I am a chopstick user for 70 years. This video showed us the most effective standard method of holding chopsticks and explained the learning process in detail, especially the reference to the finger rotation gesture in the air that I had never known, which benefited me a lot. So I am very happy to see this video again!
We use the two stick tool every day, but it seems most of us having taken its functions and convenience for granted. Thanks for the thorough study of the subject.
That is a good idea. These are descriptions from two different frames of reference. The "axis normal to the plane formed by tip segment of three fingers" is anchored to the hand as a frame of reference. The "longitudinal axis" refers to the top chopstick itself as a frame of reference. I think by talking about both, one cements the concept that the top chopstick becomes a cantilever extension of the three fingers. That is, as fingers extend the top chopstick away from the bottom chopstick, and move them back together, these two axis with different frames of references remain in sync, thus confirming the cantilever argument. Cool. Thanks!
Ha ha ha :D Chopsticks are not intuitive to use, especially the Standard Grip shown here. Large number of kids that grow up using chopsticks end up inventing their own chopstick grips.
@@deltafour1212 - I no longer feel there is a right way to grip chopsticks. Every grip is different and has its own characteristics, pros and cons. Standard Grip is "balanced" in terms of overall characteristics. But some grips produce much stronger compression power, for instance.
I've been trying to learn to use chopsticks for a long time. Just found your site and channel and will try again. I'm not sure why I want to learn how to use a stick to eat but I do. I also note there are no UA-cam videos on how to use a fork.
Some people simply like to learn new things for no particular reason. You are like many of us. Ha ha ha. Now, seriously, there are no videos on "how to use a fork", nor are there classifications of "fork grips". One reason is because holding a fork is much simpler than wielding chopsticks - any death grip will do. There is no need to "pivot" a fork - you just turn a fork into an extension of your hand. In fact, if you just duct-tape a fork to your hand, you will still eat just fine. With chopsticks, it's not that simple. There are two sticks you need to separate and then pinch together. If this Standard Grip doesn't work well for you - don't worry. Try any of the other 40 grips we've documented. One will work out well for you : )
Very good explanation and demonstration video. However, years of writing with inadequate tools from a young age and the particular form and length of my fingers make it difficult to handle real food with chopsticks for long enough, though I have always been able to hold the chopsticks rather correctly. It's a pity that I like so much all asian cuisine and utensils.
Thanks for the comment. Your experience is not atypical, despite what you may believe. Since making this video, we have broadened our view on chopsticking. So many people have talked to us that we now understand that everyone's hand muscles are built differently. People are going to find some of the dozens of different chopstick grips work better for them, than others. And it is fine. We've since been avoiding calling any chopstick grips correct or wrong, because we now understand them as suitable or unsuitable for a particular person. What do you think?
@@Marcosticks I agree with you. I like everything related to cooking and eating food customs and utensils/tools, so I have a good collection of different types of chopsticks; I realized that some of them fit my hand better. I think practice with different foods and concentration would help greatly.
@@alexandrahalehtalai2448 - yeah, that's another thing that we independently confirmed. There are so many different styles and types of chopsticks. Some will fit your hand better than others. Some grips work better with particular types of chopsticks. For instance, flat and metallic Korean chopsticks are quite a breed of its own : ) Thanks again for leaving a comment. It allows other people to see and appreciate the variety of experiences.
This is a common issue. Others have mentioned the same issue. If you search for 'ring' in comments here you will see short conversations on this topic (Pipi Nyorak and Junelle Mendoza). Please see, for now, this long article: marcosticks.org/caswellian-thumb-and-chopsticks/. I'll write up a shorter FAQ-style article in time to summarize the issue and possible solutions.
I have concluded that my hand is like, fundamentally shaped different than a normal human hand or something. No matter what I do, something always slips or doesn't grip or something. I can get either chopstick, but trying to do both makes a chopstick slide or makes the top chopstick go like half an inch away from where the bottom chopstick is.
On the contrary, everyone's hand is built differently. If you read comments here, you'll find company. Or visit the Reddit chopsticks sub at www.reddit.com/r/chopsticks/. Everyone assumed in the past that everyone must use Standard Grip. We have done enough independent research, and have filmed enough real people using chopsticks, to find that that is not true. Standard Grip simply does not work for a large population of normal people.
I always find it difficult to use chopsticks for certain foods like noodles and rice, any special tips for handling a bowl of noodles ? I find them easier to eat with fork where I can spin the fork around to wrap the noodle , not sure how to do the same with 2 chopsticks
This is actually two questions: rice, and noodle. Chopsticks are no good for basmati rice. They do not clump together. And you don't want to pick them up grain by grain when eating. Chinese, Taiwanese and Japanese use different type of rice, cooked in different ways. These stick to one another, so you can easily pick up an entire chunk of rice with chopsticks. As for noodles, I feel that chopsticks actually work much better than fork. But you wouldn't use chopsticks the same way you twirl a fork around noodles. At least that way doesn't work for me. The reason is that forks have immobile tines with fixed spacing, allowing you to catch noodles between them. With two moving chopsticks, one can't maintain constant spacing as you move the sticks around. To pick up noodles with chopsticks, you do need to acquire some degree of dexterity, in my opinion. More specifically, you need to be able to apply a measured amount of pressure at chopstick tips on noodles. Too little pressure: noodles slip away. Too much pressure: you chop noodles in half. Some grips are better at enabling this precise amount of pressure. These are grips that allow you to balance "compression" forces and "extension forces" at the same time. Compression forces pinch food. Extension forces can be thought of as a "brake". You don't know what the right amount of force is. You know that by feel when you actually pick up noodles. So you pick up noodles and continue to adjust the amount of compression vs extension your fingers exert on noodles, based on both tactile and visual feedback. Standard Grip is probably the best grip for real-time balance adjustment as I wrote above. Any grip that treats the two chopsticks, especially the top chopstick, as extensions of fingers allows you to apply both compression forces and extension forces at the same time. Look at Beetle Mandibles and Middle Path. On the other spectrum, grips that neglect the thumb pad usually do not offer great opportunities for you to apply both compression forces and extension forces at the same time. Lateral chopstick grips which clamp the two sticks together generate great amount of compression forces, but do not allow you to generate braking forces at the same time. The most you can do is to reduce the clamping force. That is not the same as an active extension force that opposes the compression force. Hope this long answer helps :D
Largely not. But your pose and finger dynamics may be slightly different from depicted here in the video. We think that a bigger factor is how people's finger muscles are built - you may not be able to tell the differences by looks alone, however. Check out marcosticks.org/caswellian-thumb-and-chopsticks/ and www.reddit.com/r/chopsticks/comments/o9bsew/how_to_hold_chopsticks_with_hitchhikers_thumb/
Chopsticks have been around for about 5,000 years and that they were first used in China. Around 500 A.D. the use of chopsticks spread from China to the areas now known as Japan, and Korea.
