UPSB v3

Hand Care / Hitchhiker's Thumb

a.k.a. the really bendy thumb

  1. Teddy
    Date: Thu, Feb 7 2008 01:58:07

    Okay well this is going to sound funny since hitchhiker's thumb is a hereditary (or whatever) thing, but my left thumb is a hitchhikers thumb and my right thumb is... normal.

    (this kinda relates to my mastering a trick in the left hand better than the right)

    well i think that the hitchhiker's thumb really affects the triangle pass, due to the more surface covered by the thumb. Idk if that's it, but it seems to work somehow

  2. walkingjacket
    Date: Thu, Feb 7 2008 03:50:30

    I know someone with a Hitchhiker's thumb, I always thought it made it easier to do TA harmonics since he does em so well, but apparently it's harder to learn/master with that kind of thumb 'cause the pen keeps hitting your knuckle joint.

  3. UEDan
    Date: Thu, Feb 7 2008 04:37:58

    I heard it can be developed. My left thumb bends back further than my right.

    I dont think it would affect the ability to perform some tricks, I mean you dont bend your index all the way when doing a TA rev.

  4. blugyblug
    Date: Thu, Feb 7 2008 07:20:42

    I have a Hitchhikers thumb on both hands, my thumb bends backwards 90 degrees. I always thought it was normal until i was 10 years old... when i finally knew i had a "hitchhikers" thumb

  5. Ryuukohaden
    Date: Fri, Feb 8 2008 01:37:30

    I have a hitchhiker's thumb. I didn't really think it was useful for anything. I still suck at triangle pass, and my Double TA is no better than someone's who has a regular thumb.

  6. goodie_279
    Date: Sat, Mar 29 2008 00:14:02

    that said, i have hitchhikers thumbs that go about 90 degrees backwards,
    ive been able to master all the thumbaround and stuff alot easier than i thought.
    my friend doesnt and he can do things like the sonic easier,
    maybe it does have something to do with it.

  7. Viper-X
    Date: Sat, Mar 29 2008 13:12:26

    I don't think having a hitchhiker's thumb does much at all. Just that it can bend a bit more, i don't think it would affect it too much

  8. BrokenFury
    Date: Tue, Apr 8 2008 22:16:38

    Yer i can bend both my thumbs right back without any external force applied. Its how i got into pen spinning. I accidently pushed my pencil round my thumb (thumbaround trick) and have never had to try to hard with mastering thumb orientated tricks.

  9. asian pen
    Date: Tue, Apr 8 2008 23:50:45

    i think i have it...don't really see a difference tho

  10. ArchAngel
    Date: Wed, Apr 9 2008 02:56:19

    Hmmm....never heard of this before huh.gif
    My thumb is really curved....for some wierd reason laugh.gif

  11. asian pen
    Date: Wed, Apr 9 2008 04:31:38

    and thus you got hitch hikers thumb?

  12. NinjaMist
    Date: Thu, May 8 2008 00:27:40

    i hav hitchhiker's thumb....but i dont think it really affects your spinning abilities ph34r.gif

  13. 000zero0000
    Date: Sat, May 17 2008 05:19:58

    QUOTE (NinjaMist @ May 7 2008, 08:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
    i hav hitchhiker's thumb....but i dont think it really affects your spinning abilities ph34r.gif


    probably, if all else mabe it helps somewhat

  14. prvteprts
    Date: Mon, May 19 2008 19:05:00

    I've heard that people who have hitchhiker's thumb are really skilled in their chosen field. But I don't think there's any difference. Although I'm curious if it is more uncommon than common. Can we have a show of hands (or thumbs) of those who have it? I have it in both hands AND big toes lol.

  15. CudOfCow
    Date: Wed, May 21 2008 15:51:11

    Books to read: Tom Robbins - Even Cowgirls get the Blues.

    There is a video of this with Uma Thurman as the main character. She has huge thumbs and has a knack for hitchhiking. Check it out. Tom Robbins writes great books.

  16. Icepray
    Date: Fri, May 23 2008 16:44:09

    Me too I thought it was easier(my brother has it) and was really good at doing a TA, I couldn't learn it and thought it was cause I couldn't do that, in the end... I'm the spinner mwahaha...


    I don't think it makes a dramatic difference, it's not like you have 100% finger independance... that would help ^^

  17. ToastyRage
    Date: Sat, May 24 2008 00:56:00

    My thumb will bend about 95 degree's backwards and it really helps with guitar and card flourishing.

  18. prvteprts
    Date: Sat, May 24 2008 17:08:58

    QUOTE (ToastyRage @ May 24 2008, 08:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
    My thumb will bend about 95 degree's backwards and it really helps with guitar and card flourishing.


    On guitar, I'm thinking it helps your picking hand? You must be a fingerpicker then. Can't really see much difference for the fretting hand.

