Inverted Crucifix terror! Help!

Runemist34 started this discussion · 12/7/2012

Hey everyone! So, I'm trying to get back to things, especially with school going away for a few weeks... and this one's been bugging me a while. I am TERRIFIED of the inverted crucifix! I can invert just fine now, and I am working on my strength and control for that, but... I just can't bring myself to let go with my hands once my legs are in place. I recognize that, since my invert is in it's early stages, I'm not quite getting my hips all the way up, so I slide the rest of myself down to get all of my legs on the pole. I check and check my grip with them... I KNOW it works! I've seen people do this move before! I've tested the grip with my shoulder on the ground. It's possible... But I'm still terrified. Any help out there for getting me over my fear of smacking my face into the ground? Oo;

11 replies

IchigoMewMew · 12/7/2012
I had trouble moving myself in front of the pole so I just slowly built it up to let my brain get used to the weird new feeling. To combat the fear of falling on my face i did it low enough so that i could put my hands on the floor, like a handstand with my legs round the pole then practice just lifting my hands a cm or 2 off the floor to start with to build my confidence in my leg grip.
chemgoddess1 · 12/7/2012
When I was teaching I taught reverse handstand first and then from there had them start letting go with their hands until they had the inverted crucifix position and could hold it by themselves. To me it is important to have this solid before ever doing any type of invert because this is your escape if anything goes wrong. Also, can you hold a regular crucifix? Granted gravity is working differently but if you have the technique for holding the pole with just your legs typically it is just a little adjustment to get it inverted.
SpyralBound · 12/7/2012
What Chemgoddess said. My first inverted crucifix was from a reverse handstand, long before I was inverting. Take one hand off at a time, maybe? This has helped me with other moves where I'm terrified to let go, like the CAR and CKR in the beginning. My big fear right now is going from Inverted Crucifix to a thigh hold by dropping the front leg. I just can't seem to get over that mental hurdle.
zoeyxxxx · 12/7/2012
I rember doing this and it took me a while to feel fully confident . What scared me was the fact I could see the floor I could never bring myself to let go. I was perfectly happy in my gemini scorpio because I could see the ceiling. crussifix scared me but I just practiced. I'm no working my catterpillor with out my mat witch again scares me just due to the floor being insight.but keep practicing from a handstand and you will get there :)
Runemist34 · 12/7/2012
Well, the tricky bit with the reverse handstand is that... I can't do that one. I don't even have enough upper body strength to do a single, proper pushup, let alone a handstand! It has a lot to do with the way I'm built, in that I have a lot more weight in the middle and lower (I'm 60% leg) so it gets a lot harder when I try to do one, rather than from the knees. All my power is in the legs and hips! So... That's kind of not currently an option. I'll try working on it though! Otherwise, I've been trying to just work on it with my hands (or arms) on the floor, as close to the floor as I can, and see how much of the weight I can take with my legs before I start to freak out. I've always had a fear of being upside down, unfortunately. Lord knows why I chose pole dancing as a thing I love! Lol! I guess it's just teaching me to get past the fear. And yeah, Zoey, I can do cross knee releases and such just fine- even get my back arched all the way down so I can see the floor! But, that's because I trust the hold a LOT, and because I'm not starting off staring at the ground. If I am looking at the ceiling, I'm perfectly fine ;) I suppose it really is just practice! I've got a couple of other moves I can work on this one, so I don't get too frustrated though. If you guys have any more tips for me, just let me know ;) It's good to hear I'm not the only one a bit freaked out by this move!
RoseMay · 12/8/2012
Okay, first of all: You don't use the same muscles for push-up as you do for handstands. Push-ups are vertical pushing movements and handstands horizontal pushing movements. Push-ups are a lot more about arm strength (triceps mostly, if done correctly) and handstands about shoulder strength. So keep that in mind while working on upper body strength. For pole tricks we need mostly horizontal pushing strength. Also I find the reverse handstand against a pole is a lot easier than doing a full handstand against a wall, because if you do it correctly you hold a lot of your weight with your legs in the inverted crucifix position. The further away from the pole your hands are, the easier it is because you are leaning into the pole instead of resting the weight on the hands. I think your best bet is just to start working on the reverse handstand. It's a very useful tool and can help you build strength gradually. If you feel comfortable with your leg grip you can try to remove one hand and then two hands and bam - you're in a inverted crucifix :-)
RoseMay · 12/8/2012
Dang, I mixed up horizontal and vertical in my post. Happens all the time 😕 Sorry for that ...
chemgoddess1 · 12/8/2012
And you do not have to be able to do a handstand to do a reverse one. Do you have Veena's lessons at all? Basically you stand with your back to the pole, bend over and then put your climbing leg on the pole, push into the pole with your leg and lift the other to the pole. Once you have your legs locked you can inch your hands backward toward the pole, repositioning your legs as necessary until you are in full inverted crucifix position.
Runemist34 · 12/8/2012
Unfortunately, I do not currently do Veena's lessons, but I did a while ago and I recall how the move is done. It never really seemed feasible to me, as my shoulders are... imbalanced at best. My rotator cuff muscles are pretty bad, and I get tendonitis in my shoulders quite often. I can give that one a try, though, and continue working at my shoulders as well.
Veena · 12/8/2012
Runemist, if your shoulders are so weak that you cannot do a reverse handstand against a pole, you should not be inverting. I would suggest you strengthen the upper body before moving on to any inverted work. 💪
Runemist34 · 12/9/2012
Technically I don't know if I'm strong enough to do it or not- I never tried. It seemed like a strange and very awkward way to get into a move that I would NEVER use during dancing, and I didn't previously see the point in attempting such a thing. I am beginning to see the merit now- likely some of my muscles will protest the strangeness of the move, but if I get the technique correct, I am sure I won't have issue with the strength part of it. Much like that thigh grip- my issue is all about technique 💪