Heart Stopping Effects (literally)

[towcheeze]

Which would you guys think is better (based on audience reactions, difficulty, and practicality), Cardiac by Andrew Gerard, or Control by Wayne Houchin?

I've heard great things about Control, and I was about to get it, until I discovered The Process by Andrew Gerard (through an old Wizard Product Review). I had never heard of Gerard, so I looked through some of his material on Penguin Magic, and looked on his website, and I was intrigued by his effect "Cardiac".

With Cardiac, you can speed up your heart rate, slow it down, cause it to stop at will.
With Control, you just slow it down and stop it.

I was wondering if anyone can give me some more info on these effects. Thanks

 

[D ICE R]

You can speed up your pulse rate with control, normally I don't perform this type of effect however if the time is right I start with control and move into pure suggestion based methods.

 

[formula]

I'm not a mentalist type of performer so I don't do it very often but I see the point in speeding it up and down. Do it the traditional way with a small ball, slow it down, stop it then revive yourself.

 

[~Illogical_Illusionist~]

I can only speak about Wayne's control. With that effect you literally have control over how you want to present it, you can speed up and slow down your pulse to a stop. The method is ridiculously easy so this effect really has to have focus on presentation. As a bonus, Daniel Garcia includes a variation where the spec can place their head on your chest and hear your heartbeat stop. Hope this helps.

 

[JD]

I've always wanted Go for the Jugular but the book where that is located is expensive.

 

[Craig Browning]

I've always wanted Go for the Jugular but the book where that is located is expensive.

I'm not aware of it being in any book in that it is not a well known variation to this stunt; I know of only one person doing it and he's blowing minds like crazy because it's not the same and so different from the others.

I will point out that "stopping" the heart is a legit stunt, you must be diligent about practicing the technique (several times a day for a solid year +) but sloooowly you can actually master it.

The heart is just a muscle and muscles can be trained -- taught to react in specific ways given specific information. By learning a Mantra and chanting it to the cadence of your heart beat you will slowly learn how to slow or raise the rhythm; it's a yoga technique used by sharp shooters and archers in conjunction to breath control. Over time you will condition the heart to beat to the tempo of the mantra rather than you pacing the mantra to the heart. Over time you can clam yourself by using the chant and bringing an excited heart rate down and with practice, slow it to just one or two beats per minute; a level that is so slight that simple methods (stethoscope) won't detect the beats e.g. you are "dead".

NOTE: the heart doesn't have to beat for minimal blood flow which can be sustained for short (less than 5 minutes) periods at a time.

I share this knowing that very, very, very few individuals will have the patience to develop said skill; it is time intensive and progress happens at an exceptionally slow rate. Too, I've left out some of the other elements one must do in order to master the situation completely.

 

[Mat La Vore]

I've always wanted Go for the Jugular but the book where that is located is expensive.

I've looked it up. It's a cool effect, but I still think Control is the way to go when employing this method (GftJ is similar in method to Control).

Also, as far as pulse effects go, check out the Jumping Pulse. Anthony Jacquin shows this on the Trilby Connection. He did it to me a few days ago and it really amazed me. Basically you cause someone's pulse to jump from their palm to a finger, and then from finger to finger. Very cool effect.