Thanks for this video. I am a new chopsticks user. Why does the bottom marcostick slide up my ring finger? Why can't I move my top marcostick without bending my thumb and moving it with the index and middle finger unlike what you do in the video where its unbended, relaxed, flat and not moving? Thanks.
You asked a question that folks have been unaware of for thousands of years. In our survey of actual people using chopsticks, and with reports like yours, it has become clear that the thumb posture required in order to properly use Standard Grip is hard or impossible for many people. We have given it a name, Caswellian Thumb Pose, since no one has described it before: marcosticks.org/caswellian-thumb-and-chopsticks/ You may or may not eventually overcome this. It is not a thumb pose required in other daily human activities. Perhaps you just need to train your muscles through usage. But as we found out, human hands have a large variability. And some people may never be able to do this pose without pains. Despair not, however. You can adopt alternative chopstick grips. See: marcosticks.org/ten-thousand-ways/ You can also 3d-print some chopsticks buddies yourself: marcosticks.org/model-b-chopstick-buddies/. We designed chopstick buddies specifically to address this problem. See this video: ua-cam.com/video/sbVRqW3Gmwk/v-deo.html By the way, you are the first person to humor our early attempts at trying to public perceptions in the West about chopsticks by calling them Marcosticks :) We have since given up on the attempt. We are going to own the word "chopsticks" instead now. We revised our manifesto here: marcosticks.org/what-are-marcosticks/
I have pretty large hands - the bottom stick slides up my ring finger when I apply thumb pressure so I end up holding the bottom stick nearer to the tip of extended ring finger - any suggestions?
By "extended ring finger", you mean that you straighten your ring finger, as opposed to curling it? If so, you are probably wielding a grip closer to Vulcan Grip than Standard Grip. Search for Vulcan chopstick grip and you'll end up on our website with more info on that grip. If it works for you, like it does many lifelong practitioners, it's fine. There is no need for you to correct or change anything. But of course, you won't be twirling the top stick as this video shows. Each grip has its own different characteristics.
If you want to further investigate why the bottom stick slides up your ring finger, there are many possibilities. First, wield just the bottom stick as the video shows, and figure out whether when not distracted by the top stick, you are then able to secure the bottom stick without it slipping. If you can do it with just the bottom stick, but not when wielding both sticks, then it is possible you can't hold the Caswellian Thumb posture well. A large number of users have this issue. Search for it online and you'll end up on our website. See if it helps you. We have created Chopstick Buddies specifically to help with this problem.
@Marcosticks it's okay without the top stick, but when I introduce the other fingers, the range of motion needed is impeded by my thick fingers, so not enough room - the middle and pointer finger bush my ring finger down so the bottom stick slides up. My modified Vulcan works great - thank you for the perfect explanation!
This is a common issue. Search in comments for mentions of the ring finger. See my reply to Junelle Mendoza for instance. I hope these previous discussions will help you. Let me know.
I am glad you found a way. You may also find company at the r/chopsticks sub-Reddit. See this relevant conversation for instance: www.reddit.com/r/chopsticks/comments/1629oy3/effect_of_hand_injuries/
What would you like to see? We were going to make more short videos on individual grip types this holiday season. They may not necessarily be as in-depth as this episode 1 on Standard Grip. With that said, if you have further ideas about Standard Grip, let us know.
@@Marcosticks I am trying the standard grip but when I use that style its like my hand will get a cramp any sec so a new style which would be more effective than standard style and easy without any pain
@@animeniichan722 - I see. That's unfortunate. We'll work on more episodes :) But know that you are not alone. See the most recent discussion on cramps here: www.reddit.com/r/chopsticks/comments/yk0qm3/why_does_this_hurt_so_much/
Steel chopsticks are heavier than wooden chopsticks. Some may find it heftier and more comfortable. Others find it too unwieldy. Your mileage will vary. As for myself, I carry a pair of titanium chopsticks when I am away from home. They are lightweight, relatively inexpensive, and very easy to clean. To me, my titanium chopsticks work in my fingers just like wooden ones. But that is because I buy titanium chopsticks of basically the same style and size as my wooden ones, with a square cross section. Don't get metal chopsticks with a round cross section. You can't twirl/roll them easily, and they become slippery and unstable in your fingers. Cheers.
