1 Topic by Ron May

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Topic: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

Tomorrow is the first day of the fast figure 8.

Here's a good video of a break down of it.
I was going to post a Whip Basics Vol. II of it but had to settle for Daren Wilkerson's .
It still keeps it in the slow graceful style.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjl1Mfc717M

This 10 day practice period will end on the 14th of Jan.

Happy crackin' . smile

Ron

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I can't force you to be right.

2 Reply by Robert Gage

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

Ron, Darren Wilkerson is good - and I've heard Robby speak of his videos with appreciation more than once.

'Less is often more!'

3 Reply by Ron May

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

Mr. Robert, he was the only one I could have recommended to watch to get the flow and the correct speed and form right. And I watched a lot of them to find his.

I love the whip he's using. It would crack just hanging on the wall. smile

Ron

It's ok if you disagree with me.
I can't force you to be right.

4 Reply by Ron May

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

Here's the Day 1 video for the fast figure eight.

It's rough and it very hard for me to do but it's going to improve with practice over the next 10 days.

https://youtu.be/Im0UuaClb7c

Ron

It's ok if you disagree with me.
I can't force you to be right.

5 Reply by Jesse Bessette

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

Ron, technique looks good. I personally do it a little faster, but it's personal preference. I love that you have that follow through cattleman at the end. It helps release the potential energy built up after the reverse crack. I end up doing the same thing.

Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates.
          -Mark Twain

6 Reply by Ron May

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

Thank you Jesse. It's a work in progress.

Ron

It's ok if you disagree with me.
I can't force you to be right.

7 Reply by Jesse Bessette

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

It always is.

Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates.
          -Mark Twain

8 Reply by Robert Gage

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

Ron, that's looking good. (Of course, there's always room for improvement.) You look remarkably relaxed, and avoid using too much power. And I dare say the power can be reduced, without losing speed.

'Less is often more!'

9 Reply by Ron May

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

Thank you Mr. Robert.
You're right. Speed, or velocity, doesn't equal force.
That's my goal. To make it look like it's the easiest thing in the world to crack a whip and to look fluid and effortless.

Ron

It's ok if you disagree with me.
I can't force you to be right.

10 Reply by Robert Gage

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

Ron May wrote:

That's my goal. To make it look like it's the easiest thing in the world to crack a whip and to look fluid and effortless.

Exactly, Ron! That's my goal, too!  smile

'Less is often more!'

11 Reply by Ron May

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

It's very cold out and drizzly so today's practice was a stick day.

Ron

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I can't force you to be right.

12 Reply by Jesse Bessette

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

Snow all day. I've decided to make a shorter whip to practice my technique with on days like today.

Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates.
          -Mark Twain

13 Reply by Ben Varsek

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

Ron, I can only echo what Robert posted in post #8 - very well done !!!

It's been snowing during the last couple of days of my practice but I was able to practice outdoors because the winds haven't been to strong.
My main issue with the fast figure 8 is to keep the thong on exactly the same palne as the circus crack (it goes kinda sideways because of the "wrong positioning" of my wrist) - I therfore practiced the "fast reverse circus crack" seperatly on todays practice.
I wasn't able to shoot a "fast figure 8 video" so far because I had been afraid that the weather conditions might damage my camrea.

All the best
Ben

14 Reply by Ron May

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

I just received Robby's Whip Basics Vol.II yesterday and it's going to be very instrumental in helping me "master" whip cracking.
I did notice that in the fast figure 8 that he does do it faster / quicker than I was doing it.
I will focus on that in today's practice.
Perhaps I could call what I have been doing as the "medium figure 8", big_smile . (gotta keep a sense of humor)
So a slow figure 8, followed by a medium figure 8 to a fast figure 8.... heh, heh, heh.
Anywhoo, I now have some more solid information to continue working on.

Ron

It's ok if you disagree with me.
I can't force you to be right.

15 Reply by Ron May

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

Ben, keeping it on the same plane is one of the toughest parts for me as well.
Awareness and practice will help me to fine tune it.

It does seem to be more of a wrist movement and less of an arm movement in the second part of the crack if it's to be fast like Robby demonstrates.

I do like both styles.

Ron

It's ok if you disagree with me.
I can't force you to be right.

16 Reply by Ben Varsek

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

Absolutely right Ron.

The fast figure 8 can be done by forming a "small loop" which is more of a wrist movement and it can be done by formin a "bigger loop" which requires both wrist and arm movement - I also like both styles !!!

All the best
Ben

17 Reply by Michal Pylak

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

@Ron, Today I will edit and upload Ep. 3 - Cracking in slow motion - Fast figure 8. Maybe this week I will also record doing fast figure 8 with my short bullwhip. Using it I need to do only a tiny move with my wrist and it cracks by itself.

18 Reply by Ron May

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

Michal, that sounds cool thanks.

Ron

It's ok if you disagree with me.
I can't force you to be right.

19 Reply by Jesse Bessette

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

I tend to do it with the smaller wrist movement which is the faster technique in my opinion. Unfortunately, it's a stick practice today. I'm working on a three footer to crack inside for days like today. I usually would practice outside, but I have quite a bit of snow on the ground, so that's not happening.

Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates.
          -Mark Twain

20 Reply by Ron May

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Re: The Fast Figure 8 from 1/5/17 to 1/14/17

Jesse, unfortunately this time of year contains a lot of "stick" days.
But using a stick is a lot more helpful than one might think.

Today was cold,but it was at least dry enough to practice.
I don't mind practicing in wet grass, that's the advantage of a nylon / synthetic whip.

The quicker wrist movement was not as smooth as I would like and there's a fine balance between speed / velocity and power. I did manage, I think, to speed up the right amount with out over powering the crack.

Tomorrow will tell if what I did today will stick to my muscle memory.

Ron

It's ok if you disagree with me.
I can't force you to be right.