Safety Advisory

[DoubleOhSeven]

Never do whip cracking practice wearing shorts.

It is dangerous.

Trust me.

[hollywood1340]

I would say "Be Careful" when using a whip in shorts. A list of questions presents itself:
-Do you understand and have direction limitation controls in place? (i.e. Railroad Tracks)
-Watching the whip in both directions?
-Body aligned properly?
-Practicing good energy management?
-Cracking on a good surface?
If the answer is yes to these, cracking in shorts can be relatively painless. When people get hit with a whip and it seems to happen a lot around here, it's not the whip, it's you. Examine WHY you're getting hit and tell the whip not to through your motion. I enjoy cracking in shorts. No scars yet.

[DoubleOhSeven]

I would say "Be Careful" when using a whip in shorts. A list of questions presents itself:
-Do you understand and have direction limitation controls in place? (i.e. Railroad Tracks)
-Watching the whip in both directions?
-Body aligned properly?
-Practicing good energy management?
-Cracking on a good surface?
If the answer is yes to these, cracking in shorts can be relatively painless. When people get hit with a whip and it seems to happen a lot around here, it's not the whip, it's you. Examine WHY you're getting hit and tell the whip not to through your motion. I enjoy cracking in shorts. No scars yet.

Yep, it was definitely a user issue. No doubt about that at all.

Which, of course, is a learning experience, and a sure fire way to remember what I did wrong and to not do it again. Negative reinforcement and all that.

On the body alignment thing...I'm used to firearms stances, which may or may not be the best to use with a 10' whip. Stand facing the target/cracking area, as in an isoscoles stance, or bladed, like a Weaver/interview stance?

[darthinvictus]

If you cannot crack a whip and simultaneously fry bacon in the nude you are no kind of man whatsoever!

[DoubleOhSeven]

If you cannot crack a whip and simultaneously fry bacon in the nude you are no kind of man whatsoever!

Heh heh, I like that one!

I see you're in Tucker! Got relatives up that way. What's happening in good ol' Dekalb?

[darthinvictus]

Not a thing. If you ever vist the fam hit me up, we'll cook some burgers and have a beer or three.

[hollywood1340]

Take a walking step and pause when the rear heel breaks. Settle a bit to find your balance. Your head, shoulders, hips, knees and feet should be aligned in the direction that you want the whip to go. Use this as a starting point. My rear foot is normally off at an angle but we're working on that. Unlike a handgun, we need to direct our whole body for the extended motion of the whip.

[Long John Tinfoil]

Ummm... Errrr...

Ahem! Ah, _,

How is it that you, um, came to feel so strongly about that. I mean... I don't want to imply...

Never mind. As you were.

LJ

[Long John Tinfoil]

OMG! You create an indelible image with so few words! I don't know whether to or !

LJ

[DoubleOhSeven]

Not a thing. If you ever vist the fam hit me up, we'll cook some burgers and have a beer or three.

Roger that!

[DoubleOhSeven]

Take a walking step and pause when the rear heel breaks. Settle a bit to find your balance. Your head, shoulders, hips, knees and feet should be aligned in the direction that you want the whip to go. Use this as a starting point. My rear foot is normally off at an angle but we're working on that. Unlike a handgun, we need to direct our whole body for the extended motion of the whip.

Thank you, sir!

[InexorableTash]

The folks who taught me whippery are into precision target cracking, so they maintain a neutral stance - feet parallel, body relaxed, and very little body motion during the crack. This lack of... interest... has elicited some comments from both untrained observers or n00bs who were expecting to have to "work" the whip, and even from DarrenWHenry when we got together, since his De Longis training has him moving his body dramatically with each crack.

When I'm trying something new I usually find myself in a neutral stance, and only once I've got a crack down do I incorporate it into more "showy" movements - which, honestly, are a lot more fun. Although I did stumble on a mole hole today while doing a wrap on someone. (Fortunately, it did not end badly.)

Erm, my point being: for most cracks, it doesn't actually matter, and there's no "right" way to stand.

[hollywood1340]

"Right" and "Wrong" are a bit strong. However starting with a good base and working on it is important. I can't type until I know the alphabet and we all know the letters. I advocate having your base of motion codified so that you can build confidence and practice safety. After that you're free to do as you please. The stories here on this board of horror stories using the whip come from people who did what felt natural and found out the results.

[WhipDude]

Let me 2nd what Hollywood has said. There's 3 important things of using the whip. 1) BE SAFE! 2) Create that all important loop 3) Have fun.

There's not rigid way to use a whip (not necessarily right and wrong). Left leg forward...right leg back...am I loose or tight...etc. If you have the loop and it cracks with minimal effort and you remain safe, it works. If the whip was a rigid system to follow, DeLongis wouldn't be graceful. Winrich wouldn't be more aggressive. Everybody has slight unique traits with their whips and how they handle. The art portion of whip cracking is how you express your talent through the whip.

[DoubleOhSeven]

I think I'm figuring some of it out.

I used a much, much shorter whip when I was younger. Wasn't that hard (and I was a bit more limber back then, too!).

There is definitely an art to a long whip (10').

Thanks so much for your input, fellers!

[Dalexs]

DEFINATELY DO NOT wear short sleeves!


(Sorry, I thought was a great place for this... just prepping for Halloween! )

[Tennessee Smith]

Sonnuva...!!!!!

Ouch, might need some Neosporin for that one!!!





-TS

[WhipDude]

Wait, I'm assuming that's fake?

[Dalexs]

Wait, I'm assuming that's fake?

THAT'S the $25,000 question!!!

[binkmeisterRick]

DEFINATELY DO NOT wear short sleeves!


(Sorry, I thought was a great place for this... just prepping for Halloween! )

Yeah, that mask is SCARY! (Just kidding!)

[WhipDude]

With the neosporin statement I wasn't sure. The Halloween comment could be taken sarcastically as in you did it by accident or it really is you prepping for Halloween.

I'm just very analytical.

[fenris]

DEFINATELY DO NOT wear short sleeves!


(Sorry, I thought was a great place for this... just prepping for Halloween! )

No whip could do that!

...ummmmm... it can't right?

[Solent MKIII]

Maybe if the fall was three inches wide and dipped in acid...