My first overhead crack.

West Virginia Jones · Post by **West Virginia Jones** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 4:52 pm

I thought I would share with you my excitement at pulling off my first overhead whip crack. It was awesome!!! I soon followed the first one up with about 5 more. I even got two in a row. What a rush!!!! I want to again thank Adam Winrich for making such a great whip with his IOAB line. Those things are indeed made to crack. Regards.

-West Virginia Jones

Canyon · Post by **Canyon** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 5:29 pm

WVJones, congratulations!

I have yet to master the bullwhip, but have done a few cracks myself.

Well done!

USNavyBlueAngel · Post by **USNavyBlueAngel** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 6:42 pm

Congrats, WestVirginiaJones!

It's always thrilling to keep working on a new trick, and all of a sudden get it to make noise! And the addiction begins.....

Spooky · Post by **Spooky** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 8:50 pm

Congrats West Virginia.

The overhead took me the longest.
(besides the underhand crack that is ... still don't have that one down).
The overhead used to be my loudest crack - but now the forward crack (for some reason unknown to me) is now the reigning (decibel) champ.

Best Regards,

West Virginia Jones · Post by **West Virginia Jones** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 5:17 pm

Thanks for the encouragement, all. I still can't hit it consistently, but I'm getting better at it. I also hit a side arm, though that may have been a bit of a fluke. I've hit some forward cracks, but the motion takes some getting used to. I've been so close on the underhand, but I'm not quite there yet. I find whip cracking a great way to build the arm & wrist muscles (especially the forearm). Thanks again, time to get crackin'.

And the addiction begins.....

Couldn't have said it better myself.

-West Virginia Jones

Paul_Stenhouse · Post by **Paul_Stenhouse** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 5:22 pm

Spooky,

You'll get it down. It's on my video, which is winging it's way to you as of yesterday.

The toughest part I found about the overhead is getting over the fear of tangling up your noggin with leather!

Best Regards,

Paul Stenhouse

Kris · Post by **Kris** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 6:24 pm

Aint the overhead the one were you swing it around you, and at 11'o clock (what's at 11 'o clock?!) you snap the whip on the opposite side ? If so .. I can handle that ... that's the only one :p

Bufflehead Jones · Post by **Bufflehead Jones** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 6:37 pm

Yes, Kris it is when I do it right handed. When I do it lefthanded, it is more like 1 or 2 o'clock.

Spooky · Post by **Spooky** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 8:35 pm

Paul_Stenhouse wrote:Spooky,
You'll get it down. It's on my video, which is winging it's way to you as of yesterday.
The toughest part I found about the overhead is getting over the fear of tangling up your noggin with leather!
Best Regards,
Paul Stenhouse

Awesome Paul - really looking forward to learning more about whipcracking.

Thanks for the encouragement ... I think I'll go & practice a bit right now.

Best Regards,

Whipcrack · Post by **Whipcrack** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 9:13 am

Congratulations WVJ, it sounds like you are off to a good start. IMO a good crack is the result of proper execution by the whipper and a quality whip to crack. I can usually get a new person who never whipped start doing underhand cracks in about 15 minutes. Most new crackers find it exhilarating. The have seen whips cracked in movies and TV but never thought they would be able to do it themselves. Most are exhausted after cracking as they all use more effort than necessary to muscle the whip rather than let the whip do the work.

The newbees I teach never crack overhand as the risk of head shot is way to likely.

Keep up the good work.
Bill Walton

West Virginia Jones · Post by **West Virginia Jones** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 1:53 pm

Thanks, Bill. I can now hit the overhead with complete consistency. Thanks for the pointer about not trying to muscle the whip around. It really helped me hit the overhead crack with consistency. It's amazing, but I was using much less force, yet proper technique & I was pulling off some of the loudest cracks yet. I was practicing just a little bit ago, & I got into a rhythm doing some forward cracks. I just started hitting them one after the other & as I got more comfortable with the rhythm, they got louder. It was a great feeling. I had been a little off on my execution most of the practice, so it felt good to get it right.