Tear a phone book in half: MF's tricks for performing the most incredible deeds

Men's Fitness, Sept, 2006 by Mark Philippi

WHILE WE AT MF ENCOURAGE

reading, there's not much you can do with an out-of-date phone book--except maybe level out a rickety table or press some dried flowers (and we know you're not doing the latter). But before you toss that paper brick in the garbage, gather your friends around and blow their minds--by tearing the thing in two. Here's how:

BREAK THE SPINE

This works best for medium-size books (around 1,000 pages or less): Hold the book perpendicular to the floor so that the spine is facing up. Grab the spine overhand with your thumbs on the same side as your fingers and squeeze it hard. Rotate your wrists inward, trying to make your pinkies touch, until you break the spine. Once the spine is broken, use a normal tearing motion to rip through every page.

FAN IT OUT

Larger phone books require more grip strength and won't tear from the spine as easily. Instead, try this: Hold the book vertically, using the same thumbless grip on the top of the book. Using the strength in your pecs, squeeze both sides of the book together so that the middle bows in a V shape away from you (taut against the back cover). Keep the pressure and begin rotating your wrists away from you (as described above)--this should break the front cover. Once the cover and a few pages break, tear the book.

BY MARK PHILIPPI, C.S.C.S.