RResidents in Japan

How the hell are you guys doing the no hands thing on the train?

  • December 11, 2025

Every morning when I'm riding the train I hold on to the handrails for dear life. Sometimes I get lucky and I'm able to stand in the corner place, near the door, and I can lean on it and have my hands free to read a book.

On my unlucky days (which are more frequent), I'm left with no support other than being squished between two strangers and everytime the train jerks I'm flying and falling all over the place.

I have noticed though that some people don't hold on to anything and they're still steady as a rock. So my question is to those people…how the fuck are y'all doing that!?!? Is there some core exercise that everyone's doing that I'm not aware of?

by throwaway24996

29 comments

  1. It’s all on your legs and feet. You’ll learn to position them to make them rock solid and not easily affected by train sways.

  2. Nah dawg I hop on that yammafuckry line and I feel like I’m in a human washing machine…0 stability

  4. You could try yoga to help improve your balance. Some of the simple ones you could even do while you wait for your train 🙂

  5. You lock your knees and legs in and keep your feet apart at the right distance so that it absorbs your weight as you sway and you don’t fall. Been doing this 18 years lol. I’ve also memorised the movement of the tracks on my commute.

  6. Judging by all the people that just lean against me, they aren’t overly concerned about maintaining balance in this situation. I’m annoyed but also recognize my fortune that I’m tall enough to grab support from anywhere in the train.

  7. > Is there some core exercise that everyone’s doing that I’m not aware of?

    Actually, you’re already doing it. Keep commuting every day. In five years, you’ll be a master too.

  9. It’s like riding a bike. Good balance and activating the right muscles at the right time.

    I find it fairly easy but there are a lot of people who stand and ragdoll themselves relying on strangers to keep them upright rather than their own body.

  10. Either spread your legs wide like you’re in a 2009 crabcore band or make yourself dense and tighten your stance but widen your feet like you’re in a 90s rock funk alt band. Or give up and lay on the floor face down like in the lyrics of a numetal band.

  14. Perhaps watch beginner guides for snowboarding/surfing?

    The same skill of stiffening your core while keeping your feet flexible/in a wide stance has helped my be able to play a handheld console while riding without a support 😂

  15. Just balance and sway with it, otherwise fear causes hesitation, and hesitation will cause your worst fears to come true.

  16. leg positioning and balance/weight shifting is important lol. Stand in the train as if you were standing on a skateboard.

    I think it’s also kinda like an unconscious skill you pick up, especially if you’re riding the same train at the same time, every day for x amount of time.

    You just learn to feel when turns or stops are coming and your body weight shifts accordingly.

  18. I think it takes months to master. I thought I was cool once and attempted to go no hands. I fell on the floor so hard. I really appreciated the two women standing near me pretending like nothing happened lol

  21. Feet are key here. Either turn perpendicular to the direction of movement and brace with slightly bent knees and strong ankles/feet or face the direction of movement, lean slightly forward, and push down with your toes.

  22. Grew up as kids on buses and trains playing around “surfing” them. It’s something you just develop, between balance and core strength.

    Try it at a safe time with something to grab on in reach

  24. Good core muscles and balance. It’s like surfing. The more you do it, the easier it gets.

  26. Practice and need.

    If I commute standing and not holding anything I get an extra hour of gaming in a day cs smart phone doom scrolling. 

    Absolutely worth it. 

  28. You are like a new sailor wondering why everyone else on the ship can walk straight and you keep stumbling around.

    You gotta get you sea legs matey.

  29. i push all my power into my feet as hard as i can. when i have no choice but to hold on, i wipe my hands and phone with alcohol sheets i carry with me 😂

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