The importance of left/right speed changing independence

Drill left/right independence by changing the speed of one poi while the other continues its pattern. You’ll practise alternating counts and tempo, keeping one side slow while the other side takes quicker rotations, forwards and backwards, without unintentional mirroring.

Nick Woolsey frames this as a control skill that supports cleaner opposites and smoother timing. Work it on different planes, including wheel plane and in front, and apply it inside butterfly by dropping one poi over the top while the other keeps its slower rhythm, building reliable control for upcoming weave-to-butterfly transitions.