@@TheRealMytho - The titanium ones you'll find on Amazon are all hollowed out. I suspect your round steel ones are similar. But if they are exceedingly heavy, then probably not. Different cross sections work with different grip types. A lot of Korean practitioners use Lateral grips. One reason is because Korean chopsticks are flat. Perhaps your round sections work well for you somehow. Let us know. But you can also try out typical wooden Japanese chopsticks with tapered tips and square cross section. Tell us how it's different from your current experience.
You don't need to use Standard Grip with chopsticks. It's just one of dozens of different ways to hold and use chopsticks. See the video description for links that will help you adapt a chopstick grip that works for you, if you can't make your thumb do what Standard Grip requires. At least two dozen chopstick grips do not require a strenuous thumb pose. Good luck!
Explained very well 👍but..my second chopstick keep sliping away and my ring finger hurts. I tried using this method more than hundred times but failed. Frustrated I simply tried other method in which I push the second chopstick with my ring finger and thumb against each other making a strong grip,to my surprise I felt it very easy and since then iam using that way. There is also another method I sometimes use, is that I move the first chopstick only with index finger and thumb placing the second chopstick between middle finger and ring finger,this also make strong grip.
That is the spirit! As we said in this video, this is but the first of an entire series. We'll eventually make more videos about other 3 dozen more ways to wield chopsticks. It's not clear to me how the first alternative you mentions differs from Standard Grip. I think you are describing the Caswellian Thumb pose of holding the bottom chopstick with a 1-on-2-support. But the second alternative you described is clearly the Turncoat grip. Check with this interactive chopstick grip catalog: marcosticks.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ten-Thousand-Ways-19-common-chopstick-grips-clickable-thumbnails-v1.3-English.pptx.svg
@@Marcosticks Thank you for that catalog! I took a look and the beetle mandibles comes very natural. Not sure whether I prefer it over the Standard Grip or not, but I'm happy to have two ways to practice, so I can see which one I can make the most progress with. :-)
It is not you. If you followed this video, and still cannot quite do it, then it is very like that you are like a large population whose hand anatomy isn't built for the weird thumb posture that Standard Grip requires. There is no reason why everyone must use this darn Standard Grip. Check out the video description for links to more resources, especially the Ten Thousands Ways to Use Chopsticks - you are bound to find a grip that works for you: marcosticks.org/ten-thousand-ways/
Joe, there are more than one way to grip and wield chopsticks. Standard Grip is but one of them. It has the previously-unrecognized problem of forcing your thumb into an unnatural pose. There are alternative. You can check out our writings on the "Caswellian Thumb" issue. See this article: marcosticks.org/caswellian-thumb-and-chopsticks/ and marcosticks.org/the-art-and-science-of-chopsticking/.
Do read other comments here about other people's struggles. Also see my reply to many having issues with Standard Grip. There are alternatives. This is not the only way. It's just one of many ways. Cheers : )
It's OK my friend. Use whatever utensils work for you. If you check out our website, you'll see that we are for #UtensilEquality. Whatever works for you is the right tool : )
@@Marcosticks But it's amazing I just practice how to you the stick just as you instructed you really good I didn't knw I could use them but today am just like one of you, thanks for your instruction.
I take this to mean that you can do the "tripod hold" with the tip of the thumb operating the top chopstick, but you have trouble pinning the bottom chopstick with the base of your thumb and the knuckle of the ring finger? If that is the case, does practicing hold just the bottom finger between the thumb base against the ring finger and the purlicue work? If even this doesn't, then examine your thumb pose. Are you able to make the what we call the Caswellian Thumb Pose? See marcosticks.org/caswellian-thumb-and-chopsticks/. If maintaining that thumb pose is difficult, you will have a hard time using Standard Grip. But Rome isn't built in one day. So perhaps with practice it will become normal. And if not, try other chopstick grips. Look for: ten thousand chopstick grips. Or, if you have a 3D printer or can print out at your local library, search for: 3d-printed chopstick buddies.
That is because your thumb is doing proper double duty. And sometimes, some people simply cannot do this. And it is not your fault. Please look around the comments section for similar complaints, and possible alternatives. Or see this article on Caswellian Thumb: marcosticks.org/caswellian-thumb-and-chopsticks/
Try pushing the second chopstick with the head or top of ring finger( backward bending posture )and thumb(middle portion)against each other it will help to make a strong grip ,i find it easier.
No. Blame the "algorithm" for taking you here, if what you had been wishing in your head was the piano chopsticks piece. One day. One day the "algorithm" will be able to discern what you actually think : )
Я пытаюсь😭 Пальцы не хотят меня слушаться😭😭😭😭😭! Надеюсь, что когда-нибудь освою 😉. Но , если буду голодная, то мне проще вилкой, ложкой или рукой отправить еду себе в рот🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Sure. Don't starve. If needed, use fingers as you said. Thanks for trying though. If you head over to marcosticks.org, you'll see that we are all for #UtensilEquality - all utensils are fine : )
nobody ever addresses how my top chopstick is never touching the bottom stick it misses by like 6 inches nothing is working and people do it first try so I guess I’m incapable
This is a common issue. Perhaps we should make a short video addressing it. @Rampagez, what is possibly happening is that you did not "twirl" the top chopstick to the extent this how-to guide wants you to. If you don't twirl the top chopstick, and instead try to pry it down using index and middle fingers against the thumb, then the tip of the top chopstick will now come down straight. Check out this short clip on Chopsticks are not third-class levers: ua-cam.com/video/JVUAk0EYbqo/v-deo.html
Try pushing the second chopstick with the head or top of ring finger( backward bending position)and thumb(middle portion)against each other it will help to make a strong grip ,trust me it's easier.
