theory11 — Magic Tricks & the World's Finest Playing Cards
Learning the muscle pass & it hurts bad
- Thread starter kangsham
- Start date
If it's starting to hurt I would clam it down and settle for a little while until your hand starts feeling better. You want to take care of yourself and not risk injury over a muscle pass. Once your hand starts feeling better and you feel like you can start practicing again, go for it. Take it easy and don't over work yourself. It will come easier over time. I wouldn't practice it 7 hours a day unless you REALLY want to; I personally think you are over working yourself. But find a steady pace for practice time and slowly work on it. It'll take a long time to get it to where you want it to be but it will be worth it.
I know it sounds funny but I gave up after a month of only getting it 2-3 inches and hearing from numerous magicians that all the hard work is hardly ever recognized by the public / layman. I watched a guy at the magic castle perform one in the close up room that went up about 18 inches and the reactions were moderate at best. I went up to him afterwards and told him that he had an unbelievable muscle pass and he thanked me up and down. Then he proceeded to tell me that most layman don't really care much.
Try different size coins and also possibly switch over to poker chips and see how that goes.
Try different size coins and also possibly switch over to poker chips and see how that goes.
Did you see Akira Fujii's EMC lecture? He has some amazing theories on the muscle pass, and they only require an inch or so of "lift."
I can't do too much in the way of an "anti-gravity" coin, but I use the muscle pass for a number of other things that I learned from Akira Fujii's lecture and as part of a coins across routine where I shoot the coin horizontally instead of vertically.
If your hand hurts, it seems like you wouldn't be able to feel where you were messing up. I'd back off and let your hand recover, that way you can feel what's going on and make adjustments to the position of the coin, and other aspects of doing the move.
I'm no expert in this, so if other people have advice, take theirs into consideration as well.
I can't do too much in the way of an "anti-gravity" coin, but I use the muscle pass for a number of other things that I learned from Akira Fujii's lecture and as part of a coins across routine where I shoot the coin horizontally instead of vertically.
If your hand hurts, it seems like you wouldn't be able to feel where you were messing up. I'd back off and let your hand recover, that way you can feel what's going on and make adjustments to the position of the coin, and other aspects of doing the move.
I'm no expert in this, so if other people have advice, take theirs into consideration as well.
Pain means to slow it down. Take a few days off, then slowly get back into it. I agree with Casey, in that 7 hours might be a bit too much. And I also agree with Rick, that most laymen don't care all that much about it.
It took me four years to get it to my liking. Reactions are great for me when I do the coin that falls up. Obviously I use it for other purposes but it's a great effect. Just practice then go on to something else then practice again. It will take a while to get but it's a cool utility.
I'm surprised to hear about the lack of reactions because it kills when I do it. I mean, i'm not causing heart attacks or anything, but people Love it because it defies a basic law that even kids understand. There's nothing to hide when you're doing the MP, so be totally open with it - let them examine the coin before and immediately after, have the sleaves rolled up before you start - basically (as Tamariz says) eliminate all possible avenues for their mind to go and you'll have nothing left but a miracle.
And as far as pain goes, just give it a rest. This isnt a sprint, its a marathon. Take your time learning it, once you have it you'll have it until the day you die, so who cares if it takes you an extra week or 2. Relax, it will come. I used an Eisenhower dollar to practice because it was heavy then i perform with a poker chip - its like running with weights on your legs, then taking them off for a race. Hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions.
-Tyler
While recovering, think about the muscles in your hand that are healing and growing even thicker, so after they heal you'll be able to practice even longer and become even better until the point at which you'll have to recover again. 7 hours is not too much, you're just devoted and we all know that feeling. 
I'd settle down for a day or two and let your hand heal up a bit. You may even be shocked to find that after your hand rests for a day your muscle pass will be stronger almost as if by itself.
The advice to settle down is accurate... but also, check your positioning to mand sure that you have hit that sweet spot. as your palm heals the muscles will get stronger and the skin will get tougher so it won't pinch quite as much and it will become a natural action. Keep at it. its a very useful utility.
Take a protein shake and don't forget you steroids...
Wait this is a magic forum.
Yea man, slow down and let your hand recover. Your muscle pass will probably be stronger once your hand stops hurting. (I was joking about the protein shake, but protein shakes really DO help muscles recover faster.)
Wait this is a magic forum.
Yea man, slow down and let your hand recover. Your muscle pass will probably be stronger once your hand stops hurting. (I was joking about the protein shake, but protein shakes really DO help muscles recover faster.)
David Roth said that people think they should practice on something in really long sessions, but you actually learn better if you do it a little at a time and come back to it. It will help the muscle memory better. Here is the interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BKyfp-ZS1mk#!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BKyfp-ZS1mk#!
It may be easier on your hand to trade to a wooden poker chip for practice. It also helps you to be more versatile.
Muscle Pass WILL hurt like hell when you're learning it. My best advice is to work on it in small spurts... then, put it down and come back to it. After a while, you'll start to get the hang of it.
I love the Muscle Pass.... it's one of those things I throw in on the off-beat and it makes people go nuts. I've never had someone not ask me to repeat it.
I love the Muscle Pass.... it's one of those things I throw in on the off-beat and it makes people go nuts. I've never had someone not ask me to repeat it.