Hi Giovanni,
Thank you for your question, I have been reveiwing old posts, and as this is such a good topic and would be useful to others I had to answer it 😃
Nine Section Whips can come in a number of sizes, though they are usally defined by weight as follows:
- Light Weight - Approximately 123cm Total Length
- Medium Weight - Approximately 132cm Total Length
- Heavy Weight - - Approximately 140cm Total Length
If the whip is too long then it will make the practitioner have to alter the positioning of the hands and arms to compensate which would effect the execution of the form. Where possible its always good to match your training weapon to your size.
Removing a straight bar link is an option, however a lot of Nine Section Whips solder the circular links to reduce the likelihood of them opening up under tensile force, resulting from the centrifugal force exserted when spinning, so these rings would need to be re-soldered before use.
When using a metal Nine Section Whip for training purposes, if you are new to practising, we would highly recommend covering the weight at the end of the whip in foam (ensuring to put extra foam at the tip) and wrap it up with gapher, duct or electrical tape, so as to reduce the likelihood of injury. When you have gained a reasonable level of competence this foam can then be removed (its like learning to ride a bike, first you have stabilizers, then you take them off)
Another option for getting a training whip that matches your height and is softer for the times you hit yourself when learning, is to make your own, this Video explains how.
Hope this is helpful, please let us know if you require any more advice, and enjoy your training. 👍
