How much is to much?

[John Vaughan]

Hey guys, I was wondering just how much power is to much power when cracking your whip? With my 8 footer I can make it sound like a air rifle, or like a shotgun. It's my first whip and I picking it up rather fast, but I don't want to over power it and end up doing it any harm. I broke it in nice and easy like I was told, and am ready to make this baby sing. Any suggestions? I dress the leather with Pecards, thong when it feels dry, and fall after each cracking session.

Thanks

John

[binkmeisterRick]

What I was taught is that you should let the whip do the work for you. There should be no reason to have to muscle or overpower the whip. Just try lightly going through with your crack routine until the whip cracks itself without being forced to do so. That is the ideal amount of power to put into your cracking.

[John Vaughan]

Okay cool, less power more technique. Like I said I can make it crack with little to no power on my part, it's just not real loud, I take it I should just keep it up. Thanks.

John

[Chewbacca Jones]

100% agree with Bink. You want to work on the swing, and avoid power. Power will over-stress the whip and shorten the life span. Not to mention, tire you out faster. However, you will slowly figure you way to deliberately loud and soft cracks without much muscling. Take your time.

[ProfessorHenryWJonesJr]

Good evening COW member "John Vaughn",
If you have not already checked out this post, it has many a great instructional videos concerning bullwhip cracking. http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=42517

Not that I am a master or expert bullwhip artist by any means but, just to reiterate what the other COW members have previously stated, do not try to "muscle" the bullwhip.

When I was younger, I basically "self-taught" myself by watching Harrison Ford in the movies series along with the "Making of" documentaries of "ROLTA" and "TOD". If you watch Harrison Ford in "Great Movie Stunts: The Making of Raiders of the Lost Ark", you see a segement of him practicing on top of a ship (the "Bantu Wind" possibly?). There you can see him basically trying to "muscle" the bullwhip. Even in "ROTLA", when he executes the "Cairo Flash", he is doing the same. Thus of course, not having any knowledge, I copied his movement. Sure I was able to make the whip crack but, not smooth at all.

But, after having an all too brief meeting with COW member "DarenHenryW", who has had lessons from Anthony Delongis, where he shared his knowledge and skill concerning bullwhip cracking, the one thing I came away with is "economy of movement", a similar concept to when I studied the martial arts. Though I may sound like Frank Oz portraying "Yoda" when I say this, and again, same concept and idea when I trained in the martial arts, let the whip "flow". As prevously stated, the whip will crack itself with minimal effort along with unnecessary "wear and tear" on you whip. Needless to say, after my session with COW member "DarenHenryW", though still a work in progress, my technique has become much smoother and my cracks more consistent with minimal effort. Thanks, Daren.

If you have the opportunity, check out YouTube for some whip cracking instructional videos by Adam Winrich or footage of Anthony Delongis or whip cracking videos by other members of the COW community who have posted there. Or, if you haven't already, check out this post from the folks from MidWest Whips. http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=28123 But, as the others have stated...practice, practice, and more practice.


Hope this helps.

[fenris]

I'm very new to cracking whips and the only whips I've handled are the one's I've made... and they aren't that well made, believe me... I'm just a beginner. Fortunately, the whips didn't need that much power to crack. I must be lucky to have made whips with enough action on 'em to make them crack on their own. I've never experienced having to get my shoulder tired from cracking as I don't need to exert that much effort.

...now all I need is to learn to make a turk's head knot...

[hollywood1340]

Once people get over the "I can make it go bang" phase and really start to learn to use a whip, everything just gets better!

[DarenHenryW]

Once people get over the "I can make it go bang" phase and really start to learn to use a whip, everything just gets better!

Well, put, Hollywood. I couldn't agree more. I look at old videos I shot of myself when I first learned, and while I learned a certain consistency early on, I was all about the crack! bang! So proud of myself whenever one crack in particular sounded like a gunshot.

But as ProfessoryHenryWJonesJr so eloquently put it, "economy of movement" is what it's all about. Or as Anthony says in his videos, "Do less, the whip will teach you if you let it."

Just take your time.

Daren Henry

[hollywood1340]

I use his quotes all the time. "This moves 700mph which means you don't have to." is one of my favorite.

[DarenHenryW]

One more thing.

The day ProfessorHenryWJonesJr and I met up, he paid me a very generous compliment. He said,
"You make it look so effortless."
To which I responded, "Well, a lot of effort goes into effortless."
That is to say, I've spend the last two years refining my technique, and always working to make my movements more and more subtle. Meeting Anthony and studying his video was a huge step for me. Before that, I was loud, rough, and probably more than a little awkward. With the right instruction, I think it's something that can learned fairly quickly, so I would say that if you aren't near somebody who can instruct you personally, I highly recommend Anthony's videos "Mastering the Bullwhip, Parts I and II".

Daren "Jack" Henry

(Yes, this is the first time I'm putting my nickname out there: "Jack". My real full name is Daren Henry Wilkerson, thus DarenHenryW, and Daren Henry, but I've always liked "Jack Henry" for a pen name or perhaps a stage name. So, I'm gonna start today with it for a COW nickname. Jack Henry. I figure if Fox can do it, so can I.

Jack Henry

[John Vaughan]

Sounds like great advice, and I will take it to heart. I'll just stick with the small cracks and focus on form. I don't really try to go for the loudest cracks, but sometimes they just happen. Mainly the overhead crack, should the whip make that whooshing noise or should the crack be the only sound heard? The flick is the only one that requires me to add a bit of power. Cattlemans is just a matter of timing. Thanks again Guys you all are always such a help. Here in the armpit of kansas I have to learn on my own so I see lots of videos in the near future. Oh and I feel privileged to meet ya "Jack" Henry.
Thanks

John

[thefish]

"Well, a lot of effort goes into effortless."

NEVER were more true words spoken....

All the best,

-Dan

[Bruce Wayne]

I for one am glad this thread was started. I have been meaning to ask this question about my Winrich whip for a while. However, I am rarely in this section, ergo, I usually forget to ask.

A great thread if there ever was one!!!

Thanx!!!
Charlie

[hollywood1340]

I have access to full length mirrors and that has helped immensely! Keeping everything on line, and just looking good! And I've noticed that watching myself on my videos has helped a lot too.

[John Vaughan]

I have access to full length mirrors and that has helped immensely! Keeping everything on line, and just looking good! And I've noticed that watching myself on my videos has helped a lot too.

I'll have to try that, I do try to pratice good form, and I've started to NOT muscle the whip. more wrist, less arm, and I've found it works rather well. I've ordered a few vids just waiting for them to get here. I pratice about an hour or so every day when it's not wet outside. Now with all this rain we have been getting here in Kansas, I'm thinking about getting a nylon one. OH and thanks for the kind words Charlie, I was a little afraid I was just asking a question that has been driven into the ground.

John