Wiggling your ears is one of those quirky, rare human tricks that always draws curiosity and amusement. Most people think it’s impossible unless you’re born with the ability, but that’s not true. Like raising one eyebrow or whistling through your fingers, it’s a skill rooted in muscle awareness and control. With patience, anyone can learn it.
How to Learn to Wiggle Your Ears
- Find the Right Muscles
The muscles responsible for ear movement are the auricularis anterior, superior, and posterior. Most people don’t have conscious control over these because they’re rarely used.
To locate them, try these steps:- Raise your eyebrows and feel what else moves.
- Clench your jaw and feel behind your ears.
- Try gently pulling your ears back with your fingers and see if you can mimic the sensation without using your hands.
- Isolate Ear Movement
Once you’ve identified where the muscles are, sit in front of a mirror. Focus only on moving the skin around your ears without moving your jaw, eyebrows, or neck. This will feel almost impossible at first, but with concentration, the slightest twitch will come. - Daily Micro-Practice
Like any motor skill, repetition is key. Try spending 5 minutes a day doing these exercises:- Hold your face still and try to move just the ear area.
- Practice in silence so you can concentrate on the internal muscle feeling.
- Use biofeedback: place your fingers behind your ears and feel for movement.
How Long Will It Take?
It varies dramatically by individual.
- Some people can learn within a week if they already have strong mind-muscle awareness.
- Others take 1 to 3 months of short daily practice.
- If you’re unable to get any twitch after 2–3 weeks, focus on general facial muscle control and come back to the ear later.
Why Is It Impressive?
Most people can’t do it. The rarity is part of the appeal. It looks involuntary, strange, and animalistic. That alone grabs attention. It also shows off a unique kind of discipline: neuromuscular awareness that most people never develop. It’s a great icebreaker, conversation starter, or party trick.
Variations on the Trick
Once you can wiggle your ears reliably, try:
- Alternating ear wiggles (left, right, left…)
- Speed control (slow-motion wiggle vs. rapid-fire twitch)
- Syncing the wiggle with eyebrow or jaw movement for comedic effect
- Creating expressions like mock confusion or surprise using ears alone
Final Note
This trick is equal parts novelty and dedication. It doesn’t require talent, just awareness and repetition. Like juggling or balancing a spoon on your nose, it rewards curiosity and practice. If you commit, even a tiny daily effort will eventually let you master something that feels impossible to most.
