The 10/10 Challenge

[Tristan Foy]

Update for today:

30 minute practice session - 10 minutes with the circus crack and 20 minutes with the underhand crack to make up for the 10 minutes I didn't practice yesterday.

The circus crack - I worked on my follow-through and managed not to get myself in the back of the head or back for the most part. I kept more attention on stopping at the 6 o'clock stop or slightly before.

Also, a major breakthrough - I don't think I was bringing my arm to the 12 o'clock position yesterday. I thought I was, but I think it was more like the 10 or 11 o' clock spot. Today I brought my arm higher up at one point, and not only did my arm just feel better, less tense, and more natural, but my crack also came down much louder. I started experimenting with this and generally found it to be true almost with every crack. I still flicked myself: the whip would sometimes crack right around my hand or bite my fingers. I think this might because I wasn't giving myself enough of a pause between cracks.

Underhand crack:

Not.
One.
Single.
Crack.

20 minutes of flicking the whip up like a bowling ball and hearing it whoosh right by my ear. But no crack. I must not be in the right position.

My guess as to why: Anxiety about having the whip come back at me instead of away from me is causing me to choke. I think this is the main reason. Also just raw lack of practice. I need to re-watch the segment of the DVD to make sure I am in the right positions.

But while getting frustrated I was just flicking the whip around and it cracked right next to my ear. So I tried that a few more times. It was just like the circus crack, but higher in the air. Also, a few times I went back to the circus crack, just to feel satisfied that I was able to get a nice, solid crack to echo off the distant buildings around the lot.

More than a couple of times the whip would get around me and snap me in the back, causing delayed pain to shockwave out a second later. And it sucked. I can't figure out how some people can dig being whipped. But I started to get used to it and take it with the territory. That, plus just getting comfortable with something really fast flying around my body and especially my head is a good and confidence-inspiring feeling. I think whips can smell fear.

[Ron May]

Tristan , with out being able to see exactly what you are doing it's difficult to say what might be giving you problems.
Is there anyway you can tape yourself and submit it in this thread so we can evaluate your execution of the cracks?

Ron

[Tristan Foy]

Yes, it was while doing this that I was wondering how I could for this very reason. But I'd have to find a friend or go to another place to crack. There literally is nothing there to place my phone. It's just a grassy lot. I'd drive my truck onto it except for I'm pretty sure if police officer saw it he'd give me a ticket.

[Ron May]

You could prop it up with a rock or something on the ground.

Ron

[Ron May]

Tristan, one more thing, when making your videos be sure that you place your camera horizontally not vertically.
They show better that way.

Ron

[Tristan Foy]

Yeah I saw the puppets. :-) It was good to because I do tend to make videos vertically to easily watch them on my phone.

[Robert Gage]

Tristan, I don't know if this will help, but.... When Roger visited me a year ago, he too was having trouble with the underhand crack. What I remember suggesting (I hope I'm right!) is that he needed to pull the whip forward, flick his wrist, and then make his and stop. That way, the momentum carries the whip forward: it forms a loop and cracks - whereas, if the hand doesn't stop, the whip can't form a loop. But, immediately after the crack, you need to bring the whip up and over your head, so that it ends up lying straight out behind, ready for the next crack. This also makes it much less likely that you'll hit yourself in the head (or anywhere else).

If Roger sees this, he may correct me - but I hope this helps!

[Ben Varsek]

@ Ron May:

Congratulations for your second successful practice day in a row Ron !!!


@ Tristan Foy:

I think a 20 minute practice is not overkill at all (but you probably figured that one out yourself on todays 30 minute practice )
I'm currently doing 20 minutes for the 10/10 challenge (10 minutes circus crack and 10 minutes underhand crack) and then I continue trying other cracks after that until my arms get tired.
Don't get frustrated if the whip doesn't crack when you try to do the underhand crack - learning ANY new crack takes time.

Yesterday I've been practicing after sunset and I've tryed out the awesome Gator Whip that Mr. Partin has send me (the parcel had arrived yesterday eavening - thank you so much Mr. Partin !!!) - I love it and I will post pictures of that wonderful whip and the other great prizes in the dog shelter thread today !!!

