Throwing the X-Zylo
X-zyLo™ loves to fly and needs a lot of room. Learn how to throw X-zyLo™ in an open area such as a park or field. For first throws, the catcher should be 30 to 60 yards away.
Safety First: Remember to throw clear of bystanders and throw only as hard as the catcher's distance warrants. Hard throws to someone close may hurt.
|
|
THE GRIP: Grip X-zyLo™ like a football with the ring forward and open to the direction of flight.
THE THROW: Whip X-zyLo™ fast and low. Throw forward like a football quarterback or a baseball pitcher. Rapid spin is critical to its flight. Do not throw X-zyLo™ high or tilt it upwards because X-zyLo™ creates its own lift. Low throws go further. HINT: Here's a really great tip. Right handers' first throws tend to be high and to the right. To aim straight, throw fast, low and to the left (left handers should throw low and to the right). Also, right-handed throws curve left at the end, so judge for the curve when catching.
|
|
|
THE GRIP: To throw underhand, grip X-zyLo™ with the forefinger on the leading edge of X-zyLo™.
THE THROW: Hold your arm by your side and swing your arm back and then to the front as if you were bowling. Release X-zyLo™ with an upward snap causing the X-zyLo™ to spin off the fingers in a counter-clockwise direction. The motion should go from very low on the backswing to very high at the release, as shown. HINT: If you are right handed the X-zyLo™ will spin counter-clockwise, or clockwise if you are left-handed. This will make X-zyLo™ curve at the end of its flight in the opposite direction than a normal overhand throw. |
|
|
Sidearm throws can be very smooth and graceful and can generate power without much effort.
THE GRIP: Grip the X-zyLo™ as you would for the overhand throw. THE THROW: Bring your arm back at waist height and launch straight forward with a smooth forward motion as if you were skipping a stone on water. HINT: A big distinction between the overhand and sidearm throw is that with the overhand throw you aim and throw slightly downward, but with the sidearm throw you start low and throw level or slightly upwards. |
|
|
In the tradition of the great Olympic athletes of ancient Greece, X-zyLo™ can be thrown like a discus.
THE GRIP: Grip X-zyLo™ as you would for an underhand throw. THE THROW: Instead of hanging your arm at your side, lift your arm perpendicular to your body, swing your arm back, and release with a very high finish. HINT: This throw can generate enormous power and looks cool if you spin around a couple of time before you release it (just like a discus thrower). Don't forget that it needs a high release at the end. |
| X-zyLo™ is simple to catch --just reach out and grab it. If you practice though, you can do it with style! A helpful thing to remember is that X-zyLo™ curves at the end of its flight (to the left for right-handers, and to the right for left-handers), so anticipate the curve when catching! Here are a few examples of catches: |
|
|
The most basic catch is exactly the way you would catch a football or baseball. Simply grab the X-zyLo™ in between your two hands. X-zyLo™ is very durable and resilient so you do not need to be gentle. If it is coming in fast you may want to give a little with your hands to ease the impact of the throw.
. |
|
|
If X-zyLo™ is coming in low enough to fly underneath your legs, simply face the incoming X-zyLo™, spread your legs, let X-zyLo™ fly between them and catch it on the other side of your body.
|
|
|
In order to perform the behind-the-back catch, place yourself so that you can catch X-zyLo™ about waist high. Turn slightly away from the X-zyLo™ and reach your hand behind your back and grab it. You will lose sight of X-zyLo™ for a second so this creative catch takes split-second timing. This one will really impress your friends!
|
|
|
This catch is called the behind-the-head catch. Actually, X-zyLo™ should be caught to the side of the head. Don't position yourself so that X-zyLo™ is flying straight at your head. Of course this takes timing and practice. Obviously, this catch is easiest when X-zyLo™ is merely floating in very lightly.
|
CalCoast Toys, LLC was founded by Patrick Ross, the co-creator of Feisty Pets®. For years, Patrick worked with Mark Forti of the William Mark Corporation (WMC) as a distributor of all WMC products. Mark Forti is the genius inventor and creator behind Feisty Pets, X-Zylo®, Air Swimmers®, Flitter Fairies™, and all WMC® branded flying toys. William Mark Corporation was founded in 1991 when Mark Forti invented its first flying toy: the X-Zylo flying gyroscope. Patrick started in online sales at the age of 12 and opened his own toy business in college. Patrick and Mark started working together after discovering at the New York Toy Fair that they both had the same