How to do a Daredevil

by Crazy Ivan

One of the most impressive (and therefore one of the most sought after) moves in the game of Myachi is the Daredevil.  This spectacular swap was once known as the "shadow pass" but was upgraded in name when we decided that daredevils are cooler than shadows.

The move is simple to describe, but very difficult to learn.  It's a pass from one hand to the other that travels behind the head and (and this the important part) does so without you ever looking at the Myachi.  The whole point of the daredevil is that it's done blind, which is why we named it after a blind superhero.

But when you first learn this move, you'll have to cheat.  At first you'll be giving yourself a high, slow throw and you'll watch the hand toss it, you'll whip your head to the other side, and you'll watch your other hand miss it (and eventually catch it).

See, learning the Daredevil is actually something of a process.  You normally learn 4 tricks, each a bit more difficult that the first.  The first step in that process is the trick that I describe above and the last is the full-blown Daredevil.  What remains are two tricks that together serve as the backbone for learning this move.

A properly performed Daredevil really snaps from one hand to the other.  It looks best when it is done quickly and when you maximize the separation between the throwing hand and the catching hand.  That being said, when you first start you will be doing this trick, you'll do the opposite.  You'll throw soft and slow and you'll have your hand as close together as you can comfortably get them.

Like many moves, this is one that looks better the better you get at it.  The first time you hit a Daredevil it is probably only going to impress you.  Once you've got it mastered, it'll impress everyone.

So let's start with the most basic form of the move.  If you're right handed, you'll probably want to start in your right hand.  Eventually you'll learn it both ways and some right-handers find it easier to learn when they throw from their left hand (since that means they can catch in the right), but for most people having an accurate toss is the most important thing.

So with the Myachi on your right hand, reach both hands back.  It's kind of a weird bend on the shoulders so to make it easier, duck your head forward a bit.  Now give your Myachi something of a rainbow toss over the top of your head.  Watch the throw so that you can predict where it will land and then snap your head around quick and look for the catch.

Odds are that in the first few tries, the Myachi will be nowhere near your catching hand.  You'll probably throw too far or hit yourself in the back of the head.  Don't sweat it; it's the same process we all went through.  Dropping is all a part of learning.  Just keep practicing.  Remember, there's no short cut in Myachi.  Either you put in the practice, or you don't get the move.

You'll want to work on that one for a while until you're catching at least half of your throws.  You're looking for clean catches here so if you're still chasing after it you'll want to reign in your toss a bit.  Once you can get a solid catch about half the time, you're ready for the next step.

The Next Step:

Now we're going to add the blind element to this trick, but don't worry, we're going to add it a little bit at a time.  Now that you can "cheat" a Daredevil (catch it while looking), try the same thing, but this time, don't look at the catch.  Look at your throw and watch the Myachi as long as you can, but try to catch it without looking.

Keep in mind that this is all about timing.  If your aim is good (and by now it should be pretty solid) the most common problem won't be that you miss your hand, it will be that the Myachi hits your hand and bounces off.

If this is the case, it means you're not giving with it fast enough or it means you're giving with it too early.  What makes this step so difficult is that it's hard to see what's messing you up.  Since you can't look at the catching hand, you sometimes don't know if you missed by an inch of a foot.

Still, practice will hone your skills better than anything.  It won't do you much good to ask a friend to watch and tell you if you're missing long or short.  Even if they're a Myachi expert it won't help because you're probably not missing the same way every time.  The best remedy is more practice.

Once you've gotten pretty confident with that version and you can catch blind at least half the time, you're ready for the next step.

The Next Next Step:

Alright, so now we're going to undo what you just did.  The good news is that in this step, I'm gonna let you look at your catching hand.  The bad news is that I won't let you look at the throwing hand.  By learning it this way, you're essentially learning the blind throw and the blind catch one at a time.

If you've already practiced the blind catch, this one will probably come to you pretty quickly.  You'll notice that now the trick is starting to get easier the less arc you put on it.  This is kind of the opposite of how it was when you first started trying and were able to look at both hands.  The reason is that a straight line won't deviate from its trajectory like an arc might.

Practice speeding up the toss a bit and exaggerate that soft touch on the catch.  Watch that toss and aim for about an inch behind the back of your neck.  Long hair doesn't make this any easier.  Once you're catching that about half the time, you're ready for the final step.

The Last Next Step:

Now it's time to go back to that move that was driving you nuts to begin with.  Time to look forward altogether and trust your touch to do the trick.  By now you've done it enough times that you know how hard you have to throw it and you know how much time you have before you need to make the catch.  Now it will just be a matter of dialing it in.

One thing that often helps is to move both hands together.  When you make your toss, move your opposite hand up as though it were tossing a phantom Myachi as well.  When you make your catch, move your throwing hand down as well.  Not only will this help when you start learning the Jedi, but it also helps keep your timing consistent.

To make this move look its best, move your hands as far apart as you can.  The wider the throw, the better.  Don't forget to keep those fingers spread wide and those thumbs up.  For added style points, when you show this move to somebody, try to look them right in the eye when you do.  Trust me on that one.

This is one of the more frustrating moves, but once you have it, you'll be throwing down dozens of variations to it in no time.  Just don't stop practicing.  If it seems way too hard or if you're practicing a lot and don't seem to be getting any better, you may be trying for too much too soon.  It might be best if you go back and master some simpler moves first and then come back to the Daredevil.

And remember... no peeking!