StudioVeena.com Forums Discussions Ouch! Something has changed in my technique/form for chopper

  • Ouch! Something has changed in my technique/form for chopper

    Posted by reenie aka Mysfit on June 20, 2011 at 4:26 pm

    Hello all….

    Something has changed in my form over the past few weeks in my chopper(inverted V) and I can't figure it out.

    When lowering down out if it–I am getting a pull in the lower lats/intercostals—and I can't for the life of me figure out what the heck I have changed in form and technique that is causing this.

    This is the same side(left) that I broke two ribs a few years back.

    Up until I started putting togther back hook into inverted V—There wasn't any issues, so learning that combo has likely taught me some bad form…….But now, it doesn't matter if it is the combo or just the inverted V on its own…..the lowering down pulls and I want to fix my form before I get to used too doing it this way.

    I am gonna try and get a video done of it to have a look myself, and put it here for suggestions, but in the meantime—-Anyone have any idea what the heck I have changed?

    I am wondering if I am losing correct engagement in the scapula now and that is what is causing the problem…….Or if my arms being in that extended(straight arms) position on the descent is what it causing it now….

    ALL I KNOW—is it is rather frustrating when I am a PT and I can't figure it out…..LOL

    HELP….

    Huge hugs!!

    amy replied 13 years, 4 months ago 5 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • SashaMae

    Member
    June 20, 2011 at 6:42 pm

    I sometimes have the same problem! I found that when I’m not properly warmed up teamed with not fully engaging the abs and shoulders I get a dull pain in my mid/lower back during basic invert and the chopper. I concentrate on breathing and engaging those muscles on the exhale. It’s working for me! Good luck 🙂

  • moonflower

    Member
    June 20, 2011 at 6:46 pm

    This happened to me when I first started inverting. I think I was just a case of using muscles I have ignored in the past as it went away after a my body got used to the movement. Just be sure you are using good form.

  • polergirl

    Member
    June 21, 2011 at 8:19 am

    You might have strained it a bit–my advice is to lay off it completely for a week or two and see how it feels. When I strained an intercostal my doc told me they're one of the hardest muscles to get completely healed, because we use them for almost every movement we do.

    Hope you feel better soon!

  • amy

    Member
    June 21, 2011 at 8:37 am

    when you are in your chopper from a back hook and lowering down, is the start position of your hips the same as when you do a regular chopper? i find that usually when i do that combo, my hips end up much higher and my knees further from my face than with a regular chopper…. if you "flatten out" and bring your knees close to your face and then lower down, does it feel the same?

    if you are getting the strain in your left side only that implies that you are working the combo just on one side… is that true? if so, which side is your left on when you are doing it– close to the pole or on the outside of the pole? is that the side you ordinarily chopper on?

    my other comment would be that if you really push your tailbone out and away from you, get super flat in your chopper, and then roll down through your back (with straight arms) keeping your toes close to your face, that you end up using much more lat than if you dismount the chopper in the "typical" way with a flat back… are you sure it's a strain or are you just using muscles that you aren't used to using? the "circus" way to invert/dismount is straight arms using as much lat (and as little front of body/arms) as possible, and it takes a while to get used to the different feeling of it. when I started doing silks/lyra, i found i had lat soreness for the first time in my life…

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