poletrickster started this discussion ·
I just cannot get this move I have watched videos over and over about where to place my legs and feet and they just will not wrap around properly and I noticed both knees are crossed at the pole and my knees are nowhere near being crossed and my hands get in the way, I just do not get it. SO FRUSTRATING!!
Sign in or create a free account to reply.
Solya ·
Hi there, do not despair! It does take time to figure where to grip with your legs. I think it's the easiest if you invert with your outer hand on top and the one near the pole on the bottom. First go into a basic invert - now both your hands will be in between your knees and this is where most people get stuck! So from here, slide your bottom hand off from between your thighs and tighten the grip with your thighs when you do it. Now you have one hand left between your knees. Turn around the pole into the crucifix position and grip the bottom of the pole with the hand you just took off - you're in a split grip position now. When you're gripping comfortably with the bottom hand, start sliding off the top hand and tighthen your thigh grip as you do, so you're gripping the pole all along your legs. Take the hand off and grip at the bottom - and done 🙂 I usually teach it like this - first one hand off, tighten leg grip, then other hand off, tighten leg grip further - it is more secure and you won't forget to grip with your legs in the process. This is a good pic for leg placement: http://www.verticaldance.com/crusifix.jpg Hope this made sense, good luck! 😉
I dont know if this will help. When I was working on my Pole Princess routine (you can see that vid by going to my profile), I started out in a crucifix hold to start the routine. I would let the song before it play for a good 30sec before the routine song. I basically had to hold myself up there and force my thighs to squeeze together until the music started. After day after day doing that my crucifix looked so much better and I could hold it better. Maybe forcing the squeeze at a regular crucifix will help during the reversal.
Keep in mind that everone is a bit different in the structure of their legs and to get an idea of leg placement so an upright crucifix first. Also note that the grip starts near the top of the thighs right at the thickest part. Many people actually do not realize that they are not engaging all the way from their thighs to their calves ...you have to concentrate on gripping with the entire leg once you let go. I add more more step to solya' s instructions. The first thing you do is bring the inside arm down but do not leg go, instead bend the elbow tight, adding some grip by squeezing backward behind the armpit in addition to gripping close to the chest with the inside hand. By gripping like this with the inside arm, you can still be secure as you release the outside hand grip from between the knees. Do not turn around yet....but bring that outside hand down and grip the pole right above the inside hand in front of th chest in a thumbs down cupped hold (all fingers on the same side). Now you can release the inside hand to turn to face the pole and either grip with both hands or moving to place the inside hand to the floor in a handstand. If you decide to let go, make certain your hands are in front of you toward the floor to safely exit in a hand position in case you loose your grip. (WHen first learning inverts, use a spotter and crash mat)
Veena ·
If your taking the lessons this one should help.... http://ver3.studioveena.com/lessons/view/2286 Have you worked on the position from the ground first?? There is no need to invert in order to get the feel and proper points of contact for the move. You would reverse handstand, walk your hands back towards the pole if needed and then your free to work on the leg positioning without the fear of falling. When your ready to try it from an invert you have to make sure that your invert is strong and your getting your hips up high, if your knees are at your hands your not inverting high enough. Remember your points of contact. ☀️ ☀️
Thank you all SO much for the replies! I have tried doing it from the floor but my arms are not strong enough to do a handstand yet. I will stop rushing and focus on strength training and upright crucifix to build up my strength and get used to the proper leg placement, I do not have the proper form for this move yet so I will slow down 🙂
Being strong enough to do a handstand is a big part of learning to invert, IMO, because it goes back to having an exit strategy, just in case your leg grip gives out, or you're slippery, or whatever. Tuck and roll is one exit strategy (great if you have a mat, tougher if you're on bare floor!). When you don't have a mat, being able to simply put your hands down and support yourself with your arms until you sort your legs back out is always important. Good for you for slowing down! Safe poling for everyone!! 🙊 (I have been ITCHING to use that smiley)
Being strong enough to do a handstand is a big part of learning to invert, IMO, because it goes back to having an exit strategy, just in case your leg grip gives out, or you're slippery, or whatever. Tuck and roll is one exit strategy (great if you have a mat, tougher if you're on bare floor!). When you don't have a mat, being able to simply put your hands down and support yourself with your arms until you sort your legs back out is always important. Good for you for slowing down! Safe poling for everyone!! 🙊 (I have been ITCHING to use that smiley) Everyone else has already given really good advice, so I don't feel the need to add anything, but I think polergirl made a very good point. Lots of strength training is a must in pole dancing, for one because many of the moves require a strength, but it's also a good safety feature. Case in point: it's been very, very cold where I live this winter. One night I was practicing on my pole, and it was so cold I was having trouble getting my legs to stick, which is usually never a problem with me. I was sliding a bit, but nothing too dangerous. Then I hopped off for just a couple of minutes to do something else, got back on for just a last little bit of practice, went into an inverted crucifix, and all of a sudden after hanging in place for a second, I just plunged straight down because the pole had cooled off so much just in the little bit of time I'd been gone. Luckily I can hold myself in a handstand, or else I'd have topped the night off with a nice old face plant. Everyone slips sometimes, and having the strength to hold up your bodyweight can really save your butt sometimes.
