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STUCK & LOCKED
Hands, fingers and eyes that seem impossible to move
1 OF 5 THIS SESSION• RANDOMLY SELECTED
YOUR TRICK
THE STUCK PALM
Make a hand feel glued to a table so lifting it becomes strangely difficult.
01
WHAT THEY SEE
A hand rests flat on an ordinary table, yet when the participant tries to lift it the palm seems to remain planted as if the surface has suddenly become adhesive.
02
WHAT YOU SAY
Place one hand flat on the table and let the whole arm stay comfortable.
Notice the contact between your palm and the surface underneath it.
Imagine a powerful adhesive spreading underneath the palm, filling every tiny space and gripping more firmly with every breath.
You do not need to press down.
Just imagine the table and the palm becoming connected like one solid piece.
In a moment, give the hand one gentle attempt to lift and discover how stubbornly it wants to stay exactly there.
Try it now... gently... and notice that stuck feeling.
Good. Stop testing.
And now the adhesive releases completely — lift the hand, shake it loose, and relax.
03
HOW TO DO IT
- Seat the participant at a stable table or other solid surface and make sure the arm can rest naturally.
- Have them place one palm flat without pushing down. The effect should come from suggestion, not muscular force.
- Ask them to notice pressure, warmth and contact under the palm so their attention is anchored to real sensations.
- Introduce the adhesive image and describe it spreading beneath the whole hand.
- Wait several seconds before mentioning the test; this avoids making them anticipate the challenge too early.
- Invite one gentle lifting attempt. They should not yank the arm or brace the shoulder.
- If you see the wrist tense while the palm stays down, reinforce the stuck sensation briefly and then end the test.
- Release the suggestion clearly and have them lift and shake the hand to finish.
04
MAKE IT LOOK RIDICULOUSLY GOOD
THE SHOWMAN’S EDGE
01Use a completely ordinary table. The more normal the surface looks, the stranger the effect appears.
02Keep your own hands away from theirs once the palm is positioned. You do not want the audience thinking you are holding it down.
03Tell them not to press the palm down. That detail makes the later difficulty look much more convincing.
04Stand to the side so the audience can see both the palm on the table and the participant’s attempt to lift it.
05During the test, say almost nothing except one calm reinforcement. The visual effort should carry the moment.
06Release the hand with a crisp phrase such as ‘and it lets go now’. A sharp ending makes the control feel deliberate.
07Let them lift the hand visibly before moving on so everyone sees that the lock has genuinely ended.
Use a stable surface and a gentle test only. Do not allow yanking, shoulder strain or forceful lifting.
SAFE • RESPECTFUL • SERIOUSLY IMPRESSIVE