Straitjackets work by immobilizing the wearer’s arms across their lower abdomen, where they’re unable to harm themselves or others. You may not have the choice of which arm to keep in front of you if you’re ever being placed in a straitjacket for real (which is unlikely). For this reason, it can be a good idea to practice using both arms as your lead if you want to be prepared for any situation.
If you’re not able to take hold of the fabric because you’re being watched or can’t move your fingers, don’t worry—it’s a helpful step, but not a necessary one.
Lift your elbows as you inhale to give your chest more room to expand.
Recall what you were told bad posture looked like growing up and try to emulate this position.
Tuck the elbow of your weaker arm tight to your body to make it less of an obstacle for your dominant arm. [6] X Research source
Your stronger arm should be folded on top of your weaker arm, almost as though you’re hugging yourself.
To envision this movement more clearly, it can be helpful to imagine that you’re undoing a shirt button. Think of your head at the button and your dominant arm as the hem around the buttonhole through which you guide the button. Be careful not to contort yourself too much in this position. One wrong move and you could easily dislocate your shoulder, which you should never do unless you’re an experienced magician with extensive training in joint manipulation techniques. [9] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
You can also use your surroundings to your advantage if you have weak or sensitive teeth. For example, you might coax the strap out of the keeper by pushing the sleeve buckle against a table, door frame, or other nearby object.
Your arms will still be inside the jacket at this point, which means you’ll need to do your best to grip the buckles through the fabric of the sleeves. There’s no need to undo each and every buckle. However, the more buckles you can get to, the better your chances of escaping.
Straighten up enough to take the slack out of the sleeves before you attempt to pull your torso free. To avoid falling over or losing control of the sleeves, make sure you’re standing on them with your full weight.
