GRRRR! Teddy! Help!

2dyzzi started this discussion · 5/23/2010

I feel like I can get a decent grip with my armpit. I start from standing to the side of the pole. I hook my pit and sink down a little until it really hurts. I get as much of my butt infront of the pole as I can, grab above my inside leg knee, and as soon as I go to lift my second leg to grab the knee, my butt slides off the pole and I fall/crash into my armpit and both feet land back on the ground. My pole is warm, I'm warm, my butt is exposed for grip. What!?!?! Am I trying to get tooo much butt on the pole and creating a bad angle? Do I need more ab strength? Do I just need to try it 100 more times? What is going on ❗ ❓

11 replies

hellokitty · 5/23/2010
hi! i had a hard time learning the teddy too! what i do now is : I lift the inside arm and press it down instead of sliding down with my body. you will have to press your arm down until it really hurts. And you should not use any deodorants (i don't know if this is the right word in english) before doing the teddy. It helps if you "clean" your armpit. 👍 I hope this will help you!
2dyzzi · 5/23/2010
Never mind guys! I got it! I got it! I did it THREE times and the third time lasted a while and was even almost pretty! YAY! I agree with you hellokitty - you do need to try and keep your arm down. I also realized I have to really arch my hips back into the pole!!! My armpit is SCREAMING! 😈 But I'm still happy! 😀
Charley · 5/23/2010
🥂 Congrats! this was a move that I found MUCH easier from a climb than from the floor because your body kind of needs to sink into it.
Jenn PoleLush · 5/24/2010
:cheers: Congrats! this was a move that I found MUCH easier from a climb than from the floor because your body kind of needs to sink into it. Agreed! That is what did it for me...a little sinking into it 🙂
Serzi · 5/24/2010
CONGRATS!!! I'm happy that you got your teddy! I just got it lookin' good this month too (after trying here and there for about two full months), and I also found that by climbing it was a lot easier to get into it. Don't know if it has to do with body-type, height, or flexibility but it's strange how some moves are easier to nail from the floor or in the air the first time. Anyway, cheers to you! 🥂 ? ~*Serzi
2dyzzi · 5/24/2010
Thanks ladies 😉 And Serzi you're right about the whole body-type thing! I'm wondering if my height has something to do with me struggling so much with the knee hold and star 🙄 I'll have to keep practicing.
Serzi · 5/24/2010
I'm wondering if my height has something to do with me struggling so much with the knee hold and star. Are you really tall or leggy, girl? I have had much difficulty w/ these moves too and I think that's a big part of my prob. My legs are 40" long from hip to toe and I am 5'10" tall all together. As a result, it looks amazing when I finally get a move perfected but the struggle in-between is very clumsy and frustrating. I think my lengthy limbs kinda cut my reaction time and, well, there's just so many possible points of contact that it's hard to find the right spot before I run out of steam. My short pole and low ceilings don't help the situation much either. The things you never consider before you get into poling, you know? Haha! ? ~*Serzi
chemgoddess1 · 5/24/2010
I am also tall with most of me being legs (42" for floor to hip and I am just under 5'8") and did not have too many issues with both of these moves (besides pain). However I cannot go from outside leg hang into star easily but I think that is more due to having crappy center splits.
Serzi · 5/24/2010
I am also tall with most of me being legs (42" for floor to hip and I am just under 5'8") and did not have too many issues with both of these moves (besides pain). However I cannot go from outside leg hang into star easily but I think that is more due to having crappy center splits. Hmm, then it must be that I'm not strong enough yet or I'm just not biting the bullet hard enough w/ my attempts. You look very lean and athletic, chemgoddess, were you that ripped before you started poling? I haven't been this active in my entire life to be honest, and thanks to my mostly sedentary lifestyle I think I'm less disciplined with my pole practices than I would like to be. Btw, anyone interested in becoming my drill-Sargent? 🫡 😂 ? ~*Serzi
chemgoddess1 · 5/24/2010
I was pretty active but am far from "ripped". Don't get me wrong, it took almost a year for me to be able to hold the knee hold without screaming and jumping up and down. I still have issues with it when my knees are sweaty (nothing like a hard pole rolling over your knee cap...yowch!!). What helped me a lot is getting that placement on the upper leg down. For me it is not crammed right into the knee pit but more of a hamstring/calf type of grip. Pushing the hips forward.....seriously forward....is the second trick. I straighten my body before I even let go with my hands and even before that bottom leg is totally "set".
Serzi · 5/24/2010
Thank you, chemgoddess, I'm gonna have to try that tonight when I practice!