# Any Tips for Sneaking Around and Being all Ninja-Covert-Like? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 9, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341 "2003-07-09T22:55:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BlueMit11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@BlueMit11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueMit11)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/1 "2003-07-09T22:55:51Z")
I’m mainly trying to see if anyone knows how to open a door without letting it creak. I’m fairly good with my step-toe before heal, and my landing after I jump-same thing. Anything else? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/2 "2003-07-09T23:02:47Z")
I find that if you lift a door upwards as you open it (or downwards, but there is a risk of scraping) it won’t creak. But being all Ninja-Covert-Like? that takes many years of training and rejection. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/3 "2003-07-09T23:10:57Z")
WD-40. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/4 "2003-07-09T23:23:57Z")
Don’t sneak. Barge right in like you own the place. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/5 "2003-07-09T23:33:01Z")
Now, now, **Trinopus** , this is the Ninja thread. Your answer is appropriate to the Pirate thread. P.S. to everyone: Do not open a pirate thread. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/6 "2003-07-09T23:45:00Z")
[Come see my pirate thread!](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_292.html) see? it was a joke! a joke, I tell you… ---
**Author:** ![Freiheit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e8c25b/32.png) [@Freiheit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freiheit)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/7 "2003-07-09T23:47:17Z")
You’ll need a heavy dose of Real Ultimate Power. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/8 "2003-07-09T23:48:41Z")
Just turn on your heat-vision goggles and shoot _through_ the door. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/9 "2003-07-10T00:01:17Z")
Learn to fake an obvious handicap, such as paralysis on one side. I know this sounds cold to suggest this, but in fact, nearly everyone will avert his eyes and refuse to make eye contact. You’ll thus become nearly invisible. If anybody remembers seeing you, they won’t remember your face. To those preparing to call me names, I say that this is not a comment on handicapped folks. It stands as a comment on the silly, embarassed way the rest of us behave around them. ---
**Author:** ![netscape\_6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8c91f0/32.png) [@netscape\_6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/netscape_6)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/10 "2003-07-10T00:15:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Freiheit \* > \*\*You’ll need a heavy dose of Real Ultimate Power. \*\* but you will won’t care, you’ll just kill people. someone will bring you cold soup and you will kill them and you won’t care. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/11 "2003-07-10T00:30:41Z")
When walking along upstairs hallways, stay as close to walls as possible, thus reducing strain on flooring and reducing floor creakage. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/12 "2003-07-10T00:34:34Z")
Become Jackie Chan. It’s a simple as that. Really. ---
**Author:** ![county](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@county](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/county)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/13 "2003-07-10T00:58:23Z")
You probably already know this but controlled breathing is essential. Being “centered” is also important but I don’t know what that is. Having a “laser like” focusing ability is also important I think. Hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/14 "2003-07-10T01:03:36Z")
Cat like aim. I mean reflexes. Did I say cat? I meant lemur. You could always hire the ninja stuff out to someone. Like a ninja, maybe… ---
**Author:** ![Jojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecd19e/32.png) [@Jojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jojo)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/15 "2003-07-10T01:11:03Z")
The solar plexus is the centre of your body. The lower your solar plexus is, the lower your centre of gravity is. So stay low - this helps you to walk silently. Also make your legs bendy, like rubber, not rigid. So if you step on a creaking floorboard you bend with the board not against it. Don’t fight it - go with it. Also, consider the vole. And the night. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/16 "2003-07-10T01:27:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dutchboy208 \* > When walking along upstairs hallways, stay as close to walls as possible, thus reducing strain on flooring and reducing floor creakage. The same with stairways. ---
**Author:** ![county](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@county](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/county)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/17 "2003-07-10T01:41:09Z")
Now we are getting somewhere! ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/18 "2003-07-10T02:21:52Z")
And the purpose for all this covertness would be??? ---
**Author:** ![netscape\_6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8c91f0/32.png) [@netscape\_6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/netscape_6)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/19 "2003-07-10T02:24:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by justwannano \* > \*\*And the purpose for all this covertness would be??? \*\* to end all darned cold soup :mad: ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tips-for-sneaking-around-and-being-all-ninja-covert-like/187341/20 "2003-07-10T02:32:11Z")
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