Do those chain whips have a lanyard on the end the wielder grasps to keep it attached in the event he loses his grip? I'd like to think so.
I think being proficient in a flexible/flailing type weapon like that would be awesome; considering that a skilled practitioner can spend the better part of a lifetime mastering just a couple of Chinese weapons, that one would be among my top choices. That is, they can be effectively deployed at a variety of ranges quickly, strike with devastating impact, can be used to tie up and disarm someone, and most of all I would imagine it's a major bitch to defend against.