In this video we are gonna countdown the top 5 most engaging freestyles of all time.
But before we get to that we want to remind you that we will be giving the results of
our Instagram contest at the end of this video, and launching our next contest where you can
win a $25 gift card to yoyotricks.com, but first, here’s the top 5 countdown.
For a yoyo routine to be engaging it has to have great tricks, of course, but it also
has to be about more than the tricks.
While those not intimate with the more subtle and impressive nuances of trick construction
will still be impressed by most modern yoyo routines, these are the routines that will
make even the most yoyo ignorant want to stand up and shout.
In other words, these are the routines that would be awesome on any stage, not just a
yoyo contest.
While not every routine in this list won the competition the year it was performed, each
has left a lasting impact on the sport and performance of yo-yoing.
#5 In 2011 Ben Conde performed what was called
at the time, “The best yoyo freestyle ever.”
He blew everyone’s minds with his crazy, risky grind tricks, popularized the use of
open string binds, at least for players in the US, and helped to pioneer the practice
of custom editing music to craft performance-driven routines.
This routine alone caused a 4A boom which lasted for several years in the United States.
But that is not the routine we’re adding to our list.
That spot goes to his 2015 worlds routine.
See, his 2011 routine, while ground breaking had a lot of dead time, and a couple restarts
and even a change out.
Anyone who became a fan of of Ben because of that routine, which, you know, was everybody,
anticipated the day he would throw down that perfect routine.
In 2015 our hopes were realized.
To a funky soundtrack Ben threw one of the only flawless routines that year featuring
some of the riskiest tricks ever performed on the competitive stage.
It was the realization of all the anticipation he started in 2011, and it was awesome.
#4 In 2014 Hajime Miura stunned the yoyo world
by taking home the top spot in the 3A yoyo division beating out 3 time world champion
Hank Freeman.
While that routine was impressive, in 2015 he threw the only 3A yoyo routine ever to
go viral on Facebook and Youtube.
Every aspect of the routine was choreographed to perfection, the tricks were all super clean
- which is notoriously difficult to do in that division - and just look at him.
He’s like 12 years old and he is yo-yoing to a song about getting your first kiss.
Cute and electrifying, who can compete with that!
#3 When Gentry Stein took the stage in the 2014
world yoyo contest, even those of us who had followed his career closely knew that he couldn’t
win.
His competitors’ tricks were just too good.
Then we all witnessed one of the most ground breaking routines to date.
Every trick was iconic, perfectly mapped to one of the best songs ever to be heard on
the competitive stage, a song that started off good, but was further improved by his
own music editing.
When the final scores were totaled he did lose the technical trick score, but then made
up the difference and then won the day with his now legendary performance.
Is it any wonder that Gentry has not only continued to win contests every year since,
but he has been in music videos, featured on Steve Harvey, and even filmed tutorials
of his most iconic tricks on YoYoTricks.com?
#2 Speaking of legendary performances, in 2015
Jake Elliott pulled off the most narrow win in world yoyo history defeating 6 time world
champion Takeshi Matsuura.
Using a yoyo that he had only been practicing with for a few weeks before the contest - a
yoyo that is now a legend in its own right - he hit tricks that were so dense and sophisticated,
so innovative and so… what!?!
all perfectly mapped to the music, full of attitude and charisma.
This routine was so compelling the band who performed the song shared it on Facebook where
it racked up millions upon millions of views.
If you are one of the few people who have not seen this routine, stop what you’re
doing right now and check it out… then get an Atlas from YoYoTricks.com
Before we get to the top routine, one of our favorites that almost made the list is Tessa
Piccillo's 2014 win at the world yoyo contest.
Beside being an all around great routine, the moment when she lands the horizontal circular
eli hops like it’s nobody’s business, but still looks surprised with herself, is
such a genuine moment that we can’t help but smile every time that we watch it.
#1 In our number one spot we have Shu Takada’s
2012 winning freestyle in the 2A division of the world yoyo contest.
Shu is one of the great pioneers in the 2a division of both trick construction and performance,
and this routine exemplifies both.
He is acrobatic, he is enthusiastic, all the while performing such unique and difficult
tricks he was able to take 20 seconds in the middle of his routine to do this:
And he still came away with the win.
That’s what I call an engaging performance.
So what are your opinions, did we get it right, or did we miss some of the best routines of
all time.
Leave your opinions the comments below, and make sure to check out the full freestyle
videos, in the links in the description below.
Of course be sure to subscribe if you want to see more content like this, or if you just
want to learn how to yoyo.
Now we turn to Chris to fill us in about the most recent Instagram contest.
Thanks, Adam!
The #YoTricksNewYear Instagram contest from last year is now closed and we have a winner!
Congratulations to @shintake_mushroom who showed off this snazzy horizontal offstring
trick.
Check your instagram DMs to claim your prize.
Stay tuned at the end of this broadcast for more of our favorite entries.
For next week’s instagram contest, we want you to post a video of yourself doing a trick
and binding with style.
Make sure that you bind the yoyo and catch it with style, or you won’t get any points.
Be sure to use the hashtag #YoTricksBind when you post your trick on Instagram.
For the full list of official contest rules go to YoYoTricks.com/InstaContest.
This weeks contest winner will receive a $25 gift card to YoYoTricks.com, and remember,
the winner is randomly selected, so even if your video isn’t the best, you still have
a shot at winning.
And don’t forget, we will be featuring some of our favorite entries at the end of our
next weekly yoyo update.
This is Christopher Chunn signing off, reminding you, “Nostalgia just ain’t what it used
to be….”
We’ll see you next time.