I'm thinking on these, but how hard are they really?

Some moves are difficult, some are easy. It will take time to learn, but you can get the basics in about a day. If you really want to learn, get them and perfect the routine. If not, think about something else.

It isn't all that hard really. The same amount of practice to learn any new card trick will have you performing a BASIC Ninja Ring routine.

The one downside is, that they are noisy, and if you are practicing at home, make sure that the other people you live with, are either NOT home, or in a different room/floor than you are. I'm not allowed to practice with these anymore when my wife is home, because after about 10 minutes, the sound gives her a headache. However, I've gotten the silent link down pretty well now.

David.

David's right about the sound... also, one of the moves I really like is a spinning link where one ring is spun and another crash linked into the spinning ring... the only thing to beware of is that the surface you spin the ring on is clean and free of grit (sand, etc., like a wood floor!) cause the finish on the rings can be damaged...

If you want to do a routine like Shoot's, you MUST practice a lot! Otherwise, don't bother getting these!

Joe

The move that took me the longest was the One-Handed Block Link. It's really a "knack" kind of thing that you have to figure out for yourself. I'm still not 100% but getting there. The key, like anything else is to do it everyday.

Also, I constructed a 'real world' routine that doesn't require a table. (I say 'real world', meaning real world to ME. When asked to perform I never want to have to say stuff like; "Well, if I had a table..." or "Okay, but lets clear all this stuff off the table, and you all go to the other side of it." and so forth.)

Get the DVD it would be real tough with just the written instructions. You can choose the moves you wanna do as some are harder than others. But if you can devote the time it is really worth it.

You don't have to do the Shoot Ogawa moves... you should look at the DVD for sure, but just start working with them and get used to the feel. Study other routines and create YOUR OWN sequences.

You can use them for Whit Haydn's Four Ring Routine too.

I saw a kid named Steve do them at the MAES convention this weekend. I'll tell you what, I was thinking about it for a while, then I saw him do it for me personally. I AM SOLD. THIS IS A CLASSIC. Get it, I did.

Yeah I felt that the magic in these was so much stronger when seen live than through a video.

I own my own set of linking rings (small like ninja rings) Which have been with my brother for about 13 years. When I saw shoot perform this in his lecture, I was so blown away. I literally thought there was some special method or weird gimmick with the rings. The thing is there wasn't. If you get these, and put in the time, you'll fool EVERYONE. If you halfbake this effect, nobody will be impressed in the slightest. (not a pun) Try shoot's ninja doughnuts, it's a great effect, lol.

You can get the rings and learn another routine, if you'd like. However, if you plan on learning Yanagida's routine from the boxed instructions, you had better speak Japanese. If you don't, you had better get the DVD.

(Note: Masahiro Yanagida is Shoot Ogawa's mentor)

Having watched Reed McClintock (and Ogawa) and having had the original Dan Fleshman set, and having done the rings for more years than I have been alive... I started to work with the small rings... and found that a combo of the "so called" Ninja moves, McClintock's HELP and INSPIRATION, as well as my own knowledge and a bit of Whit Haydn's influence... I have worked up my own routine with these "suitable for close-up" rings.

My point?

You don't have to do someone elses (exact) routine.

Learn to handle them. Learn different things.

Build YOU into the routine.

It will (and any other effects you have if you use this approach) serve you well.

I agree, Pete. My stand up ring routine is based on the centuries old Burtini's linking ring, which is quite entertaining. I use some sleights from this routine for my close up rings. Also much influence from better known routines of Vernon, Slydini, Fleshman and Takagi.

I like an opinion from the more experienced with the closeup rings( ): is it better to let a spectator handle rings, to make the magic happen in their hands (Ogawa and others do, I don't)?

Peter

I think close up the crash links as done by McClintock, where the speckie holds the rings is great... then I segue into some of the Whit Haydn bits where the speckie has the two linked ones.

Are the Ninja Rings mini Chinese Linking Rings?

The Ninja Rings are a current version of the old trick. You get four rings and they are about 4-5 inches in diameter, and mainly used for close up.

Shoot Ogawa popularized them here in the US. It appears that they are a "slum" item in Japan and sold in stores everywhere.

Kinda like a high class set of the old Adams rings.

Thanks for the feedback, Pete.

Does anybody here use the move where the spectator links the rings, like Shoot does ? Isn't it very dangerous to expose the method ? If the person doesn't hit hard enough ?

It's not about how hard the spectator hits it...it's more about your hand positioning and how hard you're holding the ring.

I don't incorporate the Spectator move, mainly because it is kind of scary. However, the more I think about it, the more I am beginning to realize that that may be the most important part of the routine. Without it, you're just a guy linking "funny" rings. Use it, and, even though the spectator only really holds two rings (three, kind of), they will swear they held all four.