Responses

  1. I’m 6 foot 1 and quite full-figured and the method that by far works the best for me is with the pole in my “squishy spot” (area on the side between my hip bones and ribs) with the pole on my bicep, then dropping my head to curl my legs up into a ceiling-facing deadbug, with knees past the pole.

    Does that sound more like the lever invert or a step towards the deadlift? Am I “cheating” my strength-building progress by not performing my inverts from the armpit?

    1. I’m more of a visual person, but from what I gather by reading, it sounds more like a lever invert. Which is not cheating at all though!

      If that version works best for your body, that’s the one you should use. At least for now. As a persons, strength and skills grow, they can always learn other variations if needed. As long as you’re not over gripping with the hands, causing pain in the wrists or elbows, or hunching up your shoulders, you’re fine.

      I honestly don’t understand why pole instructors talk about the concept of cheating, like there’s only one right way to perform a skill. Because as long as it’s safe for your body, it’s not cheating. Providing modifications to accommodate different bodies, is part of an instructor‘s job. The exception is a person throwing themselves up onto the pole by any means possible. That’s cheating but most of all it’s unsafe.

      There is no one “right” way to Invert. 💜