The "Slow Snap" drill from 4/28/2017 to 5/7/2017

[Ron May]

Russel, that's looking really good.
I know how hard it is to do this with a long whip and you have a good start.

Ron

[Sven van Leeuwen]

Russel, to me it seems like a very good start.

[Russell Jones]

Thank you Ron and Sven. Luckily I managed to get in a video clip before it started raining again. Have a good day people

[Ben Varsek]

Russell, I'm very impressed how fast you get the hang of all the new whipcracking techniques that we've tryed including this one - thumbs up mate !!!

Your technique is fantastic and its always such a joy to see your good whipcracking skills while your dog is having a good time in the backround !!!


Todays practice has been very windy but it still fealt like I was making a little progress

Happy Cracking everyone !!!


All the best
Ben

[Ron May]

Ben, that's good news on your progress.
I don't feel like I have progress much since yesterday.
Perhaps I am expecting too much too soon.

Ron

[Russell Jones]

Thank you very much Ben. That is a very nice compliment! I love whip-cracking!

[Ron May]

I agree with Ben, Russel.
Your crackin' has improved since your first day of crackin'.

Today's practice was a step backwards but not too far.
I was able to finish where I started out.

Ron

[Russell Jones]

Thanks a lot Ron.
I hope you manage to get to a happy place with this exercise.
I still have work to do before I am!

[Robby Amper]

All of you are successful. Every time you practice, you improve. If this is a great improvement or a small one... The fact that you practice is the success! Always remember: It is absolutely no problem, to make a huge and mindless noise. But to control the whip, to defy gravity, to learn to understand, to feel the whip as extention of your body... That is very hard. But it is rewarding in the end. The others who make noises - make noises. Those who understand the whip, master the whip. There is a deep understanding of body mechanics, of energy flow and finesse which will never be understood by those who only make noise.

But - again - that takes time. Time, effort, practice and patience. But if you understand practicing as helpful step on the way to master the whip, you will be right on your way and at the end of that road at the same time. Practicing is mastering. Someone who tells you that he mastered the whip completely and entirely got lost somewhere on the way. Becoming a master means never to stop being a student. And always being a humble student means that you're on the way to become a master. It's a never ending circle. Those who think that they are masters, or - worse - call themselves master - left that circle of learning and mastery a long time ago.

Don't try to be a master. Try to become the most humble and patient student of the art. That will lead you to a certain level of perfection. I have been a student for decades, now. And every practice session shows me how far away I am from becoming a master. And that is good


Robby

[Russell Jones]

Thanks Robby. Whips are like life.... I have been around for nearly 43 years and in no way have a sense of mastery of that...only seems logical to apply that to whips. Keep trying and do your best. I do like your philosophies

[Ron May]

Thank you for your thoughts and good example Robby.
That does make sense.

I will never be a performer, but I want to be able to demonstrate another image of whips that most people have never seen. Not the negative image that most perceive when they think about whips but one of control and flow and positive energy.

I also need to be proficient so as to reflect a positive image of Whip Basics.
If someone says, "Where did you learn how to crack a whip?" When I say that I learned with "Whip Basics" and the forum, I don't want to embarrass the forum with a negative image of not knowing what I am doing.

I will get better. It's impossible not to if the time is put in correctly.

Ron

[Rachel McCollough]

I will get better. It's impossible not to if the time is put in correctly.

Ron

Exactly!

[Ben Varsek]

Thank's Ron !!!
I'm pretty shure that every day that you've practiced will pay off in the end - including the "step back days" !!!


Robby, thank you very much for your advise and for your encouraging words !!!
By the way - your new avatar looks awesome !!!


Todays practice has been nice. I've been using different whips to see how long it would take me to adapt the level of acceleration to each whip. It took me a while to adapt but it the end it worked out on most attempts
My weak hand side practice has been terrible after switching whips - I need to work a lot more on that.


All the best
Ben

[Ron May]

Ben, it's good to be able to adapt to different whips.
That's showing true improvement.

Ron

[Rachel McCollough]

Ben, it sounds like you're doing great!

[Sven van Leeuwen]

Thank you Robby for your words. They help a lot to get in the same frequency. Or as we say in the Netherlands, point all our noses in the right direction.

Let's continue...

[Ron May]

Today's practice is going better than yesterday's .
It usually takes me at least half of the 10 min. to be able to regulate the energy to achieve what the goal of this drill is.
This is going to be so valuable to other cracks as well.
I can see that already.

Ron

[Rachel McCollough]

Great job Ron! It takes me 10 min to get started... I'm way off but it's a little better each time.

Wish I could do video a lot more.

[Ron May]

Rachel, that's the name of the game, Getting better.

Ron

[Rachel McCollough]

One practice session at a time!