How to Put Someone in a Fingerlock

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: February 25, 2023

Amaze your friends at the next party or gathering you go to by putting a finger lock on an unsuspecting person. Learn how to perform this simple party trick, which seems to “lock” another person’s ring fingers when that person believes he or she should be able to move them. Try a method with one or two hands, and use modifications if you find that someone is able to get out of the lock. You can also try the finger lock move in martial arts if grappling with a trained opponent or instructor.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Performing the Trick with Two Hands

1
Ask for a volunteer. Pick someone out from the group you’re in who wants to have this trick done on them.
- You can assure your volunteer that this trick won’t hurt, just amaze them!
- It’s possible that double-jointed people will be able to get out of this trick, so you can ask the volunteer first if he or she is double-jointed.
2
Have the volunteer put both hands together. Ask your volunteer to hold his or her hands out in front of them and press both palms together.
- Make sure the volunteer has his or her palms flat together with the fingertips of one hand touching the fingertips of the other.
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3
Ask the volunteer to fold their middle fingers down. Have the person fold the middle finger on both hands down, so that each one is resting on the back of the opposite hand.
- The middle fingers should be folded down as one would when interlacing the fingers. However, all other fingers (thumbs, pointer fingers, ring fingers, and pinky fingers) should remain unfolded with fingertips touching.
- Try an alternative if you wish, which has only the ring fingers up, with all other fingers folded down.^{[1]
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4
Place a coin between the ring fingertips and ask them to move each finger. Place a coin of any kind between your volunteer’s two ring finger tips. Then ask them to separate each pair of fingertips, with the ring fingers holding the coin last.
- Have the volunteer separate their thumbs. They should be able to easily.
- Have the volunteer separate their pointer fingers. They should be able to easily.
- Have the volunteer separate their pinky fingers. They should be able to easily.
- Then have the volunteer separate their ring fingers, with the goal of letting the coin drop. They will likely struggle to move their ring fingers apart at all.
5
Enjoy the confused and amazed look of your volunteer and friends. See the shocked or frustrated face of your volunteer when he or she can’t move their ring fingers, which is surprising to most people because they can move all of their other fingers easily.
- You can tell others that this trick occurs because the tendons in the hand that control the fingers are separate from one another, except for the middle and ring finger, which are controlled by the same tendon. So when one is folded down, the other can’t be lifted.
- If your volunteer is able to separate their fingers enough to drop the coin, try placing a bigger object between the fingers.
- Also make sure that your volunteer’s middle fingers stay completely folded down to prevent them from getting out of the lock. You can even hold these fingers down for them.
- You can also place something between the subject’s palms to help keep the fingers folded down and make the trick more difficult. Use an object like a thin book, a small rock, or even your own hands.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Performing the Trick with One Hand

1
Ask for a volunteer. Ask anyone in a group if they’d like to perform a fun trick with their hand.
- Let any potential volunteers know that the trick isn’t dangerous and won’t hurt. It’s just fun and surprising.
- Make sure you and your volunteer have access to a table or other nearby flat surface before performing the trick.
2
Have your volunteer place one hand on the table with the middle finger folded. Ask your volunteer to put either of their hands onto a flat surface, but with the middle finger folded underneath.^{[2]
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- The back of the middle finger and the fingertips of all other fingers should be resting against the table or flat surface. Your volunteer’s hand should remain in this position.
3
Ask your volunteer to lift fingertips from the table. Instruct your volunteer to lift each fingertip off of the table, with the ring finger last.
- Have them lift first their thumb, then pointer finger, then pinky finger from the surface of the table. They should be able to move each of these with ease.
4
Have your volunteer attempt to lift their ring finger. Ask your volunteer to lift their ring finger from the table last, which they are very likely not to be able to do.
- Enjoy the surprise and amusement of your volunteer and other guests. Have others try the same trick themselves if they don’t believe it. Try on both right and left hands as well.
- You can tell your audience that the trick works because the middle and ring finger are controlled by the same tendon in the hand, so one cannot easily be lifted when the other is folded. The other fingers are controlled by separate tendons so they can be moved independently.
- Make sure that anyone trying the trick keeps their middle finger folded under and that this finger and all other fingertips remain flat on the table.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Performing the Finger Lock in Martial Arts

1
Grab your opponent’s wrist. Secure either of your opponent’s wrists when grappling to begin the finger lock.
- Make this move when grappling rather than striking, as both of your hands will be occupied with this move, leaving you open for a strike.
- It is typical to secure the wrist with your non-dominant hand, as you will want to perform the finger lock itself with your dominant hand.
2
Grab and bend the fingers. Take hold of one or more fingers on the hand of your opponent that you’ve secured. Bend fingers so that they are hyperextended outside their range of motion.
- Lock fewer fingers (just one or two) to make this move more painful, and thereby more effective for subduing an opponent.
- Try pulling the fingers backward toward the knuckles, or bending and twisting them sideways.^{[3]
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3
Try a thumb compression lock. Push the thumb of your opponent’s hand in toward the palm to perform the finger lock on the thumb.
- Curl the thumb as much as possible and pin the tip of the thumbnail down tightly against the palm for the greatest effect.^{[4]
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- Perform the thumb compression if you cannot grab the other fingers, or the thumb is more accessible to you.

Community Q&A

Question

Do I really need to use a coin?

Community Answer

No. It's just to show that the person you are performing with isn't able to move their fingers. However, some people may be able to separate their fingers slightly, so it's more effective with the coin.
Question

How do you get out of a finger lock?

Community Answer

You must unfold your middle finger(s) in either method in order to lift, separate, or even move your ring finger(s). Otherwise, most people find it physically impossible to perform the task and get out of the "lock" due to the way the tendons of the hand are structured.

Warnings

You might find that this trick does not work on everyone. Try some of the modifications. If your volunteer can still lift their ring finger, he or she is truly special!

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Only perform martial arts moves under the guidance and supervision of a trained martial arts instructor.

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