Some people have 6 fingers. I personally know someone with said condition :) With that said, yeah, most of us have only 5 fingers. If the thumb pose is uncomfortable for you to make, use other chopstick grips. Standard Grip is only one of 40 grips we've documented : )
Where? Is it the Thenar muscles? Do an image search for it to see where that is. These move your thumb. Or is it elsewhere in the hand? As we have found, the thumb pose we showed here in the video is not easy for many people to hold. You may get used to it, and it may become more comfortable. Or it may never become better. Different people are built different in terms of hand muscles. If Standard Grip doesn't work for you, there are many other grips that work.Go to our website for more information.
We use chopsticks in front of the food. He never bother me. Oh your chopsticks are mistake. Of course we are hunhry. Any position holding chopsticks no problem to him
Thanks for your feedback. Use whatever grip best work for you. Please read comments and replies here for our view on this subject which is compatible with your view. Standard Grip is hard for many people. We are the first and only people who has articulated and documented this issue. We advise people to use alternative grips that we've documented, also for the first time in human history.
It may be a traditional way of eating and practical for Asians, however for other people from other cultures, it is absolutely pretentious and snob to use them eating any food, including Asian food. They are invented some 3500 years ago by the minds that belong to 3500 years ago. After that people learned how to eat much more easily. But Americans and Western Europeans do love to learn using these and they look on the ones who don't know or refuse to use. It gives them a feeling of false intellectualism, as it is way easier to learn it than reading and getting educated.
Only the standard grip is correct. The rest are defective. They are either unstable, difficult, weak in holding the target item， and/or will injure the muscles.
That's also what we thought, before we spent years studying how people wield chopsticks. It turns out Standard Grip doesn't work for a large population, because of the demand it places on the thumb. Folks on this video, on reddit and in real life have told us about cramps from attempting to wield Standard Grip. Those of us who can comfortably use Standard Grip take it for granted. But we could well have been born with different combination of finger muscles in an alternative universe, and ended up not being able to use Standard Grip. More in this retrospective: marcosticks.org/the-art-and-science-of-chopsticking/
I have pretty large hands - the bottom stick slides up my ring finger when I apply thumb pressure so I end up holding the bottom stick nearer to the tip of extended ring finger - any suggestions?
How far toward the tip of the extended ring finger? Is the emphasis on 'extended', or 'tip'? Because the bottom chopstick should normally rest on the farthest knuckle anyway - it's pretty close to the tip. This is assuming that we are still taking about Standard Grip, and not one of the other dozens of additional grips we've documented. If the emphasis is on 'extended', as opposed to the normally-curled ring finger and pinky, then that's OK, if it feels comfortable to you, and you can still hold both sticks securely. Everyone's hand muscles are built differently. Do what feels right for you. If you really want to go down the rabbit hole, look at this article on Double Tripod grip which goes into details on why some people use it: marcosticks.org/the-double-tripod-grip/. It's not your grip, but will shed light on what's happening with your grip.
I am a chopstick user for 70 years. This video showed us the most effective standard method of holding chopsticks and explained the learning process in detail, especially the reference to the finger rotation gesture in the air that I had never known, which benefited me a lot. So I am very happy to see this video again!
我是70年的筷子使用者。 這個視頻向我們展示了最有效的標準握筷方法，並詳細講解了學習過程，尤其是參考了我之前不知道的在空中旋轉手指的手勢，讓我受益匪淺。 所以我很高興再次看到這個視頻！
@@SOGIO100 pol
I don’t even know what he was going on about some shit about longitutdal axis what the fuck
I can use it in the standard grips.. but it will make my hand hurts pretty bad fast...
Quick question are steel chopsticks easy and better to use or wooden?
We use the two stick tool every day, but it seems most of us having taken its functions and convenience for granted. Thanks for the thorough study of the subject.
That is a good idea. These are descriptions from two different frames of reference. The "axis normal to the plane formed by tip segment of three fingers" is anchored to the hand as a frame of reference. The "longitudinal axis" refers to the top chopstick itself as a frame of reference. I think by talking about both, one cements the concept that the top chopstick becomes a cantilever extension of the three fingers. That is, as fingers extend the top chopstick away from the bottom chopstick, and move them back together, these two axis with different frames of references remain in sync, thus confirming the cantilever argument. Cool. Thanks!
Now I know why they invented the fork. Great instructions, by the way
Ha ha ha :D Chopsticks are not intuitive to use, especially the Standard Grip shown here. Large number of kids that grow up using chopsticks end up inventing their own chopstick grips.
@@Marcosticks So there is no right or wrong way to grip them? Whatever way to get them work for you, is the right way.
@@deltafour1212 - I no longer feel there is a right way to grip chopsticks. Every grip is different and has its own characteristics, pros and cons. Standard Grip is "balanced" in terms of overall characteristics. But some grips produce much stronger compression power, for instance.
@@deltafour1212Yeah, I don't use the standard much, but instead I let my index finger be the only finger that is active.
Pointing out the rotation of the top stick was helpful, thank you.
Thanks for the appreciation :)
I've been trying to learn to use chopsticks for a long time. Just found your site and channel and will try again. I'm not sure why I want to learn how to use a stick to eat but I do. I also note there are no UA-cam videos on how to use a fork.
Some people simply like to learn new things for no particular reason. You are like many of us. Ha ha ha. Now, seriously, there are no videos on "how to use a fork", nor are there classifications of "fork grips". One reason is because holding a fork is much simpler than wielding chopsticks - any death grip will do. There is no need to "pivot" a fork - you just turn a fork into an extension of your hand. In fact, if you just duct-tape a fork to your hand, you will still eat just fine. With chopsticks, it's not that simple. There are two sticks you need to separate and then pinch together. If this Standard Grip doesn't work well for you - don't worry. Try any of the other 40 grips we've documented. One will work out well for you : )
Ive learned just now.Hold the lower stick tightly. It's the upper stick should do the moving.
