What to Do with Your Hands When You’re Speaking

You’re about to give a presentation, and suddenly you have a question you rarely ask in ordinary conversation:

What am I supposed to do with my hands?

You clasp them. Then you put them in your pockets. Then you pick up a pen you don’t need.

Now you’re thinking about your hands instead of explaining your point.

You don’t need a gesture for every sentence. In When You Have the Floor, I teach speakers to give their hands a relaxed home and a clear job. That gives you a place to begin without planning every movement.

Give your hands a place to rest

When you aren’t gesturing, let your hands rest comfortably. They might hang loosely at your sides, come together gently near your waist, or rest on the table when you’re seated.

Choose a position that feels comfortable and lets you move your hands easily when you want to gesture.

If you bring your hands together, keep the grip light. You should be able to release them without pulling them apart. If you’re at a table, notice whether you’re gripping the edge or twisting a pen while you speak.

Try your resting position while saying a short explanation. If you’re concentrating on holding the pose, loosen it. The position should make speaking easier.

Use your hands to help explain the point

Think about what you’re explaining.

Are you comparing two options? Describing three steps? Showing how something has changed?

Your hands can help people see the comparison, follow the steps, or understand the change you’re describing.

For example, suppose you’re comparing two training schedules. You could gesture to one side as you describe the first option and to the other side as you describe the second. Keep the locations consistent so the movement helps people follow the comparison.

If you’re explaining three steps, you might count them on your fingers. If you’re describing a small change, a small gesture may be enough.

Once you’ve shown the comparison or counted the steps, let your hands rest again. You don’t have to repeat the gesture for every sentence.

Match the gesture to the space

A gesture that is easy to see across a meeting table may be hard to see from the back of a ballroom. A large stage gesture may disappear outside a camera frame.

In the book, I describe a starting area for everyday gestures: roughly from the belt line to shoulder height, extending slightly beyond shoulder width. Treat that as a place to begin. Adjust for your movement, the audience, and the camera.

For an online presentation, make a short recording. If you use your hands to compare two options, can people see that movement on camera? Notice whether your hands keep passing in front of your face or moving outside the picture.

Adjust the camera or make the gesture smaller if needed. Let your hands rest when you aren’t using them to explain something.

Put down objects you don’t need

A pen, marker, phone, or remote can become something you keep moving without realizing it.

Before speaking, decide what each object is for. If you don’t need the pen, put it down. If you’re using a remote, learn the buttons before the presentation. Avoid clicking it while you’re thinking.

With a handheld microphone, keep the microphone at a consistent distance from your mouth. Let your free hand gesture. Watch that the microphone doesn’t move away whenever you make a point.

If you need a lectern or another support for balance, access, or equipment, use it. Arrange what you need so you can speak comfortably.

Replace one distracting habit

Record a short section of your presentation. Watch it without sound first. Notice repeated movements: rubbing your hands, adjusting your sleeve, touching your face, or moving the same object again and again.

Choose one habit to work on. Give it a specific replacement.

For example: when you finish advancing a slide, let the remote rest in your hand while you explain the point. Or, when you pause to think, let your hands settle instead of reaching toward your face.

Record the same section again and compare it. Did you stop clicking the remote or touching your face as often? Did your hands help show the comparison or steps you were explaining?

The aim is to help people follow what you’re saying while you remain comfortable enough to speak naturally.

For individual help with your delivery, explore public speaking and presentation coaching.

Related article: How to Use Pauses When You Speak.