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Cross knee release frustration!
Okay, okay, I KNOW I shouldn’t be so eager to get this inversion thing…I just feel like I should be able to at least get this one! I’ve seen videos of it from all angles, I know how it works…I just can’t seem to get it!
I can climb the pole just fine. Seriously, if I had a taller pole, I could go all the way to the top, no problem! I can sit, too! I can sit for a LONG time, and I can even (very, very slowly) slide down in that position if I relax my muscles. I have enough flab there that it practically keeps me where I am without the muscles engaged! I’ve got the control to slide, stop, slide…
So, I cross my ankle over my knee, squeeze as tight as I possibly can, reach back…and never get there. Not ever, not even once! I can’t seem to let my hands off the pole! I tried putting one below me, just for the safety aspect, but that didn’t even work! I can relax my hands…technically they aren’t even doing anything, my arms are all bent and wobbly.
SO, I think it’s one of two things: First, I have a really hard time being upside down. I’ve practiced hanging myself off the side of the couch for a while, so I know I can DO it, and I’ve even done one handstand, once, with help. However, I would think after feeling so strongly that I KNOW I can do this, I would be able to just leg go and…do it!
The other thing is that, every time I watch someone’s video with a cross knee release (pro or not, instructional or not) their body tilts back, so their butt is lower than their knees, and the crossed knee comes up, touching the pole and creating a stronger hold. No matter how far back I lean, this doesn’t happen!
So I’m thinking…when I sit, the pole is pretty much right under my butt. Like, as far up as it could be. Is this incorrect? Should it be more toward the middle of my thighs? If so, how do I do that from a climb? It always seems like when I climb and transition into a sit, my body is right up against the pole, so when I wrap my legs around, that’s where the pole naturally goes. I’ve tried a few times to move it, but it doesn’t seem comfortable…my thigh bones don’t seem to want to quite bend that way, so I can get my legs around the pole and have my knees/ankles crossed properly.
Otherwise…what would you ladies recommend? If you like, I can post a video of my various failed attempts (I’d have to make a few more https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif ) if you like…I honestly didn’t think this move would be very complicated!
Should I just put some couch pillows down, let go and let be? Or should I be doing something else? https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cat.gif -
14 Replies
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what I found helped was to let you hips tilt back so your butt drops and you knee/shin connects with the pole and then worry about letting your upper body hang back. I also put some couch cushions around the bottom of the pole for mental support.
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I know what you mean about how when you watch other people do a ckr their butt is lower than their crossed knee, I remember thinking about that when i was first trying it and wondering why the heck my knees weren’t higher than my butt and thinking that might be the trick to it. So try this, instead of trying to tilt your legs and hips back after you’ve got hold of the pole with your thighs, have your butt and legs tilted before your thighs fully "grab on". Try to keep those legs pointing up and your butt low as you settle into that sitting position so that your crossed knee is engaged with the pole or almost engaged with it before you even lean your upper body back. Then when you feel secure in that tilted grip all you have to do is let your upper body lower back.
I hope doing that helps you, it helped me!
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That is actually a good idea, Nilla…I hadn’t thought of it! Are you able to do a CKR without that trick now, or is that just how it works for you? I’ll give it a shot…probably tomorrow…
And Freethesun, that’s an interesting thought, tilting one’s hips…you mean like if I pushed my hips forward, so that I’m kind of "sitting" back on the pole, like I would in a western saddle? Sorry, that’s the only way I could think of to describe it…err…like if I was wearing jeans, and trying to sit back on the pockets of them? https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif ‘Course, I’m not wearing jeans, but does that make sense? -
Haha. No worries. I get what you’re saying (Used to ride, but english saddle). It is actually kinda like Nilla was saying and what you are imaging. For me I have to sorta loosen my grip with my thighs to let my pelvis kind of roll back (like rolling back on imaginary butt pockets) which sorta forces your crossed leg to come up closer to the pole and then I tighten my thighs and let go and lean back. You can do it slow or fast. Just make sure your thighs are in a good position because lying back when they’re not is way way way more painful than it needs to be. Does that make more sense?
