The following is a list of “Combination Cracks,” or patterns of cracks that commonly go by another name. To learn the individual cracks that make up these combinations, check out our Basic Cracks section.

Arrowhead: A volley done while moving the whip from side to side, so the whip creates an “arrowhead” shape while looking from a birds-eye view.

Boomerang: A flick/reverse overhead crack that is cut back over the head.

Breakaway: A Fast Figure 8 with a third crack added at the end by swinging the whip in front of you horizontally.

Cow and Calf: A Cattleman’s Crack followed by an Underhand or Sidearm Flick.

Fast Figure 8: A Cattleman’s Crack followed by a Back 8 Crack.

Fast Helicopter: Similar to the Slow Helicopter, but without the extra spin between the cracks.

Hassett’s Four Corners: A four crack pattern which is widely considered to be the hardest single-handed whip technique, created by Charlie Hassett. While doing a Slow Helicopter, push the whip out in front of you after doing each of the backward cracks in order to get a flick type crack in front of you. This four crack combination is usually only possible on a stock whip because of its long handle, and got its name because it sends the cracks in four different directions.

Queensland Crossover: An Overhead Crack followed by a Reverse Overhead Crack.

Slow Figure 8: A Cattleman’s Crack followed by a Reverse Cattleman’s Crack.

Slow Helicopter: A variation on the Queensland Crossover where the whip is cracked aiming backwards, spun around, and then cracked the other way while aiming backwards.

Sydney Flash: A Fast Figure 8 done with an Overhand Flick instead of a Cattleman’s Crack, followed by a Cattleman’s Crack.

Volley: A set of cracks done by swinging the whip back and forth, like the motion in the Fast Figure 8.