How To Blow Smoke Rings

Picture it...everyone's focusing on eating their food, and suddenly a smoke ring delicately and obviously glides across the room. The ability to blow thick, full, even smoke rings that will travel as far and as fast as you want them to is really not as hard as you think. It's definitely an attention grabber in a group of smokers. Here's how to master the art of smoke ring blowing.

Step 1  

Pick out cigarettes that tend to have thick smoke - full flavor, 100s, menthols, etc. Light cigarettes will still work, but the lighter the cigarette, the thinner the smoke will be.

Step 2  

Pack the cigarettes as best as you can. Packing cigarettes involves repeatedly striking the top of the pack on a flat hard surface or your hand to condense the tobacco further towards the filter, leaving that empty paper space on top.

Step 3  

Light the cigarette, and just enjoy the first few drags. The first two are usually lighter anyways, and relax! Trying too hard is one of the main causes of failure.

Step 4  

Take a drag of smoke into your mouth, just like you normally would. Only, try to take a fairly large drag, as the more smoke you have, the more you have to work with. If you're using menthol cigs, Newports especially, you will know when you have enough smoke by the cold hitting your throat. Try not to burn your tongue too.

Step 5  

Partially inhale the smoke, just enough to keep the smoke in your throat. This may take getting used to, simply because it may make some people cough.

Step 6  

With your mouth closed, draw your tongue back in your mouth towards your throat, keeping it pointing down toward the bottom of your mouth so that the smoke moves away from your lips.

Step 7  

Shape your mouth into an "O" shape, but stick your lips out as if you were making an "oo" sound (like in the word 'boot'). The circle should be as big as you can comfortably make it. Don't stress too much--leave room for movement. You will look rather ridiculous to everyone else, until they realize you're about to blow their minds.

Step 8  

Push small amounts of smoke out. The best way to describe this is the sound you make when you sigh, or the sound you make when someone tells you you have to do something you don't want to do. You will feel pressure and then a quick burst of smoke, but your vocal chords should not be used.

Step 9  

As you feel, or know, that the smoke is leaving your lips, push the tongue forward, still keeping it pointing down, and bring the lower jaw slightly but rapidly up at the same time. Tuck your lips inward very slightly, but rapidly. This will put a "spin" on the smoke, helping the ring stay tight. This should create a very beautiful, thick ring of smoke.

Tips

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  1. • When blowing rings, try to keep your tongue out of the way as much as possible, as it will only disrupt the spin you are trying to put on the smoke. Just keep it comfortably at the bottom of your mouth. Don't force it, but keep it down.
     • It has to do more with how much force you imprime in your masseter muscles than with the lips, tongue or anything else but those things undoubtedly do help a lot!
     • The speed at which your O-ring moves will be determined by how much pressure you put behind your "uh." Really, to achieve that, you must push on the smoke in your throat using your diaphragm like you're going to exhale hard or cough.
     • How far and how fast you move your lips also affects the ring's travel. If you quickly curl your lips, the ring will travel faster. The further in you curl your lips, the faster and farther your smoke ring will go. However, don't curl too much or too soon. Timing is everything. If you constrict the opening too soon, you may end up with smaller rings than you want.
     • Try practicing in front of a mirror. You will be able to watch the smoke form, how it flows, and how the shape and movement of your mouth affects it.
     • To blow a smaller smoke ring through a larger one, just take into account which way the smoke rings are floating, and how fast. Blow a ring carefully, so that it retains shape, yet moves slowly, then constrict your lips a little more, and blow a smaller one. The smaller one should move faster by design, but if it doesn't, use lip curling to make it move faster. After that, it's all aim!
     • If there is ANY sort of air movement, you will have a hard time keeping the rings together. In this case, try rotating your position in the room. Depending on where the air movement is coming from, shooting your rings in a different direction can help.
     • Do not use your vocal chords when making the short exhales. It should be a guttural whisper, if anything.
     • An alternate method (i.e. cheating) is to burn a hole in the cellophane wrapper in your cigarette pack. After inhaling smoke, blow it into the hole. Gently tap the wrapper on side without a hole. A smoke ring will appear!
     • Make a POWP noise. This method also works to blow bubble rings in pools.
     • If you want to blow mini-rings, gather smoke using only your mouth, then form your lips in a small "oo" shape. Then using your tongue and mouth blow the smoke out slowly and steadily, and flick your cheek. For each flick of the cheek, you'll get a mini-ring!
     • You can practice this in pools if you are a non-smoker - follow the same mouth movements, but make sure you are facing directly upward or the buoyancy will destroy your hard-earned ring!
     • While blowing smoke rings, try position yourself by a window or any other source of light that will shine on the area you will be blowing your rings to, it will make the rings much easier for others to see..
     • To make your O's travel faster and further, try to incorporate a speedy tongue push along with a rapid jut of your jaw. These two motions should be the last motions of blowing an O, meaning that they should be the motions that push the O from your lips. Try to keep the tip of your tongue placed behind your lower front teeth at the gumline at all time, and try to only push with the middle of your tongue. The hardest part to master about this technique is the jaw motion. You pretty much have to figure it out on your own. This technique takes the most practice, but once you master it you will be the master of shootin' them O's, capable of shooting O's that seem to continue to drift until disturbed. The furthest I've shot an O with this technique is 14 feet, from one end of a room to another.
   

Warnings

• Watch for wind, and too many people moving close to you, as this will cause air movement, which will disrupt the smoke ring.
• It's possible to blow rings outdoors, however, be mindful of the wind, as it will easily prevent you from blowing fully formed rings. If you consider the physics of how smoke rings form (vortices) blowing them towards the wind will help them form.
• This is a simple method for beginners; to blow smoke rings that persist with speed and accuracy, pop your jaw upwards instead of trying to force air forward with your glottis.
• Do not litter the streets with cigarettes. Remember to dispose of a cigarette butt in an ashtray or other appropriate receptacle.
• Remember that smoking seriously damages your health
• Do not blow a smoke ring in someones face unless they want you to, of course.

Things You'll Need

• A cigarette, cigar, shisha (hookah) or tobacco pipe
• A lighter
• Some patience; You won't get it first time!
• An audience
• A good amount of time to practice