Have you ever met someone who could twist their arm in an impossible direction or wiggle their ears on command? The human body is full of surprises, and some people possess rare physical abilities that seem almost supernatural. These "body tricks" often stem from genetic quirks, hypermobility, or unusual muscle control—traits that only a small percentage of the population shares.
In this article, we’ll explore 15 rare body tricks that only some people can perform, from double-jointed flexibility to bizarre reflexes. You might even discover you have one of these hidden talents yourself!
---What Makes These Body Tricks So Rare?
Before diving into the list, let’s understand why these abilities are uncommon. Most rare body tricks fall into one of these categories:
- Hypermobility: Some people have unusually flexible joints due to loose ligaments or genetic conditions like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS).
- Muscle Control: Certain individuals can isolate and move muscles most people can’t consciously control (e.g., ear wiggling or scalp raising).
- Genetic Mutations: Rare traits like extra ribs, unusual finger lengths, or unique reflexes can enable specific tricks.
- Learned Skills: A few tricks require intense practice, like tongue rolling or eye vibration, but not everyone can master them.
Now, let’s explore the most fascinating rare body tricks—ranked from "somewhat common" to "extremely rare."
---15 Rare Body Tricks You Won’t Believe Exist
1. The Double-Jointed Thumb (Hitchhiker’s Thumb)
Also called a "distal hypermobile thumb," this trick involves bending the thumb backward at a 90-degree angle (or more). About 10-25% of people can do this due to a genetic variation in the joint structure.
- How to test: Try bending your thumb backward toward your wrist. If it forms an "L" shape, you’ve got it!
- Fun fact: Some studies suggest this trait is linked to ancestral Neanderthal DNA.
2. Ear Wiggling
Only 10-20% of people can wiggle their ears voluntarily. This skill relies on the auricularis muscles, which most people can’t control consciously.
- How to test: Focus on moving just your ears without tensing your scalp. If they twitch, you’re in the minority!
- Fun fact: Some cultures believe ear-wigglers are more attuned to sound or have heightened intuition.
3. Tongue Rolling
Rolling your tongue into a tube is a classic party trick, but not everyone can do it. Around 65-80% of people can roll their tongues, while the rest lack the genetic muscle structure.
- How to test: Try curling the sides of your tongue upward to form a tube. If it stays rolled, you’ve got the gene!
- Fun fact: Tongue rolling was once used in studies to teach basic genetics (though it’s now known to be more complex than a single gene).
4. The "Elbow Hyperextension" (Backward-Bending Arms)
Some people can extend their elbows beyond 180 degrees, making their arms appear to bend backward. This is common in gymnasts and dancers but rare in the general population.
- How to test: Straighten your arm and see if your elbow joint extends past a straight line.
- Fun fact: This trait is often seen in people with joint hypermobility syndrome.
5. Raising One Eyebrow (The Spock Eyebrow)
Being able to lift just one eyebrow independently is a rare skill—only about 30% of people can do it. It requires precise control over the frontalis muscle.
- How to test: Try raising only your left or right eyebrow while keeping the other still.
- Fun fact: Actors like Roger Moore (James Bond) famously used this trick for expressive performances.
6. The "Gorilla Grip" (Touching Your Wrist with Your Thumb)
This extreme thumb flexibility allows some people to stretch their thumb all the way to their forearm. It’s most common in people with EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome).
- How to test: Bend your thumb across your palm and see if it reaches your wrist.
- Fun fact: This trick is sometimes called the "thumb-to-forearm test" in hypermobility assessments.
7. Voluntary Nystagmus (Eye Vibration)
Less than 5% of people can voluntarily shake their eyes side-to-side rapidly, a condition called voluntary nystagmus. It’s not harmful but looks unsettling to others.
- How to test: Try rapidly moving your eyes back and forth without moving your head. If they vibrate, you’re in the elite club!
- Fun fact: Some people with this ability report it helps them "reset" their vision when tired.
8. The "Human Pretzel" (Extreme Backbending)
While many people can do a basic backbend, only a fraction can bend backward until their head touches their feet. This requires extreme spinal flexibility and is common in contortionists.
- How to test: Lie on your stomach and try to grab your ankles, pulling your torso upward.
- Fun fact: The world record for the most extreme backbend is held by contortionists who can bend 180 degrees backward while standing.
9. The "Finger Lock" (Interlacing Fingers Inside-Out)
Most people interlace their fingers with thumbs on top, but some can weave them inside-out, with thumbs tucked underneath. This is a sign of unusual hand dexterity.
- How to test: Try lacing your fingers with palms facing away from you, thumbs hidden inside.
- Fun fact: People who can do this often have unusually long fingers or double-jointed knuckles.
10. The "Toe Touch" (Grabbing Your Big Toe with Your Hand)
Without bending your knees, can you reach down and grab your big toe? Only about 20% of adults retain this flexibility from childhood.
- How to test: Stand straight and try to touch your toes with your fingers. If you can grab your big toe, you pass!
- Fun fact: This trick is easier for people with long arms or short legs (or both).
11. The "Reverse Prayer" (Palms Together Behind the Back)
Bringing your palms together behind your back (like a reverse prayer position) requires extreme shoulder and wrist flexibility. Most people can’t do it without years of yoga practice.
- How to test: Clasp your hands behind your back and try to press your palms flat together.
- Fun fact: This position is used in some martial arts and dance traditions for balance and strength.
