How to Juggle with Pindaloo: The Easier Way to Start Juggling

Key takeaways

• How to juggle with Pindaloo: hold the curved tube in one hand, drop the ball in one end, let it fly out the other end and catch it back in the tube. Each catch is one loop.

• Easier than classic juggling: one hand and one ball instead of two hands and three balls, so most beginners land a first loop within minutes.

• Practice smart: play over grass or carpet, keep your wrist relaxed and practice 10 to 15 minutes a day.

• Clear progression: count consecutive loops, then learn named tricks from Twirl and Crossbow to Sidekick and Turbo.

• Real skill ceiling: the Guinness World Record is 2,109 consecutive Pindaloo loops.

Most people who try to learn how to juggle quit after ten minutes of chasing three balls across the floor. Classic juggling asks you to coordinate two hands and three balls in the air at once, which is a lot to ask from day one. There is an easier way in. Learning how to juggle with Pindaloo means one hand, one ball and one simple goal: send the ball around a curved tube and catch it back inside. Most beginners land their first loops within minutes, and every catch counts, so progress is easy to see. This guide shows you exactly how to juggle with a Pindaloo juggling skill game, how it compares to classic ball juggling, and how to go from your first loop to real tricks.

What is a Pindaloo?

A Pindaloo is a handheld juggling skill game made of a curved plastic tube, two balls and two caps that keep the balls inside when you are not playing. The ball runs through the curve, shoots out of one end, and you catch it back in the tube to keep the loop going. It was invented by Amir Zobel and Matan Shamir as a university project in 2012, with one goal: to get kids off screens and into physical play they would not want to put down.

Today the game is sold in 34 countries. It is made from durable, waterproof plastic, works indoors and outdoors (even in the pool), and is designed for ages 9 and up, from kids and teens to adults.

How to juggle with Pindaloo in 5 steps

You do not need any juggling experience. Follow these steps in order and only move on when the current one feels easy.

Step 1: Find the right spot

Stand over grass, a carpet or a rug. Pindaloo's own advice is to practice over a soft surface, so a missed ball stays close to your feet instead of rolling away. Keep a few feet of free space around you and away from anything breakable, because the ball is solid and moves fast. Practicing after sunset? Light-up LED neon balls keep the ball visible in the dark.

Step 2: Get a relaxed grip

Hold the Pindaloo in your dominant hand, with a firm but relaxed grip. Keep your elbow close to your body and your wrist loose. A tense arm is the number one reason beginners miss, because small, smooth wrist movements control where the ball goes.

Step 3: Launch your first loop

Drop the ball into one end of the tube. It runs around the curve and flies out of the other end. Do not try to catch it yet. Just watch how high it goes and where it falls, and repeat this five or six times until you can predict the arc.

Step 4: Catch the ball back in the tube

Now follow the ball with the tube and let it drop back into the open end. That is your first loop. The secret is your wrist angle: tilt too much and the ball shoots away, tilt too little and it does not leave the tube with enough height. Small adjustments are all you need.

Step 5: Chain your loops and count

Once you can catch one loop, go for two in a row, then five, then ten. Counting consecutive loops is how Pindaloo players measure progress, and it turns practice into a game you can play against yourself or your family. Short sessions of 10 to 15 minutes a day are enough to see your score climb quickly.

Prefer to watch? The official how to Pindaloo videos show the basic loop step by step.

Pindaloo vs classic juggling: which is easier to learn?

Pindaloo is the easier way to start juggling because you track one ball with one hand instead of three balls with two hands. Classic juggling is a great skill, but its learning curve is steep and most of the first sessions are spent picking up dropped balls. One reviewer who tested the Pindaloo picked up the basic loop in about five minutes (What's Good To Do), while most guides to the three-ball cascade talk in days or weeks.

To be fair to classic juggling: it needs no special equipment and has an enormous library of patterns once you master the cascade. But if your goal is to start juggling today, have fun from the first session and stay motivated, the original blue Pindaloo gets you there faster.

Why Pindaloo is a better way to learn juggling skills

Quick wins keep you going. Juggling is mostly about timing and tracking a moving object. With a Pindaloo you practice exactly that, but with early success instead of early frustration. That matters most for kids, who give up quickly when nothing works.

It trains the same core skills. Tracking the ball, timing the catch and controlling your wrist build hand-eye coordination, focus and reaction time, the same foundations jugglers rely on. Research on juggling shows how much the brain responds to this kind of practice: a 2004 study in Nature found that three months of juggling practice temporarily increased grey matter in brain areas linked to visual motion (Draganski et al., Nature, 2004). A 2009 University of Oxford study found changes in white matter after six weeks of training (Scholz et al., Nature Neuroscience, 2009). These studies looked at classic juggling, but they show why learning any new coordination skill is time well spent.

It is built for competition. Counting loops makes every session a challenge. Guinness World Records lists the record for the most consecutive loops of a ball with a Pindaloo at 2,109, set in 2022, and the record for the most loops in 30 seconds at 64, set in 2024. Few backyard games give kids a world record to chase.

