If I jumped up and tried to rub I was immediately told to bend over and touch my toes so I could not rub my bottom. Then there were the awful two taps the cane being drawn back and a 2-3 second wait before the cane came swishing forward again. Then there was a little yelp and a bite on my bottom lip. Then it was tap-tap, a short swish, a pause then swish Thwack! Like your headmaster, my headmaster knew how to administer the cane effectively, but I think in my case he refined his technique over time.