Going to a magic show is an exciting experience. You get to watch a talented magician use optical illusions to trick your mind into thinking he is actually performing magic. While some people believe that magic is actually being performed, the reality is that you are just being tricked. Here are the most famous magic tricks explained.
The Trick: Walking on Water
Taking a note from the Bible, magicians decided they could pull the same miracle as Jesus and walk on water. While it looks like the magician may fall into the water at any second, he just keeps walking.
Explanation: Walking on Water
There are actually Perspex boxes under the water that become invisible. The magician acts like he is losing his balance when in reality, it’s a straight walk down these boxes.
The Trick: Levitating Man
You will see this trick a lot on the street. It looks like the man is using just his hand to hold himself up with no effort at all.
The Explanation: Levitating Man
Have you ever noticed that these performers usually wear loose fitting clothing? It’s because the clothing is hiding the metal plates that are holding the man up. He sits on one plate while the other sits on the ground. Both are connected to the pole he holds on to.
The Trick: Cutting a Girl in Half
The classic trick of sawing the magician’s assistant in half has been around for many years. The audience is shocked when the saw goes through the box and the girl is separated without injury.
The Explanation: Sawing a Girl in Half
Surprise! There are actually two women used in this trick. A woman sits in each box but exposes only half of her body so that it looks like one person.
The Trick: The Floating Woman
Sometimes magicians will use an audience member or his assistant for this trick. A board is supported by two chairs, which are later taken away, leaving the volunteer floating in mid-air. To prove magic is real, the magician usually runs a hula-hoop around the person to show that nothing is holding the board up.
The Explanation: Floating Woman
Magicians are great a hiding things when it comes to tricks. In this particular trick, there is a metal rode that holds the woman up and stays hidden, even when the hula-hoop is passed over her body.
The Trick: Pulling a Rabbit Out of a Hat
This may be the oldest magician trick known to man. With just a wave of a wand, a magician will pull out a furry white bunny from his top hat.
The Explanation: Pulling a Rabbit Out of a Hat
Magicians need more than just a hat and a rabbit to complete this trick. A long tablecloth will conceal a bag holding a rabbit while the magician shows off his empty hat. Then when magician sneakily puts the rabbit in his hat and pulls it out.
The Trick: Biting a Coin in Half
Your teeth are one of the strongest bones in your body, but are they strong enough to bite a metal coin in half? Apparently they are when it comes to magicians. A magician will ask an audience member for a coin and bite it right in half in front of the audience.
The Explanation: Biting a Coin in Half
The secret to this trick is to switch out the real coin with a fake coin that is already broken. It involves some serious slight of hand talent to make the trick look believable. Just make sure to give the real coin back to the audience and not the fake one.
The Trick: Buzz-saw
Another famous magic trick is cutting an assistant in half with a large buzz saw. The saw looks like it goes straight through the person lying on the table peacefully, but there is no blood or screams. How can this be?
The Explanation: Buzz saw
The secret to this trick is very similar to cutting a woman in half. The saw actually does cut through the table, but the assistant can pull their feet up to safety while a pair of fake fee still dangle at the end of the table.
The Trick: Bending a Spoon
This trick is usually performed for small groups, especially at a dinner party. The magician will pick up a spoon from the table and make it bend violently with just his mind.
The Explanation: Bending a Spoon
While the magician took a regular spoon from the table, he came with a prop to help him with this trick. He will use a small silver coin to make it look like the tip of the spoon is moving, therefore making the audience believe that it is bending.
The Trick: Zigzag Woman
A magician will make the audience believe that he can move his assistant’s stomach right away from her body and put his head where the hole is to prove his trick.
The Explanation: Zigzag Woman
The assistant for this trick must be extremely flexible. She will simply move her body to the side while keeping her head facing straight towards the audience to make it look like she is standing up straight. In fact, she is bending her torso along with moved the box.
The Trick: Impaling the Body
A magician will usually make it look like he or his assistant lost their balance and were impaled by a spike or rod on stage. Although, they don’t seem to be in pain.
The Explanation: Impaling the Body
This trick is a little more complicated than others. When the magician falls back on the spike, they are actually falling back on a platform that will move down when they fall on it, making it look like the spike went through their body.
The Trick: Levitating Cup
Magicians love to make it look like they can hold things in midair. Take this cup for example. It’s floating through the air without anything touching it.
The Explanation: Levitating Cup
This trick is pretty simple. The magician simply has a hole in the back of the cup that he can put his thumb through. When he takes his fingers away, it looks like it is levitating.
The Trick: Swallowing a Sword
Sword swallowers have been entertaining people for many years. They skillfully put an entire sword down their throat so that just the handle sticks out of their mouth. They then pull it out and wait for applause.
The Explanation: Sword Swallowing
There isn’t illusion when it comes to this trick. It’s strictly careful placement going down the throat. If the sword is off by just a little bit, it can cause major injury to the swallower.