NEXT STEP – RIFLE
I. Toss Positions
RT LT
Starting Position: RT Flat Position – “Spin Position”
Start with 2 spins catching in an upside down dip – RT hand over the bottom of the neck
at the RT shoulder – LT hand under the top of the neck at the LT hip
Do a double and a half toss from this position – catch with RT hand under the neck at the
RT shoulder, LT hand top mid rifle at the LT hip
RT LT
Counts: Spin 1, 2, 3, hold 4, release (1), 2, catch (3), hold 4, down RT Flat (5) –
Spin 1, 2, 3, hold 4, release (1), 2, catch (3), hold 4
Ct. 1: Then – push rifle down and to the LT with the RT hand and reach up with the LT to
the top of the butt
Ct. 2: Twist – Pull the tip up, out and away from the body then back in to the body – open
the LT hand, letting the butt rotate under your thumb inverting the position of the
rifle – the RT hand will face palm out, LT palm in
Ct. 3: Switch – Do a quick release (no rotation) and invert the position and location of the
hands – RT hand under the neck at the LT hip – LT hand over mid rifle at the RT
shoulder
Ct. 4: Hold
Ct. 5: Release – open the hands pulling the RT and LT hands away from each other to
perform the toss
Ct. 6: Toss Rotation
Ct. 7: Catch – RT hand under the neck, thumb up, hand at the naval – rifle is straight and in
line with the body
Ct. 8 & 9: Flourish – Continue the motion of the rotation around in a Flourish (front – behind)
Ct. 10: Drop rifle into the LT hand, thumb down just below the bolt
Ct. 11 – 12: Let go with the RT hand and continue the rotation with the LT hand – when the
rifle is flat, grab with the RT hand under the neck
Ct. 13 – 14: Without stopping the rotation, perform a single toss and catch with the RT hand
palm down under mid rifle – LT hand palm up over the neck – inverted like the
beginning of the exercise
Counts:
Spin 1, 2, Catch 3, Hold 4,
Release (1), 2, Catch (3),
Hold 4, Push 1, Invert Twist 2,
Switch 3, Hold 4, Release 1, 2,
Catch 3, Flutter 4 & 5, Drop 6,
Around &, Toss 7, Catch 8
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II. Lofted Toss
Starting Position: RT Flat Position
Ct. 1 & 2: Thumb role with RT hand to tip up
Ct. 3 & 4: Continue the rotation to tip down (no thumb role) twisting the body to the LT putting
the RT hand on top of the butt, thumb down (tip down) at the RT hip
Ct. 1 & 2: Reverse the direction of the rotation and then release, tossing the rifle
Ct. 3: Catch with the RT hand under the neck
Ct. 4 & 5: Continue the rotation into a Flourish
Ct. 6 & 7: When you come to the front half of the flourish,
speed up the rotation into a pop toss
Ct. 8: Catch – RT Flat Position
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III. Catch Positions
Starting Position: LT Flat Position
Push down with the RT hand, rotate the LT wrist
Grab under the neck with the RT hand – rifle flat, chin level
Continue rotation into a flourish
Use the rotation of the flourish as a push into a release for a toss once the rifle comes
back to the front
Catch tip up – RT hand over mid rifle, thumb up, above your head – LT hand is under the
butt thumb up in center of your body at shoulder height
IV. Body Orientation – Back Catch
Starting Position: RT Flat Position
Lift with the RT hand, rotating the rifle
Drop rifle into the LT hand, thumb down below the bolt – Reverse LT Grip
Use the weight of the rifle to spin around and release into a toss
After the release, twist your body to the LT putting the RT hand behind the body palm
up and catch the rifle
! Remember ! The rifle will be inverted on the catch with the RT hand catching under the top of the neck – put
your LT hand at your naval – your muscles must go into tension to stop the rifle from rotating – your shoulders
should turn equally, not lop sided
V. Combos
Cross Toss – Back Toss – Lofted Toss
Cross Toss – Spin 1, 2, Catch 3, Hold 4, Release 1, 2, Catch 3, Hold 4, Push 1, Invert Twist 2, Switch 3, Hold 4,
Release 1, 2, Catch 3, Flourish 4 & 5, Drop 6, Around & …
Back Toss – Release 7, Catch behind your Back 8 …
Lofted Toss – Reverse the rotation direction &, Release (Toss) 1, 2, Catch 3, Flourish 4 & 5, Pop Toss 6 & 7,
Catch 8
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VI. Pitch – Relationship of Equipment to Body
Starting Position: RT upper 45*, butt down Position
& 1 Ct: Perform 1 spin on the 45, gripping with the RT hand under the bolt, thumb up, butt up
Ct. 2 &: Continue the rotation around, twisting the wrist (as with flourishes), the butt rotates under the arm –
leading with the nose, bring the rifle flat behind the back while turning to the RT
Ct. 3: Body facing backwards, grab with the LT hand (under the rifle) at the RT hand
& Ct: continue the rotation with the LT hand while still turning your body – bring the tip up and butt down
Ct. 4: Come up to the LT upper 45 position – LT and under mid rifle, RT hand loosely under the neck