It goes anywhere. No setup, no screen, no batteries for the classic version. It slips into a Pindaloo drawstring bag for the park, the beach or a long trip.

Common beginner mistakes with Pindaloo (and how to fix them)

Most early misses come from a few habits that are easy to correct.

From your first loop to Pindaloo tricks

Once you can chain 10 to 20 loops, you are ready for tricks. Pindaloo tricks follow a clear progression. Beginner and intermediate moves include Looooping, Switch, Twirl, Crossbow and Recall, and advanced players work toward Sidekick, Undertake, Brainer, Saucer, Hip Hop, Foot Toss and Turbo. Many players also try catching the ball after sending it behind their back or over their head.

Each trick has its own video in the Pindaloo tricks library, so you always know what to learn next.

For an extra challenge, put the second ball into play and keep two balls moving, which is the closest the Pindaloo gets to classic multi-ball juggling. Tricks mean more drops, so a set of spare Pindaloo balls keeps the game going if one rolls under the sofa.

Still want to juggle three balls?

The Pindaloo is a great first step, and the timing it teaches carries over if you later want to learn the classic three-ball cascade. Here is the method most juggling teachers use. Start by throwing one ball from hand to hand in an arc that peaks just above eye level. Next, learn the two-ball exchange: throw the first ball, and when it reaches its peak, throw the second one underneath it. Finally, hold two balls in your dominant hand and one in the other, and throw each ball as the previous one peaks. Practice over a bed or facing a wall to limit drops and stop yourself drifting forward.

FAQ

Is Pindaloo easier than regular juggling?

Yes, for most beginners the Pindaloo is easier to start with than regular three-ball juggling. You use one hand and track one ball, instead of coordinating two hands and three balls at once. Many people land their first loop within minutes, while a first three-ball cascade usually takes several practice sessions. The Pindaloo still takes real skill to master, with advanced tricks and world records, so it stays challenging. It is an easier entry point, not an easier ceiling, which is why it works well for kids, families and adults who want quick progress.

How do you play Pindaloo?

To play Pindaloo, hold the curved tube in one hand and drop a ball into one end. The ball travels around the curve and flies out of the other end. Move the tube under the ball and catch it back in the open end to complete a loop. The goal is to chain as many consecutive loops as possible without dropping the ball. Once your basic loop is consistent, you can learn named tricks such as Twirl, Crossbow and Recall, or challenge friends and family to beat your loop count.

How long does it take to learn Pindaloo?

Most beginners can do a first Pindaloo loop within a few minutes of trying. In one hands-on review, the tester picked up the basic loop in about five minutes, while a six-year-old needed longer but stayed engaged for half an hour. Chaining 10 to 20 loops in a row usually takes a few short practice sessions. Tricks take longer: beginner tricks may take days, and advanced moves like Sidekick or Turbo can take weeks of regular practice. Short daily sessions of 10 to 15 minutes work better than occasional long ones.

What age is Pindaloo for?

Pindaloo is designed for ages 9 and up, and it is popular with kids, teens and adults alike. At that age, most children have the hand-eye coordination and reaction time to track and catch the ball. Younger children may enjoy trying it with adult supervision, since the ball is solid and moves quickly. Because there is no upper age limit and progress is measured by counting loops, it works well as a family game where parents and kids compete on the same challenge, indoors or outdoors.

Does Pindaloo help with hand-eye coordination?

Pindaloo is built around the skills that hand-eye coordination depends on: tracking a moving ball, timing the catch and making small, precise wrist adjustments. Every loop practices that cycle, and counting consecutive loops gives you clear feedback on how consistent you are becoming. Research on juggling, such as the 2004 Nature study on three-ball juggling, shows that learning a new coordination skill produces measurable changes in the brain. Pindaloo offers a playful, screen-free way to practice those same skills every day.

Can you juggle with one hand?

Yes. With a Pindaloo, you juggle with one hand by looping a ball out of a curved tube and catching it back inside, which makes it one of the easiest ways to start juggling. In classic juggling, one-handed patterns such as two balls in one hand are usually learned after the three-ball cascade, because they require precise, quick throws. If you want to start juggling with a single hand from day one, a skill game like the Pindaloo is the most accessible option.

What is the Pindaloo world record?

According to Guinness World Records, the record for the most consecutive loops of a ball with a Pindaloo is 2,109, achieved by Karan Gokul Seshadri in Bangalore, India, on 29 July 2022. A separate record covers speed: the most loops of a ball with a Pindaloo in 30 seconds is 64, set by Harrison Caldwell in Greenville, South Carolina, on 31 March 2024. These records give players of all ages a clear target, and counting loops at home is the first step toward chasing them.

Start juggling with Pindaloo today

If you have always wanted to learn how to juggle but three balls felt out of reach, the Pindaloo is the easiest place to start. One hand, one ball, and your first loop within minutes. From there, count your loops, challenge your family and work your way through the tricks. Grab a red Pindaloo juggling game and see how many loops you can land in a row.