And I thought they ewould be Dieing To do it!

Doesn't have to be classic palm most of the time. Even John Ramsay switched to finger palm. But that is extreme. When you do the classic, remember to not just hang there. Laymen spot the "tell". Pick something up even if it is another coin to hold, or a pencil, book of matches or the like. It makes the palming hand look not so weird. Next time you watch a really good coin man, notice that it isn't that his classic palm is so good as it is that he knows to move directly to the next prop (coin box lid, another coin, whatever) so he's not just still with a coin palmed hoping no one spots it.

"Practice" is the key as most have used in their response here, no way around it, but "Good Practice" is to be heeded too. Meaning, make sure you are practicing the palm the right way, or you'll familiarize the action to your hands the wrong way, and that will become habit as well. The "Coin Vanish" website was mentioned earlier as to correct info and illustration on CP, make sure to check there. Then, also as mentioned, go through the little actions anytime you can, and eventually it will come.

Of course there are other palms as mentioned, one is the Crimp Palm as used by The Godfather, Vinny Marini. He never uses the Classic Palm, and for him the Crimp Palm is a versatile alternative that also works very well. But keep working on all your palms, and continue to give the Classic Palm real good exercise. *And you mentioned "learning it fast," while there's no replacement for hard work, I might be able to help you on your way toward getting at those tricks, if you PM me your email.

When you understand all this stuff a bit better, you will find that a decent CP is really good enough. If a CP is working well, it is not even suspected, and actually how you draw attention to the other hand, etc., is a big part of the overall deception. As posted above is correct, a hand held decrepitly for a while will draw attention, but that's not how all this stuff is supposed to work. there are actions on top of actions that hide in plain sight all the dirty work, there's also timing involved. Now, developing a good-enough CP should be the goal, then how you work it is what makes it great. A truly great one takes a bow to no applause.

Oh, and welcome to the Café, sid.

Sorry Gregg, I disagree. I don't think laymen can spot a good CP, as the hand can hang naturally by your side, rest with fingertips slightly curled on on a table, etc. If done properly there should be nothing 'weird' about holding out a coin in CP. Using the CP'd hand to hold something does make it seem 'more' empty, but is not always necessary as a means to make the hand appear empty and natural.

Mb, nice avatar change I'd wager that yourself, and most accomplished CP'ers have put in countless hours of practice, which as with most things, makes it look easy. I know I can say with all honesty that for the past three years I've had halves or dollars in CP the vast majority of my waking life! It's one of the great things about this, is that it can be practiced practically anywhere, any time.

Last night I was trying my best to keep things quiet, as my wife had retired for the evening and I could not sleep. Picked up my housecoat from the couch, and just as I remembered, two halves, one from each pocket, came flying out in unison, hitting the floor at the exact same time, spinning like two tops, then slowing down...and stopping at the same time. Not in twenty years of hard work could I ever do that again!

Driving while holding a drink or taking it in and out of a cupholder is unsafe, because you can spill it on yourself and will react. Practicing CP requires no focus, and nothing happens if you drop the coin. It isn't going to stain your carpet or burn your important parts, and the coin won't be hurt sitting on the floor or seat of your car. You simply retrieve it later after you park.

Talking on a cell phone is super dangerous, of course, and should be made illegal. It is distracting, and people do all sorts of abysmally stupid things like try and push buttons and look at the screen.

CP requires none of this. It requires nothing that detracts from driving. If someone pulls out in front of you, the coin gets dropped.

There are many things that people regularly do in cars that are dangerous and stupid. I'd like to know how simply holding a coin in CP is one of those, comparatively speaking. How many here never eat, drink or use a phone on trips, ever? Even talking to a passenger is more dangerous that holding a coin in CP.

I was just passing on info I got from Geof Latta and David Roth, two of the best classic palmers ever. I have a very good one too. But, my point was that you are safer if you can figure out how to routine the idea of picking up some object with your palming hand into your magic. Again, most guys I've ever seen don't have classic palms that don't "tell" so I was probably aiming my comments at them and not at the one in a million who can "hold out" for long stretches without the time honored idea of holding some object.

Just as I am now...TYPE with them! In the same vein as "palming all the time", I have improved my CP 10 fold by simply classic palming 2 silver half dollars over the past years while working/playing on the PC.

The muscles developed by having to move the fingers and thumb as a coin is palmed while typing is like a full gym workout for the hands. Yes, it's frustrating at first, but this has worked for me to improve my CP more than anything I've tried. Others I've shared this with report similar results...

Good luck,
Christian

PS. I take no personal liability for any injuries caused in my Classic Palms of Steel Workout!

However - I do NOT condone classic palming and texting while driving!!!

Hot tip of the year!
And double for wise*ss offspring...

Depends on which palm. For the Classic Palm try Gorilla Snot. It's a material that guitar players to help them hang onto their picks and can be found at stores like Guitar Center. Also, prevent the "thumb/finger pop" by touching the tips of your index finger and thumb together as you put the coin in position. Finally, most people have a problem with balancing the coin on their finger tips at first. Work on just that part until you can move your hand around in different positions withpout dropping the coin.

inigmntoya, Were they dead before you asked the questions, or did you kill them by asking lots of questions?

Maybe they where dieing to get out!

I have been struggling to learn the CP also and have found this thread most helpful.

I could never do a very good CP until I started using larger coins (Canadian Silver Dollars).
I'm still working on reducing the hitchhiker thumb as I load.
Is there any clever techniques or tips for this?

Randy

To avoid hitchikers thumb try keeping tho tips of your thumb and index pressed together while you are pushing the coin I to cp

Yeah.. And by keeping those fingers touching, it almost forces a better understanding of the overall naturalness, we should be going for.. Helped me anyway. Also it helps solve the almost inevitable pinky dimple tell...

I think all these little "cares & precautions" are good basic ways to first develop your movements. But once you really get going in all this, don't feel yourself a failure if you don't always do this stuff step by step. It's a lot like learning to drive. When you are first learning, you're told to keep both hands on the wheel, 10 -2 position. After you've been driving a bit and you got the hang of it, there's not a lot of 10-2 going on, and the greater actions will have melded into just driving, you hop in and go. You'll come to see that these little things are quite like that, but still mixed in there somewhere.