How to Crack a Whip

Whether you are preparing for a trip out West, putting together the ultimate Halloween costume or simply fulfilling a lifelong desire to learn how it's done, cracking a whip takes a little practice, a bit of patience, some precautionary measures and probably an ice pack or two.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Make safety your first priority. Wear some type of glasses, whether they are sunglasses, safety goggles or regular glasses doesn't matter as long as they can protect your eyes from the popper. Wear long sleeves, pants and gloves as well.

2. Hold the whip with your dominant hand and let the whip lay perfectly straight, trailing behind you. Failure to keep the whip straight could result in it whipping your leg when you pull it.

3. Swing your arm forward and up. Your hand should come up to your shoulder, with your palm facing your body, your elbow aimed at your target. Return downwards to your side. Continue swinging up and down in a fluid motion. During the upswing, the whip should fully and firmly extend. This step helps you find your movement only- don't crack the whip yet.

4. Crack the whip. As the popper (tip of the whip) begins to fall behind you on the upswing, take one step forward with the leg opposite the whipping hand. Snap your wrist and crack the whip forward. This motion resembles a fishing line cast. Keep your eye on the target and finish with your hand pointing directly towards it, rather than bringing your hand down after the crack.

5. Create a loop to make a pop. If you follow the steps accurately, the whip makes a loop at the top of the upswing, right as you bring the whip out towards the target. This loop is what makes the loud pop, as the popper travels past at a speed of over 700 mph.