Overhead throws or overheads are throws made with the arms in a position where the forearms are higher than the upper arms, and the props are thrown from a position near the side of the head. In the overhead position, the elbows should stay at least as high as the shoulders, and stick out either forwards or to the sides.
Tips[]
- For overhead throws with balls, pointing your elbows out to the sides is more efficient than pointing them forwards. For overhead throws with rings or clubs, point your elbows forward, positioning them at the same width as if you weren't doing overhead throws.
- Start with your hands shoulder-width apart, not right in front of your face.
- To transition from the basic pattern to overheads, throw all but two objects a little higher (and slightly backward) to make time to move your arms up to the overhead position. In an asynch pattern, you can reposition one arm at a time.
World records[]
Overhead world records with publicly available video evidence (all catches of objects thrown from the overhead position are counted):
Balls[]
- 3 ball overheads: 31 minutes and 4 seconds by Vašek Peca in 2017 (video)
- 4 ball overheads: 10 minutes and 5 seconds by Patrick Pettersson in 2016 (video)
- 5 ball overheads: 3 minutes and 12 seconds by Patrick Pettersson in 2016 (video)
- 6 ball overheads: 170 catches by Michael Ferreri in 2021 (video)
- 7 ball overheads: 73 catches by Salvo Stassi in 2023 (video)
- 8 ball overheads: 11 catches by Patrick Pettersson in 2016 (video)
- 9 ball overheads: 9 catches by Patrick Pettersson in 2016 (video)
Records with insufficient video evidence:
- 3 ball overheads: ~40 minutes by Vašek Peca in 2017 (video doesn't show the whole run)
Unverified claims:
- 3 ball overheads: 43 minutes and 46 seconds by Erin Stephens in 2020 (claim)
- 9 ball overheads: 9 catches by Anthony Gatto (claim)
Rings[]
- 3 ring overheads: 4 minutes and 57 seconds by Alexey Isamukhamedov in 2018 (video)
- 4 ring overheads: 1 minute and 58 seconds by Alexey Isamukhamedov in 2018 (video)
- 5 ring overheads: 125 catches by Alexey Isamukhamedov in 2018 (video)
- 6 ring overheads: 21 catches by Alexey Isamukhamedov in 2018 (video)
- 7 ring overheads: 15 catches by Delaney Bayles in 2021 (video)
- 8 ring overheads: 8 catches by Alexey Isamukhamedov in 2019 (video)
Unverified claims:
- 5 ring overheads: 150 catches by Alexey Isamukhamedov (claim)
Clubs[]
- 3 club overheads: 5 minutes and 14 seconds by Alexey Isamukhamedov in 2018 (video)
- 4 club overheads: 227 catches by Willy Colombaioni in 2016 (video)
- 5 club overheads: 45 catches by Willy Colombaioni in 2022 (video)
- 6 club overheads: 8 catches by Alexey Isamukhamedov in 2020 (video)
Unverified claims:
- 3 club overheads: 10 minutes and 40 seconds by Ameron Rosvall in 2020 (claim)
- 4 club overheads: 1 minute and 39 seconds by Ameron Rosvall in 2020 (claim)