My Kendama Journey: A Progress Log

This was a huge milestone for me: my first actual "line." Landing a Ken Flip to Spike followed by an Earth Turn is all about technical "tracking" and staying calm. To accomplish this, you have to flick the handle just right while keeping your eyes on the Tama. I probably failed this line forty times before this clip, but I stuck with a Growth Mindset—treating every miss as a lesson rather than a loss. According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, this kind of focus is what gets you into a Flow State, where the stress of school disappears and you're just locked into the rhythm of the wood.

Landing this Juggle to Spike was the hardest thing I’ve done so far. It took me a full month of trying every single day to finally get it down. Juggling is a total "grind" because you have to time the Loft—tossing both the Ken and the ball at once—without losing control. This month of failing is exactly what Carol Dweck talks about with a Growth Mindset; you have to embrace the struggle to get the "lace." That feeling when the spike finally connected after thirty days of trying was the ultimate stress relief and a perfect example of the Flow State in action.

I landed this Big Cup Whirlwind in the middle of a heavy study session, and it was exactly the reset I needed. I was grinding this trick for about 30 minutes straight before finally getting the "lace." A whirlwind is basically a Ken Flip while the Tama is mid-air before catching it on the spike. To accomplish this, the kendama community has to time the flip and the catch perfectly at the same time. It’s a great example of Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset—if you just stick with it and don't get frustrated, it eventually happens. Taking that 30-minute break to focus on the move really helped clear my head so I could get back to my books feeling way less stressed.

This clip is special because it’s my first ever Whirlwind, caught right in the dorms with a good friend. We had been grinding for this for a while, and the explosion of joy when it finally connected shows exactly how kendama can bring people together. A whirlwind is a Ken Flip while the Tama is mid-air before landing back on spike. To accomplish this, the kendama community has to master the timing of the flip and the catch simultaneously. Beyond just the technical skill, it was about the shared energy and the hype of finally hitting a "banger" together. It’s moments like this that turn a "wooden toy" into a way to build real friendships.

This is easily my best line to date and a huge testament to how far I’ve come since I started. Combining a Juggle to Spike directly into a Kenflip requires a level of "tracking" and string control that I couldn't even imagine a few months ago. To accomplish a clean transition like this, the kendama community has to rely on the "honed" shape of the ken to keep the balance points consistent. This isn't just a lucky catch; it's the result of every 30-minute study break and every month-long grind finally clicking into place. It’s the best feeling to see the progress physically happen in one smooth "lace."