Club Obi Wan

It seems like there's been a bit of confusion lately about what to call different cracks, so we thought we'd make up a quick video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvJ3k16EVX0

There are really only two ways to make a whip crack.

1. The first way is to reverse the direction the whip is flowing while it's in midair, which creates a loop in the whip ("The Cattleman's Crack"). Do this crack in different planes around your body and point the crack in different directions, and you can do a wide variety of cracks.

2. The second way is to throw the whip so that a hairpin curve flows down the taper of the whip ("The Flick"). Making the whip crack with the flick is similar to throwing a baseball in some ways. And as Mike Murphy has said, you can crack the whip with the flick in any direction you can throw a baseball - so you can make many different cracks with this basic flick.

This video shows some of the most basic ways to use these two types of cracks. People refer to some of these cracks using multiple names, but during the video we have labeled each with the most commonly used and accepted terms, worldwide. We hope that this can be a reference for everyone on COW to help avoid confusion when we all talk about specific cracks.

The whipcrackers in this video (who also happen to be whipmakers) are Paul Nolan, Lauren Wickline, and Bernardo del Carpio. Extra special thanks go to Lauren Wickline for taking an enormous amount of time to edit together this video and provide the visual commentary on each of the cracks.

Regards,

Paul Nolan
www.midwestwhips.com

Nice job, guys! I'd never seen that behind the back flick before... I'm gonna have to go try that!

And I really love the slow motion - the cracks sound really awesome.

Shane

Great video!

How are things going in the whip factory? Must be something having three whipmakers under one roof! Wish I could come to Ohio to hang out with you guys.

Speaking of hanging out with whipmakers, I checked flight prices, and it doesn't cost that much to fly from LAX to Seattle, so I'm almost thinking of flying up to see David Morgan. Meeting him is high on my list of things to do. I thought about trying to drive up there after I'm done performing in California, but it looks like flying out of LA up there and back will be cheaper.

Adam

You guys all make whips in the same building, too? That's so cool!

Shane

Oops, maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that Bernardo is in the US now, but I think the video kind of gives it away.

-Adam

Not to take anything from the effort, exellent job guys, I guess my question is are these "official" in board supported, or "official" as in we made this video? I'm simply asking as its' never been the cattlemans crack for me and I've not heard that term until our own Adam Winirch mentioned in his video. I know it goes by Gypsy, Circus, and Forward as well.
If it's the offiical nomenclature, and if so I'll use it when here on the board, then a sticky would be appreciated.

No worries Adam, it's not like it's a state secret or something )

It's been a long time that I have wanted to meet Paul in person. After thousands of phone calls and emails I'm glad to say we finally met last week, and also I got to meet the wonderful and talented Lauren.

I'll be staying with them for some more weeks, and I also plan to visit a couple more friends in the whip world. I'll write more about my visit later on.

We are having a lot of fun, and learning from each other. I couldn't ask for more honestly.

Glad you liked the video. I hope it helps new whipcrackers in understanding the mechanics of the basic cracks.

Regards,

Bernardo

hollywood1340 wrote: I'm simply asking as its' never been the cattlemans crack for me and I've not heard that term until our own Adam Winirch mentioned in his video. I know it goes by Gypsy, Circus, and Forward as well.
If it's the offiical nomenclature, and if so I'll use it when here on the board, then a sticky would be appreciated.

Hi Hollywood,

I'm glad you brought this up, as this has been something I've been wanting to address for some time.

The more seasoned and experienced whipcrackers on COW will know it as the Cattleman's crack as well as the other names you have mentioned. The most common names used in the U.S. are the "Cattleman's", "Gypsy", and "Circus" crack. These names originated depending on the areas the crack was used and seen. For example, when that crack was used by someone in the circus, it became known as the "Circus Crack". The same example can be used by replacing Circus with either Cattleman, or Gypsy. All of these names imply the same basic crack which is used by making a loop in the whip by changing the direction of the thong.

All of these names can be used interchangeably, but for discussion purposes it would be best if the more universal term was used which is the "Cattleman's Crack". This is the term used most often by all whipcrackers in Australia, as well as the top whipcrackers in the U.S., and other parts of the world. This is likely the oldest term for this crack, because it was used solely by Cattlemen in both the U.S. and Australia. And many of the other "names" used for variations on this crack can be confusing as well. For example: The overhead is actually a cattleman's crack in the overhead plane, also known as "the overhead cattleman's crack", or "The overhead".

Some of the other confusions with having so many names is that they sometimes overlap. for example: "The Flick", I have heard it called "The forward throw" many times, and just as many times I have heard "the cattleman's" called "The forward throw". I'm willing to bet that this confusion comes from the fact that both can be done by throwing it forward. But if we keep it separated by cracks using the loop method being called "the cattleman's", and cracks using the hairpin method being called "the flick", then everyone is on the same page.

Here is how I suggest we break it down:

Cattleman's crack - is the regular crack done by the side of the body with the loop method, where you bring the whip up and back behind you forming the loop, and then bring it forward, and the crack happens in front of you.

