Let's Learn Volleys

At the request of the members, the 10/10 challenge has its own section now. Every 10 days a new thread will be opened for that particular exercise.
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Jessie Edwards
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  Let's Learn Volleys

Post by Jessie Edwards »

Now, obviously, this is best done with a shorter lighter whip. If you have one, awesome. If not, this can be practiced with a slower whip--you just need to be slow. I like to do a very slow volley when looking at how a new whip rolls out. I like to know exactly how it behaves on the forward as well as the backward and this works well for that, so it can be done.

Another way to practice is with the stick of death, which might be the best option if all you own is 10 and 12 foot monsters. I doubt this is the case. Remember that first 20/20 challenge that Robby showed us? That worked out best with a shorter whip too, but we could do it with what we had, so let's learn volleys!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc2o2c- ... rEK0RhMZAo
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Ron May
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Post by Ron May »

These can be really a lot of fun.
Thanks, Jessie.

Ron
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Rachel McCollough
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Post by Rachel McCollough »

Garret and Hagen will both want to try this!
Inch by inch.
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Post by Russell Jones »

Cool, i've played around with this on occasions but never put in a prolonged effort.
Thanks Jessie :)
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Ben Varsek
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Post by Ben Varsek »

Thank's Jessie, the volley is rather new to me but I'm looking forward to practice it!
My knee is still an issue, but I'll practice it with the stick of death and I'll have a "real" practice session as soon as I can!

All the best
Ben
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Flemming Bo Christiansen
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Post by Flemming Bo Christiansen »

Ok - I will see if I can get the time to join you.

I have a matching pair of 4 ft from Tyler Blake , but it was never a succes. I was hitting my self all the time and I think I have to learn to make a loaded fall to get in control.
Today is a good day
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Post by Russell Jones »

First concentrated attempts on this one were mixed for me. Its much too wet for my 5ft stock whip so I gave it a try with the 8 footer.
Keeping up the timing is quite hard work but I'll keep going :)
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Matt Henderson
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Post by Matt Henderson »

I've finally found a spot where I might be able to practice, so I might be able to do this one :)
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Mark Elliott
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Post by Mark Elliott »

I don't know if it's a good idea or not, but I've been kind of jumping around from different lessons to try to catch up a little with you guys. still mostly working from the DVDs, though. I worked on this one for about 30 minutes yesterday and finally got to where I could do short runs with out getting tangled. This one is a pretty fun one to do.
"Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder." -E. B. White
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Ron May
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Post by Ron May »

Mark, it might be best to stick with one crack until you feel like you have got it down.
Then you move on to the next.
The whole process was designed to do 1 crack / combo for 10 minutes (minimum) for 10 days.
However, you can proceed with what works better for you, learning at your own pace too.

For me the trick to volleys is to keep the thong on the same plane from the first crack to the second crack and back. That's not too easy for me to do.

Ron
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I can't force you to be right.
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Post by Russell Jones »

Good stuff Mark :)
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Jessie Edwards
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Post by Jessie Edwards »

How are we doing? I went out today and practiced several things. I took my 5 foot, 6 foot and 7 foot out and vollyed with each one for a while, did some target work, screwed around in general, but at least 10 minutes was spent of volleys with each length. I enjoy seeing how slow I can go and still get a crack.

Mark, I think its fine to skip around, especially if you are spending more than 10 minutes out. Here's the thing, there is no catching up. We all revisit the old stuff, and should be when we are out. Just focus 10 minutes on the crack that we are on, then go 10 minutes on something else you want to try. The most important thing is not to try to go so fast that you pick up bad habits. As above, I spent 10 minutes with my longest whip, then 10 minutes or so target time, then danced around doing whatever (the long whip is most fun doing dancing whatever) and then flung it aside and picked up the 6 footer and did it all again. Then flung that aside and finished up with volleys with the short whip and the 20/20 first lesson, since they go the best with the 5 footer.

Lastly, I practice with headphones on. A personal peeve is people who are so focused on the crack that they just power through their lessons. It's hard on them, the whip, and they are just enforcing bad habits. By wearing the headphones, I can't hear the crack. I hear the music, I go through the motions and when I learn to do them right, I always have a crack. Always.
Due to rising costs, dirty deeds are no longer done dirt cheap.
~Management
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Robert Gage
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Post by Robert Gage »

Jessie Edwards wrote: By wearing the headphones, I can't hear the crack. I hear the music, I go through the motions and when I learn to do them right, I always have a crack. Always.
Jessie, this is profoundly wise, I think! Thank you! :)
'Less is often more!'
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Post by Russell Jones »

I had a good go at this last night for about an hour.
I started off very slow and that changed very little throughout. In fact I prefer a slow volley as I'm using an 8 foot whip.
On that note I was having a good chat with Peter Jack the other day on the phone about some in depth philosphical views and found this most beneficial to proceeding with a calmer, confident, yet focused approach to my whip cracking.

