Box

The box is a synchronous pattern with a shape resembling a box. In a 3 ball box, two balls go straight up and down on the sides, and the other is thrown back and forth horizontally at the bottom of the pattern. In siteswap notation, the 3 ball box is (4,2x)*.
Each time you throw, you throw two balls: The right hand throws a ball straight up, and the left hand throws another ball straight across into the right hand. Then the same throws are repeated on the other side, with the left hand throwing straight up and the right hand throwing straight across.
==Box patterns with higher numbers==
2 high 2 low box - the easiest kind of box pattern for even numbers
(6,6)(2x,2x), (a,a)(2x,2x)
Sprung patterns
(4,2x)*, (6x,2x)*, (8,2x)*
The 3 ball box is a sprung 2 ball fountain. Sprung fountain patterns with higher numbers also have a box-like shape, but sprung cascades don't.
Synch pseudoshowers
(4,2x)*, (6,2x)(6,2x)*, (8,2x)(8,2x)(8,2x)*
Stacked synch pseudoshowers
(4,2x)*, (8,2x)(4,2x)*, (c,2x)(8,2x)(4,2x)*
The siteswaps (6,4x)* and (8,6x)* are analogous to the 3 ball pattern (4,2x)*, but they don't have a box shape.
==World records==
Box world records with publicly available video evidence:
*3 ball (4,2x)*: 54 minutes and 34 seconds by Eric Simonson in 2013 (video)
*4 ball (8,2x)(4,2x)*: 12 minutes and 53 seconds by Max Kuschmierz in 2022 (video)
*5 ball (c,2x)(8,2x)(4,2x)*: 14 rounds by Jan Daumin in 2020 (video)
*6 ball (g,2x)(c,2x)(8,2x)(4,2x)*: 1 round by Jan Daumin in 2020 (video)
*4 club (8,2x)(4,2x)*: 17 rounds by Tomas Acevedo in 2024 (video)
*5 club (c,2x)(8,2x)(4,2x)*: 1 round by Moritz Rosner in 2021 (video)
==Siteswap exercises==
You can use these exercises to practice the same kinds of throws and sequences of throws that are done in box patterns, before you learn the full pattern.
Some of the siteswaps listed below are shortened to leave out parts where you’re not doing anything. Click on them to see animations of the exercises.
You should practice doing these starting with your right hand and with your left hand, so that you will be ready to learn the full symmetrical pattern.
3 ball box:
Prerequisites: 3 ball cascade
Exercises to prepare for (4,2x)*:
*1 ball 4
*1 ball 2x
*2 ball (4,2x)
*2 ball (4,2x)(2x,0)
*3 ball (4,2x)(4x,2)
4 ball box:
Prerequisites: 4 ball fountain, 3 ball box
Exercises to prepare for (8,2x)(4,2x)*:
*1 ball 6
*2 ball (6,2x)
*2 ball (6,2x)(6,0)
*3 ball (6,2x)*
*3 ball (6,2x)(6,2x)(2x,0)
*4 ball (6,2x)(6,2x)*
*1 ball 8
*2 ball (8,2x)
*2 ball (8,2x)(4,0)
*3 ball (8,2x)*
*3 ball (8,2x)(4,2x)(2x,0)
5 ball box:
Prerequisites: 5 ball cascade, 4 ball box (8,2x)(4,2x)*
Exercises to prepare for (c,2x)(8,2x)(4,2x)*:
*3 ball (8,2x)(8,2x)(2,0)(2x,0)
*3 ball (8,2x)(8,2x)(8,0)(0,0)(2x,0)
*4 ball (8,2x)(8,2x)(2,2)*
*4 ball (8,2x)(8,2x)(8,2x)(2x,0)*
*5 ball (8,2x)(8,2x)(8,2x)*
*1 ball c
*2 ball (c,2x)
*2 ball (c,2x)(8,0)
*3 ball (c,2x)*
*3 ball (c,2x)(8,2x)(2,0)(2,0)(2x,0)
*3 ball (c,2x)(8,2x)(4,0)(0,0)(2x,0)*
*4 ball (c,2x)(8,2x)(2,2)(2,2)*
*4 ball (c,2x)(8,2x)(4,2x)(2x,0)*
==Variations==
*(6,2x)(2x,2x)*
*Double box
*Extended box
*Luke's shuffle
*N-box
*Upside-down box
*Sideways box
*Broken box
*True box
*Vertical box
*(6,4x)*
*Sprung patterns
*Pseudoshower
thumb|left|480px|Box variations by Tsubasa Murakamithumb|left|480 px|3 ball box tutorialthumb|left|480 px|3 ball box tutorialthumb|left|480 px|4 ball box tutorial
Category:Patterns
Category:Siteswaps
Category:Synchronous patterns
Category:Ground state siteswaps
Category:Excited state siteswaps
Category:Period 4 patterns
Category:Symmetric patterns