How to Put Someone in a Fingerlock

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

Amaze your friends at the next party or gathering you go to by putting a finger lock on an unsuspecting person. Learn how to perform this simple party trick, which seems to “lock” another person’s ring fingers when that person believes he or she should be able to move them. Try a method with one or two hands, and use modifications if you find that someone is able to get out of the lock. You can also try the finger lock move in martial arts if grappling with a trained opponent or instructor.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Performing the Trick with Two Hands

PDF download Download Article
  1. Pick someone out from the group you’re in who wants to have this trick done on them.
    • You can assure your volunteer that this trick won’t hurt, just amaze them!
    • It’s possible that double-jointed people will be able to get out of this trick, so you can ask the volunteer first if he or she is double-jointed.
  2. Ask your volunteer to hold his or her hands out in front of them and press both palms together.
    • Make sure the volunteer has his or her palms flat together with the fingertips of one hand touching the fingertips of the other.
    Advertisement
  3. Have the person fold the middle finger on both hands down, so that each one is resting on the back of the opposite hand.
    • The middle fingers should be folded down as one would when interlacing the fingers. However, all other fingers (thumbs, pointer fingers, ring fingers, and pinky fingers) should remain unfolded with fingertips touching.
    • Try an alternative if you wish, which has only the ring fingers up, with all other fingers folded down. [1]
  4. Place a coin of any kind between your volunteer’s two ring finger tips. Then ask them to separate each pair of fingertips, with the ring fingers holding the coin last.
    • Have the volunteer separate their thumbs. They should be able to easily.
    • Have the volunteer separate their pointer fingers. They should be able to easily.
    • Have the volunteer separate their pinky fingers. They should be able to easily.
    • Then have the volunteer separate their ring fingers, with the goal of letting the coin drop. They will likely struggle to move their ring fingers apart at all.
  5. See the shocked or frustrated face of your volunteer when he or she can’t move their ring fingers, which is surprising to most people because they can move all of their other fingers easily.
    • You can tell others that this trick occurs because the tendons in the hand that control the fingers are separate from one another, except for the middle and ring finger, which are controlled by the same tendon. So when one is folded down, the other can’t be lifted.
    • If your volunteer is able to separate their fingers enough to drop the coin, try placing a bigger object between the fingers.
    • Also make sure that your volunteer’s middle fingers stay completely folded down to prevent them from getting out of the lock. You can even hold these fingers down for them.
    • You can also place something between the subject’s palms to help keep the fingers folded down and make the trick more difficult. Use an object like a thin book, a small rock, or even your own hands.
    6. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Performing the Trick with One Hand

PDF download Download Article
  1. Ask anyone in a group if they’d like to perform a fun trick with their hand.
    • Let any potential volunteers know that the trick isn’t dangerous and won’t hurt. It’s just fun and surprising.
    • Make sure you and your volunteer have access to a table or other nearby flat surface before performing the trick.
  2. Ask your volunteer to put either of their hands onto a flat surface, but with the middle finger folded underneath. [2]
    • The back of the middle finger and the fingertips of all other fingers should be resting against the table or flat surface. Your volunteer’s hand should remain in this position.
  3. Instruct your volunteer to lift each fingertip off of the table, with the ring finger last.
    • Have them lift first their thumb, then pointer finger, then pinky finger from the surface of the table. They should be able to move each of these with ease.
  4. Ask your volunteer to lift their ring finger from the table last, which they are very likely not to be able to do.
    • Enjoy the surprise and amusement of your volunteer and other guests. Have others try the same trick themselves if they don’t believe it. Try on both right and left hands as well.
    • You can tell your audience that the trick works because the middle and ring finger are controlled by the same tendon in the hand, so one cannot easily be lifted when the other is folded. The other fingers are controlled by separate tendons so they can be moved independently.
    • Make sure that anyone trying the trick keeps their middle finger folded under and that this finger and all other fingertips remain flat on the table.
    5. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Performing the Finger Lock in Martial Arts

PDF download Download Article
  1. Secure either of your opponent’s wrists when grappling to begin the finger lock.
    • Make this move when grappling rather than striking, as both of your hands will be occupied with this move, leaving you open for a strike.
    • It is typical to secure the wrist with your non-dominant hand, as you will want to perform the finger lock itself with your dominant hand.
  2. Take hold of one or more fingers on the hand of your opponent that you’ve secured. Bend fingers so that they are hyperextended outside their range of motion.
    • Lock fewer fingers (just one or two) to make this move more painful, and thereby more effective for subduing an opponent.
    • Try pulling the fingers backward toward the knuckles, or bending and twisting them sideways.
  3. Push the thumb of your opponent’s hand in toward the palm to perform the finger lock on the thumb.
    • Curl the thumb as much as possible and pin the tip of the thumbnail down tightly against the palm for the greatest effect.
    • Perform the thumb compression if you cannot grab the other fingers, or the thumb is more accessible to you.
    4. Advertisement


Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    Do I really need to use a coin?
    Community Answer
    No. It's just to show that the person you are performing with isn't able to move their fingers. However, some people may be able to separate their fingers slightly, so it's more effective with the coin.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 6 Helpful 17
  • Question
    How do you get out of a finger lock?
    Community Answer
    You must unfold your middle finger(s) in either method in order to lift, separate, or even move your ring finger(s). Otherwise, most people find it physically impossible to perform the task and get out of the "lock" due to the way the tendons of the hand are structured.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 23 Helpful 22
  • Question
    Does anybody know how this happens? I tried the one handed to myself, and it worked. But how does it happen? Are the ring finger and middle finger in synch or something?
    Community Answer
    Re-read Method 1 Step 5 above.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 0
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      • You can perform this trick on yourself as well, but sometimes it’s helpful to have another person to hold your middle fingers down for the two handed method.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • This trick sometimes does not work with people whose fingers are double jointed.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Warnings

      • You might find that this trick does not work on everyone. Try some of the modifications. If your volunteer can still lift their ring finger, he or she is truly special!
        Thanks
        Helpful 14 Not Helpful 3
      • Only perform martial arts moves under the guidance and supervision of a trained martial arts instructor.
        Thanks
        Helpful 10 Not Helpful 3
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Make Someone Feel Like a String Is Being Pulled from Their Hand
      How to
      Form the Word "Blood" with Your Fingers
      Knuckle Cracking: How to Do It & Does It Cause Arthritis?
      How to
      Become Left Handed when you are Right Handed
      How to
      Do the “Here’s the Church, Here’s the Steeple” Finger Game
      How to
      Make an Ocarina with Your Hands
      How to
      Do a Snake Hand Trick
      How to
      Do the Jonas Snap
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0806/p18s02-hfks.html
      2. ↑ http://www.neatorama.com/2008/03/12/things-that-are-almost-impossible-to-do-with-your-body/

      About This Article

      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 340,892 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Anonymous

        Nov 25, 2016

        "Method one especially helped me because illustration and guidelines were clear, which made it easier to try than ..." more
      More reader stories Hide reader stories
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement