How to make an Excellent Throw in Pokémon Go

Pokémon Go players can throw Poké Balls in loads of different ways. In addition to Standard Throws and Curved Throws, the latter of which gives an extra 10 XP upon successfully catching any Pokémon, the quality of the throw can also fit into three different categories—Nice Throw, Great Throw, and Excellent Throw. The better the throw is the more bonus XP it yields. It’s a surefire way to level up fast.

For example, Nice Throws give an extra 10 XP. Great Throws, on the other hand, give an extra 50 XP. Excellent Throws, the best throw of all, give an extra 100 XP. Each throw can also be done with a Curved Throw technique, adding a bonus 10 XP from that as well.

Naturally, that means you should always aim to make an Excellent Throw, and ideally, a Curved Excellent throw. If you’re able to do it consistently, you’ll reap the benefits in no time.

How to make an Excellent Throw in Pokémon Go

To make an Excellent Throw in Pokémon Go, you need to throw the Poké Ball when the inner circle is the smallest it can be. Holding the ball for a little while before throwing it is the most reliable way to do that because it allows the inner circle to reach its smallest radius. The smaller the Pokémon, the smaller the inner circle will be, so it’s easier to do it on larger Pokémon.

If you want to make it a Curved Excellent throw, make circles while holding the Poké Ball. This will make it spin and add a curve when thrown. If you’ve done it right, you should see a star animation around the Poké Ball.

Related: Pokémon Go Master Ball: How it works, release date, and more

Practice and timing is the key to mastering the Excellent Throw and Curved Excellent Throw. Every Pokémon has a different attack and movement pattern, so observing that is the first and most important step.

As a general rule, I would recommend waiting for it to become stationary after attacking or dodging. I tend to throw it a little before the circle reaches its smallest point too, since there’s a bit of a delay between the throw and when it hits.

It might take a bit of time, but eventually, you’ll be landing Excellent Throws and Curved Excellent Throws with ease. They’re supposed to be hard, so don’t feel bad about falling back to the ever-reliable Great Throw instead if it makes things easier. The bonus 50 XP it offers is better than nothing.