Bull Whip Tricks

Swing and flick your whip to achieve the unmistakable crack.

Indiana Jones used them to swing over chasms and retrieve priceless artifacts, while Catwoman used them to both seduce and attack her foes--bullwhips are a staple of popular culture. You can use your own bullwhip to perform different tricks to impress friends and family. Each trick ends with the signature crack of the whip, alerting those nearby of your ability with the bullwhip.

Cattleman's Crack

The simplest trick to perform with a bullwhip is the Cattleman's Crack. Bring your arm up with the handle of the whip pointing up and the end of the whip flowing out in front of you. Tilt your arm back then bring it down and forward to crack the whip. Try several cracks in a row to improve your technique.

Overhead Crack

Swing the whip horizontally in front of you while bringing your arm over your head. Move your arm to the left to swing the whip and as it travels away from your body switch direction with your arm. The shift will cause the whip to turn back on itself and crack. Don't move your arm in a circle over your head, instead keep it moving from side to side but with your arm always in front of your body.

Flick Trick

Similar to the Cattleman's Crack, a flick trick starts with you bringing your arm above your head then back down towards the ground. When your elbow is parallel to your shoulder, flick your forearm down so that it is pointing directly out from your body. This brings the whip down quickly for a successful flick trick.

Figure Eight

Start with the whip in front of you and perform the flick trick. After the whip cracks, bring your arm around and up, causing the whip to travel behind you and into the air. When your arm is pointing upwards, bring it down in the same motion as a flick trick. The whip will crack behind you, competing the Figure Eight trick.

Coachmen's Crack

To perform the Coachman's Crack trick, start by extending the whip in front of you. Bring your arm up, bent at the elbow, until it points slightly behind you. Wait for the whip to travel up and over you in a loop that extends forward. Swiftly bring your arm down to crack the whip directly next to you.

References

• Whips: Tutorials
• Bullwhip FAQ: Whip Cracking
• The Whip Shed: Adam Winrich Demonstrates The Cattleman's Crack
• David Morgan: Whip Frequently Asked Questions