All the best
Ben

[Ron May]

Ben, that Gator whip would be an excellent whip to practice with.
Maybe on your next planned video you could use it and let us see how it performs ?
Congratulations .

Ron

[Ben Varsek]

Thank you Ron and yes, I'll shoot a video of the Gator whip and post it in this thread !!!

All the best
Ben

[Ron May]

Well, I knew the second shoe would drop sooner or later and it did.
Today's practice was not even close to the level of the previous 2 days.
The whip was just doing what it's supposed to do which is what I tell it to do.
My instructions were obviously wrong.
It was not a very shiney practice day today but it didn't totally suck.
It just reminded me not to get too comfortable about it and that concentration is needed every.... single..... crack .... and .... time.

Ron

[Jessie Edwards]

Good learning testament, Ron. Every day is the first day.

[Ron May]

Today's practice is still challenging me to keep my arm closer to my body and to slow down between cracks.
I hit the table the camera was sitting on so I had to back up .
I am finding it difficult in discerning a difference between the first video and this latest installment.
I feel more comfortable doing this crack but I'll be damned if I can see a difference.
Maybe I'm too close to the forest to see the trees.

I do believe it's getting better. So the legend will live on.

https://youtu.be/ouvzCPcYISw

Ron

[Robert Gage]

Ron, at the end of each crack, the whip isn't lying straight out behind you. (It's actually better with your left hand.) Try to concentrate on 'placing' the whip when you bring it back; don't worry about the crack, just guide the whip into the right position. But I think it is getting better!

[Tristan Foy]

Last night I just did a 20 minute lesson, since that is my goal now. 10 for each crack.

I am getting better at the circus crack. Nothing to report there.

With the underhand crack I think I realized my problem is swinging my whole arm instead of just flicking my wrist. Once that occurred to me I started visualizing the loop traveling down the whip and imagining what I needed to do to make that happen.

I think I got a couple of cracks, or something approximating cracks.

Still no video yet but I'm going to probably look for another location where I can place my phone to get a good angle.

I also cracked my self-made whip for the first time. It is very flexible, more like a piece of rope, and I don't know if that is too flexible or not. I thought whips might be stiffer. It's also lighter, although I'm not sure why. So, it's a little harder to crack, but today I did manage to get a good pop while showing it to a friend who has been dying to see it.

[Tristan Foy]

Day 4.

Today was another 20 minute practice session but it became almost 40 minutes.

I finally made a video showing my circus crack and underhand crack. Due to being alone and the sun going down, you just get my mysterious silhouette.

The first whip I use is the first one I ever built myself. The second is one I had commissioned.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DloXJzcukAQ

[Robert Gage]

Hi, Tristan!

The circus crack. You don't need nearly that much force. It looks like you're using a sledge hammer! Try calming it all down, and see what happens. As Robby keeps saying, it doesn't matter about getting a crack if you can master the form. The slightest 'pfft' will tell you if you've on the right path.

The underhand crack. (Did you find my remarks in post #227 at all helpful?) You're bringing your arm way too far forward before trying to flick your wrist, and swinging the whip in an arc. It has no chance of forming a loop. Try stopping the hand more or less in line (a vertical line, that is) with your body, flick your wrist, and just wait. The momentum will carry the whip forward to form a loop. When you've got that, start bringing the whip up and over your head after the crack.

I hope this helps!

[Sir Roger Tuson]

Exactly Robert (sorry for the late response). When I do the underhand crack I found success by NOT trying to move my whole arm. It's a really 'wrist-heavy' movement, short and sharp for the first part to create the loop, then flowing after the crack to bring the thong back behind you.
Have I described this right, Robert?

[Robert Gage]

That's it, Roger: a 'wrist-heavy' movement - but the crucial thing is that the hand stops in 'absolute space' (if that makes sense). Without that, the whip won't form a loop. It doesn't actually take much force; it's more a question of timing - stopping the hand long enough for the crack - and then 'flowing' (as you say) to bring the whip back behind.

[Ron May]

Thank you Mr. Robert. This will be the focus on tomorrow's (today) practice.
I do so much appreciate your participation and advise.

Ron