From falls & poppers to plaiting & cracking technique, this section is dedicated in memory of Sergei, IndyGear Staff Member and Whip Guru. Always remember to keep "Celebratin' Life!"
I got a wakeup call yesterday that I wanted to share. I've been practicing almost every day since I got my whip last December. At first I heeded all the warnings; wore a heavy jacket, safety glasses, hat, etc. I improved very quickly, and after 3 months or so I was comfortable enough with my skills that I stopped using protective gear altogether. I had no problems until......
Yesterday I was doing a combo that I have done successfully hundreds of times, and the whip hit my face horizontally, and raked across both my eyes. I went to my doctor, and fortunately I had no damage. I feel VERY lucky to say the least. I think you can see the moral of the story. Be careful folks! Losing an eye would be a horrible thing.
Sorry, I know. But I was temporarily blinded and couldn't find my camera! After I tripped twice and sprained my wrist, I called for a ride to the doctor. lol! Hmmm.... enough of that...on second thought, not that funny I guess.
Glad no serious harm was done, but this is a good reminder that complacency always gets the better of us . Accidents like this can happen faster then you can blink. You don’t have to fear a whip, but always respect what it can do.
wow...bet that hurt A LOT!
the other day, I was cracking away until somehow, a tree caught my whip and when I tried to crack it foward again, it hit me on top of my head, left of my eye, and right above my lip....pain...dumb tree!
I've smacked the back of my calf a couple times and... Ouchh!!
With your story bluzharp, I may go back to wearing eye protection.Glad you're OK!!
For comparison, I'm a highly experienced bicyclist myself, but will NEVER ride without a helmet on my head, Nobody's that good.
-raider 57
Eye pro is MANDATORY IMHO. I usually crack in a t-shirt, shorts, and maybe a hat, but always have on eye pro. I'm a little worried about my prescription glasses, there is still a lot of space for the cracker to slip in. I prefer wrap-around Oakleys.
Maybe it is my background in shooting, but I've NEVER taken my eyes for granted and the unexpected can always happen. If I am outdoors, I have on quality eye pro.
Now a lash across the leg or back, I consider that positive reinforcement
Yup, I hear ya bro. Back to eye pro for me. It was a careless, foolish mistake. I mean for cryin' out loud, I wore eye pro the day before just to change my oil, and a whip is less dangerous than that???!!!
Like they say, "It's all fun and games, until someone loses an eye." lol
. Accidents like this can happen faster then you can blink. You don’t have to fear a whip, but always respect what it can do. 
