(8x,4x)*

(8x,4x)*, short for (8x,4x)(4x,8x), is a symmetrical synchronous 6 object siteswap where all the throws cross. Each time you throw, you throw two balls: The right hand does an 8x (twice as high as the 6 ball fountain), and the left hand does a 4x (about a third of the height of the 6 ball fountain). Then in the next pair of throws, the left hand throws an 8x and the right hand throws a 4x. The 8xs should be around 5 times as high as the 4xs, and each 8x should peak at the same time as the next 4x thrown by the same hand.
: Video: 100 catches of 6 ball (8x,4x)* by Paweł Witczak
: Video: 6 ball (8x,4x)* with the 4s overhead by Spencer Androli
: Video: 6 ball (8x,4x)* with the 4s behind the back blind by Łukasz Uczkiewicz
This is an excited state siteswap, so you can't go directly into it from the basic pattern. To transition from a synch fountain to (8x,4x)*, throw an 8x from one hand while throwing a 6x from the other hand, and then start the (8x,4x)* pattern by throwing the 8x with the hand that did the 6x in the pair of transition throws: ...(6,6)(6,6)(6,6) (8x,6x) (4x,8x)(8x,4x)(4x,8x)(8x,4x)(4x,8x)(8x,4x)... To transition back to the fountain, make a high throw from one hand and a low throw (a 4x) from the other hand, throwing high with the same hand that would throw high if you were continuing the (8x,4x)* pattern, but do the high throw at 6 ball height instead of 8 ball height: ...(4x,8x)(8x,4x)(4x,8x)(8x,4x)(4x,8x)(8x,4x) (4x,6x) (6,6)(6,6)(6,6)...
: Transition animation
You can switch between (8,4)* and (8x,4x)* at any time during the patterns, as long as you always alternate making a high throw that goes to the left and making a high throw that goes to the right.
To do a 360 in (8x,4x)*, you have to start the high throws with (ax,4x)(4x,ax) instead of (ax,6x)(6x,ax) to keep the lower of the high throws from coming down too soon. The rest of the high throws are (ax,6x) pairs. A 4 up is (ax,4x)(4x,ax)(ax,6x)(2,2), and a 6 up is (ax,4x)(4x,ax)(ax,6x)(6x,ax)(0,0).
== Siteswap exercises ==
You can use these exercises to practice the same kinds of throws that are done in this pattern, 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.
Prerequisites: 6 ball fountain
Exercises to prepare for (8x,4x)*:
*1 ball 8x
*2 ball (8x,4x)
*3 ball (8x,4x)
*3 ball (8x,2)(4x,8x)
*4 ball (8x,4x)
*4 ball (8x,4x)(4x,8x)
*5 ball (8x,4x)(4,4)
*5 ball (8x,4x)(4x,8x)(4x,2)*
*5 ball (8x,4x)(4x,8x)(8x,4x)(4,0)
== Variations ==
*(8,4)*
*(8,4)
*(8x,4x)
*(8,4)(8x,4x)
*(8x,6)*
*(8,6x)*
*(c,4)*
*(cx,4x)*
*(ax,4x)(4x,6x)*
*(ax,4x)(4x,ax)(4x,4x)
*972
*b25
Category:Patterns
Category:Siteswaps
Category:6 object patterns
Category:Synchronous patterns
Category:Excited state siteswaps
Category:Period 4 patterns
Category:Symmetric patterns