Aerial handspring if >5'8''

Lina Spiralyne started this discussion · 6/9/2012

I haven't given this move a sincere try yet, and before I consider doing it I would like to ask if there are any of you tall polers who master this move. I mean a handspring from up the pole. I'm about 173-174 cm of height (more than 5'8'') and I think this is getting in my way in this move (for example). My legs and arms are long and there's a lot of weight to flip over. Are there any of you in my height or taller who can do the aerial handspring or do you know of anyone in the same situation who can?

18 replies

Legend · 6/10/2012
I'm almost 6ft and some days I think it will never be possible... but.. I'm still trying... :)
Lina Spiralyne · 6/10/2012
How far do you get in your attempts? Can you turn your shoulder so that you are in the "hangman-position" where it's only the lift left or do you get stuck before that?
Legend · 6/10/2012
I can do the hangman position no problem, even tilt the hips up a little bit... but the legs.. feels like I have weights strapped to my ankles, I just cant lift them no matter how hard I try :(
Sassafrassle · 6/10/2012
I'm a couple of centimetres shorter than you and I've been trying to work towards it but can only get the hang:( I'm not really as svelte through the legs as you two ladies though so just assumed it was the muscley heaviness of my legs stopping you but maybe I've got the double whammy of heavy legs and tallness, woe! :) And while I'm trying to work towards it, I have yet to see someone with a similar build to me do it I think...
Sassafrassle · 6/10/2012
Oops, that should read stopping ME:)
Lina Spiralyne · 6/10/2012
It's at least good to hear that you both get to the hangman. The times I tried it didn't work because I couldn't push my chest out (turn the shoulder). I was afraid that the bottom arm would break:(. Do you use momentum and swing your leg out when you go into hangman or can you do it controlled?
Sassafrassle · 6/10/2012
Hm I went and looked at my latest pic and I'm not really chest to ceiling like it sounds you're describing (I have a pic of my position in my pole practice folder on my profile) but is def a controlled lift as far a I get-I don't think I could do it with momentum because I have to focus so hard on engaging that I need to do it from the get go
Sassafrassle · 6/10/2012
Hm I went and looked at my latest pic and I'm not really chest to ceiling like it sounds you're describing (I have a pic of my position in my pole practice folder on my profile) but is def a controlled lift as far a I get-I don't think I could do it with momentum because I have to focus so hard on engaging that I need to do it from the get go
Legend · 6/10/2012
I can lift into the hangman. I've recently started working with the swing, but its much harder to control and a couple times I felt unconfortable on the shoulder yes... I hope one day to get the right amont of swing and timming for muscle engagement to make the lift... but that may only work on a taller pole, since i cant even swing the leg properly without hitting the ceiling... @sassafrassie: thats another thing.. not long ago I've asked on facebook for anyome my height that could do the lift... no answer... it was not very hopefull! but like I said... I'll keep trying!! :)
emotioncatcher · 6/10/2012
I´m very small, but I´m sure you all will get the lift if you really want it. The lift is one of the hardest tricks I´ve learned and it need so much time and practice for everyone no matter what body you have, so don´t give up or think it wouldn´t be possible ;) Marion Crampe looks heigh in her videos, but maybe only because of her long legs, I´ve never seen her ^^ I practiced my hangman on a spinning pole, because I think it looks nice as a spin. You can see in this video at about 1.05 how I started with the TG Lift ^^ https://www.studioveena.com/videos/view/4dc8f20f-c970-4a3b-a6a6-3e700ac37250 one month later I did my first TG Lift, I did a few things different which makes it easier: I don´t try to turn my chest to the ceiling (makes it harder to engage your abs because your of the arched back) and I first lift my bottom as high as possible and then tuck my legs (not at the same time!): https://www.studioveena.com/videos/view/4df650fe-96d0-4c33-8d06-3e460ac37250 Good luck and don´t give up!
Legend · 6/10/2012
oh i REALLY want it lol.. but its not enough.. I often wonder... would be cool if someone with physics knowledge to make the calculations to see how much more gravity and leverage affects this move, depending on how far away from the pole (having long limbs) and heavy you are... I'm at where you were on the first vid for months now... I believe its possible of course.. the flag lift seemed impossible for me for a long time and I eventually got it.. but its still the hardest trick on my book and I dont think I'll ever be able to do it with the legs extended... our bodys affect what we can and cannot do.. I dont know of anyone who can do every single trick and combo out there. maybe thats my limitation... like my bad hip joints affect my splits... its very frustrating, and even though i'm not giving up I'm also prepared to accept that may never happen...
emotioncatcher · 6/10/2012
yes, not every tricks is good for everyone, that´s so true. but your tg handspring is very good, so I think you can do the lift, too! It will be harder for you once you try to extend one leg, but everyone starts with tucked legs, so the length of the legs doesn´t matter first I´m still trying to think of a tall pole dancer... but on tall poles everyone looks short ^^
LillyBilly · 6/10/2012
My teacher is about your height, I think, and she does this...
Lina Spiralyne · 6/10/2012
I have some physics knowledge and should be able to do some calculation (would probably take a while though:)) of the torque (the tendency of a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Force to rotate an object about an axis ) caused by gravity on certain different bodies if I had detailed information on dimensions and mass of them. But unfortunately that would just give us a couple of numbers which wouldn't tell us much since we also have to know the equations of our muscles and how their function is related to that torque. And those I really don't have. Suspecting a whole lot of non-linearities there...it's all for sure a very complex system. What would be interesting in the end is to know the difference in mass of the needed core/arm/shoulder/etc muscles to do one or the other move for a body of (for example) 180 cm/70 kg compared to one of 160 cm/50 kg. I've wished many times that I could do this calculations since it would be so interesting! @emotioncatcher: Thanks for your willingness to help us! We'll see if we ever manage:)! @LillyBilly: Do you mean that your teacher is around my height? Then that's excellent news! If she's of Legend's height...well, that would make it even better:)!!
LillyBilly · 6/10/2012
@Lina - Probably closer to your height
chemgoddess1 · 6/10/2012
Amber Richard is 5'10" and is capable. I also have a friend who is close to 6' tall and she can do this too. This is not an easy move for ANYONE but yes being taller and thus having more weight is going to make it harder.
Lina Spiralyne · 6/10/2012
I was actually thinking of Amber Richard because I knew she's tall but didn't know if she did this move. This is giving us more hope!
poledanceromance · 6/10/2012
Small clarification that Amber does her handsprings and split bracket work in a standard split grip and doesn't really work with twisted grip due to the stress on her shoulders. If you look in my profile pic it's Amber and I, you can see we have a very similar frame and body size and I also have experienced nothing but pain and discomfort working with twisted grip. I have good strength and great shoulder flexibility yet even working twisted grip descending from an invert feels extremely uncomfortable for me. Twisted grip is one of those things that is NOT for all of us and that's okay. Obviously Amber does just fine without TG dead lifts.