Whip Basics. The Forum

Mr. Robert and Bob, I can see how rolling it back in stead of flipping it around the side would promote a straighter lining up of the thong for the next throw.
Thank you so much for your observations. It's greatly appreciated.

Ron

Hey Ron! For me it was completely okay. Not too fast, not overpowered... Just relaxed, nice and safe. What I can see on the videos is really good. On all the folks who post their stuff! And what I see too, is, that you are way more critical amongst each other than I would be. Which is not bad at all. I'm afraid to post my videos now...

B u t ....

When some folks have advice and make suggestions - why don't you make a little vid on that yourself? I found - and find - it extremely difficult, to read something and bring that to life in my yard, then. But if I'd had a video, where somebody is showing me what I do and then shows me how I can improve - that's a complete different story. Well, I have the most lame excuse of all... I made six DVDs on the subject. So I did my job. But if the others who are helping the ones who post videos, would post videos themselves - that would be a thing! The written word is one thing. A living picture is way more understandable!

So - take your cameras, phones and what ever you have and explain what you post. Imagine how helpful that would be. I did that already, remember? When I can do that, you guys can do it even better!

Robby

Yeah, not only is it an excuse, it's a lame one : P

You know I'm kidding, we're thankful for the videos you made anyway on top of the DVD's!

That's a good point though and I've thought of that. But now you said it and it gave me the kick to do it and not just think and I will as soon as I'm back home and have the week after!

It's still more or less blind leading the blind, but I believe I have couple of points that might be of inspiration and help!

I'm sure you'll doing fine, Erik! It's not about being perfect in any way - I am lightyears away from being perfect, myself - it's all about enthusiasm, passion and inspiration!

So - what are you waiting for? Go on and inspire!

Robby

Those are some nice videos, guys. Watching others crack so easily is a good reminder for me that it's not about the power put into the whip.

If I make a video today that shows some substantial differences, I'll post it today.

Robby, I think that's a very good idea. A visual reference is better than a thousand words.
Thanks Robby for your observations and input.

I know that some may not have the familiarity or ability of making and posting suggestions on videos so please don't let that dissuade you from participating with your observations.

Ron

Erik, you aren't alone. I feel like I am gaining more than contributing, since I am still just a month or so into whip-cracking regularly. I've cracked more during this 10 Crack Challenge than I have in my entire life previously.

At this point I feel like the only thing I can contribute is, it's about using grace and motion, not strength and power. I think everyone here already knows that, or if they are new, like me, are figuring that out by now.

Today while cracking I saw a group of people in the park I go to shooting bows and arrows. I went over and said hi after I was finished, and felt relieved I'm not the only out there doing a sport that might be perceived as a little peculiar.

No whip practice today. I left work in a bad mood, and while whip cracking might have helped chill me out, I unfortunately to take care of some housekeeping problems at my apartment.

But it would have been a beautiful day for it. How are things going with everyone else?

It was still raining this morning but by the afternoon it stopped and now the skies are clear... the super moon was last night.

Practice this afternoon was good and I feel like it's getting a little smoother but not as I would prefer it. It will get there.

Ron

Ron, your horizontal crack comparison videos show very good improvement - congratulations !!!
Your frist combo video also looks very good !!!
By the way - I realy like how fluid your whip is - it cracked a couple of times in your video while you were just swinging it back to have it straightened out behind you !!!
A cloudy sky also made it impossible for me to see the super moon last night


Bob, thank you for sharing your video !!!
Your cracking looks very effortless and it's a joy to see your whips in action !!!
Also thank you very much for your tip - so far I've also been moving the whip sideways to get it into the position I wanted, but letting the whip roll out insted seems like a much more precise way of doing that !!!


Robby, thank you for encouraging us to make "advice videos" !!!
I must admit that I have been a little shy about posting advice videos since I'm far, far away from beeing secure on my own techniques - but you're making a very good point !!!
As long as a "advice video" is helpful to another practitioner then this video has served it's purpose - even if the person shooting the video is (like me ) far, far away from beeing a perfect whipcracker !!!


I haven't made a final day video of the HC so far. My wife didn't feel good and wasn't able to film my practice and none of my friends had time to film me before sunset.
I'll post my HC and combo videos as soon as I'll find someone to film me !!!
Going back to the UC and CC for this combo showed me how important a daily practice is for each crack - it fealt like a little drawback to me compared to my 10th day practices of these cracks.


