The trick below in the video is only what I could find as an example but think ive seen this done by hypnotists before.
https://youtu.be/IwPO7yVDVHY
the idea being you get a strong person or 2 to lift you off the ground then the second time they will be unable to do so and you seemingly stick to the ground or become incredibly heavy.
I think I've seen a stage hypnotist use something similar but it was years ago before I started learning anything about hypnosis. Does this effect work well as a set piece to a stage show? If so how does it work? is it purely suggestion based or is there a bit of human body physics at play like an eye rolling back in the head making it harder to open your eyes when your told to try.

Who was doing it in the video? My guess was a magician, not a hypnotist. That should answer your question.

It is body magic. It is a physical phenomenon, not really hypnosis.

Ive seen the handlock explained this way by a number of hypnotists both therapy and stage. And that its just a "con" and their hands aren't really stuck etc. But that isn't my experience. Not disagreeing with Danny he is right this just came into my mind thought it was worth mentioning. Ive had people in the audience who never came up at the start with their hands still stuck after nearly two hours sitting in the auidience.

Correct me if I'm out of contexting your words but your saying audience members may take onboard the suggestion and participate in the handlock and succeed and for what ever reason reject the general invitation up onto stage but not become unstuck and be sitting there most of the night hands clasped together watching.
No applause from them at the end of each skit then I guess?

I remember once at half time a guy came up to me in a theatre type venue to tell me his girl friend had sat through the whole of the first half of the show with her arms above her head hands locked together staring into space and could I please unlock them and "bring her back". So I went down separated her hands and "woke" her up. I gave her suggestions that she was really going to enjoy the rest of the show and have a brilliant time. At the end of the show The audience was leaving yet she was standing right up at the front shouting and cheering jumping up and down clapping her hands!

Some people really are that suggestible!

Without changing the subject of the thread too far but save creating a new one. have you ever tested to any success the suggestion that a coin or key placed on the skin can cause a burn and a blister will form? Im currently reading my way through the new encyclopedia of stage hypnosis and found that note in chapter 5 quiet interesting. I kind of believe it is possible but the same time find it a bit of a stretch. Wondering if you've ever seen a first hand account. I don't want to go around burning people by any means.

You may find this an interesting read. It will set your mind at rest too.

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/dow......type=pdf

Many set piece exercises utilise body mechanics and ideomotor effects that help with the objective result, hands moving, hands locking, eyes stuck, cannot stand up, lift a foot etc.

However add suggestion and if you observe closely, you will soon notice the subjective experience changes for some subjects and the movement or lock is no longer reliant on body mechanics, the subject is simply responding to suggestion.

Ant

The subject is responding to suggestion the second they follow your direction to close their eyes, clasp their hands etc. And in most cases long before you even ask them to do so by being in the situation in the first place if its within a therapy or advertised performance. "body mechanics" are also used as a physical suggestion and convincer. However many hypnotists explain these tests as "cons" and some tests may be a 100% con like staring upwards with eyes closed or keeping two fingers apart with hands clasped but others can be genuine as with many who experience the handclasp. I also think language used with words like "simply" suggestion or placebo etc etc do not really explain much. None of these are completely understood or simple. In my experience many people don't need to rely on body mechanics to have their hands stuck because they don't even know if their hands are stuck or not until they are asked to try and pull them apart. I have seen people go red in the face trying to pull them apart and still be stuck after a considerable amount of time. If it were "simply" down to body mechanics surely everybody would experience the same result? I have even seen people beg to have their hands freed as they were so tight they found it painful. As mentionred above I have had people in the audience sit rigid with their hands locked staring eyes wide open into space for over an hour before I found them and released threm. During that time they hadn't responded to the person they were with they were totally "zoned out". You never know for sure how some people will respond.

How body mechanics is used is one thing. What it is is another. It is important to make the distinction for those learning.

Fair point Danny. As stated by the original question I asked if it did have an application on how you could use it on a stage show and I that point I wasnt sure on how it worked. I thought it would be something when used with suggestion would help to build rapport or fire up expectation in a positive way as a pre induction set piece. The audience is none the wiser if its body magic or it happened because I said it would. Like opening with a mentalist trick if that's your style. I don't have enough exp to claim a style persay but I want to entertain aswell as perform hypnosis. I guess its frowned on then a magician drops in hypnosis like a trick he has learned like wise I get its bad practice that Im exampling the opposing equivalent

And thanks a lot Anthony. My mind is more at rest that was an interesting read.

The problem is one of progression. Start with that, then back up to an induction? No real flow to a show that way if you ask me.

Also don't assume people are none the wiser of body magic. If you do something that is done at every college frat party and try to pass it off as hypnosis it can backfire quite badly. And YES this and many body magic stunts are done as party tricks every night.

Now you have diminished yourself before you even have started.

I am certainly not telling anyone not to do it. I am saying there are dangers with doing it is all.

I do encourage you to find yourself and if you use this to that end good for you. That is more than most do.

It really depends on what you want to achieve. A hobby hypnotist who doesn't want to do full blown shows might be happy with this kind of thinking. Or a magician or mentalist looking to add suggestion to their act. The term set piece is one coined by Ant (correct me if I am wrong Ant)Which is really intended to hypnotize in everyday settings impromptu for fun. And mostly for the amusement of the hypnotist.If that's your thing then that's fine. But the term "set piece" doesn't really belong in stage shows. that's why it becomes confusing when people on here get them mixed up. I think Ant would agree he doesn't teach stage hypnosis. If you want to have some fun at parties etc then go ahead. Make up your own rules.

Since the original poster uses that term and stage hypnosis in the same sentence It sounds like he may be a bit confused. "set Pieces" are generally not part of most stage hypnosis shows. There are different needs and requirements for the two very different activities and objectives.