Advanced patterns

Prerequisites: Reading Four-Handed Siteswaps & Beginner four-handed siteswaps & doubles & zaps & heffs. Next: Holy grail sequence, compatible siteswaps, and full siteswap list

Once comfortable with basic siteswaps and multiple additional kinds of throws, like zaps, heffs, doubles, and trelfs, there is a whole world of siteswaps that combine these. The following is far from comprehensive but highlights common popular patterns, many with names:

Heffs and Doubles

There are lots and lots of 7 and 8-club patterns that include plenty of heffs and doubles in all kinds of sequences.

7-club why not (9968926).

9R X9R ||6L X8L X9R X2R ||6L X9L ||9R X6R ||8L ||9L ||2R X6R ||2|22|1

978. Warm up with the 6-club pattern 972 (see doubles).

9R X7R X8L ||9L ||7R ||8R X2|22|2

Poem (9969788). A challenging, well known 8-club pattern.

9R X9R ||6L X9L ||7R ||8R X8L ||9L ||9R X6R ||9L X7L X8R ||8R X2|22|2

Other patterns to try. The One to Concentrate (97428), Aspirin (9667867), Good morning (9792688), 8-club Vitoria (9797888)

Zaps and Heffs

Many patterns combining zaps and heffs require very stable heffs that can be caught almost blind, which will probably take a bit of practice.

582 and 852. Two nice and beginner-friendly 5-club patterns. 582 feels familiar from why not and 852 is substantially more challenging because it requires catching a zap under a heff.

5R X8R X2L X5L ||8R ||2R ||1|21|1

8R ||5R ||2L X8L X5R X2R ||1|12|1

585 and 858. More challenging 6 and 7 club patterns that require precise zaps and stable heffs. Most passers prefer straight zaps wide (to throw heffs inside) and crossing zaps narrow (to throw heffs outside), but check with your partner.

5R X8R X5L X5L ||8R ||5R ||2|21|1

8R ||5R ||8L ||8L X5R X8R X2|12|2

52585 and 57585. A nice introduction to longer sequences and combining zaps, heffs, and also singles.

5R X2R ||5L X8L X5R X5R ||2L X5L ||8R ||5R ||2|21|0

5R X7R X5L X8L X5R X5R ||7L ||5L ||8R ||5R ||2|21|1

Zaps with Doubles or Trelfs

96956. Combining zaps and doubles usually requires fast zaps and slow doubles.

9R X6R ||9L X5L ||6R X9R ||6L X9L ||5R X6R ||2|22|1

a56 to a5555. Combing zaps with trelfs makes for rather challenging patterns, requiring very reliable trelfs. Especially a5555 has very limited time to look up -- here, a555566 is a decent warmup pattern with the self in a strategic location.

aR X5R ||6L XaL ||5R X6R ||2|12|2

aR X5R ||5L X5L ||5R X6R ||6L XaL ||5R X5R ||5L X5L ||6R X6R ||2|12|1

aR X5R ||5L X5L ||5R XaR ||5L X5L ||5R X5R ||2|12|1

Other patterns to try. 89562 and see holy grail patterns for more tricky combinations of zaps and doubles.

Sequences

There are a large number of patterns that consist of a sequence of increasing numbers including all kinds of throw: for example, 456, 567, 789, 45678, 56789, 6789a, 456789a, and 56789ab. Those all make valid siteswaps, that all tend to stack passes and selfs. They are usually interesting to pass, because they combine so many different throws.

For each siteswap sequence of 5 consecutive numbers, there are actually two additional permutations that make valid siteswaps too: one where each juggler passes the sequence counting up (locally) and one where they pass the sequence (locally) counting down; for longer periods there are even more permutations.

95678. The sequence 56789 is probably the best known sequence pattern. This 7-club pattern produces a large stack: a sequence of zap, single, and double pass, all to the same hand -- as in holy grail.

9R X5R ||6L X7L X8R ||9R ||5L X6L ||7R ||8R X2|12|2

The permutations are 97586 (each juggler counting up) and 96857 (each juggler counting down):

9R X7R X5L X8L X6R X9R ||7L ||5L ||8R ||6R ||2|22|1

9R X6R ||8L ||5L ||7R ||9R ||6L X8L X5R X7R X2|22|1

Suicide bunny (56784). This 6-club sequence from 4 to 8 is challenging at first, but usually more for remembering the many different throws more than for the actual physical difficulty.

5R X6R ||7L ||8L X4R ||5R ||6L X7L X8R ||4R X2|21|1

The permutations are 75864 and 57468.

789a6. This 8-club pattern from 6 to a combines a stack with the common solo siteswap 345.

7R ||8R X9L XaL ||6R X7R X8L ||9L ||aR X6R ||3|22|1

The permutations are 97a86 and a7968.

789a456 and 9ab5678. These long sequences, with 7 clubs from 4 to a or and with 8 clubs from 5 to b, make the stacking really noticeable.

7R ||8R X9L XaL ||4R ||5R ||6L X7L X8R ||9R ||aL X4L X5R X6R ||2|22|1

9R XaR ||bL ||5L ||6R X7R X8L ||9L ||aR XbR X5L X6L ||7R ||8R X2|22|2

Both have permutations following the same recipe (each juggler counting up or down) and several more, too many to list here.