Knee Hold

Fleur started this discussion · 3/24/2009

Did it for the first time last night and oh my goodness I think this is the most painful move I have tried thus far! It's a different kind of pain because it's not the skin that hurts, it's the pressure on the bone!!! It hurt like beeswax during and for 5 minutes after too!!! Please tel me it stops hurting so bad with practice? I know all moves do but this one is just unbearable! I coud only let go for a second on each side because of the pain! I'm thinking this is one I'm going to do every other day until my body gets used to it...

7 replies

Novadog · 3/24/2009
Is the knee hold where you've got your top leg hooked round the pole and the bottom leg braced agains the pole? I take it, it is the knee you have braced which is causing you trouble. On your knee, or just directly below it there is a big dip between your knee cap and your shin bone. Below that you should feel the top of your shin bone and then another much smaller dip, with another little hill. Try bracing your leg against this smaller dip (not the dip between your knee cap and your shin bone - i don't want you shoving your kneecap half way up your thigh) at an angle where you have the most contact with the pole along your shin, this means your knee should be facing down the way, the more your knee faces down the way (with your foot heading towards the ceiling) the more contact you'll have between the pole and the bit your bracing your knee on. This way, you'll take the pressure off the bone slightly and transfere it across a larger area. Don't do it too much or you'll get no grip on the pole to do the wavey arm thing. Nx
Fleur · 3/24/2009
Thanks, that helps, so basically the further apart your knees are, the better? I had good grip, it was just painful as hell!
glitterhips · 3/24/2009
I had the same problem and I had boots on! Boots do help soften the blow though, until you get a little more used to it. Also for me, the farther I push my hips out the more contact my bottom leg can make with the pole so it spreads it out over a wider area and the pain isn't quite as concentrated. Also make sure the bottom shin isn't actually resting on the pole - you want to have the part between your shin and your calf making contact with it so you don't have bone splitting pain there...ouch!!! I'm glad you got it though!
Jenn · 3/24/2009
Woo hoo! Good for you! This move is my nemesis, because I can't even bare the pain for a second to let go! I keep getting into position but chicken out before I can let go. Bravo to you girl! Hopefully one day, I'll grow some balls and just go for it!
branquinha · 3/25/2009
It does become easy with time, I believe Novadog is right, it is a matter of finding the right position and then you can hold it very comfortably. (I normally do it from a side climb and it just sort of puts my higher knee in the right position, the one which is dow is, as Novadog said, sort of to the side of the knee with much contact on the pole - she explained much better than I can, but I just wanted to say it does get much better).
pole-twista · 3/25/2009
bone splitting pain is what has stopped me yup been putting all the pressure on shin and keep forgetting to thrust hips out tnks for tips!!
LittleMissLola · 3/28/2009
Yep, the knee hold does hurt like the dickens, as others have already said make sure it's not your knee cap on the pole and not your shin, more the side. It will hurt still, and the only thing to do will be practice. I can now hold it for ten seconds or more when previously 2 seconds had me jumping off and swearing, so it does get better!