Infamous Handshakes

A handshake is a simple gesture with a load of interpretations. Some people may have firm and confident grips while others have soft and gentle grips. A proper handshake should be firm and last from 3 to 6 seconds. The hands should be vertically side by side with thumbs locked around each other. One should reciprocate the same amount of pressure he receives from the other person. Be aware though that a handshake is a western culture. There are many communities where hand shaking is not allowed.

The hand hug is where you envelope the other persons hand with both your hands. Done to someone you share a close bond with it may be perceived as warm, but may be seen as an assumption of intimacy when done to someone not so close.

The Vice: It squashes the palm and fingers of the other party and makes him or her dread the moment he or she will have to shake your hand (goodbye) again. You may appear to be lacking control and good judgment.

Queens Fingertips: You stretch out your hand from a distance allowing the other person to barely grasp two or three of your fingers. You risk being labeled snobbish if your handshakes turns out this way.

The embedded video demonstrates other handshakes to avoid.