Whip Basics. The Forum

Robert - it is just like cheating, but yes !! I tried a roo after Rons comment and it is very different, but I use the red one because it is difficult - it SHALL be possible

For me this is the most difficult one, by far. Watching Robby throwing this crack upwards to the sky without any effort is really impressive... I know there is a little ‚pumping motion‘ that is decisive to let thong swing around more, but this is something I have not managed correctly yet. I try to wait as long as possible before I „pull the trigger“ and the crack really happens at the side near the ear (need earplugs for that one), so it‘s a step in the right direction but still very similar to a circus crack. This video was shot just yesterday. I am using a very fast performance hybrid style of paracord whip here.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KEbYXR_nb4A

Wolfgang - if I may: this is much too fast! Also, the handle of the whip moves out of a flat plane a lot. Try thinking that your arm - and the whip - are always moving against a flat wall. And slow down! It doesn't matter how slowly you do this (or any other) crack. It doesn't matter if you don't get any 'crack' at all - only a 'pfft'. But get the form right, and everything else will follow. You have all the time in the world! Take it easy!

Thank you Robert, of course you are right. Keeping the handle in the cracking plane and slowing down is something I have to take care of with a lot of cracks I think.
But I have to mention: This is a superfast light-weight hybrid whip (which I used because the thong is short, so it doesn‘t touch the ground while swinging around)... I think I need some speed for this to swing up again. Although a longer pause between the cracks and concentrating more on the plane is a aboutely needed here.

Wolfgang, in my experience, short light-weight whips are actually a lot harder to control than medium-length whips (perhaps 6- or 7-foot).

I don't worry about the whip touching the ground. (I did worry about this at first, all those years ago - and that greatly impeded my progress!) This is where nylon whips have an advantage over leather. If it's wet, they don't mind!

I've been cracking whips for more than fifty years, and I still have to tell myself to slow down!

In this case I did not want the whip to touch the ground , because I thought it could interfere with the thong too much and prevent the whip from completing the fully closed loop needed for this crack.
But as far as slowing down is concerned:
A certain lady on this forum builds whips which seem to be slow and heavy like a much longer whip althogh they are in the 6-foot range and help beginners to slow down and concentrate on the form. Having seen a video review from Robby of this kind of practice whip was the reason why I finally applied for an account here...
I first thought about joining the WB forum half a year ago, but backed out then.

Wolfgang, I looked at the Forum for almost a year before I decided to contact Robby; I wanted to be sure this was a 'civilised' site. From the moment I became a member, I was completely reassured.

If, by 'a certain lady', you mean Jessie, I can vouch for her whips. I have two of them, and think they're great!

Wolfgang - I had my first nylonwhip, a very special one you can see in review no 38 (and 39 too), and I have used it all winter and I love to crack it.

It is a 5 footer, and for the overhead routines I like a longer heavier whip. The short one is too fast for me. In my opinion you can buy a whip from any of the members in here, and you will be satisfied.

Remember the dog shelter donation, where you have the opportunity to actually win a whip.

Wolfgang, I also own one of Jessie's whips and love it, it is so easy to crack.

Mark, wow this looks cool - I really like the blue handle!
Flemming right now it‘s really hard for me to keep up with what‘s going on here...so much to find here...I‘ll certainly participate in the dog shelter donation.
I also have several other videos I‘d like to share for different cracks or combinations.
Robert, yes I ordered a practice whip from Jessie.

Before I had one of Jessie's Practice Whips in my hands, I was a bit...sceptical. But the first few cracks made me a true believer. Those Practice Whips are really good to crack and the behave very nice!

Robby

Wolfgang, that's great news! I have no doubt at all that you'll like Jessie's whip!

Okay, so I tried it again, bit I noticed something... I am not 6.5 ft tall... with 5 ft 9 inches (1,76 m) the 6 ft whips I am using are longer than myself. So, how can I bring my arm up when it‘s already very high, because I didn’t want the whip to touch the ground and slow down?!
So I was going for the 90 degree angle straight forward version. I think it‘s an improvement over the last video I posted, but still some way to go to get this down.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oCli13B20a4

...and I am currently working on the 10 crack routine of Robby‘s DVD Vol. 2 of which the „forward coachman’s crack“ is a part.
So I think I‘ll stick with that one for a while and then „work my way up“ to the vertical skyward version.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FB_oWxsp-aY

(yes I know, the crossover flick is ugly - another thing I really have to work on)

Wolfgang, it seems impertinent of me to offer more advice, but I urge you again to try to relax and slow down. Rather than jerking your arm upwards, try to get a nice smooth curve.

And don't worry about the whip touching the ground....

In fact, I find the upward coachman's crack very difficult, so I probably shouldn't say anything at all! :P

That's a lot better than the first one, good job. I'm not very good at the coachman's either, but, like Robert, I don't worry about it hitting the ground. Keep up the good work.

Thank you for your feedback! Yes, this „touching the ground thing“... next time I‘ll probably just experiment with this a little and watch the whip swing up for the second time, before I go for the actual crack, just to get a get a feel for the response of this particular whip.

Wolfgang - an advice (which is given to me many times) is to stay on the same spot in a balanced position, slow each crack down so the whip nearly can't stay in the air and be aware of the constant movement so that it wont be single cracks after each other.

Does it make sense ?

Flemming, I don’t know if I understand this correctly. You mean finding the point with lowest amount of energy possible to keep the whip barely moving in it‘s supposed path? For example, when I bring the whip up for the cattleman, do it so slow that the whip almost falls down to the ground again, before it completes the loop ?

Yes exately. That way you get some teqniq into it, and yuo will see - some finesse.

Ince you have learn that, you can speed up again if you want