Instruction #3: Tilt control
(written from right-handed perspective)

Now that it’s spinning, we want to keep it spinning, and keep it level. To keep it spinning, you pull up on the right handstick in rhythmic pulses, while allowing little give on the left handstick, which is still pointed straight ahead. This pull on the diabolo increases its speed and therefore its stability (see video 1). It’s very important that we pull straight up on the string. So you pull up with your arm, not your wrist. Your arm from your elbow moves together vertically. Both sticks remain pointed forward.

If you pull up on the string with your wrist, it is extremely probable that it will cause the diabolo to tilt backwards and towards you. A more common reason for the diabolo to tilt towards or away from you is that you are not standing in front of it. Keep your feet moving, and get your belly in front of it. Your feet should be in line with the diabolo.

To adjust the tilt, it’s helpful to think of your sticks like foosball table bars (same as table soccer), The sticks stay parallel to the ground and you slide your arms straight forward and backward. If the diabolo is tilting back towards you, your driving arm (right arm) moves in front of the left stick while still pulling up to maintain speed (see video 2). The opposite is true if it tilts away from you.

Inner cup tilts down, right arm moves forward

Inner cup tilts up, right arm moves back so that your right hand just touches the right side of your body.

Once you are comfortable with this, you can use both arms moving in opposite directions to correct tilting quicker