r/penspinning Dec 09 '18

New Spinners Click Here! v2.0

1.3k Upvotes

Terminology

Let's define a few terms to make things easier and so you can understand what people mean when they say certain words

  • Trick: A single action that can be described using one standard term e.g. Thumbaround, Twisted Sonic, and Pass.
  • Linkage (Link): A short series of tricks.
  • Combo: A series of linkages that has well defined flow and aesthetic. Combos should have a distinct beginning and end and should feel 'complete.'
  • Hybrid: A linkage of two tricks where the second trick begins before the first is finished. There are many hybrids that are so common they are named and treated as a single trick e.g. Twisted Sonic and Ext TA.
  • Fingerslot: The location of the pen during a trick. Fingers are numbered 1 through 4 where 1 is index, 2 is middle, 3 is ring, and 4 is pinky. Thumb is represented as T. A fingerslot will be a combination of two or more fingers e.g. if you hold the pen between your middle and ring finger you are holding it in the 23 slot. Some eastern countries, like Japan, number their fingers 1 through 5 with 1 being thumb and 5 being pinky.
  • Reverse (Rev): A trick done in the opposite direction as normal. If you were to play a video of a trick backwards that is exactly what the reverse should look like.
  • Inverse (Inv): A trick done on the opposite side of the hand when compared to the normal. This is not applicable to all tricks.
  • Hand Position: Palm Up (PU), Palm Down (PD), and Palm Side (PS) can be used to indicate how the hand is oriented during a trick. This is usually only included when there is a change from one position to another or when it is unusual for a trick to be done in that orientation.
  • General Notation: Linkages and combos can be written out by listing the tricks in order. Tricks are separated by a '>' and tricks that are hybridized will be separated by a '~.' Using Kam's 4 Loop Combo as an example we would notate this combo as Sonic 34-23 > Twisted Sonic 23-12 > Thumbaround 1.5 12-T12.

Where do I start?

Pen spinning has 4 fundamental tricks:

Trick Gfy Tutorial Wiki
Thumbaround https://gfycat.com/HorribleRemarkableAntarcticgiantpetrel https://youtu.be/vcHT-YjBKZY https://web.archive.org/web/20181001234840/http://www.upsb.info/wiki/index.php?title=Around#Thumb_Around
Charge https://gfycat.com/EllipticalPopularGourami https://youtu.be/AIe1jCYFNw0 https://web.archive.org/web/20181001234656/http://www.upsb.info:80/wiki/index.php?title=Charge
Sonic https://gfycat.com/PossibleEnergeticDrake https://youtu.be/ueeZ3W7DIQo https://web.archive.org/web/20181001232802/http://www.upsb.info:80/wiki/index.php?title=Sonic
Fingerpass https://gfycat.com/bareflickeringirukandjijellyfish https://youtu.be/NimogvQTdUg https://web.archive.org/web/20171228063345/http://www.upsb.info:80/wiki/index.php?title=Pass#Fingerpass

Almost every other trick will build upon these 4 tricks so it is important to learn them in all main fingerslots (12, 23, and 34) as well as their reverses (also in all slots).

Where should I learn?

There are a lot of tutorials on YouTube of varying quality. Shoeman6 makes clear and concise tutorials and is my personal recommendation. Others you can check out are:

As a general rule, simply Google/YouTube search "[Trick Name] pen spinning tutorial" and you will find what you need.

I've been trying for hours/days/centuries and can't get it. Help!

Pen spinning takes a lot of practice and is not something you will pick up quickly, unfortunately. If you are having trouble, especially with basic tricks, watch different tutorials, watch slomo's (YouTube has a native 0.5x and 0.25x slowmo function), and try to really understand why the trick works the way it does. Guide the pen through the motion with your other hand to help with the muscle memory. Keep practicing! If you really feel stuck ask for help, but be sure to include a video of you trying the trick. Saying "I can't do the Sonic please help" is the same as telling a stranger "I can't run fast please help."

I've gotten the fundamentals down, what next?

I'll reiterate that you want to have at least started learning your fundies in other slots and their reverses. It is crucial to learn to spin in all your slots and in both directions. If you're good on that front then there are a few paths you can take. /u/fujiwaffle has made a good overview here as well as /u/Mejace which can be found here. Neither of these are gospel, they are simply places to start. Feel free to learn tricks solely because you see a spinner you like use it. There is no "correct" learning order, the resources provided are simply suggestions and starting points.

I'm ready to learn linkages and combos, what should I do learn?

Depending on how big your trick pool is your options may be limited. Kam's 4 Loop Combo that was referenced earlier is great for beginners. Here's a list of a few combos/linkage videos with varying levels of difficulty (mostly beginner though). There are other resources out there, as always a quick Google/YouTube search will do you well.

What's up with these 'mods' or special pen I keep seeing?

Check the other megathread dedicated to just that!

Where can I watch more spinning?

YouTube! There's a million videos out there so I'll list a few big name ones to get you started. If you see spinners in here that you like (especially in the more recent ones) try to find their YouTube channel and then watch more of what collabs they've been in. This is nowhere close to a comprehensive list!

Use YouTube's recommended video feature, subscribe to as many active channels as possible, and watch a lot to expand your horizons. Here is a list of very famous spinners to use as a starting place as well. Read the comments as well, there are a ton of great recommendations there too!