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It does make more sense! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif I’m gonna try it tomorrow, if I can manage to keep the energy up (it seems to wane after class https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_razz.gif)
As an aside…I took 3 years of horseback riding, english style. I loved it, I miss it, and western saddles hurt! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif
Aaaand, if anyone else has any other pointers, I’d be happy to hear them! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_bounce.gif -
All the above comments completely agree with, its all in the tilt https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif
Also, what helped when I first got it is to hold tight (sorta pull almost) the crossed knee leg by the opposite hand (i.e, if you’re right leg is bent, hold the ankle with your left hand). I felt it gave me a lot more security knowing at least it couldn’t slip off once I lay back! Once you get confident at it you’ll be able to do it without holding on.
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Okay you know I am completely unqualified to give any advice, I can’t even sit on the pole yet, lol! Just want to say good luck with the CKR, I hope you get it, that move looks so good! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif
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This was a HUGE battle for me because I learned this on my own at home. I was totally freaked out about going backwards on my pole. I learned this backwards first. What I did was lay on my back near my pole and then brought my legs up and inched my legs up as high as they would go. I basically had 3/4 of the backside of my body on the pole with my shoulders and head resting on the floor. Then I got my legs into the position and worked on bringing myself up into a crunch. It was not as scary going from floor up as it was going from pole down. Once I felt secure I was able to bring myself full up into a sit and then back down.
Just sharing what helped for me.
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The thing with the cross knee release, for me anyway, is to NOT cross your knee at the ankle but to try to point your crossed toe to the floor. This engages a lot more skin, plus your knee will come up to the pole much sooner as you lay back. You need strong legs to lock that position in but I really find it to be more secure.
My real preference is the cross ankle. I think it is way more secure and easier to lock into.
Good luck!! These are beautiful moves!
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Polegrrrl: I had actually thought of doing that! I didn’t try it though…perhaps will! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif
Audball: Hehe, thank you! Encouragement is always welcome, and is sometimes just as helpful as advice! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_sunny.gif
Chemgoddess: I thought I was the only one weird enough to try that! I totally did, too! Scoot everything up as high as it would go, and try to get my legs around the pole and make them stay there in the right position…I don’t think I was doing it properly, though! Considering my upside down fears, I’ll give that a go, too! Also, I am learning this one on my own without any help, too, so I totally understand the fears!
Polergirl: I hadn’t though of the toe/upper leg position too much…but thank you! I’ll remember to point and see if that helps me out. It probably will! And, secretly, I think I agree with you…I can cross-ankle sit on the pole no problem! I don’t think the CAR is far behind after I get this one! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cat.gifYou ladies are all so nice! It’s like having my own, giant, awesome studio of people to talk to! Hehe!
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It took me over a year to get CAR after getting CKR and I am still iffy with it.
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I have found that for lots of women some of the releases work better than others…for example my thighs are kinda large https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif so for me the CAR is much easier and feels much safer than the CKR. I never feel secure with the CKR – my thighs make that knee cross trickier and less secure – but with the CAR my larger thighs are more than strong enough to hold me on the pole https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif …and then the added security of the ankles really works for me.
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Veruca, that makes sense to me! I found that, either way, my thighs are big enough to hold me where I’m supposed to be…sitting-wise, at least. I always wondered about the dynamics of having larger thighs (because I’ve got the larger thighs!) when doing inversions and holds of this type. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cat.gif
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Are you able to do a CKR without that trick now, or is that just how it works for you?
I still do it that way, but it happens so quickly i don’t even think about it. I imagine that someone watching wouldn’t really notice it. Now that I think about it a lot of people probably keep their thigh grip loose until they’ve settled into that tilted knees up butt down position. It’s probably not something you can see in a vid, especially on skinny chicks because their grip is probably a bit more loose to start with (less thigh meat, lol), it seems like they just pivot into that tilt like lightning.
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