What Is ‘Whaling?’ Trend Of ‘Breaching’ Like A Whale Goes Viral On Vine

If you haven’t heard of “whaling,” it’s, like, totally the new “it” thing to do. At least in the realm of social media. But what is it? A new exercise routine? A bizarre dating ritual? A dance move?

The latest craze on Vine, the smartphone app that allows users to make looping six-second-long videos, has amateur movie editors bending over backward – literally – to be noticed. Whaling involves throwing your body up and over, arms outstretched, so that you resemble a breaching whale.

Or, as Vine defines it: “To dive backwards with one’s body in a public or unusual place, like a whale breaching the surface of the ocean.”

Well, at least it’s not twerking.

Like its predecessors –- owling (the act of crouching like an owl in odd places), planking, (lying face-down in a public place and keeping a straight body) and Tebowing (getting down on one knee and praying) –- whaling has gained traction on social media, picked up its own hashtag and amassed several loyal whalers.

And there you have it, folks. Whaling. We’ve culled some of our favorite whaling videos from the realm of Vine and posted them below.