What Is ... Xcm? Or Xtreme Card Manipulation

[matty_rulz 0]

So what is XCM (Xtreme Card Manipulation) you ask???

 

Well XCM is a hobby I have had for about 3 or 4 years and although there aren't that many people doing it its still a whole heap of fun.

 

So what exactly is it - I was having trouble coming up with a definition for XCM so heres the one from the Urban Dictionary:

 

"  Xtreme Card Manipulation, or Extreme Card Manipulation. The art of manipulating cards in an open manner to show skill, without using deception, magic or illusions. XCM is usually fast paced and done to music.

 

"He did 14 moves in 3 seconds, and build a house of cards behind his back with one hand. That's definitely not magic, it's XCM!"  "

There is really only one decent site about XCM and that is Superhandz , This site is the home of De'vo and Jerry who are pretty much the European fathers of XCM and De'vo is the man that brought XCM out from Germany to America and displayed the art for the world to see.

 

If you want to see some video clips of XCM being performed I would recomend these ones of Superhandz:

 

- X-treme #1

 

- X-treme #2

 

PLEASE NOTE YOU SHOULD NOT ATEMPT ANY OF THE FIRE MORE DONE IN THER NEXT 2 VIDEOS AS BOTH ARTISTS GOT BURNED WHILE FILMING THEM.

 

- Elemental #1

 

- Elemental #2

 

- Cobra Cut DVD Promo (The Worlds hardest and most exotic onehanded cut)

 

- Black Deck Vid

 

- Foot Shuffle - Need we say more???

 

- De'vo's Famous Viereck

 

Please not ther are plenty more videos on the Superhandz website.

 

 

Now for the last peice of information about XCM; The ultimate goal for the extreme card manipulator: The Ulmen Trials.

 

The Ulmen Trials are probably the most underground competition EVER.

Now for the history of The Ulmen Trials:

 

 

Many years ago, before any of us were born, several highly skilled men got together to share card techniques. They lived in a small town called Ulmen in Germany. They would push each other to the limit, and challenging each other to do un-ordinary things. They knew each others weaknessess, and would assign each other challenges to help improve themselves. They would meet every month in an old abandoned castle to see which of them could complete their individual challenges, and who couldn't.

 

As time went on and their skills increased, so did the challenges. It wasn't long before the challenges got very difficult, and sometimes dangerous. The men would bring their children and families once a month to witness their stunts and skills. It became almost a kind of tradition for these people, and their friends and families. Their children grew up watching this, and carried it on for several generations, with the challenges and skill getting even more refined.

 

Later, The group was officially named the Ulmen4 after the first 4 founders. Many others who had witnessed this group wanted to become members and would meet monthly with the group to learn and watch. After a period of time, the group became more than just a group that performed card stunts, but a group that challenged each other past the normal limits. It became more of a test of dedication, and perserveance.

 

The group started to meet more privately, and became obsessed with in the quest of learning more about themselves and what they were capable of doing, with and without cards. They engaged in dicussions of philosophy, and the human mind and what was, or wasn't possible, then do demonstrations to prove their arguments. Cards were still at the heart of them, and they would continue to challenge each other to and past their limits. As years went on, rumors of the group spread and people came to Ulmen to find and watch this group take their "trials" or challenges.

 

As the groups skills rounded out, they decided to set group goals, and place them extremely high! All would now take the same challenges and help each other accomplish them - so they thought! They decided to open it up not to just them, but anyone who was willing to try. They tried for years to get the entire group to complete the challenges that they laid for themselves, but sadly, their goals were set so incredibily high, that no-one ever completed their "trials". It wasn't until just last year, that the Ulmen4 convened to make the challenges more realistic, and set superhigh, but attainable goals. They have also opened up the challenges to anyone that is willing to try even here in America!

 

At the Trials, the Ulmen4 is presented by 4 cloaked men representing the original members of the Ulmen4. The 4 highest skilled to judge the rest of the members that enter the challenge. Anyone that completes the Ulmen Trials, will have the title of "MASTER", and be recognized by everyone as a true master, then go on to be one of the Ulmen4, and judge future Trials.

