Misbehavin' Download: How to Learn and Perform the Routine

By Making Magicians Since 2001 | Published: 2026-11-05

Category: How-to Guides

A step-by-step guide to learning Kainoa Harbottle's Misbehavin' coin routine from the download, with practice checkpoints and performance tips.

Quick answer

Download Misbehavin', watch the full performance once without pausing, then build the routine phase by phase with a mirror and camera before you attempt the complete sequence for anyone.

Why this routine rewards slow practice

Misbehavin' is a multi-phase coin routine, so the difficulty is not one move but the transitions between phases. Kainoa Harbottle performs it as an anytime, anywhere piece, which means the handling has to feel natural without a table or special setup. That portability is the appeal, but it also removes places to hide a reset or a fumble.

The download format helps here: you can replay a single phase as many times as you need. Treat the video as a reference you return to, not a performance you watch once and copy.

What the download does and does not give you

The download supplies the routine and Kainoa's performance of it. It does not supply a fixed practice schedule or a substitute for live feedback, so you need to build your own checkpoints. The catalog does not list a run time or a breakdown of phases, so plan to watch the whole file first and map its structure before you start drilling.

If you already perform coin magic, the phase structure will likely be familiar. If you are new to coins, expect the first pass to be about learning the choreography rather than polishing presentation.

How to learn Misbehavin' step by step

Watch the full performance without stopping: Play the download from start to finish once with no pausing. Note where the phases begin and end, and where the routine changes tempo. Common mistake: pausing to practise the first move immediately, which hides how the phases connect. Write down the phase order before you touch a coin.
Map the phases to a written outline: Rewatch with a notepad and list each phase, its key move and its transition. Keep the outline to one line per phase. Common mistake: trying to transcribe every finger position, which turns practice into note-taking. Your outline should fit on one page; if it does not, you are over-documenting.
Drill each phase in isolation: Practise one phase at a time until you can do it without watching your hands. Use a mirror to check angles and a phone camera to check what a spectator sees. Common mistake: drilling only the flashiest phase and skipping the quiet ones. Do not move to the next phase until the current one is clean on camera.
Join two phases at a time: Practise the transition between phase one and two, then two and three, and so on. The transition is where most routines fall apart. Common mistake: rehearsing the whole routine before any single transition is smooth. If a transition fails three times, return to the two phases it connects.
Run the full routine with a camera: Perform the complete sequence once, start to finish, recording it. Watch the recording without stopping and note only the two biggest problems. Common mistake: fixing every small flaw in one session, which spreads your attention too thin. Fix no more than two issues per practice session.
Test it on a trusted spectator: Perform for one person who will tell you the truth, ideally standing as you would in a real setting. Ask what they remember, not what they thought. Common mistake: asking 'did you see anything?' which invites them to hunt for moves. If they remember the effect rather than the method, the routine is ready for a small audience.

About the routine

Misbehavin': Misbehavin' is a multi-phase coin routine taught by Kainoa Harbottle, described in the catalog as an anytime, anywhere masterpiece. Because it is designed to be performed anywhere, your practice should focus on standing, pocket-sized handling rather than table work.
Misbehavin'