Very good explanation and demonstration video. However, years of writing with inadequate tools from a young age and the particular form and length of my fingers make it difficult to handle real food with chopsticks for long enough, though I have always been able to hold the chopsticks rather correctly. It's a pity that I like so much all asian cuisine and utensils.
Thanks for the comment. Your experience is not atypical, despite what you may believe. Since making this video, we have broadened our view on chopsticking. So many people have talked to us that we now understand that everyone's hand muscles are built differently. People are going to find some of the dozens of different chopstick grips work better for them, than others. And it is fine. We've since been avoiding calling any chopstick grips correct or wrong, because we now understand them as suitable or unsuitable for a particular person. What do you think?
@@Marcosticks I agree with you. I like everything related to cooking and eating food customs and utensils/tools, so I have a good collection of different types of chopsticks; I realized that some of them fit my hand better. I think practice with different foods and concentration would help greatly.
@@alexandrahalehtalai2448 - yeah, that's another thing that we independently confirmed. There are so many different styles and types of chopsticks. Some will fit your hand better than others. Some grips work better with particular types of chopsticks. For instance, flat and metallic Korean chopsticks are quite a breed of its own : ) Thanks again for leaving a comment. It allows other people to see and appreciate the variety of experiences.
A very good demonstration
I,m going to need one of those training markers for sure.
The chopstick in the bottom just doesn't seem to be in the top of the finger and keeps slipping away no matter what I do... Love the video btw!
This is a common issue. Others have mentioned the same issue. If you search for 'ring' in comments here you will see short conversations on this topic (Pipi Nyorak and Junelle Mendoza). Please see, for now, this long article: marcosticks.org/caswellian-thumb-and-chopsticks/. I'll write up a shorter FAQ-style article in time to summarize the issue and possible solutions.
@@Marcosticks thank you for your response! I will look into this
I have concluded that my hand is like, fundamentally shaped different than a normal human hand or something. No matter what I do, something always slips or doesn't grip or something. I can get either chopstick, but trying to do both makes a chopstick slide or makes the top chopstick go like half an inch away from where the bottom chopstick is.
On the contrary, everyone's hand is built differently. If you read comments here, you'll find company. Or visit the Reddit chopsticks sub at www.reddit.com/r/chopsticks/. Everyone assumed in the past that everyone must use Standard Grip. We have done enough independent research, and have filmed enough real people using chopsticks, to find that that is not true. Standard Grip simply does not work for a large population of normal people.
Man o man this takes practice thanks for this video!
I always find it difficult to use chopsticks for certain foods like noodles and rice, any special tips for handling a bowl of noodles ? I find them easier to eat with fork where I can spin the fork around to wrap the noodle , not sure how to do the same with 2 chopsticks
This is actually two questions: rice, and noodle. Chopsticks are no good for basmati rice. They do not clump together. And you don't want to pick them up grain by grain when eating. Chinese, Taiwanese and Japanese use different type of rice, cooked in different ways. These stick to one another, so you can easily pick up an entire chunk of rice with chopsticks.
As for noodles, I feel that chopsticks actually work much better than fork. But you wouldn't use chopsticks the same way you twirl a fork around noodles. At least that way doesn't work for me. The reason is that forks have immobile tines with fixed spacing, allowing you to catch noodles between them. With two moving chopsticks, one can't maintain constant spacing as you move the sticks around.
To pick up noodles with chopsticks, you do need to acquire some degree of dexterity, in my opinion. More specifically, you need to be able to apply a measured amount of pressure at chopstick tips on noodles. Too little pressure: noodles slip away. Too much pressure: you chop noodles in half. Some grips are better at enabling this precise amount of pressure. These are grips that allow you to balance "compression" forces and "extension forces" at the same time. Compression forces pinch food. Extension forces can be thought of as a "brake". You don't know what the right amount of force is. You know that by feel when you actually pick up noodles. So you pick up noodles and continue to adjust the amount of compression vs extension your fingers exert on noodles, based on both tactile and visual feedback.
Standard Grip is probably the best grip for real-time balance adjustment as I wrote above. Any grip that treats the two chopsticks, especially the top chopstick, as extensions of fingers allows you to apply both compression forces and extension forces at the same time. Look at Beetle Mandibles and Middle Path. On the other spectrum, grips that neglect the thumb pad usually do not offer great opportunities for you to apply both compression forces and extension forces at the same time. Lateral chopstick grips which clamp the two sticks together generate great amount of compression forces, but do not allow you to generate braking forces at the same time. The most you can do is to reduce the clamping force. That is not the same as an active extension force that opposes the compression force.
Hope this long answer helps :D
@@Marcosticks damnn, thank you so much for that response, it really is appreciated
Does the length of finger affect how one can successfully hold the chopsticks as taught?
Largely not. But your pose and finger dynamics may be slightly different from depicted here in the video. We think that a bigger factor is how people's finger muscles are built - you may not be able to tell the differences by looks alone, however. Check out marcosticks.org/caswellian-thumb-and-chopsticks/ and www.reddit.com/r/chopsticks/comments/o9bsew/how_to_hold_chopsticks_with_hitchhikers_thumb/
Chopsticks have been around for about 5,000 years and that they were first used in China.
Around 500 A.D. the use of chopsticks spread from China to the areas now known as Japan, and Korea.
Stone Hand Axes have been around for over a million years.
