Naughty Natz started this discussion ·
I have been trying to do the iron x but dont know where to position my weight or to hold it. Any tips? Also how do ppl do the walking motion in this position>? is the botom arm straight or bent or?
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WAAAY too advanced for me, just chipping in to wish you good luck!
WAAAY too advanced for me, just chipping in to wish you good luck!
if you can get that - your a certified Gangsta in my book! Good luck!
Charley ·
You can do an iron x with either a chinese grip or a twisted grip. I do mine with twisty grip and I know Veena does hers with Chinese grip. *I'm working on the chinese iron x - it's so awesome and much harder* So to begin, you need to be rather strong and well practiced in either grip. If twisty grip causes pain for you - don't do it and be sure you are lifting into all twsity grips to avoid injury and keep in mind that you are not in nuetral alignment when you do twisty grips so your dismounts are as important as your mounts - you don't want to be just letting your body fall out of twisty grip. I suggest beginning with the a dismount from the pole in your preferred grip. I prefer to practice this coming out of an extended butterfly because you are closer to the position you need to be in to hold the x. From extended butterfly, turn your head and torso towards the ceiling and slowly, control your dismount with legs in straddle down as far as you can safely go and bring yourself back up the pole- maybe this will be iron x, maybe you'll be shy of it - it doesn't matter because eventually it will your iron x. Be sure to have a friend or spotter there to help you - if you come down too low and find it difficult to hold have someone assist you down if you are using twisty grip because again you are not in nuetral alignment and hard come downs can injure your rotator cuff and wrist. Be sure to keep your belly facing the ceiling - I hold my x parralel and my belly isn't facing up and Alethea called me on it - explaining keeping the belly facing more towards the ceiling with a rounded back is much easier to hold so I am still currently working on those tweaks. Hope this helps!
mizvix ·
I've mostly seen pics and vids of people coming sideways down, ie, their belly facing an audience, rather than their belly's facing up, and this is how i've been practicing it. Is facing your belly up the *proper* way or is it a stepping stone to sideways? Sorry if i'm being dense Charley!
Charley ·
Hey Mizvix - I thought the same way but Alethea had said you want to keep the torso facing slightly upwards and the back rounded rather than arched - I hold mine with my back arched.
Aviva ·
Wow, there is so much to it. I can Iron X on both sides twisted grip on left and right and Chinese grip on right and for some reason, maybe the non body alignment Charley speaks of, I can hold the Chinese grip the longest, the left twisted grip next longest and last the right t-grip. I'm right handed! I get everything on the rihgt first. I think I might have to video tape this to see what is going one, maybe I am belly sideways in right t-grip. I'll let you know if I figure that one out :)
Kira ·
great tips Charley, like mizvix I always thought you twist your whole body to face the audience but found that that is impossible. The closest I have ever got was when I was trying a slow controlled dismount from the static V and I had 1 leg bent because I found that gave me a bit more control. I don't know the whole mechanics i.e. what muscles I was using but I keep practising it that way because it seemed to help. Best of luck!! Such an awesome move to get
Charley's explanation is great. I just had a private with Leigh Ann where she explained her method to me. It's very similar. Basically, come into twisted grip handstand in a wide straddle. (Dismount or lift both work.) Your face, torso, belly, hips etc. are facing up. Then lower your hips until your torso is perpendicular to the pole. Finally, rotate your hips slightly to the side, until the illusion of "iron X" is achieved. It helps to look in a mirror to believe that it really looks to an observer as if you are holding your body completely sideways. I was sceptical at first! If you look at some audience videos taken from the side of women like Felix and Rafaela (Brazilian girl from worlds) you can sometimes see that their "Iron X" isn't straight sideways unless viewed from the front. A note : If you are really strong, especially in the obliques, you CAN hold a flag completely sideways. I have a friend who does Chinese pole and is built like Superman -- he can hold a true flag (straight from all angles) and just does it with brute strength. But for us ladies, it's not necessary. Hope this helps. :)
Charley ·
Lil blondie - that's how Alethea explained it too - but I'm holding mine much more like a flag and I had no idea there was an *easier* way to do it. I started watching everyone do their X and was like "dang, okay!" Alethea actually said to me - "I don't know how you're holding this right now, must be brute muscle." I'm not saying the iron x isn't hard any way you slice it, just that the way the Be Spun ladies do it - makes more sense and is so much less taxing and if I had known this before I'd have had my X much sooner. I totally thought I had to flag out. BECAUSE it didn't look like an x on all angles... Have a good straddle will help with this too - my stradlle sucks and I feel I have to tip further towards the floor than I would if I had a great straddle - so while you're working on this beast of a move - good idea to also improve your straddle...if it needs improving and mine does - lol!
