Getting used to being Upside down

Runemist34 started this discussion · 10/24/2012

I can't really remember anyone discussing this at length- how DO you get used to being upside down? Half the time I feel alright, if a little confused, and the other half the time it feels like my head is going to explode! I'm curious, because I'd like to start learning to link more and more aerial moves, so that I can get into the "real" pole dance of pole dance- those neato things lots of the cool people do! So... any tips?

11 replies

CapFeb · 10/24/2012
Handstands against the wall really helped me learn how to breathe upsidedown, which is usually a pretty big wall for beginners. Learning how to count your breaths will help you stay in moves longers (because when you're upsidedown time seems to skip by o_O) and whatnot.
Runemist34 · 10/24/2012
Good point! I never thought about breathing- I'm pretty bad at breathing in general, and I could see it being an issue while I'm upside down. I'm actually not yet able to do any kind of hand/elbow/shoulder stands... I've been wanting to learn how, though. Just feel like I need to be a bit more flexible in order to do it safely! Any other thoughts?
Sassypants · 10/24/2012
I can hang upside down forever, but my face always turns bright red so fast! I don't think it would look too cute in a performance! Any suggestions?
JeHanne · 10/24/2012
What helped me was lots of practice in inverted position. Inverted crucifix for example. I would get into that position and hold it as long as I could safely. Spending that time holding that position helped me to focus on feeling the contact points on my lower body and getting a feel for them and also focusing on relaxing the parts of my body that are not actively engaging. Relaxing as in not overly tensing or bracing out of fear etc (not relaxing into limp noodle arms or what not ha ha). Also staying inverted holding a pose helped me to BREATHE calmly and really focus on what I am doing. Breathing and being less afraid helped a bit with red face. Even though I still get some red face and also get veins that bulge out in my forehead... that's hot... (not).
megan12 · 10/24/2012
Ugh, sassypants I have the very same problem!! I'm very fair skinned and I turn red like crazy. I don't think there's much to be done, really. :( Blood follows gravity and the brain gets a majority of our cardiac ouput per minute. So if the head is down, so goes the blood. lol
darling dearest · 10/24/2012
I don't think you need to be very flexible to execute hand/elbow/shoulder stands. Depending on which, it has more to do with strength in certain areas of your body, lots of core, and balance.
Veena · 10/24/2012
A few easy tips: Work on Elbowstands and Handstand against a wall. Stay calm...the more comfortable you are in the pose, the less effort it takes. Always BREATH. Find a focal point. Once you are able to do a basic invert, work on holding the pose while staying calm.
Runemist34 · 10/24/2012
Alright, clearly it's a lot about practice and taking time while upside down... I CAN do a basic invert, but usually while I'm there I'm trying very hard to figure out my leg position. This is certainly something I'd like to work on and practice in other ways, obviously. However, the reason I say I'd like to be more flexible for elbowstands and handstands is because the idea of fligining my legs up against the wall sounds... well, frankly, loud and possibly destructive to my fragile drywall walls :P My thought was that, if I could get into them with more control, I would be a lot more stable. Honestly, I have never successfully done an elbow stand, or handstand. I will take a little more time while inverted to focus on breathing, though, and see how long I can stay in that pose, instead of trying to just move through them. If you guys have any tips on elbow- or handstands, I would very much appreciate them. I have no idea how to tell if I have the strength without actually doing it, and the only way I know how to do it is by throwing my legs up over my head... and I don't have the skill yet to balance. It's a strange kind of catch 22 right now.
darling dearest · 10/24/2012
You could try straddling up into them by lifting your hips up and slowly lifting your legs at the same time.
RoseMay · 10/25/2012
You can work on the leg positioning for the basic invert (and other inverts) lying on the ground with the pole tucked under your inside arm. I think Veena goes over this in some of her invert lessons. For elbowstands/handstands you can try to find something where you can walk your legs up so that you don't need to kick them up. At the beginning I used a corner in my room where I had the wall at my back and a cupboard a couple of feet away from that wall. I put my hands down in front of the wall and walked my feet up the cupboard. I also have a cupboard next to my pole that I sometimes use for handstands against the pole. Obviously you need to be careful that when coming down you either step beside the object or carefully back onto the object. If you do it this way you also don't need to go into a full elbowstand or handstand straight away. You can stay in the arm position with the feet elevated but without having to hold your whole body weight with the arms. Btw maybe you'll find in this thread here some more tips: https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/4eac57fa-9a74-4e16-a5a3-57760ac37250 ;-)
Veena · 10/25/2012
Yep all of this is covered in the lessons. Here is a demo video that will give you some idea of where your balace points are in the different "stands" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmIciddJyPY&list=UUup79MtZnWP_SCAHeVlmzdQ&index=12&feature=plcp