Thank you! THat is the most understandable video I found. Just need some training of course))
Thanks for this video. I am a new chopsticks user. Why does the bottom marcostick slide up my ring finger? Why can't I move my top marcostick without bending my thumb and moving it with the index and middle finger unlike what you do in the video where its unbended, relaxed, flat and not moving? Thanks.
You asked a question that folks have been unaware of for thousands of years. In our survey of actual people using chopsticks, and with reports like yours, it has become clear that the thumb posture required in order to properly use Standard Grip is hard or impossible for many people. We have given it a name, Caswellian Thumb Pose, since no one has described it before: marcosticks.org/caswellian-thumb-and-chopsticks/
You may or may not eventually overcome this. It is not a thumb pose required in other daily human activities. Perhaps you just need to train your muscles through usage. But as we found out, human hands have a large variability. And some people may never be able to do this pose without pains.
Despair not, however. You can adopt alternative chopstick grips. See: marcosticks.org/ten-thousand-ways/
You can also 3d-print some chopsticks buddies yourself: marcosticks.org/model-b-chopstick-buddies/. We designed chopstick buddies specifically to address this problem. See this video: ua-cam.com/video/sbVRqW3Gmwk/v-deo.html
By the way, you are the first person to humor our early attempts at trying to public perceptions in the West about chopsticks by calling them Marcosticks :) We have since given up on the attempt. We are going to own the word "chopsticks" instead now. We revised our manifesto here: marcosticks.org/what-are-marcosticks/
Very informative and interesting!
We are happy that you flulike it :)
Thank you. It's detailed and great help.
I have pretty large hands - the bottom stick slides up my ring finger when I apply thumb pressure so I end up holding the bottom stick nearer to the tip of extended ring finger - any suggestions?
By "extended ring finger", you mean that you straighten your ring finger, as opposed to curling it? If so, you are probably wielding a grip closer to Vulcan Grip than Standard Grip. Search for Vulcan chopstick grip and you'll end up on our website with more info on that grip. If it works for you, like it does many lifelong practitioners, it's fine. There is no need for you to correct or change anything. But of course, you won't be twirling the top stick as this video shows. Each grip has its own different characteristics.
If you want to further investigate why the bottom stick slides up your ring finger, there are many possibilities. First, wield just the bottom stick as the video shows, and figure out whether when not distracted by the top stick, you are then able to secure the bottom stick without it slipping. If you can do it with just the bottom stick, but not when wielding both sticks, then it is possible you can't hold the Caswellian Thumb posture well. A large number of users have this issue. Search for it online and you'll end up on our website. See if it helps you. We have created Chopstick Buddies specifically to help with this problem.
@Marcosticks yes, very much like the Vulcan, but my thumb is more at a 90 degree to the bottom stick, so I am able to twirl
@Marcosticks it's okay without the top stick, but when I introduce the other fingers, the range of motion needed is impeded by my thick fingers, so not enough room - the middle and pointer finger bush my ring finger down so the bottom stick slides up. My modified Vulcan works great - thank you for the perfect explanation!
This really clear video how to use
If got no idea how to prevent the bottom stick from sliding up the ring finger. Top stick also always turns inwards towards me.
This is a common issue. Search in comments for mentions of the ring finger. See my reply to Junelle Mendoza for instance. I hope these previous discussions will help you. Let me know.
@@Marcosticks Great explanation in the article, thx! So Vulcan grip it is for me, can't get even close with standard grip
@@pr4nk5tr - Vulcan it is for now. Live long and prosper. In time, you may add more grips into your repertoire : )
my ring finger seems to be the problem area so i did some adjustments
I am glad you found a way. You may also find company at the r/chopsticks sub-Reddit. See this relevant conversation for instance: www.reddit.com/r/chopsticks/comments/1629oy3/effect_of_hand_injuries/
Help everytime I try grabbing the food. it just crosses the opposite way. Im holding it right so Idk whats the problem
the easiest way for us to help you, is for you to send us a quick video of what happens. See marcosticks.org/how-to-help/
Thanks for the video you have made one more fan please make more videos for holding chopstic
Thanks for the kind words. Will make more : )
Thanks for the studies and demo. Very interesting!
Thank you so much for your encouragement : )
i need ep2
What would you like to see? We were going to make more short videos on individual grip types this holiday season. They may not necessarily be as in-depth as this episode 1 on Standard Grip. With that said, if you have further ideas about Standard Grip, let us know.
@@Marcosticks I am trying the standard grip but when I use that style its like my hand will get a cramp any sec so a new style which would be more effective than standard style and easy without any pain
@@animeniichan722 - I see. That's unfortunate. We'll work on more episodes :) But know that you are not alone. See the most recent discussion on cramps here: www.reddit.com/r/chopsticks/comments/yk0qm3/why_does_this_hurt_so_much/
Quick question are steel chopsticks easy and better to use or wooden?
Steel chopsticks are heavier than wooden chopsticks. Some may find it heftier and more comfortable. Others find it too unwieldy. Your mileage will vary. As for myself, I carry a pair of titanium chopsticks when I am away from home. They are lightweight, relatively inexpensive, and very easy to clean.
To me, my titanium chopsticks work in my fingers just like wooden ones. But that is because I buy titanium chopsticks of basically the same style and size as my wooden ones, with a square cross section.
Don't get metal chopsticks with a round cross section. You can't twirl/roll them easily, and they become slippery and unstable in your fingers. Cheers.