Repeat
Continue the exercise constantly turning to the RT
& Spin – Pivot – Flat
To Add
Perform counts 1 – 4, this time starting with the butt up, still leading with the tip behind the back, then instead of
going into another single 45* spin – do a 45* RT Palm Spin starting butt down – Palm Spin 5, 6, 7
Stop the Palm Spin tip down, thumb down (come out) on Count 8
More
Change the single 45* spin into a toss – tossing from the neck and from the butt)
Start butt up
Toss – catch RT thumb up, nose up
Bring around behind the back, passing through flat, leading with the tip
Come up this time butt down
Toss – catch RT thumb up, nose down
Continue
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VII. Hand to hand Changes
Starting Position: RT Flat Position – RT hand under neck
Spin into Double Time (see Basic Rifle Section)
Grab RT hand over the bolt RT
Drop rifle into the LT hand, thumb down
Toss with the LT hand RT LT
Catch with the LT hand thumb down, nose down
Twist (mini toss with LT hand) back into the RT hand
Continue
Try – 1 Toss, then 2 Tosses back to back, then 3 Tosses back to back, then 2 Tosses, then 1 Toss
Close this exercise by catching with the LT hand
Mini toss with the LT hand into the RT hand
Mini toss with the RT hand into the LT hand and land in Flat Position – RT hand over the butt, LT hand under mid
rifle
Ba – Da – Da – Da ___ Ta ___ Ta – For the 2 tosses
(1)
RT
RT
VIII. Carving & Plane Changes
Starting Position: LT hand over mid rifle at LT hip – RT hand under the neck at RT shoulder (2)
(1) Perform 1 spin, change your grip on the catch with RT hand to being under the top of the bolt
RT
Flourish – when you start to come back to the front, bring the rifle up high, carve through space, RT
making an oval
(3)
Bring down and Flourish behind
(2) Go into a cradle with RT arm, nose out to your RT side
(4)
Turn your body to the LT, slicing the rifle through the flat plane – twisting only the upper body RT
Grab LT hand to the nose LT
(3) Reverse direction, bringing the RT hand up, going into a flat palm spin above your head
(5)
Stop the rifle with the butt to the LT
RT
(4) Slice the plane vertically by dropping the butt into the LT hand, thumb down at neck
(5) Perform a small toss with the LT hand, catching with the RT hand on top of the neck palm up
(6)
Continue directly into a double/triple with the RT hand RT LT
(6) Catch the rifle inverted – RT hand at the neck, palm down – LT hand above the bolt palm up
Continue the rotation into a flourish
(7)
(7) Come to the front and drop the rifle into the LT hand, thumb down RT
Twist the LT wrist to butt down, grab with the RT hand palm up under the neck
LT
Perform a single toss into a LT Flat Position
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IX. Carving
Starting Position: RT upper 45*, butt down – RT hand palm up at the neck, LT hand thumb up under mid rifle
Thumb role to nose up on a 45*
Carve the nose down, lead with the nose to behind the back to flat, turning the body to the RT
Grab with the LT hand under the bolt – the flat of the barrel should be at your back, butt sticking out or away from
your body
Bringing up and around, establish the upper 45* to the front, butt down
Spin in RT – nose up, thumb down
“Tuck it” – Carve motion down and around, behinf the back at 45*
Grab with the LT hand above the bolt
Carve the plane of the butt up and over to the RT, resting the nose on the RT shoulder, twisting the body to the
RT
Turn the body to face back while twisting the LT wrist into a single toss
Catch with the RT hand under the neck
Single toss with RT hand
Catch in the LT flat position while still facing back
All together, the exercise will go as follows:
Start – Thumb Role – Carve & Turn – Grab Flat Behind – Bring all the Way Around to Front Upper 45* -
Spin – Tuck It – Change Your X-Plane – Bring it Up 2 Hands – Turn Right – Spin Left – Toss – Stop
X. Starting Positions
Starting Position: Butt at RT shoulder – Nose at LT hip – RT hand covering end of butt – LT hand above the tip, palm
down
Scoop to rifle down and to the LT – change tip to top of LT hand, no grip (Lift – Rock Back – Push)
Push with the RT hand and rotate rifle over to the LT hand – grab below the tip with the LT hand, thumb down
Use weight of butt to continue the rotation down and around into a double toss from the nose with the LT hand
Catch with RT hand, thumb up at the neck
Flourish with the RT hand to the RT
Come back around and drop it into the LT hand, thumb down
Use the weight of the rifle butt to twist the LT wrist and single toss
Catch with the RT hand, palm up, mid rifle
All together, the exercise will go as follows:
Start – Lift – Rock – Push Out – Toss – Flourish – Drop – Toss
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