All the best
Ben

You all put me to shame! I suppose I'll simply have to learn how to make a video - any video - but I find it very daunting to try and wade through about 400 pages of instructions that go with my camera!

Today's practice was a very very slight progress but it is progress.

Ron

Same here, slight progress. I can now do something resembling the forward crack without hitting myself, usually.

I don't have the grace down. I was wondering to myself, which is probably more important? The finesse or the crack? Honestly, if you can't get a whip to crack, it's a bit like not getting a gun to shoot: that is what it is supposed to do, in my view.

That said, I figured finesse might be more important, because the way most of us are using whips is just for fun or art, not working with animals. So in that sense it's like dancing, where the rhythm and movement is probably most important.

Robby, I like your idea as well. I have found Adam Winrich's videos to be very helpful, in addition to a few others' whose name I cannot recall. I don't feel like I yet know enough compared to most of the people here. When I wrote about how I discovered how to hold the handle loosely instead of like a vicegrip, I had the impression that people were happy I finally understood something they also understood, rather than they being like "Oh yeah, that's a good idea! I should try that!" That doesn't bother me since I just started cracking. And I am pleased to make videos as I continue to learn to help others. Right now I feel like I'd be helping people form bad habits, though.

But I did notice that in all of the videos I watched here, no one was speaking in them! That's partly why I started asking questions in my videos. It kept the typing down and showed exactly what I was wondering about.

Tristan, I'm pretty sure that 'finesse' is much more important than the crack. Get the form right, and the crack will come. Just get a crack 'any old how', and you'll never acquire real control, let alone grace. Robby, watching me do something unfamiliar, has said to me (more than once or twice) 'Forget about the crack!' I feel certain he's right.

Hang in there Tristan.

Like Mr. Robert and Robby have stated focus on the form and the crack will come. I have experienced this personally.
Is it more rewarding when it cracks ? Yes.

You can give a whip to an ape and he can swing it around with all it's might and it will crack sooner or later. But what does it look like? An ape swinging around a whip.

I have also found it much more impressive to my self and others when it looks like I am doing it effortlessly and smoothly.

I have often watched pro golfers and they make it look so easy and simple, but it took hours and hours of practice and experience to make it look like that.

So keep the faith and you will be glad you did. I guarantee it.

Ron

Thank you, guys. Even though I can get the UC to C now, it still look like I'm trying to do some chest pounding instead of just flicking the whip, so there is muuuuuch refining left to do.

As it happens with all things, you hit plateaus and the novelty and fun wear off. I'm there, or getting there, with whipcracking right now. Of course it's still fun, but you get done with work, and it's colder, and I want to have dinner, and its getting darker much sooner, and I can't see the throws because they are above or behind me, making them more complicated.

Today I had to come home directly from work instead of go directly to the park, so I decompressed while I played a computer game for about an hour or two, a World War II submarine simulator where you hunt around the Atlantic. By the time I was done, I just kinda wanted to skip practice.

But sometimes you just have to grin and go. So off I went to the park and got in my crack. No video since it was already dark. But hey, I'm making progress with every day.

I hope everyone else is still having fun, even if it is getting tougher for you too to keep up with the challenge. :-)

I'm glad that you went ahead and practiced. It's not easy to make a commitment like this
especially when the weather and time makes it more challenging.
Good for you.

My practice today was good. Trying to combine two throws into basically one fluid combination is not as easy as it sounds. Either crack alone is fairly good, but to flow one into the other consistently, and make it look easy is the key.
My goal has been to make it seamless. To combine the two to look like one.

It is getting better.

Ron

No, it isn't!

I never liked dancing much but this is kinda what that is (but I do like this).

Thanks for the compliments. I'll do my best to post a video with any more forthcoming advice. Sometimes I'm just not in the position to do it. I haven't practiced any since the weekend. Work and family life has gotten in the way a bit.

Hi jessie

Grt initiative - went out and did the practice - pitch black here in Denmark at 1630 - so no video.

To start with i had my "usual" problem - that my cracker and fall seem to hit each other when i do the forward movement. But after 10 cracks (attempts) i found out that if i swing the whip back with more resolve than usual it improves dramatically - so allready now the practice lessons are good.