A Fix For The Hand-Crusher Handshake

[Bill Mattocks]

Have you ever been in the grip of the friendly but overpowering handshake? I'm not talking about the guys that grind your bones together in an attempt to cause pain, but the guys with the huge paws or the guys who don't know their own strength, or the guys who try to intimidate others by simply applying a vise-like grip when they shake hands. You know the guys. Typically big guys with huge hands, an overbearing laugh, and most likely a tiny phallum bway bway.

Here's the fix. As you grip hands, extend your index finger of your right hand so that it presses lightly against the inside of their right wrist, instead of curling it under the palm of their hand with the rest of your fingers.

That's it. Now, try as they might, they can't squeeze so hard as to cause you any pain at all. They can really squeeze hard and they will get no wince or grimace from you; it won't hurt at all.

Give it a try. You'll find the sweet spot quickly working with a partner, and then you can do it whenever you like.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Now all I need is a solution for those fast eager handshakes where they close their hands too soon and end up squeezing the fingers.

 

[Touch Of Death]

I have been taught, it is best to control the depth. Do put your tiny little Trump hands, in there; grab his fingers, before all is lost.

 

[Steve]

I will try the index finger trick on my son. Kid has a grip like a vice.

what I've always done is just to turn my wrist down so that my thumb is pointed toward them. It's not uncomfortable for them but helps with both the early grippers and the vice grippers. Changes the angle just enough to make it very difficult for them to execute a crushing grip.

 

[Danny T]

As one with arthritis in my hands most handshakes are painful.
The straight index finger works well. I usually shake with both hands. Allows control of the others grip very easily.

 

[Buka]

I love this stuff. I have good experience with this. And I know there's a lot of ways I don't have a clue about. Not clue one. But it's one of those little things that intrigue me. Mostly for fun, and showing off of course.

Where on the wrist are we talking about? Can we do a picture? Help out an old man here, bro!

 

[RTKDCMB]

An easy way to release from that handshake is to suddenly collapse your fingers as though you were trying to slip your hand into a small jar. Then you rotate your hand outwards so that your palm is facing upwards and slip it out between the thumb and forefinger of the shakers hand.

Just hope that he or she does not have long fingernails. .

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I love this stuff. I have good experience with this. And I know there's a lot of ways I don't have a clue about. Not clue one. But it's one of those little things that intrigue me. Mostly for fun, and showing off of course.

Where on the wrist are we talking about? Can we do a picture? Help out an old man here, bro!

This is it ^^^

Pretty easy to apply, and it works.

Again, I am not talking about 'bro' handshakes that turn into macho demonstrations of prowess (or lack of same) or those bone-grinder guys who seem to think they are still in a frat, but the common, ordinary, handshake in a setting where handshakes are expected, but one guy either genuinely doesn't know his own strength, or he has a problem with trying to 'win by intimidation' and likes demonstrating his 'powerful grip'. It's not an overt thing, but it can still hurt like the dickens when some moron does it to you. This fixes it without effort, and without turning it into a case of assault and battery. He squeezes, you extend your index finger and...nothing happens. He lets go, life goes on.

 

[Dirty Dog]

An easy way to release from that handshake is to suddenly collapse your fingers as though you were trying to slip your hand into a small jar. Then you rotate your hand outwards so that your palm is facing upwards and slip it out between the thumb and forefinger of the shakers hand.

Just hope that he or she does not have long fingernails. .

What Bill is talking about is not a release. It's a way of preventing their grip from hurting you, without making them turn loose.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Remember folks, what I'm talking about here is the guy who is giving a handshake and you discover to your dismay that he's a real hand-crusher once you grip his hand.

If it was a self-defense situation, I'd advise punching him the head with your other hand, stomping on his foot, reversing the handshake into a 'devil's handshake', etc. But that's NOT what I am talking about.

I'm also not talking about bro-handshakes between buds trying to mess with each other in high school or college, or the guys that grind your bones in your hand together as a ha-ha.

This is JUST about the typical business situation where two adults who are NOT combatants greet each other with a handshake and one guy has that killer grip that leaves your hand aching. By extending your index finger, his grip is neutralized and NO HARM DONE. Meaning the handshake doesn't turn into a fight or a "Let's all go to Human Resources and see who gets fired" situation. He grips and squeezes, you ignore it because you feel no pain, and life goes on.

 

[RTKDCMB]

What Bill is talking about is not a release. It's a way of preventing their grip from hurting you, without making them turn loose.

I am aware of that, thanks. I was just offering up an option if they don't want to let go.

 

[Blindside]

I use index and middle finger. And if you find someone else who does it then it is like a secret handshake.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I use index and middle finger. And if you find someone else who does it then it is like a secret handshake.

I have heard that both the single index finger and the double finger you describe have been used by various secret societies. I have no personal knowledge of that, just rumors I have heard.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I've never had problems with friendly handshakes that are too hard. As far as the deliberate attempt to grind your bones, I've only ever had someone try that on me once. I used pretty much the method Bill describes and it worked well. Kept me from getting hurt and frustrated the other guy because he couldn't get me to flinch. Didn't feel like decking the guy and having to explain to the cops that I hit him because he was shaking my hand too hard.

 

[dancingalone]

I have heard that both the single index finger and the double finger you describe have been used by various secret societies. I have no personal knowledge of that, just rumors I have heard.

It's the secret handshake to at least two Greek organizations I know of.

 

[donald1]

I remember hearing that at a small circle jujitsu seminar, i even tried it too. It does help. But then again so does this

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I remember hearing that at a small circle jujitsu seminar, i even tried it too. It does help. But then again so does this

Yes, but doing that to a business associate is considered bad form. Even if he is a hand-crusher dude.

 

[Buka]

I'll get a camera next week and show you, what I think, is a nice way to deal with the nasty, bone crushing handshake. Not a block, not a release, but a turnabout is fair play kind of thing.

 

[drop bear]

I have encountered this when my right hand has been messed up.

You can also make sure you go deep thumb web to thumb web.

I just shake with my left hand upsidown.

Bro hugs. I shake with my elbow fixed in to my tummy. As the bro hug. They bounce off.

 

[jks9199]

It's the secret handshake to at least two Greek organizations I know of.

And the not-so-secret Cub Scout handshake, too...