A better way to coil!

IndyFrench · Post by **IndyFrench** » Tue Oct 22, 2002 11:53 am

Hey all,

First off, I want to extend my thanks to Rundquist for helping me get over that final hurdle with my forward throw and apologize to Indiana Dan for trying to teach him a certain crack that lashed the back of his neck three times.

Anyway, now that I have mastered the "Cairo X" which Ford is seen doing in the cut footage from the making of tape, I have also discovered a cool way to coil the whip to make it more "ready for action". While working with a video production company I was taught an interesting way to loop video cables into bundles which makes them unlikely to tangle when unspooled.

Instead of coiling overhand over and over, the coils alternate with every other loop coiling under the previous. Over - under - over - under. I used to just coil the whip overhand and then every time I'd try a fast deploy, the whip would tangle up as it spilled out. Not so with the over-under method! The whip flits out unhindered just like those video cables!

And no, this method does not force the thong of the whip in an opposing direction. The coils merely lay in different positions as they alternate, but the direction of the coils in relation to the thong is the same.

Try it, it works.

IndyFrench

Ryusui · Post by **Ryusui** » Tue Oct 22, 2002 10:23 pm

Ahhh, the patented "over-under" video cable technique!

I've been coiling my whip that way for years (cheap $150 8' that I got some 7 or so years back) ever since I learned this technique from video classes.

Good to know, too, if you're ever trying to wrap up 100' of extention cable or something.

Bogie1943 · Post by **Bogie1943** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 10:21 am

I love the Cairo crack, it's the easiest, once you learn the timing, and just the most fun. You can really get a rythem going with that one.

Pyroxene · Post by **Pyroxene** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 11:29 am

Interesting. Would it be possible to post a simple illustration of this? Thanks,
Pyr.

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 12:11 pm

Pyroxene wrote:Interesting. Would it be possible to post a simple illustration of this? Thanks,
Pyr.

Well let me walk you through it. The first crack is when Indy uncoils the whip from the belt, so it's a swift, underhand crack that sets up the next 2 cracks. The next 2 are x-cracks. The x-cracks are just vertical cracks that are thrown diagnonally. The first is like this /. Then the final one is like this, \.

-Sergei
p.s. One caveat. If you have not mastered the 4 basic cracks real well, I wouldn't do this crack. You really need to know where the whip is traveling in the multiple crack routine. You can easily hit the back of your head, ear, back, face, etc. if you are a novice.

Pyroxene · Post by **Pyroxene** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 1:08 pm

oops. I meant an illustration for the coiling. But, thanks for the instructions Sergei. Actually, I haven't tried the CairoX yet. When it stops raining I will give it a shot.

Pyro.

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 1:48 pm

Pyroxene wrote:oops. I meant an illustration for the coiling. But, thanks for the instructions Sergei. Actually, I haven't tried the CairoX yet. When it stops raining I will give it a shot.

Pyro.

Well sorry about that. This should help you out.

http://www.allchurchsound.com/ACS/edart/awu.html

-Sergei

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 2:26 pm

Here's another site that demonstrates the over/under cable wrapping technique.

http://stagecraft.theprices.net/gallery/cablewrap/

-S

Ryusui · Post by **Ryusui** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 3:49 pm

Hey Sergei, actually, thanks a ton for detailing the "Cairo X." I didn't know what it was either. When you say "underhand crack," do you mean that you snap the wrist up instead of down like the forward crack?
Also, what are the four basics? The site (as far as I can see) only lists two.

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 6:59 pm

Ryusui wrote:Hey Sergei, actually, thanks a ton for detailing the "Cairo X." I didn't know what it was either. When you say "underhand crack," do you mean that you snap the wrist up instead of down like the forward crack?
Also, what are the four basics? The site (as far as I can see) only lists two.

Actually the underhand crack is like bowling. Your whip is behind you, and you swiftly move it forward, like bowling, then you snap your wrist right before your hand reaches maximum extension right in front of you. So after that crack is done, you are then set up for the for the downward diagonal cracks.

The four basics I refer to are the ones mentioned in the Alex Green tape, "Whip Cracking Made Easy". The four are:
- the vertical crack or circus crack (aussies call the cattleman's)
- the forward crack
- Horizonal
- reverse horizontal

If you master these cracks, then you would have deveoped a 6th sense for where the whip is constantly. Also, these cracks are the basis for the more complicated cracks. Most of the cracks are variations on a theme of these four.

If you don't have this tape, you should get it. Mark Allen and David Morgan sells these tapes.

-Sergei

Ryusui · Post by **Ryusui** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 8:42 pm

Thanks a ton for the info. :)
So for the first in the Cairo X, do I need to have my two fingers and thumb extended, as well? :lol:

Oh...is that whip program available on DVD?
I sorta don't have a VCR. :P

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Thu Oct 24, 2002 9:04 pm

Ryusui wrote:Thanks a ton for the info. :)
So for the first in the Cairo X, do I need to have my two fingers and thumb extended, as well? :lol:

Oh...is that whip program available on DVD?
I sorta don't have a VCR. :P

Well I suppose you can drill 3 holes in the handle.... never mind.

Unfortunately the "Whip Cracking Made Easy" material is only available on VHS. I don't know of any whip learning material available yet on DVD.