I don't go around very many times on spins

Dwiizie started this discussion · 10/18/2012

I tried searching for a thread on this and couldn't find one. I've really been working to not overgrip when working on spins (death grip queen). I'm not sure how to get a better pushoff/momentum. When I think about all the mechanics and control the movement, I get around the pole one or two times before I'm at a point to put my feet back down. Someone told me to really try leaning out to the side when loosening grip and to just fling myself into it, but I feel like that just doesn't look or feel right, at least the way I'm doing it. I see other people hop into spins and get a good 3-4+ rotations on it before they put their feet down. Any advice?

12 replies

Dancing Paws · 10/18/2012
For me, I cannot go around many times on a sticky pole, like brass, but can do many rotations on a slicker pole like stainless.
CapFeb · 10/18/2012
it also might be a height thing. Even if I curl up like a squished spider, I'm only tall enough to get 2 1/2 in.
Dwiizie · 10/18/2012
My husband said he thought it was a height thing. I'm not SHORT, at 5'5, but I'm not a model either. I haven't gotten around to dancing in platforms either, I go barefoot. My husband said (he tries to help me troubleshoot) "Well, they're starting off up high already" Is that really the difference?
Dwiizie · 10/18/2012
And, just to put it out there, at the studio its 40mm brass, at home its 50mm chrome. I can get around a few more times on the 40mm, but I really don't like it that thin. Conversely, I wish I had gotten a 45 because the 50 in comparison to the 40 shows where SOME of this would fix itself on a smaller diameter.
dustbunny · 10/18/2012
Personally I think 2 rotations is fine, especially as a beginner to intermediate dancer. :) Do you have Veena's lessons, she has great advice for getting more momentum into your spins on a static pole. If you don't have the lessons, try to think about how a figure skater spins on the ice. They start the spin by swinging out an arm/leg really wide and then pulling everything tight into the centre to spin really fast. You have to use the same principle on the pole. I could try to explain it but I think it would get rather long and confusing to non-science folks. :) Why don't I go make a quick vid of a couple examples? I will post later this aft/eve. Another thing I see is beginer's who start their spins with their hand too low on the pole. If you aren't reaching up high enough, you will touch the ground sooner and not get as many rotations. So you could think about that too. Other than that, you mentioned that you death grip. That will obviously slow you down, but since you already know you are doing it, all you can do is practice until you become comfortable enough to loosen up a bit. No tips for that except be concious of it when you practice. :)
CapFeb · 10/18/2012
I'm 5'10. But even when I watch pros (example, Marlo's spinning scorpio) I'm only seeing 1-2, 3 rotations at the very very most on static. I don't necessarily think that it depends how many rotations you get, either. As long as you're practicing a move over and over, refining it comes later, right? :)
Dwiizie · 10/18/2012
Thanks dust bunny! I fully understand the mechanics of a wide sweep, and bringing to the center to speed up. I was a hooper before I was a poler, we dig spinning lol! Maybe I'm not actually sweeping as wide as I feel like I am when in practice. I still have not made video of myself. I know everyone says to do it, but I am so embarassed to look at myself! I know for at least one spin I was trying to push off with the wrong leg.
Veena · 10/18/2012
Spins require strength and timing as well as proper hand and leg placement. As you mentioned, you will find you'll have more revolutions around a smaller diameter pole. The more you trust that you can DO it, and have the right placement down, the stronger your leg and arm swings will be. In the lessons I do talked about where your hands and body should be for each spin, and it's not just the leg the sweeps that help with momentum, but for most static spins the body will have to move in a direction away from the pole as well. Spins do take a of strength. If you can achieve 1-2 revolutions your doing just fine. 🌸
Dwiizie · 10/18/2012
Thanks V. I think its just going to take more practice, and reexamining some things as far as placement goes. I think the moving the body away from the pole is where I'm feeling insecure and probably sabotaging the spin and/or overthinking. I am getting so much stronger. When I started this a year and a half ago, I couldn't do a pole hold. Now I can climb like crazy, I'm loving it. And I love the strength training lessons. I still have trouble with "sensuality" whe dancing, but I'll get there. Studio class tonight, I'm going to be thinking of all this advice as I practice.
amy · 10/18/2012
I teach a whole workshop on JUST this, it's not realy talked about or broken down enough in most pole classes I think! the points that hte ladies talk about above are all right on... here's a blog entry that I wrote a while back that has a bit of an explanation with pictures :) http://aerialamy.com/blog/2011/07/26/tuesday-tips-spin-momentum/
amy · 10/18/2012
also, it might sound counterintuitive, but by placing your hands LOWER, you can pull your weight out further away and actually get a stronger, longer spin then if you start with your hands high.
Dwiizie · 10/18/2012
Thanks everyone! I had a very nice breakthrough today. Class was only me and one other person, so I got some one on one time and I asked about this. Turns out, I was very often turning in toward the pole after getting a sideways momentum, which was causing the slowdown and a lot of the over grip issues. She also pointed out that I was using my foot instead of ankle when climbing, and said when I got into heels id find it a very hard habbit to break. Either way, it was a very good class. I'm so grateful to have such awesome guidance from such a variety of people.