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

[Russell Jones]

Thanks Ron, I also forgot to mention what a valuable tool the Whip Basics dvd's are, as a visual basis for comparison.

I've been relying on the feel too much, and not enough visual scrutiny.

Cheers.

[Ron May]

Russel, I would keep focusing on the "feel" and just use the visual as a reference.

I have found that being able to feel what the whip is doing helps me in the timing of the crack. I seem to be watching the whip too much in stead of knowing by feel where and what it's doing.

Ron

[Russell Jones]

Thanks Ron, i'll take that advice

My coordination is not quite up to par with cracks which require a completely different feel, for example cracks like the Victorian Cutback which require a "wrist roll". It looks so easy but sending that message to my body gets messed up along the way somewhere.
My answer in the past was to follow through with stubborn repetition until nailing it.
i'm going to try and break it down and then piece it together.

[Ron May]

Russel, I believe that's a good way to do it.

Ron

[Robert Gage]

Russell, I'm not sure why, but your fast figure eight looks more relaxed than your slow figure eight. Well done!

[Russell Jones]

Thank you sir!

[Tristan Foy]

This is a video of my most recent efforts of the FF8. I went through the full 100 minutes but something is still getting lost in the translations, because it looks like I just caught a fish with my bare hands.

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=74IOd1DiuyA

[Tristan Foy]

Dammit, put the wrong link again. Sorry.

Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74IOd1DiuyA

[Robert Gage]

Tristan, if I may - just slow down! You're jerking the whip on both cracks, and you look much more tense here than on most of your other videos. I hesitate to say this, as I don't want to sound too critical; but I think you've basically 'got it'. You just need to slow down - a lot! (And remember: the smoother and more relaxed you can be, the less likely the whip is to bite you! It won't bite you unless you tell it to!)

[Russell Jones]

Hi Tristan, I can see that you are trying really hard to get the fast figure eight crack. Good effort.

Just to add to what Robert was saying, It might pay to re-visit the clip that Ron posted at the beginning of the thread, really observe and try and replicate the movement and the positioning of your whip arm, particularly after the first crack. It can be a repetitive and tedious exercise, but it is a good way to analyze, notice something new and then be able to adjust, or change something you are doing wrong.

Good luck Tristan

[Ron May]

Tristan, I agree with every thing said previously. Especially "slow down".
I applaud you for trying as hard as you do. I know it's frustrating but hang in there and you will get it.

Here's Robby's break down for both Figure 8s .
Watch it over and over and try , slowly at first, to copy his movements like a shadow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVV4KU1 ... e=youtu.be

Ron

[Matt Henderson]

I agree again, if you relax you'll get better results. I know it sounds counterintuitive to put less power in, but you can't beat the whip at its own game; you need to allow it to do what it wants to do and just guide it there.

[Ben Varsek]

Hi Tristan, thank you very much for sharing your pratice video and my compliments to your commitment !!!

I've noticed in your practice video that you are follwing through after the circus crack just the way we all did it when we where practicing the circus crack as a single crack on this challenge.
I assume that this is what causes you to do a additional motion with the whip after the circus crack in which you move the thong "back" to the 3 o'clock position before doing the second crack of the FF8.
What helped me to practice the second crack of the FF8 was to practice it seperatly with the whip completely streightent out in front of me.

All the best
Ben

[Johnny Pell]

Tristan, Dude you are doing great compared to my attempts last week. Don't get discouraged. I started getting discouraged a few days ago because it seemed like the harder I tried the worse it seemed like I did. Thanks to the help and encouragement from everyone here, I stuck with it. I'm not saying that I am any good at all, I still suck in my opinion but, I am getting better. I couldn't get the slow 8 and now I can. However the fast 8 is still a work in progress. I am trying to slow down but its hard to get the body to do what the mind wants sometimes (ADD). I was going to post another video today but I chose not to. I will tomorrow. I have so many stripes on my wrist and arm it's not even funny. Peace

[Tristan Foy]

Johnny, I gave my warm a good lashing today, so one sympathizes.

What a bunch of kind words! Thank you everyone.

Yeah yeah, relax relax, slow down. You think I'd learn by now, but I guess that's part of the game.

Ben, I completely agree, and that's what I have been doing with the second half of the crack. I can actually do that, but it's putting them together that causes a mistranslation in my brain!

Ron, thank you for the links. I've watched Robby's instructions and also the link you posted at the top of this thread where the instructor (name is escaping me right now) also suggested starting with the second crack. For some reason, on this particular crack, his instruction was a little clearer to me. I think the "open the book" method in confusing because I imagined a book on the plane crossing over me, instead of going to my side. I assumed Robby meant to the side, even though he didn't specify, but I wondered, maybe he meant that's how you swivel the handle (I still haven't had time to watch his video yet).

But I got in thirty minutes today. I went much slower, and also I was on my Blue Tooth talking to my brother the whole time about politics and also relationship stuff, which took my mind off the whip itself and let the cracks happen more naturally.

As I'm keeping my whipmaking and cracking a secret from my family (when I get good enough, I want to build one for my dad in the colors of our beloved dog he brought him from work once) so if he had asked about the noise, I was just going to tell him I was firing off a gun I found in the park. >:-)

[Tristan Foy]

So, I'm back in the challenge after taking some time off. I left off with this crack, so I'm going to pick it back up, just starting at the beginning of 10 days in.

I don't really expect to catch up now, but while I might double up on practices now and then, I am not going to strain myself to keep up like I was doing last time. As such, I'll post updates if I have questions, or want to show progress, but I may not post everyday, even though I am going to try to practice as daily as I can.

Here is from today, my second day of re-practicing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x14N4WqZpQA

[Robert Gage]

Tristan, this seems a very sensible approach. The 10/10 challenge is meant to be a learning aid, not a competition (at least, I think so!). But your video says 'Private', so I can't watch it!

[Tristan Foy]

I didn't really feel like a competition, but I was having a hard time keeping up and was feeling a little discouraged when I would post where I was and was told that the group was on another crack. I know: I was aware of where everyone else was. That's why I was trying to hurry up to get there. :-) But it wasn't the best plan, and it backfired on me. Too many plates spinning. Lesson learned. I have to go at a slower pace for now, and probably as usual.

Thanks for letting me know about the video. It should be remedied by now.

I look forward to learning about these other cracks when I get there! :-D

[Robert Gage]

Video fixed - thanks!

Tristan, that's not bad at all. However, on the second crack of each pair, your forearm seems to move away from your body (to the right) quite a long way. You might try to keep your arm (and hence the whip) more in a flat plane (as against the imaginary clock face). And as this becomes more comfortable, and your whole body becomes more relaxed, you should find you can use even less force - but without losing any speed.

[Tristan Foy]

Thank you!

Right, and think I'm still a little afraid of it. I've been studying Daren Wilkerson's tutorial over and over, but I haven't yet learned to scoop low yet.

I have been focusing hard on just relaxing and not power-cracking the whip like I have been wont to do, as you well know, Robert. It's coming.