Many cultures chew substances made from Mother Nature such as grasses, plants and resins. Chewing gums history actually dates back to the ancient Greeks, being their favorite hobby. However, it was a William Semple, not a Greek, who first patented chewing gum on 28 December 1869 and a Susan Montgomery who had blown the largest gum bubble ever at 23 inches in diameter. She is recorded in the Guinness World Record.
If you want to blow big bubbles, do not go for the popular brands such as Bubble Yum and Bubbicilious. They are more suitable for those who likes to chew gum as they are soft, full of flavor, easy to chew and long lasting. Less popular brands like Double Bubble or Bazooka which contain less sugar and take more effort to chew are what you should be looking for in order to blow a winner bubble. They tend to have more elasticity.
Learn to use small amounts of gum to blow your bubble. Adding another piece of gum might do more harm than good to your performance. The rule is more practice, not more gum. If you want to challenge Susan Montgomery Williams someday, you must practice with a maximum of three pieces of gum only.
To beat against the odds of blowing your gum bubbles to their full potential, try to practice indoors where it is easier to manage the wind and temperature. These two factors are crucial to your success. Too cold, the skin of your bubble will get thin and breaks easily; too hot, your bubble will collapse prematurely.
All gum contains sugar and artificial flavoring which is great for taste, but bad for bubbles. Be sure to chew your gum long enough to work out all of the sugar and artificial flavoring, this will help to strengthen your bubble. Be sure to get your gum to the correct consistency. As you blow bubbles, the gum cools and becomes less pliable, as you chew it warms back up. Find the right consistency to where you can push your tongue through the gum to make the pocket, but where you don't push all the way through and leave little gum to make a big bubble with.
If you want to blow the biggest bubbles possible, be careful and blow slowly. Use slow even breaths, this gives your gum time to stretch and grow, but also keeps even pressure on the gum to keep it from sagging. Don't tighten your lips around the bubble like you just sucked on a lemon, this will force you to blow harder and pop your bubble. Instead keep your mouth open so you inflate the bubble through a larger hole.
Practice, practice, practice! Blowing championship bubbles will require not only practice but a strong jaw, tongue, and diaphragm. Try different combinations of the tips above to find the perfect conditions for blowing the biggest bubbles possible. Practice and compete with your friends to see who can blow the biggest bubble, and remember the most important tip: Have Fun!
Christopher Pratt is the President of Candy Warehouse which holds over 100 different varieties of bubble gum and an assortment of
candy related products. Some of their specialty products include
Bazooka bubble gum , cigar chewing gum and plenty more.