What Is The Pill Juggling Toy?

Terra Kendama Pill Juggling Toy

In this Post, I am going to introduce you to The Pill which is a modern innovation on kendama. In one sense, the pill is just a simplified kendama. Many people think of it as training wheels, but actually it has a lot of techniques and characteristics that set it apart from kendama while still implementing a lot of the same skill sets.

Now, if you are a kendama player and you want to get into the pill, you are going to find that it is a lot of fun, as many of your tricks from kendama will cross over. If you are a brand new player just getting into the pill with no experience, you are going to find that the pill is easier to learn and it also shortens the jump to get into kendama.

The Pill Kendama

Before you start, it is very important for you to learn the names of each part of the pill. The pill is made up of two wooden halves connected by a string. The half with the hole is called the cap. The half with the spike is called the base On the bottom of the base is a node which has the string tied to it.

The string is held in the cap very similar to a kendama, where we have a knot that anchors a bead and keeps it from coming out. If you ever need to change your pill string, you can check out our post on how to do that.

There is also a flat surface around the spike, which is called the rim. The cap also has a rim around the hole. Other sources may refer to each of these parts with different names, but this is the most common and simple terminology.

Just like a kendama The Pill can do a variety of spike tricks where you land the hole on the spike. These can become more advanced, as you add, multiple spins, as well as different trajectories.

You can also do balance and stall tricks using a pill such as balancing the rim of the base on the rim of the cap or balancing the cap on the node.

Is The Pill Like A Kendama?

Yes, the two halves of the pill are connected by a string just like a kendama, and it has a spike with an object to catch on it. The string tricks and hanging tricks translate very easily, such as Swirl, because the dimensions of each pill half are so similar as well as the weights are roughly equal.

Is The Pill Easier Than Kendama?

Yes, It allows for a lot more consistency and balance when performing those types of tricks as compared to a kendama. Certain tricks, such as pull spike, can be done, holding the base and can also be done holding the cap Tricks that can be done like this can be referred to as being done base side or cap side

The Different Types Of Pill Toys

If you are interested in learning how to play Pill, you are going to want to pick one out Let’s look at some of the different types of pill. In terms of buying a pill, there is really not much variety when it comes to shape, but there are three classes you will want to be aware of.

First is the painted pill. Second, is the natural pill Third, are the exotic pills made out of the exotic woods and materials.

The Painted Pill

So we will talk about the painted pill first, which is kind of the standard in terms of pills, It has a standard weight, it is more affordable and it has this paint which comes in a variety of colors. So if you have a favorite color, you can check out the different options. The paint offers some benefits.

First, it is tacky. So when you are doing certain balance tricks, it is a little easier to learn for beginner players. You will also notice the contrast between the wood. So when you are doing something like a spacewalk or a swirl, you can track the different halves of the pill easier.

You will also see you can see a contrast between where the hole is and where the outside of the cap is, which makes it easy to track the hole when trying to spike
Those are all great benefits afforded by the painted pill.

The Natural Pill Design

Beyond that you have the natural pill, which is also very similar to the painted pill. It has the same kind of standard weight. Both the standard and natural are made from beech wood. So again, this one is just as affordable, but it is not painted. So you do not have that contrast or that added benefit of stickiness. But what you will find is these natural pills, as you use them, and the oils in your hands work into the wood and they get some play. They end up looking really nice and playing just as well as the painted pills do

The Exotic Pill Design

When you move up from there, you have the exotic pills which, like I said, are made of exotic woods, so they are a little higher end, But they offer some benefit in terms of the density. The density of the woods will make some of them a little lighter than the beechwood , some of them like the zebrano and the purple heart you will find are actually heavier.

Because they are heavier, you will have more control when doing certain flip tricks, and that just adds a different flavor when you are learning to do tricks and trying to come up with new combinations. If you like the look of these pills, you certainly would not be holding yourself back by going straight for one of those you can absolutely start on one. There is no downside to buying and exotic pill off the bat because all pill shapes and weights are similar.

Read More: Learn The Pill Fundamental Tricks