How to Deliver an Unforgettable Handshake
Patricia Rossi, etiquette coach to pro, college and high school athletes, shares the art of the perfect handshake to help you prepare for your next campus meet-and-greet.
Think of a handshake as a chance to make a positive first impression. “Your handshake is the most important thing you can do,” Rossi says. She notes that it signifies whether you’re confident or doubtful, trustworthy or unreliable. A coach will know within three to seven seconds “whether he likes you, he trusts you, he thinks you’re strong … and coachable,” Rossi says.
There are several ways to dish out a shake. Here are six shakes Rossi advises against and why:
The Wrestler: You turn the recipient’s hand so your hand is positioned on top
Meaning: “I want to have power over you. I’m stronger than you.”
The Terminator: Squeezing the recipient’s hand too tightly
Meaning: “I’m a little anxious and nervous, so I’m trying to be powerful.”
The Wet Fish: Gripping the recipient’s hand in a limp manner
Meaning: “I’m not a committed person.”
The Clutch -On: Using both of your hands to sandwich the recipient’s hand
Meaning: Sympathy. “It should be reserved for funerals or for the closest of friends.”
The Queen’s Shake: Grasping someone’s fingertips
Meaning: “I think I’m better than you, and I don’t even know if I really want to touch you.”
The Fist Bump: Bumping your fist against the recipient’s fist
Meaning: Friendship “Only if [a] coach does that first, then follow through. You want to mimic and mirror someone else’s handshake.”
Reject the aforementioned moves and develop a quality shake that conveys sincerity and confidence. Rossi coaches up the following points for offering a solid hand:
The Perfect Handshake
• Stand with feet six inches apart with toes and belly button facing coach
• Snugly grasp hand, your palm to his, and wrap your hand all the way around coach’s hand
• Grip firmly but not bone-crushingly
• Pump three times; release
Sets/Reps: 1×1
Coaching Points: Stand up straight // Make direct eye contact // Smile // If necessary, roll palms with antiperspirant to minimize sweat
Rossi: “You want to make sure it’s committed—a snug one, two, three and release. It’s really important [to realize] that this is [the] first form of physical contact you’re going to have.”
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How to Deliver an Unforgettable Handshake
Patricia Rossi, etiquette coach to pro, college and high school athletes, shares the art of the perfect handshake to help you prepare for your next campus meet-and-greet.
Think of a handshake as a chance to make a positive first impression. “Your handshake is the most important thing you can do,” Rossi says. She notes that it signifies whether you’re confident or doubtful, trustworthy or unreliable. A coach will know within three to seven seconds “whether he likes you, he trusts you, he thinks you’re strong … and coachable,” Rossi says.
There are several ways to dish out a shake. Here are six shakes Rossi advises against and why:
The Wrestler: You turn the recipient’s hand so your hand is positioned on top
Meaning: “I want to have power over you. I’m stronger than you.”
The Terminator: Squeezing the recipient’s hand too tightly
Meaning: “I’m a little anxious and nervous, so I’m trying to be powerful.”
The Wet Fish: Gripping the recipient’s hand in a limp manner
Meaning: “I’m not a committed person.”
The Clutch -On: Using both of your hands to sandwich the recipient’s hand
Meaning: Sympathy. “It should be reserved for funerals or for the closest of friends.”
The Queen’s Shake: Grasping someone’s fingertips
Meaning: “I think I’m better than you, and I don’t even know if I really want to touch you.”
The Fist Bump: Bumping your fist against the recipient’s fist
Meaning: Friendship “Only if [a] coach does that first, then follow through. You want to mimic and mirror someone else’s handshake.”
Reject the aforementioned moves and develop a quality shake that conveys sincerity and confidence. Rossi coaches up the following points for offering a solid hand:
The Perfect Handshake
• Stand with feet six inches apart with toes and belly button facing coach
• Snugly grasp hand, your palm to his, and wrap your hand all the way around coach’s hand
• Grip firmly but not bone-crushingly
• Pump three times; release
Sets/Reps: 1×1
Coaching Points: Stand up straight // Make direct eye contact // Smile // If necessary, roll palms with antiperspirant to minimize sweat
Rossi: “You want to make sure it’s committed—a snug one, two, three and release. It’s really important [to realize] that this is [the] first form of physical contact you’re going to have.”
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