Adding Props to Your Shred

by Crazy Ivan


I've talked a number of times in the past about the joy of inventing a new trick.  I've even gone as far as mentioning the places where I think most of the undiscovered tricks lie (portals, splits and 3 Myachi moves).  But one of the biggest untapped sources of inspiration is worth it's own article.  Specifically, we're talking about everything on earth that isn't a Myachi.

I've said forever to look for your inspiration outside of Myachi and try to find ways of bringing your other skills into the game.  This works particularly well when you find something you can jam with simultaneously with a Myachi.

There are several that we've used in the past to great effect.  One of my favorites has long been using Myachis along with nunchaku.  Well... not the real ones because I hate the idea of breaking my own head open, but I have a couple pair of the stage chux that allow you to whack yourself in the head to great comedic effect:



Clearly adding the nunchaku (which I misspelled heinously on the video title) makes easier moves like simple rainbow hand switches into pretty cool and challenging tricks.  But this is only one example of adding Myachi to another existing skill.

Monk, as many of you know, made his living for a number of years as a flair bartender.  For those unfamiliar with the art, just think about a Myachi Master and add a bartender and you pretty much have what Monk did.  One of the standard props of the flair bartender is a metal cup often called a "Shaker" or  a "Shaker Cup."  Normally you put things like lemons and booze into it, but Monk figured a Myachi is way cooler than either, so why not substitute?



I know that these two examples might seem random, but the whole idea of adding new props to your Myachi shreds is that it should be random.  The weirder the thing you add, the cooler it can be and the more likely you are to find unique tricks that have never been done before.

So much of Myachi is about creativity and so much of creativity is about thinking "outside the box"... or, if you're sick of that cliche and you're ready for a new one, try thinking outside the palm.

And just in case those videos to quench your Myachi and added prop thirst, feel free to check out the link here for some cool video of Bones and Bamboo shredding out with Myachis and an Ogo.

PS If you're still looking for ideas for your Spring You-Tube entry... hint, hint... a quarter of your score will be determined by creativity!