MAXIMUM POWER LAUNCH: STRENGTH vs SPEED
by Ronin Fox
A popular myth is that strength/muscle power is needed for a powerful Beyblade launch. In reality, it isn't muscles that make a strong launch-- it's speed.
The fact is, no matter how strong you are, if you don't have a fast shooting
hand, you can't achieve a forceful launch.
The spinning speed of a Beyblade comes from how quickly the winder (ripcord)
is pulled out of the shooter (launcher). Think of it this way: To swat a pesky
fly or other fast-moving insect, what do you need? Quick hands. You don't need
to have bulging, weightlifter-type muscles-- all you need is to move your
hands quickly enough to catch that fly. The same principle applies to a
Beyblade launch. You don't need super-strong arms or hands to achieve high
Beyblade spinning speed; what's needed is to pull the winder out of the
shooter as quickly and as smoothly as possible.
Here are some ways to achieve this:
-Straighten your winder. Don't use a winder that's curved/curled up. Not only
will this damage your shooter, it will also slow down the speed at which you
pull the winder. An effective way to straighten a winder is to:
1. Soak it in hot water (NOT boiling). Leave it there for 1 minute.
2. With tongs or tweezers, take out the winder. Let it cool for a few seconds, then while it's still soft, pull and/or bend it into a straight position. DO NOT PUT YOUR HAND INTO THE HOT WATER.
3. Immediately put this straightened winder in cold water for a minute to maintain the shape.
-When pulling your winder out of the shooter, make sure you pull it straight and not at an angle. As much as possible, the winder should not scrape against the shooter's inner walls.
-If you like, use visualization techniques: Pull your winder as if you're trying to keep it away from someone who wants to grab it from you. Or pretend that there's a crocodile about to eat your winder, so you have to snatch it out of his reach.
-If you're able to disassemble your shooter and put it back together properly, you may want to consider lubricating it:
1. Stand the shooter on its side. Use a Philips (cross-head) screwdriver to unscrew it and very slowly ease apart the two halves. As you're separating the halves, if you see any parts about to fall out, slip them back into place before continuing.
2. Spread a dab of silicon grease/model grease, or silicon oil (these are
available from model shops), on the little toothed wheel and the "tunnel" where the winder passes when it's being pulled.
3. Replace the shooter halves, ensuring that all parts are in their appropriate places, and put the screws back in.
DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS IF YOU ARE INEXPERIENCED IN DISASSEMBLING/ASSEMBLING SHOOTERS. Children may wish to have an adult help them with this.
-These are only some ways to achieve a powerful launch-- you may discover other techniques on your own. Use whatever works best for you. Happy
blading!