Sergei, question on the "backward" circus crack...

[Minnesota Jones]

At the summit, on Pyro's video, you do a circus crack, and it's reverse/backward twin. And do them both together. What was the size of the whip you were giving your tutorial on? I finally dusted off the whips from all the weather we've had up here and gave it a go on our 6 footer and it worked!!!!! But I had problems doing it with an 8 foot. Didn't know if it was the whip or me just being tired. I'm sure it's near impossible on a 10 footer. Would you recomment the 8 footer on this move, or stick with the 6 footer for it?

Thanks!

[Major Mike]

Its a tough one to do. I'm still working on it. Mike Murphy's video, Fundamental Whip Cracking, demonstrates it really well. Of course, he makes it look easy. He also does a variation of that called the Queensland Crossover, which is like a forward and backward circus crack using a really stiff wrist and without a pause between them. I think that one is easier done with stockwhips. Beautiful to watch, difficult to perform.

[Robert Duke]

Major Mike says "a variation of that called the Queensland Crossover, which is like a forward and backward circus crack using a really stiff wrist and without a pause between "

It's not quite a good description of the Queensland X-over. That routine must use two whips doing Overhead cracks. The Overhead is a crack done with a single whip with 2 cracks in the front. The Queensland X-over uses two whips in a staggered timing rhythm with 2 whips and the whips and your arms are crossing and uncrossing over each other, making a total of 4 cracks in one set, but to perform it one does it for several sets, so it's making continous pops.

The reverse circus crack put together with the forward circus crack is called the SLOW Figure 8, as the whip thong follows in a figure 8 pattern. Then this trick can be done with two whips in together time rhythm and several staggered time rhythms which make really great combinations.

Most people like to jump to the FAST Figure 8 cracking pattern because it looks good and is fairly easy to learn. Adding the FAST and SLOW Figure 8 patterns into different rhythms along with together and staggered volleys are really nice.

I believe these cracks are more easily done with a longer handle bullwhip or a stockwhip. An INDY whip isn't the best for doing this kind of cracking. Keep your INDY for what it does best, but get some other tools in your toolbox for doing the other tricks. An INDY bullwhip can do SLOW and FAST Figure 8s ok, but not good on volleys. I really believe that's where you need the handle length. So get the right tool for the job. If you only had a screwdriver and you needed a hammer, I suppose you could hit the nail with the handle but it doesn't work too well.

I have won many whipcracking freestyle competitions. I have competed with 7 time Aussie National Champion Fiona Wilkes and also Mike Murphy.
The Aussies have their whipcracking sport. The Americans and most others use bullwhips and have not come near close enough to the Aussies in seriousness to compete. I only wish there were more Aussie style whipcrackers here in the U.S. to compete with.

Robert Duke aka Cowboy Bob

[jerryrwm]

[quote= "]Major Mike "a variation of that called the Queensland Crossover, which is like a forward and backward circus crack using a really stiff wrist and without a pause between ")

Major Mike, were you perhaps referring to the Queensland Flash? Which starts with a cattleman's (circus) to the front, then a quick cattleman's to the rear, dragging the whip back to the front underhanded, and finishing with a cattleman's. And if you keep the whip moving quickly after the reverse cattleman's and keep it up high, you can do an underhand flick and get another crack outta her. That makes it a four crack figure. The trick is to get the flick just right.

This can be done with an Indy whip, but like Robert said, it doesn't flow as easily as with a stockwhip or long-handled aussie bull. The Indy whip is better suited for the basic cracks, circus, overhead, etc. I've tried doing several multicrack figures with an Indy style and it just doesn't finish right. For example, Doing a sloe Fig 8 at the side, moving it to the front, and then as the whip travels to the whiphand side, bring it behind the back and do a circus crack to the off side then follow thru and do the circus crack to the whipside still in the back plane. The shorter handle of the Indy allows me to get the thong and fall tangled because it tends to hit that part that I sit on. (And no it's not that big!)

Robert and Sebastian both do a little five crack routine, that starts with the whip at the side, bring it up and over the head and crack it out front (don't make a full circle with the whip - if you are right handed, bring the whip hand up and counterclockwise to about nine oclock, then reverse and crack in front.) Then follow through with a flick out to the side (straight out to the side - kinda parallel to your shoulders), then bring the whip behind the back and do an underhand flick to the off side, allowing the whip to travel up and then do a cattleman's (circus) crack back to the same side. Then bring the whip back to the whiphand side and do the final cattleman's. There are 5 cracks in this routine and it looks impressive as ####. The toughest part is getting that behind the back flick!!

Get yore hat and glasses and go have fun. Oh yeah that jacket might be in order also. I laid a welt across my back last night that extended from shoulder to opposite hip. Trying some double handed stuff and got a tangle. That thin t-Shirt doesn't provide much cushion!

Keep 'em crackin'

Jerry Rasmussen
Corpus Christi, TX