12. The "Ear Rumbling" (Tensor Tympani Control)
Some people can create a low, rumbling sound in their ears by contracting the tensor tympani muscle. It’s estimated that less than 10% of people can do this on command.
- How to test: Try to "flex" your ears internally—if you hear a deep rumble, you’ve got the skill!
- Fun fact: This muscle’s primary purpose is to dampen loud noises, but some people can control it voluntarily.
13. The "Double-Jointed Knees" (Recurvatum)
Some individuals can hyperextend their knees backward by 10 degrees or more. This is common in ballet dancers but rare in the general population.
- How to test: Stand straight and try to push your knees backward. If they extend past a straight line, you’ve got recurvatum.
- Fun fact: Over-hyperextending knees can lead to joint instability, so be cautious!
14. The "Scalp Muscle Control" (Raising Your Hairline)
Most people can’t move their scalp muscles voluntarily, but some can raise their entire hairline like a surprised cartoon character. This is extremely rare.
- How to test: Try to "lift" your forehead skin upward. If your hairline moves, you’re one of the few!
- Fun fact: This ability is sometimes linked to people who can also wiggle their ears.
15. The "Tongue to Nose" (The Ultimate Flexibility Test)
The rarest trick on this list: touching your nose with your tongue. Only about 1% of people can do this due to an unusually long tongue or small nose.
- How to test: Stick out your tongue and try to reach your nose. If you can touch it, you’re in the elite 1%!
- Fun fact: Gene Simmons of KISS is famous for this trick, which he uses in his stage performances.
Why Can Some People Do These Tricks and Others Can’t?
The ability to perform rare body tricks usually comes down to:
- Genetics: Some traits (like tongue rolling or hitchhiker’s thumb) are inherited. If your parents could do it, you might too.
- Joint Structure: People with naturally loose ligaments (hypermobility) can perform more flexibility-based tricks.
- Muscle Control: Some individuals develop fine motor control over muscles most people ignore (e.g., ear or scalp muscles).
- Practice: A few tricks (like voluntary nystagmus) can be learned with intense focus, though not everyone succeeds.
Interestingly, some of these abilities are more common in certain populations. For example:
- Ear wiggling is slightly more prevalent in Native American and East Asian populations.
- Hypermobility traits are more common in women due to hormonal differences affecting ligaments.
Are Rare Body Tricks Dangerous?
Most of these tricks are harmless, but a few come with risks:
- Hypermobility-related tricks (like extreme backbending or double-jointed knees) can lead to joint instability or dislocations if overdone.
- Voluntary nystagmus might cause temporary dizziness in some people.
- Forcing a trick (like trying to touch your nose with your tongue) could strain muscles or ligaments.
When to see a doctor: If a body trick causes pain, swelling, or joint popping, it could signal an underlying condition like EDS or joint hypermobility syndrome.
---Can You Learn These Tricks, or Are They Purely Genetic?
Some rare body tricks can be trained with practice, while others are genetic and can’t be learned. Here’s the breakdown:
Tricks You Might Be Able to Learn:
- Ear wiggling (with persistent practice)
- Raising one eyebrow (through muscle isolation exercises)
- Tongue rolling (some people can train it with effort)
- Toe touching (with stretching and flexibility training)
Tricks That Are Mostly Genetic:
- Hitchhiker’s thumb
- Voluntary nystagmus
- Tongue-to-nose
- Extreme hypermobility (like gorilla grip or backward elbows)
Pro Tip: If you’re trying to learn a trick, practice in short sessions (5-10 minutes a day) to avoid strain. For example, to train ear wiggling, try moving your scalp muscles while looking in a mirror.
---Fun Ways to Test Your Friends for Rare Body Tricks
Turn these tricks into a party game! Here’s how to host a "Rare Body Tricks Challenge":
- Make a checklist: Print out the 15 tricks and have friends mark which ones they can do.
- Score rarity: Assign points based on how rare each trick is (e.g., tongue-to-nose = 10 points, tongue rolling = 1 point).
- Time trials: See who can hold a backbend the longest or wiggle their ears the fastest.
- Guess the trick: Have one person perform a trick while others guess what it’s called.
Bonus: Film the results and share them on social media with #RareBodyTricks!
---Famous People with Rare Body Tricks
Celebrities aren’t immune to these quirks! Here are a few famous figures with rare body tricks:
- Gene Simmons (KISS) – Can touch his nose with his tongue.
- Miley Cyrus – Has extreme hypermobility and can do the "human pretzel."
- Andy Milonakis – Famous for his ear-wiggling skills.
- Gina Carano (Actress/MMA Fighter) – Can raise one eyebrow independently.
- Usain Bolt – Has a rare condition called scoliosis, which actually helped his running form.
Conclusion: Are You One of the Few?
Rare body tricks are a fascinating reminder of how diverse human anatomy can be. Whether you can wiggle your ears, bend your thumb backward, or touch your nose with your tongue, these abilities make you part of an exclusive club.
If you discovered a new trick you can do, congratulations—you’ve got a party trick for life! If not, don’t worry: most of these skills are purely genetic, and there’s no "right" or "wrong" way for a body to move.
Did we miss any rare body tricks? Have you mastered one not on this list? Share your experiences in the comments—and don’t forget to challenge your friends to see who’s the rarest of them all!
Final Challenge: Try all 15 tricks and count how many you can do. If you score 5
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