knee hold (no crossed ankles)

carriej started this discussion · 4/2/2010

I read a post a few days ago about someone saying they learned to do a knee hold without crossing their ankles. I asked how to do it but I can't find the post. I think it was in the middle of a post that was on a different topic. If anyone knows how to do it, please let me know the trick. I've got the knee hold solid but sometimes it's awkward to cross my ankles with heels on. ❓ 🙄

4 replies

Elyse Hauke · 4/2/2010
Hey Carrie, I was talking to Stellar Motion about this the other day and he was able to do it successfully. He would be able to describe it better to you than I can as I have only tried it once. The key for him if I remember our conversation correctly was to sit in it just like you do the crossed ankle knee hold but widen your knees even further than you would normally and push the hips as far forward as you can. Which when I think about it, is the same advice I would give anyone attempting the normal knee hold. ugh, sorry I don't know if that really helps, but I am sure he would be happy to help you with it.
MilienElayne · 4/2/2010
https://www.studioveena.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3338 is where you were just discussing it and Amy describes it. Here's the vid she does it in: http://ver3.studioveena.com/lessons/view/3399 at 1.01 or thereabouts.
Veena · 4/2/2010
As long as you have strong hamstrings you can totally do it with out crossed ankles. ☀️ The crossing at the ankles can be helpful for some to feel locked into the position. I would think without ankles crossed would cause there to be less pressure on the bottom leg. Because in order to stay up without crossing the at the ankle requires you to really use your hamstring on that top leg (which you should be doing anyway) to help take the pressure off the bottom leg. I say go for it. Also you can hold a wider stance which could reduce pain. 🥂
amy · 4/2/2010
thanks for posting that MilienElayne~! we learned it from jenyne during USPDF weekend and i have been spreading it ever since-- it is so much less painful for me than the crossed version and i dont bruise from it anymore! make sure that when you hold your shin and lean back and push your hips forward, that you are holding mid-shin-- not ankle, or you will put a lot of pressure on the kneepit squeezing the pole. and let your legs spread farrr apart, it's more stable that way! good luck!