Overhead Cattleman's Crack - is the same loop method, but you create it by swing the whip in a counter clockwise circle over your head, and then changing the direction of the whip creating the loop and the crack.

The (Forward) Flick - is the regular crack done by the side of the body with the hairpin method, where you bring the whip up behind you from the ground into a straight line and bring it forward with your arm and flicking the wrist once your arm is extended and the whip is traveling in that hairpin loop to the front, causing the whip to crack in front of you.

The Sidearm Flick - Is the same hairpin method, where you bring the whip up behind you from the ground, and bring it forward creating a hairpin, but you do so with a side arm thrown instead of an overhand throw.

The Underhand Flick - very similar to the side arm, as it is the same hairpin method, but you bring the whip forward from the ground to create that hairpin, and it is very much like throwing a ball underhand.

...There are many more variations and directions where you can use these two methods of making a whip crack, but these listed above are the most common.

It can be daunting for new whipcrackers to try to learn all of the different names for whipcracks so they can discuss any problems they need help with, especially if everyone is not on the same page.

So this video is completely intended to break whipcracking theory and terminology down to the simplest form, so everyone can discuss them, and make sure everyone is talking about the same thing. I have already spoken to one of the bullwhip moderators earlier today, and he has seen this video, and will be making it a sticky as soon as he has the chance.

I hope this answers your questions. If you have any more, just let me know.

Regards,

Paul Nolan
www.midwestwhips.com

It's nice to see someone finaly brining this up and hopefully getting it done. And you're right about the nomenclature. I've cracked whips for 18 years give or take and I just now heard it as the Cattlemans. As opposed to a SINGLE name, prehaps a list of the most common names would make a good sticky, as well as a description of the crack. So it would be a three tier system, with both name(s), video, and written discription. Name doesn't match? The description and/or video will. Mods? Mods?

Very nice demonstration. Well done.

Brilliant! I liked watching it, and I agree that the names are good ones.

Just one thing: all those old timer Aussie sheep men from way back might be unimpressed to think that the famous utilitarian crack became known as the Cattleman's )

It's a good, simple, unambiguous name.

Lauren, Paul and Bernardo, Thank you for taking the time and effort to put this great video together and for sharing it with Club Obi-Wan. As mentioned this thread will be a sticky so it will be around for members to utilize and enjoy with out it getting lost in the archives.

Paul, Thank you as well for addressing the topic of multiple names for the various figures, I think you covered it more eloquently then I could have. Hollywood rest assured your suggestions have not gone unheard but to be clear on this, it is not the purpose of this site to set down any one common term or an “official” Indy gear lingo for particular whip-cracking figures. The names Paul uses tend to be the most common terms used in professional whip cracking and I think that they are a very good start for covering the basic whip cracks here. If some one still wants to refer to the cattlemen’s crack as a circus crack or a forward throw though, I am not going to tell them they can’t or that they shouldn’t. The Cattlemen’s crack is a term that’s been used for years, after your 18 years of working whips; I am actually pretty surprised you haven’t heard it called that before.

Here at Club Obi-Wan, We attempt to make accurate information readily available in an interactive setting while at the same time freely sharing our knowledge and expertise with others. I may be bias, but I think we do pretty fair job at it, However; at the same time we are not going to do all the work for you and we shouldn’t have too. That is not what this site is about. We are here to present information and help where we can as best we can, it is up to the individual to do his or her own homework and put in the time and effort themselves to get what they want out of their experience with the whip.

While I think that every one of us here is more then happy to help as best we can when we can, asking any of us to supply a complete instructional quality, step-by-step whip cracking tutorial covering every possible detail the way you may want it, is a a bit much in my opinion. Especially when all the information is already out there and many members here already go above and beyond the call of duty to providing that information in the form of text, photos and instructional videos. I suppose I get a bit annoyed when I feel those efforts being taken for granted or when more is "expected" as if what we have to offer here isn't enough or that we owe them all the answers they seek wrapped up in a perfect package.

Some may disagree with me, but I really believe that good whip cracking isn’t just about then just being able to hit a figure flawlessly every time. It’s a journey; it’s about putting the time and effort into leaning and practicing. Talking to others and getting everything they are willing to teach you and putting it to good use as you build up your own skills and abilities as you begin to share that with others. All the information and the answers are already out there to be found. Not from any one person, site, book or video and perhaps not format that is the most convenient to look up but its there. We’ve found them and continue to find them and any one can if they just look hard enough. Making a whip crack is relatively easy, however It takes a great deal of discipline and focus to learn how handle a whip well. Maybe that doest fit with today’s desire for instant gratification but that’s part of the learning process and part of the fun of whip at least to me.

Dan

Thanks for doing this, great job. I think that is the best video of a coachman's crack I've ever seen. I might even be able to do it now after watching this. I assume it can be done with a bullwhip as well as a stock whip?

I'm not sure if this is interesting to anyone, but I thought I'd note it down for the record that the 'Coachman's crack' (which is as good a name as any) was called the 'Horse Tailer's crack' in the Northern Territory, Australia, at least in the Barkly Tablelands area, up until the 1980's, and probably still is.

Cracker,

Yep, you can do a coachman's crack with a bullwhip. In fact, that's how I first learned it - with my 6ft. ) Good luck!

Lauren Wickline
www.midwestwhips.com

Great video...Thanks!
A standardization of terms sounds good to me for the board...
I just cant bring myself to like flick...when you flick something whips just don't come to mind .

Well then substitute throw for flick

Wow.... Thanks guys for posting that video of all the different cracks. I have been watching the video I got with my Strain whip called Learn the art of whip cracking Part 1 with Alex Green. It has been very helpful. I have got the Circus crack down, but the horizontal crack or a overheard cattleman's crack I have been having some trouble with. Thanks for the effort in putting the video together Lauren. Thanks to all three of you Paul, Lauren, and Bernardo. Did not know Bernardo was visiting the states. Well enjoy your trip Bernardo.
Great video and I love the slow motion stuff, I can't get enough of that. I will be watching this video many times. Thanks again for taking the time to make the video. I really appreciate it as a beginner learning how to crack the whip. To bad I can't go outside and practice weather is going to be rainy next couple of days.
Thanks again, you guys went through a lot of trouble to make that video, thanks so much. Can I get a copy??

IndianaChris

That was awesome!! I thought i knew a thing or two about whip cracking, but that just blew my mind . I gotta keep practicing then, but i think i need a new whip, mines kinda outta commission. Anyone know where i can get a good whip from?

Just....look around COW is the place to be if your looking for a new whip!

Great cracking video!! It seems that each time I view a new or different video clip of whipcracking demonstrations,I've been able to notice a new clue or key movement that helps me. Sort of like various golfers each having a slightly different style to achieve the same goal! Thanks!!!

-raider 57

Great video! Thank you for posting it.

seen it loved it tryed it ouch great vid mate

Gorgeous vid talented and fascination pure.

Here's what happens when I have too much time on my hands:

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http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseacti ... d=41053404

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hey guys....just starting to learn how to crack a whip...that video you guys posted sure will help with the learning experience!

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the video, I'm just learning how to crack a whip, and this has been very helpful, I can see I'm going to need a lot more practice before I can consistantly achieve the cracks I want.

I also want to put out a huge thanks to all those who have written about the importance of safety gear -- hat, gloves, thick jacket, eye protection. I guess I'm a bit of a klutz, but I managed to hit myself several times with my whip today, but I also managed to get a handful of cracks from it. I guess whip cracking is like most exercise...no pain, no gain.

I was just outside playing around with my DM and it occurred to me that the Indiana Jones bullwhip's heavy thong and short-handle design limits what it is capable of. A lot of the flashier whip tricks (such as figure-8's) can only be achieved with a hinge-handled stockwhip with a lightweight thong. I also tried to duplicate that smooth horizontal crossover crack that Harrison Ford does on the Crystal Skull bonus material disc, but I couldn't make it work. Perhaps you need a longer bullwhip for something like that.

I love my 10ft David Morgan, but it tends to "float" so it took a while to learn how to perform figure 8's, tasmainian, and so on correctly. When I was able to get my 10ft Strain and 10ft Del Carpio whips, I noticed they responded much better than the Morgan even though they are built in a "similar" fashion . You can pull off these combos with a bullwhip, it just takes a while..

Connecticut Jones,
Don't worry about the cracks, they will come, just focus on proper technique so the hits become more minimal as you get them down. Look up Adam Winrich on You Tube, he explains a lot and speaks of some of the issues we run into when first attempting complicated throws. Hope it helps!

Allen

I carried my tall mirror outside and placed it against a fence so I could watch how the whip travels, and I still hit myself on the back a few times! I wound up with a very sore wrist, and three red lash marks on my right shoulder. It's beginning to come together, but I'm having better luck using my 6-foot EM Brand whip than the David Morgan. Mark Allen once told me at a convention that Morgan always builds his whips on the heavy side. I guess it makes a difference when performing fast tricks. I really do think a lighter whip is necessary to achieve some of these moves.

This is helpful! Just the other day I found out just how horrible I am cracking whips!

For any newbie I suggest Anthony's Mastering the Bullwhip video to avoid hitting yourself in the process of learning. You don't have to hit yourself, you shouldn't hit yourself,and doing so only impedes your progress. Two words "Railroad Tracks". Also touching on the short handled bullwhip, that yes it has it's limits. I suggest you read Whips and Whipmaking by the 455 maker David Morgan to learn what and why his whip was developed.

I consider myself lucky Paul and Lauren live so close; they are amazingly talented whip performers and have become good friends!!! Thanks for the video (and the many others I've seen)...

So, when I received my whip in 2007, I went out and made it more difficult then it is. I was sweating trying to flick it, and I'm pretty sure I was way too hard on the whip. What's noticeable damage look like? I only tried to crack this thing for a half hour with friends, but I feel like I loosened the whip plaits near the handle....