Basic Inversion Leg Placement Order

Kobajo84 started this discussion · 11/30/2012

When I teach inversions, I've been teaching my students to invert with the inner leg around the pole and latching on the same side as the upper body or in front of the pole and outside leg going behind the pole. This allows the easy initiation of the inner leg hang which I teach as a safety move. I'm finding many of my students who are already inverting are learning inversions with the legs reversed- outside leg in front of pole, inside leg behind. I feel like it's important to learn both ways at this point, but in any of your opinions- does it really matter? The only benefit I find from doing it the way I like to teach it (the first way mentioned) is because of the ease of transition into the inner leg hang. What are your thoughts and which version do you (instructors) teach? I researched several references and found everyone does it differently.

11 replies

Veena · 11/30/2012
Well as you probably know I teach that the outside leg comes to the pole first. This allows for the nice sweeping motion (it shouldn't be a kick though!)😉 and keep the upper body close to the pole. I personally rarely go right into a Scorpio/inside leg hang from standing, it has never felt as pretty to me. Not saying it isn't, just I don't like how it "feels". If the lead leg was reversed I think students may be more likely to smack into the pole, or stand too far away while bring the leg up? Unless your inverting with hips in front of the pole with legs in V position, but this is very advanced. It's interesting to think about, makes me want to go invert. lol I do a move called the up n over where the inside leg leads and it feels so weird. lol
amy · 11/30/2012
I've actually never seen it done that way before. I've always seen a basic invert with the outside leg hooking the pole behind the calf/ankle with the inside leg behind, the same way it would be (upside down) if you were climbing with your right foot behind and left in front.... which, opposite your logic, makes it easier to go into an outside leg hang. Personally, I teach the outside leg hang before the inside because it requires more precise engagement and body awareness. it's simple for a student to do an inside leg hang after learning an outside, using the same positioning as an outside leg hang. the other way around, students often learn bad habits and simply weave the leg around the pole in an inside leg hang and don't understand the extension of the back leg, or how important it is to engage through the hooked leg to keep the knee bent. anecdotally, I used to take classes at Sfactor and they don't TEACH an outside leg hang, and it's WAY hard to teach someone a good outside leg hang if all theyv'e been doing are scorpios. I believe the outside leg hang to be critical to many, many subsequent moves and tons of transitions are built on it.
amy · 11/30/2012
also, something to think about-- you may be having your students work their climbs comfortably on either side-- using left or right behind-- but if you aren't, they should be using the same foot behind in an invert that they are using behind the pole in a climb.
Krista Bocko · 12/1/2012
regarding Amy's last post...I prefer to invert on my left side and I usually climb with my right foot behind the pole, so to do an aerial invert I'd sweep the left (outside) leg in front of the pole and right foot is still behind. (and Amy...for YEARS I had no clue about the gemini, since I learned via the sfactor book! lol) It feels awkward to me to go straight into a scorpio from invert because it feels more 'twisty' I think. And if you're used to inverting and hooking the outside leg anyway, it's easier to transition to learning the butterfly.
Kobajo84 · 12/1/2012
I teach the inner leg hang first then the outside leg hang. Mostly the inner leg hang first because of the under arm point of contact. I teach them to rely on the under arm grip as an extra safety. The outside leg hang is more of a "hook" with knee pit and the inner leg hang is full knee to ankle pole contact. They usually get that concept after learning the to involve more of the point of contact in the inner hang as opposed to just a knee pit hook. I've also found people generally want more leg on the pole when first learning a hang for comfort reasons-which is why I default to teaching the inner hang first. When I climb, I have my right leg (dominant side) behind the pole which is also the same leg that goes in front of the pole during an invert. I do teach hips in front of the pole. There's no kicking or jumping into an invert allowed which is essentially why our students don't invert until the end of our Level 4 (grounded only and aerial IF capable based o Strength/skill) and beginning of Level 5 series they all do the invert from standing. (all our levels are 8 weeks long with a total of 6 pole series). We introduce so much to build strength for strong inverts so students are able to engage the right muscles. But over all I think it's important they do learn to place their legs in both versions so as to open many more opportunities for different various tricks and aerial body awareness. With silks, I basic invert this way because the inner leg then hooks the fabric for an inverted hang.
Kobajo84 · 12/1/2012
@sparrow-this is something I was going to bring up in the meeting tomorrow. It makes sense now that if your safety move is outer leg hang, then the inner leg during the invert goes behind the pole but if your safety is inner leg hang then the inner leg goes in front of the pole during the invert. Something important I think we need to clarify since everyone is different, what feels good will generally depend on how comfortable they feel in their hangs and which one they want to rely on as their safety/gateway move. Good point. Thanks ladies for your input!
Krista Bocko · 12/1/2012
I won't be able to go to the meeting. :( Taking the inside/outside leg hangs out of the equation for a minute though, just going into a basic inversion...the outside leg still goes to the front of the pole, at least that's how I learned it and how I teach it. Interesting question!
Kobajo84 · 12/1/2012
@Sparrow- I'll email you now. 🙂
Kobajo84 · 12/1/2012
Ok, so just to clarify for those who read this in the future or after the fact- When doing the basic invert- outside leg in front of the pole during inversion allows you to transition easier into the outer leg hang (gemini). inside leg in front of the pole during inversion allows you to transition easier into the inner leg hang (scorpio). The importance of thinking ahead about the leg hangs when working with basic inversions is the leg hangs are what I've termed "gateway moves" or go-to "safety moves". Gateway, as in they transition into more advanced material and safety as in Karol Helms once put it, the move I can always catch myself in when she was experimenting with trying out new things. That is the logic I've worked out in my head. Hope that makes sense. 😀
Charley · 12/2/2012
I'm the odd duck out here because while I teach students to invert with outside leg in front, inside leg in back - I teach the gemini strictly has a transition keeping both hands onthe pole and moving into the inside leg hang. When teaching gemini - I actually prefer to teach (from the ground) "flipped gemini" or "jasmine" first for students to understand the point of contact in the knee pit. This is also the beginning of the side climb. I prefer students upright as opposed to inverted based on the class setting of a single student/pole since it's rather difficult to make sure everyone is behaving. There are several exercises we do for the gemini - but there are 2 of them. For some based on body type the gemini is extremely difficult and I think a lot of time and care should be put specifically into to gemini because it's one of the most useful transitional moves once you become advanced. I also teach thigh hold out of both poses. I'm always looking for gemini related inverts and poses that are easier thanthe gemini so they can "gemini up" as I like to say. So, I'm definitely the weird one out.
CapFeb · 12/2/2012
From a student's perspective, I was taught outside leg instead of inside leg because I was taught to climb with my right foot behind the pole. Inverted crucifix for most beginners, while exciting, is not comfortable, and asking us to "switch legs" (the left foot would be behind the pole instead of the right) when we work up to an inversion level freaks me out :p