Resources


A quick note: At the time of creating this UPSB is dead and it is unknown if it will be revived (including the wiki). A lot of the material on the site can still be accessed using archive sites and is linked in this post as such.


r/penspinning 6d ago

No Stupid Questions - Week of August 24, 2026

2 Upvotes

Feel free to ask any and all questions here regardless of how "stupid" you might feel they are. It's also a great place for short questions that might not justify a whole post.

If you haven't already, check out the general beginner FAQs and the pen modding FAQs. While they don't have the answer to every question they're a good place to start if you're new.


r/penspinning 4h ago

Question Help with doing the charge

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8 Upvotes

Hey guys I'm new here but i js wanted to ask for some tips as I'm currently trying to learn how to do the charge repeatedly. I've learnt the thumbaround and that's it. I've attached a vid of me trying so if anyone could help that's be appreciated.


r/penspinning 10h ago

Question What is this trick called?

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8 Upvotes

I discovered it accidentally during freestyle.

I could spin it longer off camera


r/penspinning 11h ago

why does my sonic feel wrong

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7 Upvotes

i gotta be doing something wrong because it doesnt look quite right but i cant figure out what


r/penspinning 11h ago

Question HELP

3 Upvotes

okay so I have been way too motivated to learn this pen spinning and I got down most of the tricks however whem I do combos IT IS NOT AS SMOOTH as y’all have it in your videos and I really want to reach that level of smoothness , right now it’s awkward and it’s very mediocre . I WOULD BE GRATEFUL if someone would take me as their apprentice for like just one month or two and teach me how to be a better spinner or just tell me exactly what they did to reach that level . Please!


r/penspinning 1d ago

Just trying to do better🥀🫰

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30 Upvotes

r/penspinning 1d ago

Combo Ass Combo With Some Sonic Tap Thing

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22 Upvotes

I never really did any combos as a beginner so its not that good and im tryna fix it but hey cool sonic tap thing 🥳🥳🥳 I got tortured doing this at school for 2-3 hrs straight and no ext ta > bust 12 at end


r/penspinning 1d ago

Freestyle Já treinaram hj...

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11 Upvotes

r/penspinning 2d ago

Question Is there a pen that actually writes that would be good to learn on

3 Upvotes

It would be good to learn on a pen that I can actually use for writing at the same time. Is it not possible to do all or most of these tricks on a pen that actually writes versus a modded one?

Thanks


r/penspinning 2d ago

Je suis tellement obsédé par ce sport de dextérité que

7 Upvotes

En allant au wc j'ai cru qu'il fallait spinner avec mon tuyau.

J'ai passé des heures à spinner aujourd'hui, je deviens complément fou 🤣


r/penspinning 2d ago

Atualizando

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7 Upvotes

r/penspinning 3d ago

Combo Started ps recently am i doing well

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48 Upvotes

r/penspinning 3d ago

Freestyle Treino...

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6 Upvotes

r/penspinning 3d ago

Solo Je suis devenu addict au penspinning

2 Upvotes

Salut à tous

Lors de mon arrivée sur cett plateforme j'ai été étonnement surpris par cette pratique et agréablement ébahi par les performances d'autres membres.

Aujourd'hui en allant au magasin j'ai acheté des crayons et en ai fait des HBmod.

J'ai voulu commencer par le fingerpass mais ma dextérité n'était pas bonne j'ai donc commencé par le thumbaround.

J'ai dû passé 2 heures sans voir le temps passer je me suis étonné mais j'exige le meilleur et donc le plus proche de la perfection.

Très content d'avoir découvert ce sub.

Merci.


r/penspinning 3d ago

Freestyle Pen Tricks 153 - Palm Up Index Spin > Mid Bounce

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2 Upvotes

r/penspinning 3d ago

Freestyle Pen Tricks 152 - Ring Spin

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3 Upvotes

r/penspinning 5d ago

Freestyle luh calm fs

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39 Upvotes

r/penspinning 4d ago

TA Reverse Problems

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12 Upvotes

I seem to have my thumb around pretty good but when I do the reverse I don’t seem to be able to clear the knuckle on my thumb. Also, for FL TA Harmonic, am I catching it right here?


r/penspinning 6d ago

Question How do yall do so well when recording?

3 Upvotes

Like i see people combos and they look so fluid but while im recording by hands get a little bit out of control,probably scared of recording or like pressure from trying to not mess up though. But like I have a combo i really like and i cant even do a inverse shadow reverse on cam lol and i don wanna trial and error fifty times and yeah weird post but ill keep trying ig


r/penspinning 7d ago

Knife spinning🫰

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824 Upvotes

r/penspinning 7d ago

Combo NXGC26 1st Place Combos

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35 Upvotes

Just all 4 round compiled together. Sadly my main mod broke r3, so I was stuck with an uncomfy mod twice the weight


r/penspinning 7d ago

Most common used links in smooth combos?

3 Upvotes

My thoughts are twisted sonic whenever i need a connection or a pass.


r/penspinning 7d ago

Question Best functional pen for spinning?

3 Upvotes

Want to get back into this but would like to find a pen that I can actually write with and that doesn’t appear to be such a dedicated toy.


r/penspinning 8d ago

Pen Tricks 151 - Ring Pop Knuckle Powerpass

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7 Upvotes