@@Marcosticks the chopsticks I have are a round cross section all its made out of steel
@@TheRealMytho - The titanium ones you'll find on Amazon are all hollowed out. I suspect your round steel ones are similar. But if they are exceedingly heavy, then probably not. Different cross sections work with different grip types. A lot of Korean practitioners use Lateral grips. One reason is because Korean chopsticks are flat. Perhaps your round sections work well for you somehow. Let us know. But you can also try out typical wooden Japanese chopsticks with tapered tips and square cross section. Tell us how it's different from your current experience.
The best Video ❤
great video!
ሰላም ብያለሁ አሪፍ ቆይታ ነበር
My thumb is the issue and middle finger is as well
You don't need to use Standard Grip with chopsticks. It's just one of dozens of different ways to hold and use chopsticks. See the video description for links that will help you adapt a chopstick grip that works for you, if you can't make your thumb do what Standard Grip requires. At least two dozen chopstick grips do not require a strenuous thumb pose. Good luck!
Thank you!👌👍
Thank you
Explained very well 👍but..my second chopstick keep sliping away and my ring finger hurts.
I tried using this method more than hundred times but failed. Frustrated I simply tried other method in which I push the second chopstick with my ring finger and thumb against each other making a strong grip,to my surprise I felt it very easy and since then iam using that way. There is also another method I sometimes use, is that I move the first chopstick only with index finger and thumb placing the second chopstick between middle finger and ring finger,this also make strong grip.
That is the spirit! As we said in this video, this is but the first of an entire series. We'll eventually make more videos about other 3 dozen more ways to wield chopsticks. It's not clear to me how the first alternative you mentions differs from Standard Grip. I think you are describing the Caswellian Thumb pose of holding the bottom chopstick with a 1-on-2-support. But the second alternative you described is clearly the Turncoat grip. Check with this interactive chopstick grip catalog: marcosticks.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ten-Thousand-Ways-19-common-chopstick-grips-clickable-thumbnails-v1.3-English.pptx.svg
@@Marcosticks thank you very much sir may God bless you
@@Marcosticks Thank you for that catalog! I took a look and the beetle mandibles comes very natural. Not sure whether I prefer it over the Standard Grip or not, but I'm happy to have two ways to practice, so I can see which one I can make the most progress with. :-)
@@cricket3864 That's excellent :D
To get really good using chopsticks, practice picking up M&Ms.
It's easy to learn
I swear I’m stupid I watch so many videos. I know how to do the posture and I just can’t figure it out. I feel very stupid.
It is not you. If you followed this video, and still cannot quite do it, then it is very like that you are like a large population whose hand anatomy isn't built for the weird thumb posture that Standard Grip requires. There is no reason why everyone must use this darn Standard Grip. Check out the video description for links to more resources, especially the Ten Thousands Ways to Use Chopsticks - you are bound to find a grip that works for you: marcosticks.org/ten-thousand-ways/
good instruction.., but i still having a hard time doing it., and my finger having a cramp. 😐
Joe, there are more than one way to grip and wield chopsticks. Standard Grip is but one of them. It has the previously-unrecognized problem of forcing your thumb into an unnatural pose. There are alternative. You can check out our writings on the "Caswellian Thumb" issue. See this article: marcosticks.org/caswellian-thumb-and-chopsticks/ and marcosticks.org/the-art-and-science-of-chopsticking/.
Great！
Exactly the same way as I hold chopsticks！
This video is unique my ex bf is using chopsticks. He never teach how to used it he said i did it.. What ever the position.
We agree. Any chopstick grip that works well for you is great. Check out the video description that links to the Ten Thousand Ways to Use Chopsticks.
This is nice tutorial coz I'm struggling to do one way to use chopsticks. Haha
Do read other comments here about other people's struggles. Also see my reply to many having issues with Standard Grip. There are alternatives. This is not the only way. It's just one of many ways. Cheers : )
Hermoiny Grainger: youre doing it all wrong, its twist and grip.
This finaly helped me to not lose my noodles thank you!
Captain Damen, I am not sure I completely follow you here :)
Spoon/ Fork and Knife I am okay, I can't kill my hands with those sticks
It's OK my friend. Use whatever utensils work for you. If you check out our website, you'll see that we are for #UtensilEquality. Whatever works for you is the right tool : )
@@Marcosticks But it's amazing I just practice how to you the stick just as you instructed you really good I didn't knw I could use them but today am just like one of you, thanks for your instruction.
I’m so frustrated! I can’t do it !
I'll reply to your other comment, to keep this to one thread of conversation.
My thumb and ring finger just don’t want to work!
I take this to mean that you can do the "tripod hold" with the tip of the thumb operating the top chopstick, but you have trouble pinning the bottom chopstick with the base of your thumb and the knuckle of the ring finger? If that is the case, does practicing hold just the bottom finger between the thumb base against the ring finger and the purlicue work? If even this doesn't, then examine your thumb pose. Are you able to make the what we call the Caswellian Thumb Pose? See marcosticks.org/caswellian-thumb-and-chopsticks/.
If maintaining that thumb pose is difficult, you will have a hard time using Standard Grip. But Rome isn't built in one day. So perhaps with practice it will become normal. And if not, try other chopstick grips. Look for: ten thousand chopstick grips. Or, if you have a 3D printer or can print out at your local library, search for: 3d-printed chopstick buddies.
0:17
0:17 through 0:21 - that's Scissorhand chopstick grip. Look it up.
My chopstick keeps slipping up the ring finger😭😭
That is because your thumb is doing proper double duty. And sometimes, some people simply cannot do this. And it is not your fault. Please look around the comments section for similar complaints, and possible alternatives. Or see this article on Caswellian Thumb: marcosticks.org/caswellian-thumb-and-chopsticks/
Try pushing the second chopstick with the head or top of ring finger( backward bending posture )and thumb(middle portion)against each other it will help to make a strong grip ,i find it easier.
