.
While puttin your hand on the ground, since you are on both your
hands again, shift your weight from the right side back to the centre.
So, now that you are in the front of the Circle and your body is nice and straight, it may be necessary to put your shoulders a bit back, not at the centre. It depends on how much momentum you have, cause as I said before, the more momentum you have, the less you'll need to shift weight.
However, even with a standard amount of speed that shouldn't be necessary.
http://www.bboy.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8671
7- As you lift your right hand to make legs pass under it, there's one important thing to remember: as you have to enter the front of the Circle with your groin, you have to exit it with your heels. NOT with your butt, so not with your body bent into an L shape again. That kills alot of momentum, it's pretty much the same thing as bendin legs in Flares.
Lean left with your shoulders to shift weight and counter-balance of course. At this time you should already have an idea of how it works.
http://www.bboy.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8672
8- You're almost done with the first round now!
Once you are in the back of the Circle don't stick your butt up tryin to gain height, that's not the right method.
What you want to do is tryin to lift your whole body, always keepin it straight, by goin forward with your shoulders.
This is NOT like the other leanin parts. If you can already do Flares, you'll know at this point you have to lean further than you ever did durin all the round.
You're a bit helped in this by the fact that you can prevent yourself from fallin on your face by usin your wrists. This is because in this position your hands point the same way you'll be leanin into.
So, in the end, it's not as hard as it seems, though it's the hardest part of the move.
http://www.bboy.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8673
9- Now, since the back of the Circle is the part where both your hands are down for the longest time, I'll tell you a very useful trick I found out when learnin Flares:
To gain more momentum, the moment you are on both hands move them like you want to make them draw a CCW circle, yes, CCW!
Since they're on the ground they won't move at all, but they'll make your whole body move faster.
To understand what I'm sayin get into the turtle position. Both arms stabbed. Now try to move em in a CCW circle and you'll notice your whole body rotates CW.
Helpin the rotation with this trick you should have enough momentum to lean on your right as you lift your left hand.
Now do what you already did on the first steps, pass legs under, put your hand down again.
http://www.bboy.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8674
Connectin Circles/Flares is hard cause many times you don't have enough momentum to stay up in the back. With this trick, that won't be a problem.
Now go practicin!
--TIPS--
- Havin Flares helps, but it isn't needed.
- Learnin on mushroom first helps, but it isn't needed.
- A strong initial kick is fundamental to have speed, but it's up to you to keep it durin the move by keepin your body open and swingin it all HARD.
- The main shoulder movement is from side to side. THEN there is the forwards leanin while you are in the back part.
- Unlike Flares, here bendin legs makes the work easier...
- ...though it makes you lose alot in the form.
- The more you lean with shoulders, the less speed you need.
- The more speed you have, the less you need to lean with shoulders.
- Practice like crazy.
Circles Guide
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