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Original poster

How is your handshake?

47 replies

Horehound · 18/10/2019 21:24

Just watching Gogglebox and there were the reactions to a news piece about a handshake lasting more than 3 seconds can induce anxiety...
Anyhoo, I've always noticed women's handshakes are generally weak and a bit pathetic compared to shaking men's hands. And I have a lot of male friends and this has been discussed about how crap women's handshakes are. No one teaches you how to shake a hand. Me and husband just spoke about it and acted out some handshakes. He said he hates it when people put their thumb on the back of his hand and that it should be at the top parallel with the floor. I think I do put my hand on the back of the hand so I'll change that but I'm aware they should be strong and made with arm strength not just string fingers iykwim?

Also, anyone felt a freemasons handshake? With the middle finger bent in to press against your palm and then they use their other hand to cover up the fact one finger is bent inwards?

Just some Friday night musings...I'll get the wine

OP posts:

RidgedPerfection · 19/10/2019 08:44

Like madambee I much prefer handshakes to hugging and kissing strangers. I very much like my personal space and tend to freeze when people that I am greeting for the first time or know only slightly go for a hug or a kiss on each cheek.

I am comfortable with handshakes and mine is firm and quite short I think. I hate shaking hands when the other person offers a limp, clammy hand!!

YeOldeTrout · 19/10/2019 08:52

Probably mine is pants... I want lessons from the Queen.

Bluesheep8 · 19/10/2019 08:57

I was taught to give a firm handshake and it always surprises me when men change their handshake when shaking hands with a woman. I know for an absolute fact that this happens because when DP and I have been introduced to men and we have shaken hands, I have commented to DP afterwards on the weakness of the man's handshake when he shook MY hand and DP has said "well I thought he had a perfectly firm handshake" meaning that the man has definitely given a weak handshake to me, presumably because I'm a woman. It infuriates me. As an aside, I can't shake hands at all at the moment as I have tendonitis in my right arm so I hope against hope that I'm not expected to shake hands as it's agony!

Itsrebekahvardysaccount · 19/10/2019 09:02

I have such an awful handshake! I don’t do it often so I’m always flummoxed when I have to and I know I just put my hand in theirs and let them so the work

LittleMissEngineer · 19/10/2019 09:30

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

MissCalamity · 19/10/2019 09:42

I never seem to handshake in work, however I play hockey so a handshake 13 times after the match is usually the norm.

I try to vary it to each individual player/umpire as to how much they've annoyed me in the game

DinosApple · 19/10/2019 09:45

Mine is like ice. Firm and freezing cold.

It's the coldness people remember, and I get a lot of 'oh cold hands, warm heart'. They always get a shock 😂.

AGermFreeAdolescent · 19/10/2019 10:07

A minimum of 10 seconds long whilst making intense eye contact to freak people out.

Does anyone remember this from that show Banzai?

Wizzbangpop · 19/10/2019 11:34

Me and dad we're watching this and both a agree long handshakes are awful. In fact I think dads is rather too short

I also hate limo handshakes and I had the limpest of all from my exfil when I first met him. And it really put me off him

midsomermurderess · 19/10/2019 11:38

Form. I loathe a limp handshake, it is quite disturbing. A lot of woman have one, like laying a small dead mammal in your hand.

SagelyNodding · 19/10/2019 11:53

I always try to do a firm handshake, but I'm not very good at it! I'm very socially awkward though...
I was 'taught' handshaking at my primary school-we shook hands with our teacher at the end of the day every day-it was a private school with small classes. I'm a teacher and I couldn't imagine doing that with my classes of 31 teenagers 😮

Namechange84 · 19/10/2019 11:58

I was taught the correct way at school.

It was a private school and our headmistress had a "thing" about having a good strong handshake. At the end of every whole school assembly she would stand at the door as we walked out and shake every single pupil's hand. Any who had a weak handshake with poor eye contact were kept behind. End of term assemblies were always a bit nerve wracking because if you didn't have a strong handshake and good way of greeting someone hello or goodbye you wouldn't be allowed to leave at 12pm. You had to stay all day!

I have an excellent handshake .

Moominfan · 19/10/2019 12:13

It's only happened the once and funnily enough they said I'll have to work on it. I did get the job but thankfully most people have kept their hands to themselves since

SilverySurfer · 19/10/2019 15:36

Firm - hate limp wristed handshakes.

MitziK · 19/10/2019 15:56

Handshakers can fuck off. Especially the hand crushers. You're deliberately hurting people because it makes you feel special.

For context, I have Psoriatic Arthritis. Leave my fucking hands alone - and don't go for the excuse of 'well, you should say if you don't like it first'. Why should I have to tell the entire fucking world my medical details when not demanding to touch people in the first place would solve the issue?

MarmiteOrGoHome · 19/10/2019 16:10

What is the point of a handshake? I don't do it, I don't hug either.

Why can't people just give a little respectful nod to each other?

Original poster

Horehound · 20/10/2019 11:41

@DinosApple ohh yes I always have freezing hands and get the same too!

I do like a cuddle too but that's not for a work environment obviously. I do like a handshake, it's just a welcoming way of meeting and greeting if done properly.

I lolled @midsomermurderess comment about a small dead mammal in your hand haha!!

OP posts:

Original poster

Horehound · 20/10/2019 11:42

Why can't people just give a little respectful nod to each other?

Well that's a bit disconnected isn't it?! Not very warm and welcoming.

OP posts:

MarmiteOrGoHome · 20/10/2019 12:37

Well that's a bit disconnected isn't it?! Not very warm and welcoming

Lots of cultures don't handshake and instead do a little nod and smile or something simmilar, I've never felt cold or unwelcoming.

Handshakes don't feel welcoming to a lot of people and they're right really. Look at your op and the posts of other handshakers on here, it's all about judging people, trying to dominate them.

Original poster

Horehound · 20/10/2019 15:45

It's not about dominating them. We are saying we notice crappy limo hands..if you shake someone's hand why would it be limk?! t's about both having a good handshake, that's all!

OP posts:

MitziK · 20/10/2019 16:01

Because we don't actually want to do it - or we're conscious we could hurt somebody like the wannabe alpha dogs take a pride in doing?

GiantKitten · 20/10/2019 16:08

BigGlasses
DH seems to do a sort ofwhiplash arm thing, like really shaking the person like you would crack a whip. He thinks this is what people mean by a strong handshake but I think it’s weird

Melania, is that you?

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