THE IMPORTANCE OF AWESOMENESS (BULLWHIP PRIMER)

Folks who work with youth these days have their work cut out for them, and holding the attention of boys/young men can be especially challenging.

The reality is that we parents, teachers, and youth workers have got to have more than just a soft spot in our hearts. We have got to be competitive.

All sorts of things clamor for the attention of boys: video games, movies, the Internet, girls, and so on. American popular culture specializes in sizzle without the steak, and even though you may have a Grade A filet mignon, you’ve still got to grill it so it can be heard.

As my wife is fond of saying, “If you can’t reach ’em, you can’t teach ’em!” Which brings us to a little something I like to call...

THE IMPORTANCE OF AWESOMENESS.

Like it or not, in America COOL is KING. Sometimes the word “cool” is used to mean “not dorky.” But these days it is more commonly used to describe things that are “really neat,” aka AWESOME.

Now the deep things of life don’t always fit into this category. Few things are more important than character development, but I don’t know that I’d describe patience, empathy or discernment as “cool.” But while there may not always be a direct correlation between substance and coolness, as C.S. Lewis reminds us, “The highest does not stand without the lowest.”

You want to impart a lesson to a boy? A little coolness goes a long way towards bridging the generation gap.

“OK, Marcus,” you say. “But with almost no spare time and even less money, what could I possibly come up with that boys today will think is über-cool?”

A BULLWHIP.

That involuntary, electric thrill you just experienced when you read the word — and I’ll say it again: bullwhip! — will be similarly experienced by any young adventurer-at-heart the moment you tell him that you’ve got one, that you know how to use it, and that you can teach him, too!

This working tool of the cowboy is Awesomeness defined. It is dynamic, loud, and yes, even a little dangerous. It’s incredibly portable, fitting into even the smallest backpack (or briefcase). You can use it with very little yard, and unlike with riflery and archery, you don’t have to worry about accidentally overshooting your target and hitting the neighbor’s house/dog.

I can hear you yelling at your computer now: “But Marcus — that’s crazy talk! I could never learn the bullwhip!”

Bull-oney. It’s not rocket science, and you don’t even have to be in amazing physical shape. There are some great videos on YouTube that will show you how to do all the basic cracks, wraps, and tricks. (The guy whose videos I would watch first is named Adam Winrich. He holds many world records for his bullwhippery, and he’s a real down-to-earth fellow. You can start by checking out THIS and THIS.)

“But Marcus!” you say. “Bullwhips are expensive!” Well, they can be. But thanks to a growing trend, they don’t have to be. Leather whips are obviously fantastic, but they do have their drawbacks — such as, they don’t really like to get wet.

For this reason, as well as plain old economics, many modern whipmakers have turned to nylon (more specifically, parachute cord). You can buy a really sweet nylon whip for somewhere around $200 which you can then use in the snow, rain, Mississippi River — whatever.

For your first whip, it is definitely a good idea to buy one with a longer handle, with a thong (that’s the ropey part) that is between 6 and 8 feet long. Everybody wants one like Indiana Jones, but if you’re new to whipcraft, just bear in mind that longer handles = better initial results.

There are many great craftsmen out there, but you can start by checking out Paul Nolan and Lauren Wickline at Midwestwhips. Paul’s kangaroo-hide whips are as good as they come, but if you’re just getting into the sport and want a more affordable option than leather, Lauren’s nylon “hybrid whips” are just amazing and run under $200.

Hear me loud and clear: This AWESOMENESS is within your reach! You can do this, man! It takes a little patience and a little practice, but you can totally do this.

Start slow, wear eye protection, and jeans. And maybe a light jacket at first. But honestly, this is something you can learn without beating yourself half to death. The real enemy is not the lash, but impatience.

You can master this cowboy’s tool, and once you’re proficient with it, you can teach it to some wide-eyed youth (obviously after getting the requisite permission, if he’s not your son). And once that young adventurer has demonstrated that he can wield a whip responsibly...

Get him his own!