Notice from BuffaloHELP:

Source http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

 

 

Currently only the first 6 of the 13 steps of The Ulmen Trials are knowen to the public they are:

 

Step 1:

The challenger is to perform one-hand weave shuffles with waterfall finishes using two decks of cards, one in each hand, blindfolded, with both hands tied behind the back. Any method of the one-hand weave may be employed. The "blindfold" will be that supplied by the Ulmen4, and shall consist of a peek-proof cloth sack, to be applied by the judges. The challenger may position his decks on a table prior to being blindfolded, or may hold them throughout. No cards may hit the ground, and the hands must not help each other.

 

Step 2:

The challenger must construct a self-standing sculpture. The sculpture must be created with one hand, and closed with one hand. Sculpture must consist of 4 or more packets. After the sculpture has been formed, it must not touch the finger tips, or be clipped in any way. At least 70% of the sculpture must be off of the hand. The other 30% can conform to the shape of your hand. It must stand on its own for at least 5 seconds with finger tips at least 1 inch away, and must collapse with all cards facing the same direction. The sculpture must be original to the artist performing.

 

Step 3:

The challenger is to perform double cross Cobra Cuts and switch airborne packets for the catch. The challenger must execute simultaneous three-packet Cobra Cuts in each hand cross handed, up to strike position. Each elevated packet must be caught between the two mouth packets of the opposite hand without tilting the mouths upward. The packets must rotate at least ninety degrees, side over side. The challenger may use one or two non-plastic decks. The cards must start all oriented in the same direction before and after the stunt.

 

Step 4:

The challenger must perform a standard riffle shuffle using only his feet. The challenger may accomplish the shuffle standing up or sitting down. The shuffle itself may be a table shuffle or in-the-feet shuffle. No waterfall finish is necessary. A full deck must be used. A variety of chairs will be supplied by the Ulmen4 for this stunt. No contact assistance of the hands is allowed other than placing the deck on the floor or placing the undivided deck in the feet, prior to the execution of the shuffle. The hands may grip the chair or touch the floor in any manner needed to stabilize the challenger.

 

Step 5:

The challenger shall perform Double Arm spreads with simultaneous aerial catches. Any one or two decks may be used. The performer must spread one deck or half a deck on each arm, execute simultaneous turnovers of the spreads, and then perform simultaneous aerial catches. Any method of spreading the cards is permitted. All cards of both ribbon spreads must be completely free of the hands and arms prior to the actual catch. Glide catches are not permitted. Successive turnovers or catches are not permitted. All cards must be facing the same way before and after the stunt.

 

Step 6:

The challenger must construct a thirty packet array using two decks. Any two decks can be used. A packet must consist of at least three cards. There must be at least one quarter inch of space between the non-nexus ends or sides of any two adjacent packets. No stepped or stacked packets allowed. The packets must be completely separate and visible during the display. Any part of the body may be used to hold or stabilize packets. Use of the ground or table is not permitted. An unlimited amount of packets may be placed on the body in a static position. The array must be generated and then gathered or closed such that all cards of both decks are facing the same way both before and after the cut. There must be a flow, style, or rhythm to both creating and taking down the display.

Notice from BuffaloHELP:

Source http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

 

 

Well thanks for reading this far. Now you should know what Xtreme Card Manipulation is. If you have any questions about it or would like any help starting XCM as a hobby please don't be afraid to contact me.

 

Laterz

Matty

 

Notice from BuffaloHELP:

When you copy from another souce, even if you wrote it because it was published before this post, you MUST use QUOTE tags. To use QUOTE tags

[QUOTE] insert it exactly [/QUOTE]

This is your only friendly warning note. Inserted 2 quote tags.

Edited October 3, 2005 by BuffaloHELP (see edit history)

[iGuest 3]

need help

What Is ... Xcm?

 

Ive been practicing magic tricks for about 2-3 mounth but lately ive been getting into xcm and flourish I know a couple but need help I carnt find videos that are slow enough and don't have enough money for exspensive dvds.

 

JE_LIVERPOOL_NUT hotmail.Co.Uk

 

-question by jamie

[anheizhiye 0]

It's too long for me.a english newbie!Could you tell what you want to express?Or,if you have time,give me a summary,to help people like me who was sick of reading long english.Is it an ads about Xcm?Or you want tell us some new tech?Read a long article like this make me crazy!thanks a lot ~

[ragav.bpl 0]

By reading only the definition from that urban dictionary every thing was cleared up in my mind.....You know what i knew this that the real magic does not exists its only tricks which are done very neatly so that no 1 can identify.......