Scotty2Hotty started this discussion ·
Hi! So I'm new to poling, but I think I could get a basic invert down! Can you give me some tips?! Thanks gals and guys! Scotty2Hotty 😀
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Sorry to say, but being a beginner you should NOT be doing inverts. There are too many things that can go wrong and too many injuries that can happen if you have no idea what you are doing.
zoeyxxxx ·
hi and welcome to the pole world. im no exspert but lernt invert on my secound lesson witch wasent good idea after what i no now. luckily being quite fit i was ok. a lot off people say dont rush into it. what can you do at the moment. to invert correctly with oit hurting your self is quite hard at such a early stage.i no sum girls that have been poling months n still cant invert. but with sum good strenth training you will get there. just go careful i no how it feels to want to get upside down and do the tricks. i had a lucky escape learning so early not to hurt my self. so do go careful. enjoy poling and dnt rush. do you have veenas lessons how long u been poling
A basic invert is, unfortunately, a move that could really go wrong, even if you think it's going right. Best thing I would suggest is to work on some other things! Try doing some spins, see how they work, learn about climbing and gripping the pole with your legs only- these will help you to prepare yourself for a basic invert! And, if you're really chomping at the bit for it, you could do some conditioning exercises specifically for the basic invert! Look up Dirdy Birdy on Youtube: she's got some great tutorials that also have conditioning exercises in them. Being able to slowly lift your legs to your chest while holding the pole with your hands, at head height, is one of those things you HAVE to be able to do! I've worked toward the basic invert for almost 4 years! I'm only just getting consistent with it now. I've had a lot of downtime from the Pole, granted, but I had to go at my own pace. Things to remember for the Basic Invert: NO Jumping, keep your hands lower than you think they should be (like, face-level), and if you feel any kind of pulling or twinging in your back, shoulders, arms or neck... stop doing it! You're not ready! I wish you luck! I'm sure you can get to this one a lot faster than I have if you work on it ;) There are also some other moves that get you upside down, and their lead-in moves. Look up the Plank, and the Cross Knee Release, and the Cross Ankle Release.
luvlee ·
Why not try a reverse hand stand? You will be upside down and can practice leg grips while you are at it.
Inverting the first time out is accomplished with far greater frequency if you try ice skating. I know from experience ... LOL.
I know how you feel. I've been at this for about.... 10 months or so. I still can't do it. And its quite frustrating when you get SO close but still not quite there. And I practice on a stage that's solid metal, extremely scary and I've bruised my toes quite a few times.
FAR OUT it frustrates me to no end when beginners are only interested in being upside down. I'm sorry but if you are just starting out there is no way you are ready and not only are you more likely to injure yourself, but you will progress a lot SLOWER because you won't have built up any strength and your technique will be bad. What makes you think you can "get a basic invert down"? (Don't mean to sound snarky, that's a legit question).
I understand you tallicachild, I dont teach pole, but when my friends are over, they wanna jump on that thing, upside down and I never allow that. However, I dont think it helps the poster to know that it frustrates you, its just the way it is, most that start out, wants to be up side down. All we can do is give our advice if we feel like it. :) As far as the questions about tips, I have one. Wait awhile, purchase Veenas lessons, and go in her order. She really understands what needs to be learnt first. I think I trained for about 6 months before trying the first invert and I still after almost 2 years, work hard on controlling it. Dont ever jump, always tuck. :) And remember, its not the goals you reach, its the journey that matters :D
Hazelnut ·
I would say DON'T try inverting until you can climb up and hold a crucifix for an entire minute, at least. If you can't hold on with your legs solidly, without hands, when you're the right way up, it's probably a bad idea to try it upside down! Even if you don't plan on taking your hands off there's alot more weight and pressure on your legs so you need a damn good grip!
One of the reasons it is so frustrating though is because this is brought up so damn often. There are so many threads about this. To me it just clearly shows that the OP hasn't even done basic research, which is what is frustrating. What everyone else has contributed to the discussion as far as tips go is good advice. Don't try to run before you can walk!
I get where you are coming from, but most that I've talked to, and myself, didnt realize that this is actually hard work, its mostly "that looks effortless" or "it would be so much fun to spin and spin" - I had no idea of the strenght it takes, or the fact that this even needed research. The reason why Im commenting it, is because of the fact that this person is new and this is her way of doing research. :)
At my studio we invert as early as the second class, depending on your individual strength and progression. I have only been poling since November 2012, but I am lucky enough to attend class 9+ hours a week and am preparing for my first competition. I can do jade, extended butterfly, shoulder mounts (from ground and in air), layback, Cupid, Russian splits, straddle climb, and am working on my iron x right now. It just depends how often you can make it in go practice, and that you understand your personal limits.
I understand that everybody is being safe by advising to take it slow but I personally believe as Miss mentioned that it's about strength as an individual as far as where you should start is concerened. I have a friend who could care less about pole dancing and has never taken a lesson but is able to climb to the top of a pole just while goofing around. She can do spins and all these crazy things. Another thing, and I don't want to sound sexist but... if Scotty is a male, at my studio we've seen men invert by the second or third class. Everyone is different. @Scotty I'd suggest testing the waters before diving in: MissDirdyBirdy on youtube has some invert prep exercises for beginners. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrQ0RaBNxc8 I also subscribe to the lessons here. They are in order of what you should learn first so they'd probably be a good way to gauge what level you are at strengthwise and what you are or aren't ready for.
The problem is not so much if you can invert or not, it is what are you going to do when you are up there? If you have not learned how to loosen your grip to slide down then there is a good possibility you will come crashing down. If you have not learned how to hold the pole with your legs again there is a good possibility that you will crash down onto your head. Learning in a studio where someone is spotting you is TOTALLY different than learning at home by yourself. However, if you are bound and determined, there are literally hundreds of threads here on the forum that will give you pointers.
We begin by inverting, holding in a handstand, and then lowering down slowly...after this is slow and controlled we invert from higher up :) happy poling.
Aspygirl ·
I couldn't invert until I had been poling for >10 months. It was super frustrating because all the girls I knew seemed to get it so fast. Now I'm glad I didn't try to rush it and waited until I was really ready. Since I still wanted to get upside down, I used a handstand + caterpillar climb or did a layback to crucifix until I was able to do the basic invert.
Well, it depends how new you are. do you feel conformtable with some basic spins, climbing, pole sitting, plank? Those will help build needed stregth and help you get used to holding with your legs. If you really feel ready to do a basic invert then I would start with researching the proper position for your hands and try first just bringing your knees up so you aren't touching the ground. Practice that for a while to build strenghth in your arms and core. Than maybe bringing your legs up into an open V. These exercises helped me when I was learning inverts: practice them during every workout session. Take it slow and when your ready make sure you do your research on proper technique and how to dismount afterwards. And remember not to let go with your hands untill you are ready. BE CAREFULL!
