Download ArticleDownload ArticleThis article was co-authored by Zach Waldman. Zach Waldman is a Professional Comedy Magician based in Los Angeles, CA. He has over 20 years of experience as an entertainer and performer. He is a comedian, magician, and mentalist, and he customizes his show to be distinct for every audience he performs for. His clients include some of the biggest corporations in the world, including Microsoft, Google, BusinessWeek, Absolut, the L.A. Kings, Anheuser-Busch, and more. He has been a member of the Academy of Magical Arts (AMA) since 2001, and performs regularly at the Academy’s clubhouse, The Magic Castle. For the past 20+ years, Zach has been a mainstay at many other reputable Los Angeles theaters and comedy clubs including the El Portal, the Comedy Store, the Improv, Flappers, and the Laugh Factory. Before moving to L.A., he attended the Player's Workshop of the Second City. He received his degree from the University of Central Florida.
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Straitjackets were designed to incapacitate the people buckled into them, which is exactly why it’s so thrilling to watch a magician, illusionist, or escape artist wriggle out of one as part of their act. If you’re an aspiring Houdini, you’ll be excited to know that pulling off a daring straitjacket escape is a feat that anyone can perform, provided they take a few simple preparatory measures. The key is to create enough space inside the straitjacket while it’s being put on to make it possible to free your arms, which you can then use to undo and remove the rest of the jacket.
Steps
Cross your dominant arm over the other as the jacket is being put on. When it comes time to make your escape, you’ll do so by first working your outer arm free. Having your stronger arm on the outside will make it much easier to generate the force you need to slip out of the starting position.[1]- Straitjackets work by immobilizing the wearer’s arms across their lower abdomen, where they’re unable to harm themselves or others.
- You may not have the choice of which arm to keep in front of you if you’re ever being placed in a straitjacket for real (which is unlikely). For this reason, it can be a good idea to practice using both arms as your lead if you want to be prepared for any situation.
Pinch the fabric on the side of the straitjacket. Without attracting too much attention, grab a handful of the material just underneath your dominant hand and keep a firm grip on it. Bunching up the fabric before the jacket is cinched tight will give you 2–4 inches (5.1–10.2 cm) of slack, which will help you tremendously later on.[2]- If you’re not able to take hold of the fabric because you’re being watched or can’t move your fingers, don’t worry—it’s a helpful step, but not a necessary one.
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Take a deep breath as the jacket is being buckled. Fill your lungs with air and keep the muscles of your torso rigid until you’re strapped in. Once the straitjacket is secure, exhale completely and relax your core. The fabric, which was previously stretched to the limit, will now hang limply around your upper body.[3]- Lift your elbows as you inhale to give your chest more room to expand.
Warning: Try not to make your breathing too obvious. If you swallow a chestful of air in one big gulp, you may tip off your audience to what you’re doing and give away the secret of the trick.
Make yourself as small as possible. Stand up perfectly straight until the last strap has been buckled. Then, let your shoulders fall and bend over slightly at the midsection. The more compact you can make your frame, the more space you’ll give yourself to maneuver.[4]- Recall what you were told bad posture looked like growing up and try to emulate this position.
Push your dominant arm up and away from your body. Using the slack you’ve created for yourself, begin inching your stronger arm enough to slide your hand and forearm past the elbow of your weaker arm. This may take a bit of brute strength, as even with the added room you’ll be bound quite tightly.[5]- Tuck the elbow of your weaker arm tight to your body to make it less of an obstacle for your dominant arm.[6]
Tip: Always perform this crucial step with the arm that’s closest to your head, regardless of whether it’s your stronger or weaker arm.
Rest the hand of your dominant arm on your opposite shoulder. Once you’ve worked your arm up past your weaker arm, pull your hand in as close to your neck as you can get it. Doing so will allow you to raise your elbow enough to pass the arm behind your head, which will put you into position to loosen your first restraint.[7]- Your stronger arm should be folded on top of your weaker arm, almost as though you’re hugging yourself.
Pull your head through the gap between your shoulder and elbow. Lift your dominant arm straight up towards the ceiling. At the same time, tuck your chin and force your head down and forward through the hole. Once you’ve got your arm clear of your head, let it fall in front of your body. You should now be able to move both arms freely.[8]- To envision this movement more clearly, it can be helpful to imagine that you’re undoing a shirt button. Think of your head at the button and your dominant arm as the hem around the buttonhole through which you guide the button.
