Elbow grip ayasha

joni1 started this discussion · 2/22/2010

Does anyone have any advice on nailing the elbow grip ayasha? I can do a split grip ayasha and a twisted grip ayasha from rotating around the pole from a cross ankle release. And I can do a elbow grip caterpillar climb but not the elbow grip ayasha. When doing the elbow grip ayasha, do you guys use your dominant hand as the bent elbow or as the lower hand grip? I tried both ways but I still feel shaky with my grip that I'm scared to unhook my legs from the pole into the ayasha. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

18 replies

glitterhips · 2/22/2010
I always use my non dominant arm to be the elbow hooked on the pole and I use my stronger arm to support myself because I feel more stable that way but it could just be....I'm a freak of nature and can only do elbow grip aysha and straight edge, I've tried split grip and fell right on my head! I first did a lot of extended butterflys with elbow grip to get used to it, it's probably not the best grip for regular ext butterfly but it might help you get some balance until you can get both your legs off the pole. good luck!!!
chemgoddess1 · 2/22/2010
I also use dom arm extended, sub arm bent. For me on this I really needed to raise that bottom arm way higher than I would for butterfly. With my bottom arm closer I just could not get the balance (and I still cannot aysha with forearm grip...for this same reason).
jleigh · 2/22/2010
I use my dom hand on the bottom and my sub dom to grip with my elbow. This one is hit or miss for me. I find the forearm grip, split grip and twisted grip more secure.
PoleGrrrrl · 2/23/2010
glitterhips you're not alone in your freakdom, I'm much more confidant in my elbow than split grip (which is still a bit dodge), and like everyone else I use my dominant hand on the bottom. joni1 the only thing I can suggest that helped me get the elbow ayesha is to do it from maybe the second caterpiller climb (with the elbow). I found initially my elbow grip was much more secure when doing it from that move, i think because you're kind of pulling (hard) the elbow up and away from the pole, and therefore its in the right position to release your legs. At first when I was learning this move I just sort of placed my elbow into it, which doesn't work and I slid down- you really need to pull back on the elbow to get that security. I know i have repeated 'elbow' 10 times here and it might not make too much sense 😕 but hopefully it helps a bit 🙂
poledanceromance · 2/23/2010
I'm currently working on this too! Man it's hard! Might be a good idea to get a spotter if you do it from caterpillar so you can have your weight stabilized while you practice leaning out against that elbow so you're really pulling on it. PoleGrrrl is 100% right, when you're not leaning against it enough you just sliiiiiiide, but you also have to be careful because sometimes I lean my booty out too far and it feels like I'm going to topple over the other way lol (yay big beefy boyfriend man-spotter!
SissyBuns · 2/23/2010
Can't help ya with this one. The elbow grip continues to elude me.....
loopielou · 2/23/2010
I know the theory, but that doesn't mean I can do this move. My teacher tells me to stick my arse out - don't have much control over my arse tho so I tend to not pull out enough on that elbow and then slide down the pole. I can do split grip tho which is quite odd 😕
amy · 2/23/2010
Does anyone have any advice on nailing the elbow grip ayasha? I can do a split grip ayasha and a twisted grip ayasha from rotating around the pole from a cross ankle release. And I can do a elbow grip caterpillar climb but not the elbow grip ayasha. When doing the elbow grip ayasha, do you guys use your dominant hand as the bent elbow or as the lower hand grip? I tried both ways but I still feel shaky with my grip that I'm scared to unhook my legs from the pole into the ayasha. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. when i do the elbow grip, i caterpillar first and then i set my elbow pit very high on the pole (as close to my feet as possible and as far from my bottom supporting hand as possible). the higher it is the more stable i feel. and i have my strong hand on bottom.
SissyBuns · 2/23/2010
I know the theory, but that doesn't mean I can do this move. My teacher tells me to stick my arse out - don't have much control over my arse tho so I tend to not pull out enough on that elbow and then slide down the pole. I can do split grip tho which is quite odd 😕 LOL I'm the same way.
kklove · 2/23/2010
