Air invert while on spin.

dustbunny started this discussion · 10/22/2010

First off I want to say, "Holy Crap this one is hard!!!" 😈 Ok seriously though, I like to think my air invert is reasonable at least on my dominant side, but on spinny I can only do it while spinning backwards (like a reverse hook spin). Spinning forwards I can get my hips up in the air, but I just cannot get my hips to stay close to the pole throughout the invert, if I get it at all I look like I'm desperately trying to grab the pole with my foot (which isn't too far from the truth). 😕 I understand perfectly well why this happens, Newton's darn laws and all. I just want to know if there is a technique or a trick to making this easier or is it just strengthening my core, and continued practice? 🤔 I think it's probably the latter, and fully expect to be stuck doing either the back spin version or the desperate flailing foot version until I am stronger.

11 replies

lazydaizy · 11/1/2010
When you invert on spin, you can't just pick up your body weight straight (that damn Newton had to go and complicate everything for us...). To do the invert on spin, let your body come diagonally in front of the pole and rotate toward the pole. I tend to bend my outside leg. Then tilt your body back, bringing your hips up, and rotate your body back away from the pole as you straighter your leg to the side. It's like doing the helicopter. That way you are not fighting against the centripetal force as much. Hope this helps!
Charley · 11/2/2010
Laizydaizy has great advice. This one was super tough for me too. I worked on getting a really good fast static helicopter spin beforeI went back to the spinning mode and that seemed to help a lot.
dustbunny · 11/2/2010
Thanks ladies! I will keep at it, I love spin mode so much but it's such a pain not being able to invert whenever I feel like it. 🙂
EvaRut · 11/2/2010
I think a lot is just strength and practice. This took me a few months to get. Dont know how to break down the technique of how to do it though :S I just tried this regularly until I got it.
amy · 11/2/2010
i think it's actually easier to go into a chopper on spin then a regular invert-- reason being that a regular invert brings your body in close to the pole, and increases spin-- which for me, is 🤮 to do an aerial chopper on spin- think of it like a fan kick, except instead of starting the movement with your inside leg and kicking out, you're bringing your outside leg in, crossing it in front of your body, and then up and over your head (think of it as though your leg is the hand on a clock, moving counter clockwise) as you bring your other leg and torso up. it's a lot easier (IMO) to do a straight legged chopper on spin then a regular invert, because you're not fighting the centrifugla force pulling your body away-- you're working with it.
lazydaizy · 11/3/2010
http://www.youtube.com/user/fleurthefrenchcat#p/u Watch this video of Amber at 1:44. She really emphasizes the rotation of the body toward the pole, and then the tilt back as the leg opens. Hope this helps!
SissyBuns · 11/3/2010
i think it's actually easier to go into a chopper on spin then a regular invert-- reason being that a regular invert brings your body in close to the pole, and increases spin-- which for me, is 🤮 to do an aerial chopper on spin- think of it like a fan kick, except instead of starting the movement with your inside leg and kicking out, you're bringing your outside leg in, crossing it in front of your body, and then up and over your head (think of it as though your leg is the hand on a clock, moving counter clockwise) as you bring your other leg and torso up. it's a lot easier (IMO) to do a straight legged chopper on spin then a regular invert, because you're not fighting the centrifugla force pulling your body away-- you're working with it. I think I do an chopper first every time I aerial invert on spin. My favorite is to do a pencil first for about 2 full rotations then chopper. I'm sure you'll get stronger the more you practice.
Charley · 11/4/2010
Karol does a great pencil spin into chopper which is how I figured out getting upside down in spin mode. As an overall rule that I have - Spin mode takes more time to get into things, so a basic static choper takes say 1 second, on spin it takes like 5-10 seconds. I think you work mush harder on spin but the benefit is everything isn't so instantaneus. I'm just beginning to work with spin more and I kind of like that I can't get through 100 tricks for every dance, I like the time it takes to transition and hold something...but it does take a ton more strength.
maychungwm5232 · 5/6/2017
When I do the air invert, everything is fine until my the first leg put on the pole after V, the pole was spinning so fast than I was scared to do the crucifix, anything I should do when I put my first leg on the pole after V?
dustbunny · 5/6/2017
Try going into a leg hang ie. Gemini after the chopper. Keeping one leg away from the pole will help control your speed. ☺
Veena · 5/7/2017
I have 2 different lessons for the aerial invert on spin! Here's the forward spinning lesson https://www.studioveena.com/lessons/view/54a6d3d2-b47c-413b-a339-5a500a9aa0eb and Reverse or backwards spinning aerial lesson https://www.studioveena.com/lessons/view/54aa2650-4760-480b-8b20-340c0a9aa0eb Some poles spin realllly fast others slow almost as soon as you take your feet off. If you have a fast and easy spinning pole take time in each movement, make transitions a bit bigger as in allow your body to come aways from the pole more...legs out, arm out what have you. Don't rush into the next position.