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How many people here use it and how do you manage to make it look natural?

I've been trying to master this one but am having huge problems. The only coin that I can find that is big enough to back palm is a crown. Is there any work arounds that let you back palm something smaller? Also my grip on the coin isn't very good and I can't seem to get it from the front to back with out dropping it. And lastly the palm side of my hand always looks very cframped and unnatural when holding the coin in a back palm.

Just wondering if anyone's got any tips that they'd like to share?

Many thanks

The ability to back palm different sizes of coin will very much depend on the size of your hand and fingers. That being said here are some suggestions for you…

If you are using old English money, I would suggest trying an old 1 penny coin, as this is roughly the same size as a crown, but being lighter will help you to stop dropping it.

The only work around I ever use for smaller coins is to back palm using my first and third finger (though this is only useful for modern day 5p coins, as anything else is too big for my hands).

When I originally learned to back palm I used a £2 coin. It took me ages to be able to completely extend my fingers and avoid the crammed unnatural look that you describe. The more you practice the more you will develop the muscles necessary to hold the coin. As these muscles develop it will allow you to relax your hand whilst doing the back palm. You will not be able extend your fingers fully (and thus move from a crammed to a natural look), until you can keep your hand relatively relaxed.

Once mastered on a larger coin, you will find that with some additional practice you can back palm smaller coins (I can back palm a 2p and a 10p at a push), but you will find that these will not look as natural, as your fingers will still look slightly cramped even if you hand does not.

Final few points:

1) Get your coin into back palm and try to extend your fingers out. This will hurt initially, and your hand will ache. You will probably keep dropping the coin, but persevere – it will be worth it.
2) Keep a coin on you at all times and practice (in your pocket if people are around – but whatever you do keep practicing).
3) The thinner the coin, the more natural you fingers will be able to look
4) Used in the right context the back palm is a fantastic sleight – look in Bobo’s Modern Coin Magic for a great method of loading a spectators pocket using it...

Dirty Davey wrote:Just wondering if anyone's got any tips that they'd like to share?

Many thanks

Yeah... I'd give the advice of

Do you really NEED this sleight?

It's actually not really that useful a sleight, and is always going to look cramped and iffy. Unlike backpalming a card, which, due to its flexibility can be easily masked, a coin is solid, and hiding it effectively is partly due to your own physiology and the coin size.

It may simply be that you're chasing your tail on this one.

Wouldnt a goshman pinch be far more practical and natural looking?

I agree with greedoniz, the goshman pinch is easier and more natural looking than the backpalm, I've also tried backpalming a coin for a while and my hand looked cramped and suspicious.

I normally use a pinch between the first and second fingers. Look up the Escee Front-Back Manipulation in Bobo's. I find it very useful.

greedoniz wrote:Wouldnt a goshman pinch be far more practical and natural looking?

Yeah, the Tenkai/Goshman is a lot easier, and works better against gravity... i.e. palm-upwards.

Easier to get into. Easier to get out of.

seige wrote:

greedoniz wrote:Wouldnt a goshman pinch be far more practical and natural looking?

Yeah, the Tenkai/Goshman is a lot easier, and works better against gravity... I.e. palm-upwards.

Easier to get into. Easier to get out of.

I feel it is necessary to give a small defence of the back palm...

First off, Tenkai/Goshman may be easier to learn, however once mastered the back palm is just as easy to get in and out of.

Secondly, I would claim the opposite about gravity; personally I find the back palm a lot easier to hold (maybe due to my fingers?).

Whilst I agree that Tenkai/Goshman looks cleaner, it only allows you to conceal one coin. The back palm with practice will allow the hiding and revealing of multiple coins. Whilst back palming multiple coins is extremely difficult to learn, you will never be able to do this unless you have at least learnt to back palm one coin!

Anyone else out there have a soft spot for the back palm, or am I a lone voice in the wilderness?

Personally I'm a fan of the goshman mainly because my fingers curve a bit into each other.

I dont usually use the back palm and show the hand empty for a long time. Its a good sleight to use for a lot of effects, just dont hold your hand out for a while

thanks for all the tips. everyone. You've all been really helpful.