Do You Have Big Balls or Small For Joggling?

For serious joggling, you should have a variety juggling balls. Each set has a specific purpose in terms of training. Here are just a few examples.

Racing juggling balls

The juggling balls or bean bags you use for racing should be light enough so they don’t tire out your arms but heavy enough so they aren’t blown wildly away by the wind. They also need to be water resistant. It helps too if they don’t get sticky or slippery easily . This is of concern because during a running race you’ll be drinking Gatorade or other sports drink and the juggling balls can get drenched. Finally, your racing joggling balls should be a bright, solid color that contrasts with your shirt. This will make it easier for the crowds to see the juggling pattern. The yellow 12 panel Dodeca Gballz work perfectly for this. They are about 100 g each (a quarter pound).

Big juggling balls

This summer I won a set of 6 juggling balls from Higgins Brothers. They are a nice set but twice the size of my Gballz and 4 times as heavy. If you want to get a serious workout for your arms and shoulders, go joggling with these babies. On a catch, they hit your hands so hard you can feel it reverberate in your wrists, elbows and shoulders. The bigger balls are also easier to see so they could work well if you’re doing a casually paced 5K. Of course, the larger size makes it more likely they’ll collide mid-flight so be careful.

Small juggling balls

Before I got my Gballz, I had a set of nylon/cloth small balls about 1.5 inch wide. These things are like juggling walnuts. They work particularly well for running & juggling when your arms are tired or you want to do sprints, tempos runs, and strides. These smaller balls also work best for the 5-ball jogglers out there. Smaller balls makes it less likely that they’ll hit each other. They’re also perfect for the traveling joggler as they don’t take up much room.

Soggy juggling balls

My first set of juggling bean bags were a cute cube set that came from the good folks at Juggle Bug. Ever since they’ve had a special place in my heart. For years I joggled with a cube set similar to the ones in the picture over there. They are too light, don’t land in your hand easily, soak up water too easily and fly erratically in a 10 mph wind. For joggling, they are just not that good…but I still use them. Why? These babies are great for foul weather joggling. I don’t care if they get wet or muddy or salt-soaked. The durability of the Juggle Bug cube is unmatched.

A few juggling ball notes

Going from the different juggling ball sizes takes a little getting used to. However, it’s a great way to mix up your joggling and keep it a fresh challenge. If you don’t have more than one set, go get some more balls now. What are you waiting for? It’s Christmas time! Start buying.

So JYAJ community, what kind of balls do you have?