The First Approach: Is coin magic more difficult?
Who said coin magic was more difficult? It isn’t more difficult than card magic, perhaps it is more frustrating because you don’t get convincing results immediately. There are self-working card tricks, they are more stimulating for a beginner as he discovers and learns card magic in a user-friendly way, i.e. in a gratifying, progressive way, and not through a difficult move like the pass.
Unfortunately there are very few self-working coin tricks that allow this kind of learning process. YOU have to find your motivation by thinking about what you will be able to do once you master a technique. I often compare coins and cards magic to the English and German languages: it is easy (at least from a Frenchman’s point of view!) to learn the basics of the English language, then it becomes more complicated as you study its subtleties…just like cards. On the other hand, the basics of the German language are quite difficult to learn, then it gets easier when you master the fundamental rules.
The later is also true of coin magic: the indispensable techniques take some time to master, and only later will you be able to benefit from them. Moreover, you’ll be able to perform hundreds of coin routines with the same basic set of techniques.
The Aptitude: I have small hands
Bullsh##! Don’t tell me there aren’t many coins with different sizes, thickness, colors or textures. We don’t have that much choice for cards! Only two sizes, poker or bridge, and a few brands only or we just looks like fools at the local club meeting…
But everyone is doing card magic, regardless of their sizes, weights, religions or sexual orientation…
Size (at least of your hands) doesn’t matter. Muscles (cf. Exercizes) and movement (fluidity, smoothness) do.
The Ability: I can’t palm a coin
The size of your hand isn’t a problem. The muscle in it is. The hypothenar (muscle located under your little finger) is the key to a good classic palm (the most commonly used palm). Depending on your profession or hobbies, this muscle is more or less developed. If it is not developed enough, you won’t be able to classic palm correctly and must therefore exercize this muscle, just like a bodybuilder would isolate and train a specific muscle:
Take a bunch of keys (on a keyring) and place them on your little finger, and lift the keys with your little finger only, twenty times in a row. At first don’t do more than 2 or 3 sets of 20 lifts, then progressively add more keys. Don’t use more than 10 keys however. You can also use an empty beer bottle - put your little finger in the bottle neck and do the same exercize.
Remember- when palming a coin, don’t squeeze it too much and keep your hand in a flat, relaxed position and in a natural state of rest. A single tap on your hand should be enough to let the coin drop from the classic palm position.
Another good exercize is to move your finger in every directions, as fast as possible, for 60 seconds (use a timer- you’ll see, it is a pretty long time!) while keeping a coin in classic palm position. This exercize allows you to keep your hand in a natural position. |
