Club Obi Wan

Anybody have any general, technical tips for doing basic whipwork in a non-dominant hand? I recently started working on my left hand, so that I could be more proficient in that hand, and also in anticipation of my 2nd whip coming in this October. I'm finding some cracks, like the circus crack or coachman's crack, much easier to work with than flick-based cracks such as the forward flick or sidearm crack.

Shane

Most of what I'll say is that you'll be surprised just how easy it is to get up and running with a little practice---The brain actually helps one arm mirror the actions of the other. I think what helped the most is just not thinking about what I was doing so much....Just doing it instead. I'd start with the basics, like the Circus crack---then on to more 'entertaining' throws...But then of course, you knew that...

That, and start out with lots of padding.

I've always seen the confidence factor as a major part of whipwork. Most first-timers (myself included) start out slow because they're afraid of committing to the throw fully---in fear of getting struck. One has to lose the fear and commit fully to the action before it really works. On starting with my left side, I noticed that I was again a victim of the 'confidence factor'. Once I padded up a little and resolved myself to my task, I found that I improved rapidly.

Oddly enough, working with my left hand helped me learn with my right. And I'm a righty! Because I had to concentrate more one what I was doing with my left, I ended up breaking the motions down into individual steps. Now, I'm almost as good with both hands.

I started out using both hands the same. I think I can crack equally well (or poorly, depending on your POV with both hands. I have noticed that some cracks are easier with one hand or the other. Not sure if that is my dominant hand (I'm a lefty) being a little stronger for some but the whip just liking to coil a certain way for others. Once I get warmed up I'm about the same.

It is both fortunate and unfortunate to be left handed when it comes to not only whip cracking but other things as well. I've found that most left handed people, (myself included,) are more likely to be ambidextrous than right-handed people, (there's many current theories on this that cover how left handed people perform cognitive mapping and such, but from my personal experience, I think it just has to do with the Southpaw having to adapt to a right-handed world. So, the cognitive mapping is not so much a Nature thing as a Nurture thing. It's not natural gift. It's survival!) So, Jason's experience doesn't surprise me at all.

I'm a lefty, but I'm right-eye dominant. When I started working with whips, I'd tire out one arm, (because I was working too hard at it,) and would switch to the other arm, so there was ALWAYS development going on with my offhand.

I only recently discovered that I'm right-eye dominant, (back in December,) and I HAD been attempting target cutting left handed for about 3+ years. I wasn't BAD, but it certainly wasn't my forte'. Since going to target cutting primarily right handed, I'm much better.

These days, I really don't notice which hand the whip is in, though anymore if I'm cutting a target or need precise aim, the whip automatically goes into the right hand. For about everything else, it doesn't matter.

Something that Gery Deer told me that demonstrates what Chewbacca Jones mentioned, and that I have also found to be very true in teaching and learning myself is that if you're having problems LEARNING a particular crack, or a particular combination, switch to your offhand.

Your dominant hand has muscle memory built into it, and THINK'S it knows what it's doing, which can get in the way when you're trying something new. Your offhand doesn't typically suffer from that, so work on it with your off hand, and when you can "Feel" the flow of it, then switch to your dominant hand. At that point, you should have it down pretty well with either hand.

And Pyramid Blaster is SO right about overcoming that fear. What I see most often, (especially in trying to teach forward flicks and overhead cracks,) is that people hesitate, the whip drops too low, (either circling overhead or flowing straight out behind them,) and when they throw the whip, it stripes them up the back of the leg or across the back of the head/neck, (for the aforementioned cracks respectively.) That creates a self-perpetuating problem. They hesitate because they fear hitting themselves, and that hesitation causes them to hit themselves.

So yeah, eye protection, long sleeves, long pants, etc. The temp should be dropping soon, which is perfect time to throw on your fedora and leather jacket. Hey, why do YOU think Indy always wore them? Even experienced folks mess up sometimes, especially with the stress of being rushed by Nazi's, Cairo Swordsmen, and Thuggee Cultists...

I didn't even consider the dominant eye. Cross-eye dominance is not uncommon and unless you are a shooter, you may never realize it (and even many shooters just assume they aren't any good).

You can easily check. Just point at something across the room with your dominant index finger. Hold steady and close each eye in turn. Whichever eye shows the finger on target is your dominant eye.

If you are cross-eye dominant, try turning your head slightly towards the weak eye when you crack. This will bring your dominant eye out front and semi-occlude the target to your weak eye. It works pretty well with pistol shooting anyway It might reduce your depth perception though, so YMMV if you are doing distance precision work.

I'm learning how to use my right hand (since my left is dominant). I'm surprised how easy it is. In fact, some cracks that I was having a hard time getting the hang of with my left hand were easier with my right and once I figured them out with my right, I could transfer the technique to the left.

jason10mm wrote:If you are cross-eye dominant, try turning your head slightly towards the weak eye when you crack. This will bring your dominant eye out front and semi-occlude the target to your weak eye.

I may have to try this... Hmmm...

Thanks for the tips though, everybody! I'll be practicing today. I'm not afraid of the whip though, and I do know how to do the cracks. I just can't seem to coordinate my left hand enough to make it do what my right hand does! lol!

Shane

jason10mm wrote:If you are cross-eye dominant...

I'm definitely not. Everything gets all blurry, and I see double when I cross my eyes.

Shane you’ve already gotten a lot of good advice. The only thing I can really add is to tell you, relax, take it slow and just keep practicing.

You know the techniques, I’ve seen your videos and I know you’ve worked with some really great whip handlers before. It may feel a bit awkward with your non dominant hand for a while until you get accustom to using a whip in that hand. Some cracks you may find easier to do, others will seem harder, its different with each person. Just go back to your basic fundamental skills and work though them one at a time in your left hand and keep at it, in a way you’re re-teaching yourself. This is one reason why it’s important for those of you just starting to use both hands when you first start using a whip because if not your cracking becomes unbalanced and its harder to catch up later on.

Your probably going to find yourself wanting to switch back over to your right hand a lot at first because it feels more natural, but just keep with it and make that conscious effort to practice with your non dominant hand alot. It will take time and practice for your left to catch up to your right, and it still may feel a bit awkward you'll get better and it will feel more normal as you go.

Now, It helps a lot having two whips, one for each hand but since you don’t yet you can try switching back and forth with each crack. Do a cattlemen’s crack in the right, then one in the left, etc. This will help you get a rhythm going, balance you out a bit more and make things feel more natural with your left handed work out and later on with two whips at once.

Dan

BullWhipBorton wrote:Now, It helps a lot having two whips, one for each hand but since you don’t yet you can try switching back and forth with each crack. Do a cattlemen’s crack in the right, then one in the left, etc. This will help you get a rhythm going, balance you out a bit more and make things feel more natural with your left handed work out and later on with two whips at once.

Yeah, what Borton said, and pass the whip behind your back from hand-to-hand on the follow through when you're doing those cattleman's cracks...I think EVERYONE who starts of with one whip does this at first...Not only because it's sort of a natural thing, but because it just looks cool to people watching ;-) (I do some double-handed stuff these days, but I STILL do that occasionally when I'm doing one-handed stuff.)

Thanks again for more good advice! It sounds like really the best answer IS practice and patience.

Shane