Farting on Command — Is It Possible?
Most people have little control over the timing of their intestinal gas release — but a few have developed a remarkable ability to fart on demand. What lies behind this? The physiology of the sphincter, the mechanics of the pelvic floor musculature, and a rare technique for deliberately introducing air into the gut provide answers. And one man from the 19th century elevated this ability to an art form.
Normal Physiology: Why We Can't Control It
Intestinal gas release is a two-stage process. The internal anal sphincter — smooth, involuntary muscle tissue — relaxes automatically when gas pressure is detected in the rectum. The external anal sphincter — striated, voluntarily controlled — can suppress gas release in the short term. The brain can thus delay the moment of release, but cannot force it: to fart voluntarily, one would need gas in the rectum and the ability to actively generate pressure. The latter is harder than it sounds — the abdominal muscles used for defecation generate general intraabdominal pressure, but not targeted outward gas movement without simultaneously moving other gut contents.
Aerophagia and Deliberate Air Swallowing
The technique closest to voluntary farting is controlled aerophagia: deliberately swallowing air in quantities large enough to be released through controlled passage through the gut. Through rapid swallowing, chewing air, or specialized swallowing techniques, air can be transported into the stomach and further into the intestine. Experienced aerophagia practitioners report that the air reaches the rectum after several minutes and can then be released partly on demand. This technique is physically demanding, not learnable by everyone, and can lead to bloating and abdominal discomfort with excessive use.
Le Pétomane: Master of Voluntary Intestinal Gas Release
Joseph Pujol (1857–1945), who performed as Le Pétomane on the stage of the Moulin Rouge, possessed a unique anatomical ability: he could actively draw large quantities of air into the gut through sphincter-controlled relaxation and then release it in controlled portions. Medical examinations conducted during his lifetime confirmed that Pujol possessed an extraordinarily strong and precisely controllable sphincter apparatus. He used no ventriloquist tricks or aids — his performance was anatomically verified. Pujol could play melodies, imitate sounds, and blow out candles from a meter away. The medical literature of his time treated his case as a genuine physiological anomaly.
Biofeedback and Pelvic Floor Therapy
Modern pelvic floor medicine uses biofeedback methods to teach patients more precise voluntary control over the sphincter apparatus — primarily for the treatment of fecal incontinence and pelvic floor dysfunction. Biofeedback devices measure sphincter activity in real time and display it to the patient on a monitor, enabling targeted strengthening or relaxation to be learned. Some therapists report that patients develop a significantly improved ability to separate gas pressure from stool after intensive training — which could theoretically enable a form of controlled gas release. However, this is far from a true Pétomane-like ability.
Did You Know?
- Le Pétomane could blow out candles from one meter away with controlled gas release — medically verified.
- The external anal sphincter is the only voluntarily controllable element in intestinal gas release.
- Aerophagia — deliberate air swallowing — is the most accessible method of supplying air for voluntary farting.
- Biofeedback therapy can enable more precise sphincter control, primarily for medical purposes.
Fun Fact
A medical case description of Le Pétomane published in La Semaine Médicale in 1892 includes detailed measurements of his sphincter strength and lung capacity. The authors concluded that Pujol's ability was the result of lifelong training combined with extraordinary muscular control — not an anatomical anomaly. It is thus one of the earliest documented examples of learned, voluntary body control extending far beyond the typical human range.
Sources
- Nohain, J. & Caradec, F. (1967). Le Pétomane. Grafton Books.
- Bharucha, A.E. (2006). Pelvic floor: anatomy and function. Neurogastroenterology & Motility, 18(7), 507–519.
- Chiarioni, G. et al. (2006). Biofeedback is superior to laxatives for normal transit constipation due to pelvic floor dyssynergia. Gastroenterology, 130(3), 657–664.
- La Semaine Médicale (1892). Cas clinique: M. Pujol, dit Le Pétomane. Paris.