Balls for 1 Ball Contact Juggling

Last updated 17/10/07
To learn 1 ball contact we recommend one Contact Ball 100mm/4″ diameter, these cost less 7 pounds/10 dollars each.
(Ball size for Multiball Contact is more complex, see this 2 page extract from Multiball Contact Appendix 2 (pdf).)

Longer Answer

For most adults, the 100mm/4″ Contact Ball is ideal for 1 ball contact, for children or women with smaller hands, then smaller balls 85mm/3.5″ are a viable alternative. A smaller ball will be more manageable for Contact Juggling in the hands, but less stable (so a little more difficult) for body rolling and arm rolling.

There are currently 2 manufacturers making balls which are sold as “contact balls” the good ones are 260g, others which are like hard stage balls weigh 170g. To tell the difference, check the weight and be sure to buy the heavier option! These balls look identical! See: Top left stage ball, Top right lightweight hard stage ball (ugh), bottom Contact ball(yes).

That sorts out your first ball, but what else might be useful?

Other balls

If you with to learn arm rolling or body rolling, you absolutely, positively, 100% should get a Rhythmic Gymnastics ball.

Everyone loves the look of Acrylic balls. For 1 ball contact, don’t get an acrylic smaller than 75mm / 3″. The current largest size available is 110mm and the most common size amongst professionals performing 1 ball contact juggling is 100mm. Large Acrylics are very visual, they are also heavy, for many people a 100mm Acrylic (pictured below) weighing 575g can be too heavy.

A slightly smaller Acrylic ball: 3.5″ or 90mm is a much more manageable 400g and is a good alternative for children and women with smaller hands.

Stage balls - we used squidgy before we found the heavier contact balls (stage ball 160g contact ball 270g). For rolling moves a Contact ball is better (Hard stage balls are sometimes described as “contact balls”)

Balls we don’t recommend

• Any ball less than 3″ - learning Contact is much easier with a larger ball
• Any ball lighter than 160g - learning Contact is much easier with a heavier ball
• Lacrosse balls - ugh
• Small stage balls - 3″ or smaller
• Small Acrylics less that 3″ diameter. Visually, these get lost in your hands.
• Tennis balls - ugh