I know the theory, but that doesn't mean I can do this move. My teacher tells me to stick my arse out - don't have much control over my arse tho so I tend to not pull out enough on that elbow and then slide down the pole. I can do split grip tho which is quite odd 😕 LOL I'm the same way. bwahahahahahaha......she said ARSE....lmaoooo. I'm startin to think my extra JunkInDaTrunk may give me the same problem. and fallin upside down aint sexy either 😂
loopielou · 2/24/2010
Arse - most british! 😀 It's nice to know I'm not alone sissybuns - maybe we're just special 💣
SissyBuns · 2/24/2010
Arse - most british! 😀 It's nice to know I'm not alone sissybuns - maybe we're just special 💣 Yeah, special. I like that. 😎
Dayanara · 2/24/2010
I can't do this one yet, I have however managed split grip aysha and forearm aysha, but my stronger arm is the one bent, my other one is at the bottom, I cant for the life of me change that, that's how I learned butterfly (at a studio!), the told me dominant hand stays on top, I haven't taken any classes in a while, but that stuck with me, cant put my dom. hand on the bottom, I wonder if that's why I can't do this one yet....lol
carriej · 3/2/2010
Funny! I can do split grip aysha, ext butterfly, and candlestick on both sides no problem but I can only do an elbow or forearm caterpillar climb with my dominant arm bent. Plus, I have not yet mastered elbow or forearm aysha!!! Makes no sense!
Veena · 3/3/2010
Butt up and way.....elbow gripping up by the knees.....and hold. ☀️ ☀️ ☀️
MilienElayne · 3/3/2010
Just nailed my forearm aysha... and did a split grip for like 2 seconds the other day in studio, but needs so much more balance! Need to try elbow grip again now I have my hand grip sorted at home 🙂 Might be able to get it and put more input here. Leaning out really does help. HOW do you booty pop an aysha???!!! I really really want to pop the booty in an aysha in my routine to go with the lyrics of the song I am working with and I just can't seem to get it. Maybe it's because I have no booty.... 🙁 I think it might be more of a case of me arching and straightening my back to make it look like I'm popping... very different to being right way up and not fighting gravity...lol. Will probably put a vid up sometime this week of my inverted booty fails...heh heh.
Angel1201 · 3/4/2010
Having a good spotter whas the trick that worked for me. I had done the split grip aysha and pike well for some time, so I was comfortable inverted with my legs off the pole. When I was ready to move to the elbow grip, I was afraid of course, so I asked for a spotter. I was lucky to have the lovely Jenyne Butterfly spot me and I had FULL trust in her which was important, haha. I was able to break through some sort of mental barrier, especially when she told me I had it and she bared had to assist me! A week later I had a private with Pantera and again I got some spotting and some advice. Both of them told me that the non-dom arm is the lower arm and that the dom is the elbow grip. I find however that that doesn't work for me. I use my dom as the bottom arm. Pantera told me the bottom arm is a 'lever' and she even demonstrated this by unwrapping her fingers from the pole and using her flat palm against the pole!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This move has a lot to do with finding the perfect angle between the bottom hand/wrist/arm and the pole. It has to do with the skin on the elbow getting a good grip and it has a lot to do with core strength and balance. Good luck and be safe!
GatorGirl4Life · 3/4/2010
HOW do you booty pop an aysha???!!! I really really want to pop the booty in an aysha in my routine to go with the lyrics of the song I am working with and I just can't seem to get it. Maybe it's because I have no booty.... 🙁 I think it might be more of a case of me arching and straightening my back to make it look like I'm popping... very different to being right way up and not fighting gravity...lol. Will probably put a vid up sometime this week of my inverted booty fails...heh heh. The way I booty pop in the Aysha (or any invert) is by using the "pop" method that Veena instructed in one of her videos. You thrust your pelvis back and forth, using your lower back muscles and not just the booty. You could also use the Booty Bounce method Veena talks about, by squeezing and releasing the glute muscles, or the Booty Shake method, by moving your inner thighs in and out and relaxing all of your muscles so your booty jiggles! 🤸 😂 On a side note, when I was learning this move, I would put a lot of grip aid in the elbow pit that I was gripping with (my sub hand) and was able to grip hard enough to pull my feet away from the pole. Remember to tighten your core muscles and really lock the bottom arm for stability. Be patient, this move can take a while to get....