I also like JC's method of crooking your off arm out in front of you and hitting it with the rod on the front cast. Do it until it hurts and then move your arm away.

I think it was Joan Wulff that used the old spider on your tip top method. You start with your rod about 30 degrees from vertical behind you and pretend you are trying to flick a big spider off the end into a bush on the bank. If you accelerate too fast, the spider will drop off the rod onto your hat, crawl down and bite your neck. If you stop too soft, the spider won't come off and will crawl down the rod and bite your arm. If you stop too late, the spider will flick off into the water and swim back and bite you in the ... whatever. Just flick him over into the bush and you'll not get bitten and will make a good cast.

Godspeed and good fishing,

Bob