  19. RelicDemon12
    Date: Mon, Jun 30 2008 14:38:37

    my left is a hitchhiker (i think) too and m right snt, i have done ta harmopnics and triangle pass on both hands and see not much of a difference

  20. dark predict
    Date: Thu, Jul 3 2008 09:45:38

    i have hitchhiker's thumb.... but I had work hard to do this. for the moment the change is not really visible and useful.
    I'm also independent of some of my last phalanx.
    I can't see any usefullness but I search ... wink.gif

  21. iMatt
    Date: Thu, Jul 3 2008 18:52:54

    The only real difficulty i've found is doing Bak>FL TA REV and Thumbspins 2.0+

    My thumb bends 90 degrees back, it naturally sits at 45 degrees, so it the catches the knuckle instead

  22. 000zero0000
    Date: Fri, Jul 4 2008 22:10:36

    no ones answered my question, does it make any difference?

  23. June
    Date: Sun, Jul 6 2008 05:25:33

    well
    i think it varies person to person
    i have hitchhikers thumb and dont think it makes a difference.
    im sure there are lots of hitchhikers thumbed spinners...
    and those who are not...
    and its more about practice than physical characteristics

  24. xN
    Date: Mon, Jul 7 2008 17:35:32

    I have it and it really hasnt effected me yet. I acually never thought about how it could effect my spinning untill now.

  25. Joebob
    Date: Wed, Apr 8 2009 02:41:12

    i used to have straight thumbs, but i started doing track and my thumbs stretched back a bit because the start position for sprints puts some weight on your thumbs... so now i have hitchhikers thumb tongue.gif
    Anyway, it hasn't seemed to affect my spinning at all.

  26. Dark Angel-REX
    Date: Wed, Apr 8 2009 14:46:41

    thread reviver Joebob.


    anyway, now it's revived.

    I have hitchhiker's thumb too. Very good to do TA harmonic, but somewhat hard to do multiple FL TAs.

  27. Joebob
    Date: Thu, Apr 9 2009 03:44:47

    QUOTE (Dark Angel-REX @ Apr 8 2009, 07:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
    thread reviver Joebob.


    anyway, now it's revived.

    I have hitchhiker's thumb too. Very good to do TA harmonic, but somewhat hard to do multiple FL TAs.

    hehe, my bad... didn't pay attention onion-head8.gif

  28. NoobishPenspinner
    Date: Sun, Apr 12 2009 17:58:17

    i gots hitchhiker's thumb on my right and not on my left. blink.gif

    its weird, i think i inherited it because my dad doesnt have it but my mom does.


    i think its not a difference. ive tried it out using bent backwards thumb and a straight thumb, and the pen starts/ends with the same place, so i dont think there's really a difference.

  29. SJ
    Date: Sun, Apr 12 2009 22:20:03

    QUOTE (NoobishPenspinner @ Apr 12 2009, 10:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
    i gots hitchhiker's thumb on my right and not on my left. blink.gif

    wtf is that even possible
    i thought its all or nothing

  30. Charlie
    Date: Mon, Apr 13 2009 03:36:12

    QUOTE (SJ @ Apr 12 2009, 02:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
    wtf is that even possible
    i thought its all or nothing

    it might be possible.

    My right hand's thumb, ring finger, and pinky are double jointed.

    My left hand's fingers are perfectly normal.

  31. Resonance
    Date: Mon, Apr 13 2009 13:34:51

    QUOTE (Charlie @ Apr 13 2009, 06:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
    it might be possible.

    My right hand's thumb, ring finger, and pinky are double jointed.

    My left hand's fingers are perfectly normal.

    Well, I wouldn't exactly call them perfectly normal.... tongue.gif

  32. exit
    Date: Mon, Apr 27 2009 16:02:14

    I have one! Makes TA harmonics so bloody easy

  33. phua sy
    Date: Fri, May 1 2009 17:14:48

    looks quite disgusting like bending when pressing on to something

  34. Metalm3
    Date: Sun, May 10 2009 14:30:09

    QUOTE (Dark Angel-REX @ Apr 8 2009, 10:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
    I have hitchhiker's thumb too. Very good to do TA harmonic, but somewhat hard to do multiple FL TAs.

  35. Lanaro
    Date: Fri, May 15 2009 02:54:11

    I developed mine in 6th grade, I thought it was cool, so I kept bending my finger until I was able to bend it 90 degrees or whatever.

    I think it got in the way of learning tricks, since I kept finding it to be an issue for learning reverse TA.

  36. SJ
    Date: Fri, May 15 2009 05:15:30

    you can develop hitchhikers thumb?

  37. Charlie
    Date: Fri, May 15 2009 08:23:23

    QUOTE (Resonance @ Apr 13 2009, 06:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
    Well, I wouldn't exactly call them perfectly normal.... tongue.gif


    haha, good point.