A percentage of the population between 65 and 81% is able to roll up their tongue. While this ability is often the result of a genetic trait, studies suggest that this is not strictly the case and that environmental factors also play a role. You may or may not be able to roll your tongue into a tube or clover, but if you ever want to try, here's what you need to do.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Fold the Sides
Step 1. Contract your lips
Pucker your lips together firmly, creating a small circle. Suck gently on the sides of your mouth to tighten your lips.
By squeezing your lips together like this, you'll create a small slit where you can stick your tongue. The squeezing and sucking movements should naturally help shape the shape you are trying to achieve
Step 2. Push the tip of the tongue through the lips
Carefully push only the tip of the tongue through the lips, forcing the sides of the tongue to rise towards the teeth and upper lip.
Try to place the sides of the tongue along the first 2 or 3 teeth of the upper jaw and no more
Step 3. Guide the sides of your tongue upwards
Continue to push your tongue through your lips, keeping the sides upward as much as possible. Use your fingers as needed to help orient the sides of your tongue upward.
If you've never rolled up the sides of your tongue before, you may need to use your fingers to tell the brain which muscles it needs to contract
Step 4. Consider putting something in the middle of your tongue
Some find it easier to fold the sides of the tongue around something, such as clean food or kitchen utensils. If you find it difficult to fold your tongue in half, put something like this in the center of the tongue so that the edges can roll around.
- You could try a soft food, such as mashed potatoes or pudding, but avoid small, hard foods that you could choke on.
- Alternatively, you can also try Chinese food chopsticks.
Step 5. Build muscle memory and practice until you no longer need support
At first you may need to keep using your lips, fingers, and props to help you bend your tongue. Once you start practicing, you can teach the muscles of your tongue how to move to bend.
With a little more practice, you can learn how to do this movement using just your tongue
Method 2 of 5: Fold it into the shape of two clover leaves
Step 1. Fold the sides of the tongue
You can make a two-leaf clover with your tongue after becoming an expert at folding the sides. Bending the sides is the first movement needed for this tongue trick.
- Contract your lips.
- Push the tip of your tongue through your lips.
- Guide the sides of the tongue using the position of your lips.
- Force the rest of the tongue out gradually, until it is almost all out and with the sides folded up.
Step 2. Fold your tongue in half
Bring the tip of the tongue up and back, squeezing the tip behind the front teeth. For a more pronounced clover leaf, press the tip of the tongue against the center of the tongue.
By folding the tongue in half, the center of the tip should automatically begin to bend inward, creating a “U” shape or two clover leaves
Step 3. Guide the tongue with your fingers to create a muscle memory
If you have a hard time bending your tongue while keeping the sides rolled up, you can use your fingers to guide your tongue. Once your tongue has spent some time in this position, it can learn how to bend and roll muscles in order to recreate the same shape.
Practice until the language no longer needs support. Once muscle memory is established, you should be able to bend your tongue into the shape of two clover leaves without the help of your fingers
Method 3 of 5: Fold it into a clover shape
Step 1. Make a very frown expression
Bring the corners of your mouth down in an exaggerated frown. Your lips should be partially parted, but just a little bit.
- Squeeze your lips.
- Push the tip of your tongue through your lips.
- Guide the sides of the tongue up using the position of your lips.
- Force the rest of the tongue out gradually until it is almost all out with the sides completely folded up.
Step 2. Roll the sides of the tongue up
As you would with the two-leaf clover, you can progress to a three-leaf clover only after you become an expert in folding the sides of the tongue up.
Note, however, that mastering the two-leaf clover technique is not necessary. You can do the three-leaf version without ever trying the two-leaf version
Step 3. At the same time indent the middle part of the tongue
Instead of bending the tip of the tongue lengthwise, you will need to bend the center point along its width, bringing it down and out, creating a sort of indentation.
Pressing the center point of the tongue inward, two points on either side of the tip should begin to retract due to the suction. This will create three "U" or three leaves of a clover
Step 4. Guide the tongue with your fingers to create a muscle memory
If you struggle to bend your tongue while keeping the sides folded up, you can use your fingers to orient the tongue into the correct shape. Once the tongue has spent some time in this position, it will learn how the muscles should bend and roll up to create a shamrock.
Practice until the language no longer needs support. Once muscle memory is established, you should be able to roll your tongue in clover without needing finger guidance
Method 4 of 5: Roll it into a four-leaf clover
Step 1. Pout a lot
Bring the corners of your mouth downward, increasing your pouting expression. Your lips should remain slightly parted. Compress them.
- Push the tip of your tongue through your lips.
- Guide the sides of the tongue up using the position of your lips.
- Force the rest of the tongue out gradually until most of the tongue is out and the sides are folded up.
Step 2. Fold the sides of the tongue up
As with the two- or three-leaf clover, you can proceed to the four-leaf clover only after you learn how to roll up the sides.
Note that you don't need to learn the two- or three-leaf clover technique before you can roll your tongue this way. You can make a four leaf clover without even trying to make the first two. Since the clover version is very similar, but only with slightly different movements, learning how to do it first might help you
Step 3. Simultaneously fold back the center point of the tongue
Instead of bending the tip of the tongue in the middle along its length, you will need to fold the center point in the direction of the width, bringing it down and inwards in a sort of indentation.
You are now making a clover. In order to make this method unique, you will need to add another fold
Step 4. Bring the tip of your tongue inward
To fold the tongue into a four-leaf clover shape, roll or indent the tip of the tongue inward as much as possible, pressing it against the length of the tongue.
Before, the tip of the tongue should have been symmetrically quite intact. Bringing it inward will move the clover leaves outward, dividing the central "U" in two
Step 5. Guide the tongue using your fingers to create a muscle memory
If you have a hard time getting your tongue or the tip of your tongue back in while keeping the sides facing up, you can use your fingers to guide your tongue. Once the tongue has spent some time in this position, it will learn to bend and roll the muscles inside it to create a four-leaf clover.
Step 6. Practice until the language no longer needs support
Once a muscle memory is established, you should be able to roll your tongue into a four-leaf clover without needing the help of your fingers.
Method 5 of 5: Flip the Tongue Backwards
Step 1. Turn your tongue to one side
Roll your tongue to one side so that your taste buds are facing your right or left cheek.
- It is advisable to apply light pressure to the tongue using the upper and lower teeth to hold it in place. Muscle memory may not be developed enough to hold the tongue still.
- Note that you don't have to learn any of the previous methods to be able to turn the language.
Step 2. Close your teeth gently
Carefully raise your jaw as you lightly squeeze with your jaw.
As you do these movements, your teeth will continue to roll your tongue by itself. Rely on the pressure exerted by the jaw and jaw to continue rolling or turning the tongue 180 degrees, completing the trick
Step 3. Guide your tongue with your teeth to create muscle memory
If you have a hard time turning your tongue, you can use your fingers to move it - once your tongue has spent some time in this position, it will learn which muscles it should activate to turn more naturally.
Practice until your language no longer needs help. Once muscle memory is established, you should be able to turn your tongue without the help of your fingers
Warnings
- Note that you will not be able to turn your tongue if you have a medical condition known as 'ankyloglossia'. People with this condition have a band of cellular tissue called the lingual frenulum that connects the lower part of the tongue to the base of the mouth, making it more difficult to move the tip of the tongue.
- Wash your hands before using them to guide your tongue. Doing so will prevent the spread of germs and diseases.
