Buzz
What better way to convey your elation than by forcefully slapping your palm against your friend's? The resulting clap not only celebrates your own triumph but also serves as a loud signal to any potential rivals nearby. Follow the steps below to learn the art of high fiving like a pro.
Steps
Executing a Standard High Five
Find a buddy: High fives are a team effort. Doing it alone is just clapping. You'll need a willing partner to join in your celebration. Ideally, choose someone with sturdy arms and a strong grip.
- To make your high five truly memorable, ensure there's a reason to celebrate. It's hard to recreate the spontaneous joy of genuine celebration in a dull practice setting, so seek out opportunities to conquer challenges or perform impressive feats wherever you can.
Maintain proper posture. To deliver a powerful high five, ensure you stand with good posture. Plant your feet firmly on the ground shoulder-width apart, straighten your back, and pull your shoulders back while puffing out your chest. This strong stance enables you to generate power from the ground up, transferring it through your body and into your wrist for a resounding impact.
Don a smile. High fives are celebratory gestures, so wear a smile as you execute one. Embrace the honor of being able to share a high five - never approach it with anything less than a genuine grin.
Prepare for action. Begin moving toward your partner while drawing your dominant hand back, resembling a baseball pitch wind-up. Keep your hand in this position, palm open behind your ear.
Initiate the swing. As you approach your partner, unleash your hand with full force. Swing your shoulder, lean forward, and twist slightly. A loud 'crack' before contact is normal - it's just your hand breaking the sound barrier. Aim squarely for your partner's palm.
Connect. Ideally, your palm should meet your partner's in a vertical alignment, resulting in a crisp 'smack.' Enjoy the gratification of a successful high five. Ignore any surrounding disapproval - it's just jealousy masking deeper insecurities.
Enhance the moment with a triumphant exclamation.
Bravo! You've just delivered an exceptional high five to your companion. To intensify the emotional impact, exclaim 'Yeah!', 'Yay!', or 'Whoo!' in unison with your partner. The choice is yours!
- Other options:
- 'Hell yeah!'
- 'Alright!'
- 'Cool!'
- 'Radical!'
- 'Right on!'
- 'Hip!'
- 'Woo Hoo!'
Exploring High Five Variations
Master 'The Classic'. Commence the high five by presenting your hand (palm outward) while facing your partner. Propel your hand forward while uttering 'High five!', 'Gimme five!', 'Up here!', or 'Hit me!'. Proceed with the high five as described above.
- Keep your focus sharp! Direct your gaze to your partner's hand or elbow to ensure precision and avoid accidental face smacks.
Master 'The Down Low'. Instead of extending your hand outward with the palm facing up, lower it near your hip and rotate your palm upward. Signal readiness by announcing 'down low!' Your partner should reciprocate by slapping your hand with a downward motion of their arm.
- For added mischief, withdraw your hand at the last moment. Consider adding a teasing rhyme like 'too slow!'
- If you enjoy this technique and seek further variety, consider pairing it with its counterpart, aptly named 'Up High'.
Master 'The Air Five'. The Air five (or 'Wi-five') is a long-distance high five achievable with only visual contact. Follow the classic high five protocol without physical contact - essentially, extend your hand with the palm outward toward your friend while they do the same. Strive to virtually synchronize your palm motions. For added effect, incorporate high five sound effects like 'Whoopish!' or 'Kapow!' upon virtual contact.
- This variant is ideal for the digital era, enabling high fives over video chat from vast distances.
Master 'The Freeze'. Execute a standard high five, but after the initial clap, maintain hand contact for several seconds while locking eyes with your partner. Use your gaze to convey a range of emotions simmering beneath the surface!
- For added amusement, subtly interlace your fingers with your partner's, transitioning into a gentle hand embrace.
Master 'The Bro Fist' and its variations. While not technically a High five, The Bro Fist is a related gesture worth mentioning. Each participant forms a closed fist, lightly taps knuckles with their partner, and concludes with a hearty grunt or shout. Variants include:
- The Rocket. After the tap, one participant twists their fist into a thumbs-up while the other mimics a rocket's tail fire with their hand, making a whooshing noise.
- The Stick Shift. Upon impact, one participant grabs the other's fist and mimics shifting gears of a car while making revving noises.
- The Big Bang. Both participants move their fists apart slowly to simulate an explosion, accompanied by low rumbling noises.
Pointers
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Ensure a 100% success rate by focusing on your partner's elbow while executing the high five.
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Inject maximum enthusiasm to ensure the high five's success.
The insights shared here stem from the experiences of Mytour readers like you. If you have a helpful tip to contribute, please share it with us below.
- Be mindful not to high five too forcefully. Avoid causing discomfort to both yourself and your partner's hands!
Caution
- Exercise caution when high fiving individuals you're not closely acquainted with. There's a chance they may leave you hanging, leading to potential embarrassment.