- Be careful not to contort yourself too much in this position. One wrong move and you could easily dislocate your shoulder, which you should never do unless you’re an experienced magician with extensive training in joint manipulation techniques.[9]
Undo the sleeve buckle with your teeth. Now that your arms are free, bring them up to your face and use your teeth to carefully loosen the buckle that joins the two sleeves. You only need to create some slack in the strap—after that, you can grip it through the fabric of the jacket and tug it the rest of the way out.[10]- You can also use your surroundings to your advantage if you have weak or sensitive teeth. For example, you might coax the strap out of the keeper by pushing the sleeve buckle against a table, door frame, or other nearby object.
Use your free hands to open the buckles at the back of the jacket. Focus on the top and bottom buckles, as these are the ones that prevent the wearer from pulling off the jacket. Undo the neck buckle by reaching back behind your head like you’re fastening a necklace. Then, bring both hands down your hips and unlatch the waist buckle like you’re tying an apron.[11]- Your arms will still be inside the jacket at this point, which means you’ll need to do your best to grip the buckles through the fabric of the sleeves.
- There's no need to undo each and every buckle. However, the more buckles you can get to, the better your chances of escaping.
Tip: You can undo the buckles in whatever order you please, but it may be more comfortable to target the neck buckle first, especially if it’s restricting your breathing.
Step on the sleeves and stand up quickly to slip out of the straitjacket. Lean forward until the sleeves of the jacket are draped across the floor at your feet. Place a foot on the end of either sleeve, then pull your torso up and back with a jerk to slip out of the straitjacket in one smooth motion. Take a bow—you’ve done it![12]- Straighten up enough to take the slack out of the sleeves before you attempt to pull your torso free.
- To avoid falling over or losing control of the sleeves, make sure you’re standing on them with your full weight.
Community Q&A
- QuestionWhat part of the straitjacket do I pinch, specifically?
Community AnswerPinch the front, as close to the space directly between your shoulders (just above the middle of your chest) as possible. If you make slack close to the bottom edge, it will not do you any good, as you are trying to give some extra room around your chest so you can get your arm over your head. - QuestionHow long would it take to escape from a straitjacket?
Community AnswerIf you're experienced, it'd probably take around 3 minutes. However, if it is your first time, it might take 5 to 10 minutes. - QuestionCan I cut out of it with a hidden knife?
Community AnswerThis would be hard, especially if the jacket is made of leather. It is very dangerous too. Plus, it is hard to hide a knife.
Tips
- Remember, practice makes perfect. It may take a few tries before you get to the point where you can pull off each phase of the escape smoothly.Thanks
- Time yourself to see how long it takes you to get free. Track your improvement and try to beat your previous best time with each attempt.Thanks
Warnings
- Never attempt to escape from a straitjacket alone. If you don’t succeed, you won’t have any way of getting out or calling for help!Thanks
- If you’re performing this feat for an audience, rehearse with the person who will be placing the jacket on you. That way, you can make sure they know how to restrain you in a way that shows the audience there are no tricks while still allowing you to squirm out without too much difficulty.Thanks
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about magic tricks, check out our in-depth interview with Zach Waldman.
References
- ↑ https://gizmodo.com/the-secrets-behind-harry-houdini-s-ten-greatest-illusio-1654107326
- ↑ https://www.thegreatharryhoudini.com/straightsuits.html
- ↑ https://metro.co.uk/2014/11/16/how-did-houdini-do-his-deeds-legendary-illusionists-secrets-revealed-4937900/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZRh1WRtNjk&feature=youtu.be&t=405
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEnSsjf8viE#t=2m50s
- ↑ https://gizmodo.com/the-secrets-behind-harry-houdini-s-ten-greatest-illusio-1654107326
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZRh1WRtNjk&feature=youtu.be&t=428
- ↑ https://metro.co.uk/2014/11/16/how-did-houdini-do-his-deeds-legendary-illusionists-secrets-revealed-4937900/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dislocated-shoulder/symptoms-causes/syc-20371715
About This Article
The key to escaping from a straitjacket is to create extra space inside the jacket while it’s being put on so you can move your arms around enough to undo the buckles. As the jacket is being put on, cross your arms and grab a handful fabric with your dominant hand, keeping a firm grip on it. Without being too obvious, fill your lungs with air as the jacket is being buckled and keep the muscles in your torso as rigid as possible until the straps are secure. Once the jacket is buckled, release your breath so the fabric hangs loose. Now that you have room to move, hunch your shoulders over to make yourself as small as possible and carefully uncross your arms. Pull your head through the gap between your shoulder and elbow. You should now be able to move your arms freely and unbuckle the straps of the jacket. To learn how to use your teeth to help you unbuckle the straps of the straitjacket, keep reading!
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