Progress was quite good with the volley, but nothing to really write home about as I found keeping the plane quite a challenge and flow I was producing was intermittent compared to how easily April demonstrates in her video. However I realise that this is just me getting used to the technique and I am looking forward to more progress.
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Ron May
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Post by Ron May »

Absolutely Jessie.
If you're not doing it for the crack, then it becomes the form.... which will make the crack.
Brilliant.

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

 

Post by Russell Jones »

Jessie Edwards wrote:Lastly, I practice with headphones on. A personal peeve is people who are so focused on the crack that they just power through their lessons. It's hard on them, the whip, and they are just enforcing bad habits. By wearing the headphones, I can't hear the crack. I hear the music, I go through the motions and when I learn to do them right, I always have a crack. Always.
I agree and more recently have been trying to work towards a more elegant style of whipcracking with finesse and patience at the forefront of learning and executing techniques.
However I think people including myself in general do feel a sense of accomplishment when they hear the whip crack and maybe try too hard to make that happen at times.
If all certain people want to do is continue to belt the hell out of their whip and their bodies, that's their choice.
For some it is a stage they go through before realising there is much more to whip cracking and move on from that. Even better.
My respect and admiration goes out to those people who practice patiently and calmly from the beginning and can ignore the trappings of temptaion when it comes to whip cracking! :) ;)
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Jessie Edwards
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Post by Jessie Edwards »

Now that I am making whips, I stress so much about them staying together. I had one come back to be fixed because the fall hitches slipped off. I saw the same problem with the whips my brother in law and nieces have from me. After a lot of frustration and anger, I looked closely at my own personal whips that I use every single day. My 5 footer is the 5th whip I ever made and the hitches are as tight as the day I made them. It was then I realized that it is not my hitches, its the user of the whip. My brother in law will practically throw his back out to make the loudest crack he can. He almost lost an eye when the whip wrapped around his face at such a speed it cut his cheek open. It's no wonder that all the whips are falling apart. It's wasteful and stupid and, to a whipmaker putting 10 to 20 hours into something, deeply disturbing. It's not just the whip, it's the user being hurt.

I think the action and flow of whipcracking can be helpful and healthful on all levels, but only if done right. I promote meditative cracking and make my whips to optimize that, mso it's important to me to see everyone learn the technique. It's the same technique for fast and loud or slow and easy. The difference is how much safer, controlled, easy, and less injurious fast and loud can be if you learn slow and controlled. It makes no difference what you want the end result to be, we all have to crawl before we run.

So, if only for the sake of the challenges and training, do it right, so at least you can say you know how. That's all I have to say about that.
Due to rising costs, dirty deeds are no longer done dirt cheap.
~Management
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Ron May
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Post by Ron May »

I totally agree.
You can make a whip bullet proof, but it doesn't help if they use a cannon.
What you describe is abuse pure and simple.
You could always dip the end in epoxy, but they would find a way to destroy it.

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

 

Post by Russell Jones »

I can see why you would feel frustrated on a few levels after hearing your experiences as a whipmaker and also as a family member watching your relatives hurt themselves like that too!
I'm really enjoying delving into the more meditative side of whip cracking and you're right on the button with all the merits of that.
I hope it won't be sounding like i'm showing off by saying so, but i'm very much looking forward to the arrival of Willow because i'm sure this whip will be teaching me a thing or two about how how to listen to a whip and you can be sure that I will be treating it with the utmost respect :)
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Robert Gage
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Post by Robert Gage »

Jessie Edwards wrote:I think the action and flow of whipcracking can be helpful and healthful on all levels, but only if done right. I promote meditative cracking and make my whips to optimize that.... It's the same technique for fast and loud or slow and easy. The difference is how much safer, controlled, easy, and less injurious fast and loud can be if you learn slow and controlled. ... We all have to crawl before we run.
Jessie, this is wonderfully succinct - and I totally agree! :)
'Less is often more!'
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