How Smart Is Your Right Foot?

Status: True
Below is an email that's going around. Maybe it's been circulating for years, but I received it for the first time today. It makes a claim that seems dubious at first. But, upon experimentation, appears to be true. At least, it's true for me. There must be a scientific explanation for this phenomenon. The question is: does it hold true for everyone? And is it possible to counteract this reflex through force of will?

This is so funny that it will boggle your mind. And you will keep trying it at least 50 more times to see if you can outsmart your foot. But you can't!!!
1. While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles with it.
2. Now, while doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction!!!
I told you so... And there is nothing you can do about it.

Body Manipulation

Posted on Thu Oct 06, 2005



Comments

WE TRIED IT & YOUR RIGHT; BUT IF YOU GO LEFT TURN WITH YOUR FOOT AND DO THE NO 6, IT CAN BE ALTERED!
Posted by W  on  Sat Jan 06, 2007  at  02:32 PM
TRY THE LEFT FOOT, ROTATING RIGHT, WITH A 6, AND IT GOES THE OTHER WAY ALSO!
Posted by WILLIAM  on  Sat Jan 06, 2007  at  02:35 PM
An excellent exercise! Proving? That we're all unique beings; we're not all wired the same way.
Praise diversity, praise our Creator.
Posted by Jat Gee  on  Sat Jan 06, 2007  at  04:51 PM
I can rub my uhead and pat my stomach. I can roll one hand forward and teh other backward, and now I can circle my right foot colckwise while drawing a 6 either way. But that left foot has a mind of its own.
Posted by Deane0  on  Sat Jan 06, 2007  at  08:40 PM
I did it with my rigt foot/hand the 1st time so I thought maybe I was doing something wrong. I then tried with my left foot/hand and still did it but it took longer.
Posted by AMY  on  Mon Jan 08, 2007  at  04:29 PM
I did it the first time and can do it everytime. Hmmm. But I'm also ambidextrous. I write with either hand and can do that old parlor trick of a former president James Garfield of writing Greek backwards with one hand and Latin with the other.

So, why can't I drive a stick shift???? My husband will never stop teasing me about that.
Posted by Cat  on  Tue Jan 09, 2007  at  09:16 AM
It has come to my attention that Garfield did not write Greek backwards, but he did write it forwards...while cramming an entire pan of lasagna in his gullet. Thanks, Odie.

I can also draw a cartoon with both hands simultaneously. That keeps it from being a very long drawn-out process.

That still doesn't help me drive a stick shift. But that's ok, I think the engine has stopped punning already.

😊
Posted by Cat  on  Tue Jan 09, 2007  at  09:35 AM
First try I drew the six and did the clockwise foot movement. I started the six at the top. I can't believe people have so little control.
--ted
Posted by ted  on  Fri Apr 20, 2007  at  07:33 PM
My foot started to change direction once and stuttered on another attempt, but I "outsmarted" it by simply focusing and doing it...No tricks, not drawing rectanles first or staring at odd points in the six...My left hand/foot though, is problematic...Can't quite seem to make it work...
Posted by brico  on  Mon Nov 05, 2007  at  08:28 AM
[removed]void(0);
It doesn't work for me. I can do it.
[removed]void(0);
Posted by Bikkeez  on  Fri Mar 07, 2008  at  02:58 AM
I play the drums so it is normal practice for the right foot to be independant but even this did actually throw me the first time but I got it the second time.
Posted by Brady  on  Fri May 30, 2008  at  10:16 AM
I simply loved this one...do you have any more???
My staff and I did this at lunch time and we laughed so hard...we needed this..
Thanks,
Lucy
Posted by Lucy  on  Tue Aug 05, 2008  at  07:51 PM
Did it no problem first time around. Then tried it again and can't get it since.
Posted by Ian G  on  Tue Sep 30, 2008  at  02:50 PM
I didn't believe this could happen until I actually did it. It's almost as if the "6" motion of the hand, like, hypnotizes your foot into changing direction or something.
Posted by RedSoxFan274  on  Sat Oct 04, 2008  at  11:48 PM
If youre doing the six backwards and the foot as per normal, as per Chris says (frist comment), isnt that defeating the purupose, does this have to do with being able to move your foot in one direction and your hand in another? ( re: two sides of the brain )
Comments?
Posted by Laura  on  Tue Nov 25, 2008  at  07:39 PM
I can do it no prob..no concentration required. It works on everybody else in my office though. Apparently I have some sort of disconnect between my feet and hands?! lol
Posted by Cath  on  Thu Feb 05, 2009  at  11:03 AM
can't do it with my right but though i am a lefty after 10 tries or so i figured it out..but what a teaser!
Posted by crackerman  on  Mon Mar 23, 2009  at  08:58 PM
I tried it all different ways. My foot doesn't change directions. I tried turning the opposite way, swirling with my other hand, using my other foot and going to other way. I don't have any problems, my foot doesn't change direction. What am I doing wrong?
Posted by one  on  Fri Apr 03, 2009  at  08:54 PM
one, it would appera that like a lot of peopel here, you have a strong nueral connection between your right and left brain hemispheres; This is usually found in creative peopel capable of doing both analytical and emotioanl tasks well, because they can utilise both sides of their barain at once.

If you find this a problem ( as your use of the word 'wrong' seems tio indicate) then I sugeest you discuss it with a neurosurgeon and talk about a thinning ogf the Corpus Callosum, often done for epileptics; In plain terms, they run a scalpel down the centre chasm of the brain to amke sure the connections are cut like most normal people's brains.

Or you can see at as part of the variance among human beings and adapt to being different from the bulk of humanity.
Posted by D F Stuckey  on  Sat Apr 04, 2009  at  01:12 AM
....Damn you
Posted by Earl  on  Mon Nov 30, 2009  at  10:48 PM
no problems on me...
Posted by Jimmythedeadman  on  Wed Dec 30, 2009  at  01:51 AM
OMGOMGOMG!!!

I know its kind of hard to believe but I did it..
I got it from an email...My friends were around...We all tried..I got it..

Its pretty Easy ... I tried doing the same with my left hand and leg and it worked too..
Posted by Erica  on  Thu Dec 31, 2009  at  01:18 AM
your right
Posted by kkaj  on  Sun Mar 14, 2010  at  08:13 PM
It won't happen to me but I have autism does that have anything to do with it?
Posted by Sam  on  Sat Jul 31, 2010  at  07:36 PM
it was not perfect when i did it for the first time ........but now ican do it perfectly with ease.... i tried it starting from top of six....i then tried with nine the same thing.....i also dont know whether there is some small imperfections or so
Posted by anand  on  Sat Oct 09, 2010  at  01:32 AM
I do professional development for college students and I ask them to do something similar when they finish an activity early: twiddle their thumbs (ie, they're bored) in opposite directions. It's almost impossible, I believe for the same basic reason.
Posted by Mark  on  Thu Feb 16, 2012  at  07:13 AM
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