: How do I realistically describe using a whip? I'm writing a character who is going to be using a whip. While the scenario is clear in my mind, whenever I try to describe the character's usage

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There's an Australian combat sport called "WhipBoxing". Competitors clad in Drizabone trenchcoats and fencing masks compete for points by striking each other with bullwhips.

It'd be worth checking out videos of the Chinese Nine-Section Chain Whip. Similar techniques would be possible with a more standard leather whip.

In film, there's a vamp character in "Underworld" who dual-wields silver whips, but it's not all that inspiring.

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There are only a few places nowadays where whips are used. One is with horses. So if there is a place with horse-drawn carriages (like there used to be in NYC), some of the drivers might show you how a whip is used.

Another, more obvious place is the S&M (sadio-masochism) scene. There are S&M shops in NYC that sell whips and movies of people using whips on others. You might visit one of those outlets either physically or online. There are also underground sites where S&M is actually practiced (it's "legal" but highly monitored). You'll have to pay to get in, and may be asked to join (respectfully decline unless you're interested), but that may show you what you need to see.

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Having use a stockwhip (similar to a bull whip) quite a bit when I was younger and having watched people cut cigarettes held in the mouth in half, etc. I really don't think you could fight with one. They are too slow to use, distance between you and the target can't vary greatly, and they don't do that much damage. Yes, you can cut someone with one, but not deeply.

If faced by someone who was going to attack me with a whip I would step forward a couple of paces and stick my hand up so that the whip couldn't crack. If it wrapped around my hand I would pull on it, disarming my attacker.

Whips crack because the end, the thong, breaks the sound barrier. Getting hit when it travels at that speed hurts. Interfere with it reaching that speed and it doesn't hurt. As teenagers, we often engaged in play fights with rolled up wet towels. With the right technique you could crack the end of a towel like a whip. It really hurt if one was cracked on your skin. However, you had to be caught off-guard because if you stepped closer it didn't hurt at all and if you moved back it missed.

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I wanted to add a comment to what's answer, but it ended up being too long.

I entirely agree that you need to have some real experience with someone using it, either using one yourself or watching videos of people extensively.

In my writing I described someone using an axe, and could only say 'he swung the axe', but after simply chopping some wood with a real axe I have such a better idea about the motion needed to move it with force.

It requires the entire body to work with it, and you need to know what to do with your legs and arms not only to use it, but to make sure you don't cut off a toe or a finger. I'm guessing learning to use a whip would be even more dangerous.

I would suggest doing the same thing, or if you need to watch videos (I wouldn't have the foggiest idea where to buy a bullwhip) try to watch the motion of the whip on one viewing, and then watch how the person moves in another.

I only know of the movies 300 and the Indiana Jones movies that use whips, and they aren't used extensively, and I have no idea if they are used particularly realistically. This might be colouring your idea of how they really work.

I wouldn't rely on any fictional work to get an idea, try to go straight to the source. This is what I struggled with describing using axes. Actors seem to just flail them around, but as props they likely weigh nothing. Treating a weapon with real weight like that you would likely injure every muscle in your body.

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