I love this thread! You all inspired me to start training this last night. Thanks everyone for the advice.
Cocoa0 ·
OMG! I have been trying to do it the hard way. I am really close to getting the Extended Aysha the hard way, this might be all I need to nail it. Thanks Charley and lilblondie!
Sarahb69 ·
Ok, now you have me wondering what an Extended Aysha is! 😲
mizvix ·
thanks girls!!! i tried it the way you guys suggested, just turning my legs at the last and i *almost* had it! i had started from scorpio/inside leg, twisted into aysha and just thought 'why not?!' but then my shoulders decided they'd had enough!! lol! So def having more tries at it next week in class when im fresh!!!
Cocoa0 ·
An Extended Aysha is an elbow grip Iron X. Karol Helms does it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?nomobile=1&v=UUZTsZi3VaM And here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVM_WTjcVgM&feature=related
mizvix ·
love that move cocoa0!! putting it on my to-do list!
Legend ·
I GOT IT!!!! Thanks charley for the tips on your post. I'm so happy, it was one of those moves didn't even dream about...! Last week while practicing ayshas wigh different grips, I slip with the elbow grip, and almost fall on my back but somehow managed to gather all my strengh in order not too (uffff) and before dismount I thought I saw a glimpse of and iron X on the mirror (or to be correct, an extended aysha ;) ) but when I tried again... no luck.. so I beleived I probably just imagined it... Until I read your post the other day and it all made sense, so I went back to the pole... and... I did it!!!! ok, so it still needs a lot of practice, I can only hold it for about a second and its not a perfect 90º to the pole, but its a start! now I KNOW its possible and can start dreaming about a true iron x!! :D
I am SOOOOO glad someone finally asked this question! What great tips! Thanks so much! Now if I could just find someone willing to spot me...
Charley ·
YAY! Glad the tips are helping!!!!! Remember the key here is persistance with out over training. My rule is no more than 5 times a day - after that I'm just getting tired and I won't be able to hold it anyway. Once mastered I try to make sure I do 3 iron x's a day just to keep it solid.
azzwoo ·
Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but Charley is spot on. I've tried it for the last week lowering sideways and never getting it, as soon as I lowered my flexed hips first facing the ceiling then turning I got it instantly, and it really is an illusion, it looks sideways but on the pole isn't at all! Wierd
When I first tried to master this, I tried it ten times a day for months to build everything up. Then I became pregnant and I had to switch from chinese grip to twisted. After baby, I could only do twisted. Now I am pregnant again(18 weeks) and I can still do it. I do it three times a week. Once there I also extend straight up with legs upward and than splits and inverted v. My instructor said to only hold your pose once there and after a couple of months(or however long it takes you) than move on with tricks. Good luck!
EvaRut ·
Is chinese grip the same as true grip? I just got the Iron X a month ago :) I have been playing around with getting into it a few different ways. I like to get into it from aysha with twisted grip and slowly lowering down and turning it sideways keeping a wide straddle. OR use true grip. I decited to try it just for fun and found out that I can hold the iron X longer. When I do that I caterpillar up and go to true grip from there. And one more thing. When doing the Iron X I like to keep the legs in a wide straddle and I stick my butt out. It makes it alot easier :)
Chinese grip is with the top hand in cupped grip (fingers and thumb same side of pole). What's true grip? Is that just not twisted?
Cocoa0 ·
Chinese and true grip (and cup) are all the same. Thumbs down, all fingers pointing in the same direction. I have had no pains in my wrist doing twisted grip but I've been trying Chinese to get into the iron x and when I do it it hurts. My wrist is sore for days. I know Veena does not do TG cause it is bad for your wrists, but that way feels more comfy for me. Am I doing something wrong in Chinese?
CalBear ·
Are there exercises u can do that the gym to prepare for the iron x?
