Help with bat, please.

LatinPoler started this discussion · 4/14/2016

Hello people, I'm really struggling with the Bat/Inverted Crucifix trick. I can do a basic invert (hands on), helicopter, inside leg hang, but I freak out letting my hands go and hanging upside down in general, with my head to the floor. I'm also trying from reverse handstand, but I don't get my legs straight all the way up to the pole in this position. Again, I kind of freak out being upside down even with my hands on the floor, and I don't dare to move my hands closer to the pole or release the grip of my legs to slide them up :-( Any tips to overcome this fear and get the bat down? Thanks!

7 replies

Runemist34 · 4/14/2016
Hey there! This is also a fear I struggle with, and I was working on, when I had been training before my shoulder injury. I am totally scared to let go with my hands in this position, because I often feel that my leg position is precarious, and I apparently feel most comfortable gripping with my thighs, rather than the lower legs. I also think that, because all of the grip is so distributed along the legs, I feel the pull less, and wonder if my grip actually exists at all! So, my best recommendation is to work slowly, but also to push yourself, just a little bit! When working from the handstand, getting the legs up the pole requires a bit of a rocking back motion with the upper body, in order for the hands to come closer and closer to the pole. Once you are in position (and, I should add, anytime I'm in the inverted crucifix position, my legs are not exactly straight!) you can work on pushing your comfort zone by lifting one hand. Switch hands when you can, and remember to breathe. From a basic invert, I found that positioning the legs was fairly easy (again, not straight! I worried about that a while, but I think looking at other people, and feeling it yourself, can be one of those things where you think other's legs are straight, but they really aren't), but getting my upper body around the pole and looking down was quite terrifying! So, again, best way to do it is to grip hard with the legs, and carefully experiment. Don't bring your torso around, just take one hand off the pole. And then, switch hands. Eventually, you can work on bringing that torso around and wait, get yourself used to it. Then, start working on the hands again. It's a form of desensitization that will really help you to get through this fear in general, but it is NOT a quick solution! These sorts of things can come up again and again, with each new move, with each day. It can be more difficult some days, and less on other days. You might feel like you make progress, and then lose it. Just keep trying! Keep facing down that fear, keep pushing that comfort zone, a little bit. Don't push too hard, or you might end up turning turtle and running right back to that comfort zone and not wanting to come out for a while. Be gentle with yourself. This is something that your body and mind feel is terrifying, and probably is deep into your psyche. It's sort of like people who are afraid of spiders; it's not that they had a really bad experience with them, it's just something that happens, it's buried in there, deep and instinctual. So, work slow, take baby steps. Breathe.
LatinPoler · 4/15/2016
Thanks Runemist! You are right, some days are better than others (or should I say worse!). It depends on my mood, but also if I'm going to class after work and I've had a hard day, my mind does not cooperate at all with more hard things like this. I'm also afraid of spiders BTW, and I've never had a bad experience with them. I will keep trying and pushing a tad outside of my comfort zone. I'm confident that whenever I get to let one hand go in my handstand position, I will start gaining confidence and it will start working...
Adventures of Alice · 4/15/2016
I struggled for a long time with this too and more recently with butterfly. It takes me quite a while to feel confident with new moves generally as I build up the trust that I won't fall. I suggest that rather than trying to hold the inverted crucifix position, practice going into the position and then sliding straight down into handstand. Once you feel confident in your exit you may gain the confidence to hold position as you know how to abort safely.
Girl On A Pole · 4/15/2016
This is the one move I really struggle with. It's a foundation move in my studio and is used as an entry and exit out of many tricks n combos. I can do it, but it's not a happy place for me. I avoid at all costs. I think it's because of the foot and knee grip thing, it's not as secure (in my head) as say my knee grip. I try to use other moves instead of it. I do my best with it when pushed but I am a very reluctant inverted crucifixer
LatinPoler · 4/15/2016
Thank you Alice, good point, I will try what you suggest. I need to gain confidence in the position and the exit. Girl, bat is also foundation move in my studio, so I cannot avoid it totally :-(
Veena · 4/16/2016
Remember that you don't have to work on moves like this high up on the pole. If you don't feel comfortable in handstand, try coming down onto the elbows and working on it. Keep working on the reverse handstand tho, you can do this every pole session and the inverted crucifix is a fundamental move that will help you with so many other moves and transitions. Don't forget you can work on the reverse handstand by the wall!! Try adding any of the routines into your pole sessions that focus on lower body or add in some lower body exercises from the exercise section.
LatinPoler · 4/17/2016
Thanks for all the advice! I made some progress today in class. I went as low as possible in basic invert before releasing the hands, sliding down while still in the basic invert position. When I was at arm reach to the floor and feeling my legs with good grip, I released one hand, then the other and got it! Not very fluid and definitively not high, but at least something. I also used a mat and I guess this helped me mentally :-)