Great forum guys, I love the friendly vibe I get from this community. I'm new to magic and I'm very interested in Muscle Reading. I would love to learn everything I can on it if someone could point me in the right direction to articles, books that I can pick up on it, I will greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Wake

Hi Adam.

Its not an area I've looked into myself, but from what I understand Banachek has published some of the most informative material on this subject. Psychophysiological Thought Reading is the name of the book and I believe he has also released a DVD teaching muscle reading but I'm not sure of the name.

I hope that helps?

Had to look up muscle reading on Wikipedia! I've never even heard of it but it sounds like some really cool mentalist meets fbi interrogator stuff. may be there is a published journal on it have you checked the research section of the library? not exactly pertaining to magic but muscle reading doesn't seem to either. I'm sure there is an interrogators journal out there somewhere. probably didn't help I apologize

There's some good info in Banachek's PSI series DVDs. Seems like good info to me, but I've never tried muscle reading, so I wouldn't know for sure.

There are old books available on Hanusen and Helstom that form the foundations of modern techniques. This is not beginner stuff! You need experience in audience attention management and a great deal of 'presence', and the ability to command respect. I was able to do it at 15 because I was mentored by Arnold Furst. It is not a trick and the results can exceed expectations for both the audience and performer -- and you have to be prepared to fail some of the time. Since it can done as a demonstration there is no need for 100% success anyway. It is the closest thing you can do to actual mind-reading. My best effort was dialing a phone number while connected to my medium by only a pencil.

I also would not combine this with other mental magic effects. If you approach a demonstration with any doubts what so ever it will not work.

Thanks for the great responses. Today I got to test out hellstromism when a old friend of mine saw that I posted here and offered to teach me how to do it.

The first time I got my neighbour to hide a pen anywhere in the house while I waited outside. I was a little clumsy at first, but found that I was being drawn to a certain area, however it was around an area near the door that joins the kitchen to the living room. And I was pretty sure it was around there because again, what my friend had taught me to do, I was doing and I was being drawn to that area. Well I was stumbled and looked up for a second and I saw the pen on the archway of the door! It was amazing that I was drawn to that area using hellstromism. For my first time I was pretty excited that I had it right.

I also improvised a little bit and had someone pick an area on atlas and after some time getting used to it, I correctly picked it.

My presentation skills were 0. However, I was glad at how well it worked.

My friend reccomended Corinda, so I will check that out. Thanks for the reccomendation on Banachek (I'm a big fan of him, I remember seeing him on TV as a kid) and I've decided I'm going to buy a signed copy of his muscle reading book. I heard that there is some amazing variations of hellstromism in his book.

I'm also looking on ebay right now for his PSI series, which will be interesting to watch.

One of the best ways to practice is to perform an effect that you can nail using other means. Begin with the muscle reading and if it is not working for you for whatever reason use your back up technique. This way you still succeed and get practice.