So, this is not the 'Chopsticks' that I was taught at piano lessons then?
No. Blame the "algorithm" for taking you here, if what you had been wishing in your head was the piano chopsticks piece. One day. One day the "algorithm" will be able to discern what you actually think : )
Я пытаюсь😭 Пальцы не хотят меня слушаться😭😭😭😭😭! Надеюсь, что когда-нибудь освою 😉. Но , если буду голодная, то мне проще вилкой, ложкой или рукой отправить еду себе в рот🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Sure. Don't starve. If needed, use fingers as you said. Thanks for trying though. If you head over to marcosticks.org, you'll see that we are all for #UtensilEquality - all utensils are fine : )
I just can't do it one stick goes left the other goes right hhhhh
Hey, we've got you covered. Are you talking about this issue: marcosticks.org/why-wont-tips-of-chopsticks-pinch-together-with-standard-grip/ ?
我不懂拍視頻否則可打臉眾多錯誤的教學😢
敬請多指教，如有錯誤的教學，以回應留言直寫在此就行了。
nobody ever addresses how my top chopstick is never touching the bottom stick it misses by like 6 inches nothing is working and people do it first try so I guess I’m incapable
This is a common issue. Perhaps we should make a short video addressing it. @Rampagez, what is possibly happening is that you did not "twirl" the top chopstick to the extent this how-to guide wants you to. If you don't twirl the top chopstick, and instead try to pry it down using index and middle fingers against the thumb, then the tip of the top chopstick will now come down straight. Check out this short clip on Chopsticks are not third-class levers: ua-cam.com/video/JVUAk0EYbqo/v-deo.html
Try pushing the second chopstick with the head or top of ring finger( backward bending position)and thumb(middle portion)against each other it will help to make a strong grip ,trust me it's easier.
I can't...I have only 5 finger man:))...something is totally wrong with my thumb...all hand I mean!=))
Some people have 6 fingers. I personally know someone with said condition :) With that said, yeah, most of us have only 5 fingers. If the thumb pose is uncomfortable for you to make, use other chopstick grips. Standard Grip is only one of 40 grips we've documented : )
my hand hurt 😭
Where? Is it the Thenar muscles? Do an image search for it to see where that is. These move your thumb. Or is it elsewhere in the hand? As we have found, the thumb pose we showed here in the video is not easy for many people to hold. You may get used to it, and it may become more comfortable. Or it may never become better. Different people are built different in terms of hand muscles. If Standard Grip doesn't work for you, there are many other grips that work.Go to our website for more information.
I guess im a finger pistol grips user....
筷子太尖了，中国几乎很少用尖的筷子，因为容易伤人和寓意不好
這集使用的是日本式的筷子，或許下集展示中國式的。各個地區有不同的習俗與各自的工具，中國式的筷子比較長，如你所說，筷子頭比較鈍。
We use chopsticks in front of the food. He never bother me. Oh your chopsticks are mistake. Of course we are hunhry. Any position holding chopsticks no problem to him
ok 👌👌 like
I would rather eat with my finger than two sticks.
bs grip. alternative non classic grip is more natural
Thanks for your feedback. Use whatever grip best work for you. Please read comments and replies here for our view on this subject which is compatible with your view. Standard Grip is hard for many people. We are the first and only people who has articulated and documented this issue. We advise people to use alternative grips that we've documented, also for the first time in human history.
Ok well I just went back to using a fork. Much easier
Who cares how you actually hold the sticks. Focus on getting the food in your mouth and eating.
We actually agree. Please see video description for a link to "thousand ways to hold chopsticks" which elaborates on your point.
😅😅
🤦
Pzwidr💗
It may be a traditional way of eating and practical for Asians, however for other people from other cultures, it is absolutely pretentious and snob to use them eating any food, including Asian food. They are invented some 3500 years ago by the minds that belong to 3500 years ago. After that people learned how to eat much more easily. But Americans and Western Europeans do love to learn using these and they look on the ones who don't know or refuse to use. It gives them a feeling of false intellectualism, as it is way easier to learn it than reading and getting educated.
Thank you for leaving enlightened feedback.
Only the standard grip is correct. The rest are defective. They are either unstable, difficult, weak in holding the target item， and/or will injure the muscles.
That's also what we thought, before we spent years studying how people wield chopsticks. It turns out Standard Grip doesn't work for a large population, because of the demand it places on the thumb. Folks on this video, on reddit and in real life have told us about cramps from attempting to wield Standard Grip. Those of us who can comfortably use Standard Grip take it for granted. But we could well have been born with different combination of finger muscles in an alternative universe, and ended up not being able to use Standard Grip. More in this retrospective: marcosticks.org/the-art-and-science-of-chopsticking/
I have pretty large hands - the bottom stick slides up my ring finger when I apply thumb pressure so I end up holding the bottom stick nearer to the tip of extended ring finger - any suggestions?
How far toward the tip of the extended ring finger? Is the emphasis on 'extended', or 'tip'? Because the bottom chopstick should normally rest on the farthest knuckle anyway - it's pretty close to the tip. This is assuming that we are still taking about Standard Grip, and not one of the other dozens of additional grips we've documented. If the emphasis is on 'extended', as opposed to the normally-curled ring finger and pinky, then that's OK, if it feels comfortable to you, and you can still hold both sticks securely. Everyone's hand muscles are built differently. Do what feels right for you. If you really want to go down the rabbit hole, look at this article on Double Tripod grip which goes into details on why some people use it: marcosticks.org/the-double-tripod-grip/. It's not your grip, but will shed light on what's happening with your grip.