The following is a list of other moves commonly used by whip crackers, typically when doing one-handed whip cracking. The majority of the moves on this list find inspiration from juggling, circus, and flow arts communities, and as such are less about getting the whip to crack and more about how the whip is being moved around your body. They are great moves to use in between different whip cracks, and will really help add flare to your whip routines!
Bodywrap: A move where the whip is wrapped and then unwrapped around the whip cracker’s body, typically before or after an Overhead or Reverse Overhead crack.
Elbow Toss: A toss where the whip is wrapped around the elbow, grabbed by the thong, and thrown into the air.
Flourish: An extra spin or otherwise unnecessary movement in order to make the performance more aesthetically pleasing.
Gainer Toss: A toss invented by Todd Rex. The whip flips forward while moving backward. The whip is cracked in a Cattleman’s Crack or Overhand Flick, and then the butt of the handle is immediately pushed and thrown upwards, causing the whip to flip over and land back in the whip cracker’s hand.
Hand Transfer: A move which transfers the whip from one hand to the other.
Kick-up: The whip is wrapped around the whip cracker’s waist and released so it comes around behind them before it is kicked back up into the other hand.
Neck Toss/Wilk’s Wonder: Throwing the whip around your neck and catching it with the same hand, typically before an Overhead Crack.
Neck wrap: A hand transfer where the whip is wrapped around the whip cracker’s neck and caught in the other hand.
Reverse Elbow Toss: A toss where the whip is wrapped under the elbow and thrown into the air by pushing the elbow upwards at the right moment.
Reverse Gainer Toss: A toss invented by Todd Rex. Similar to a gainer toss, but done backwards (after a reverse cattleman’s crack, for example).
Reverse Waist Wrap: A contact whip move where the whip is released at the hip, spun around the waist, and returned to the same hand using the back of the opposite hand.
Shoulder Roll: A contact whip move where the whip is thrown through the armpit, wraps around the shoulder, and the handle rolls over to the other side of the neck.
Simple Release: Releasing the whip briefly in the air and then grabbing it again. Simple releases don’t involve any spins of the whip, and are also sometimes called ‘lazies’ or ‘no beat’ tosses.
Toss: Throwing the whip into the air.
Waist Wrap: A contact whip move where the whip is released at the hip, spun around the waist, and transferred to the opposite hand using the back of the first hand.
Wrist Roll: Releasing the whip during a rotation and catching it in the same hand after it has rolled around your wrist.