need help with corkscrew

Anna1340 started this discussion · 2/23/2010

Hi, I've been trying to learn the corcscrew move, (somewhere I saw it was called the ribbon) but there are 2 different hand grips and was wondering if one is the right one or if it doesn't matter? The first is the inside hand is up high and the outside hand is across your chest and under the inside hand, the other is your outside hand is at the top and the inside hand is under it kinda like holding a baseball bat. 😕 Thanks Anna

31 replies

moonflower · 2/23/2010
I've always did it with a baseball grip, but I've seen it done with the inside arm up. I"m not sure which one is "correct" though, maybe they both are...variations on a theme and what not. I like the baseball grip because it lets the side of my body curl around the pole.
Anna1340 · 2/23/2010
Thank you Moonflower, must be a personal preference then.
miss fern · 2/23/2010
Hi Anna, how long have you been poling? I think I just replied to your welcome thread. Corkscrew requires a lot of upper body and arm strength. Have you mastered most of the easier spins, like front hook, back hook, pinwheel, fireman, wonderman/carousel, chair etc? You really need these as a foundation before trying something tricky like a corkscrew. 🌸
SissyBuns · 2/23/2010
Nothing is "right' or "wrong" because you can do moves however you want. With either grip it's still a corkscrew 😀
chemgoddess1 · 2/23/2010
I have never tried it with inner arm on top....hmmmm....
SissyBuns · 2/23/2010
I have never tried it with inner arm on top....hmmmm.... I haven't either now that I think about it. LOL
polergirl · 2/23/2010
I have found that it can be tricky to keep shoulders engaged when the outside arm is high and the body is crossing over the pole in front. That said, I much prefer outside arm up because otherwise you can't drop an arm to do what I refer to as the painful but pretty armpit spin.
amy · 2/23/2010
i learned the corkscrew with the outside hand (right if you are righty) on bottom. you have to do it this way to be able to get into a no-handed or one-handed corkscrew later. i learned the outside hand on top grip, but it was taught to me as a transition move (only 3/4 of a rotation around the pole, land on your inside (right) foot, pivot into a backbend on your right foot), and the hips are turned toward the pole instead of away.
ottersocks · 2/23/2010
i learned the corkscrew with the outside hand (right if you are righty) on bottom. you have to do it this way to be able to get into a no-handed or one-handed corkscrew later. i learned the outside hand on top grip, but it was taught to me as a transition move (only 3/4 of a rotation around the pole, land on your inside (right) foot, pivot into a backbend on your right foot), and the hips are turned toward the pole instead of away. Hmmm, interesting. I do this move with my outside (left) arm high, inside (right) arm low. I pull up with my outside arm as I launch my legs around in a circle to pull my hips out in front of the pole. I can then do a one-armed version by just dropping that outside high arm off the pole once my back is across and I am wedged in the inner armpit. There's actually a vid of this on my profile, taken at Veena's house, with Karol and Amber and V and me all doing it. What's a no-handed corkcrew like, Amy? 🤔
polergirl · 2/23/2010
i learned the corkscrew with the outside hand (right if you are righty) on bottom. you have to do it this way to be able to get into a no-handed or one-handed corkscrew later. Can you describe a little more on that? I have found it to be the opposite. If the inside arm is low/outside high, then you just drop the outside arm and make sure your inside arm is on for grip. ? I'm curious! 😀
amy · 2/23/2010
haha we might need to take videos to show, words are tough! this inside/outside arm is confusing me. i think i might be putting things backwards. so can we just say right and left? ottersocks i think we are talking about the same hand placement. 🤔 🤔 are you righty? i put right hand on bottom (i'm calling that outside arm, since it's going on the far side of the pole?) and left hand on top. ok, when i do a one-handed corkscrew, i need the outside arm to be low because i'm not just holding on to the ople with my hand, i'm also anchoring it in my armpit with my forearm against it so that it's tucked in to my side and i'm stable. that way i'm not goin to fly off the pole. same as you described, ottersocks. when i do a no-handed corkscrew, it's the same grip and arm placement as a 1-handed corkscrew. launch into it, get your body going around. then let your hand slide to the left of the pole, towards your body, and you have the pole trapped in your bent elbow and against your arm and armpit. i can only do it if the pole isn't too warm and my body isn't too warm or i end up with major pole burn.
ottersocks · 2/23/2010
I think we are saying the same thing. I am righty. We call the arm closest to the pole the inside arm, the arm farthest away the outside arm--so you and I just use different terms for that, but we're doing it the same way. So for the handsfree youre just letting your hand come off but keeping the pole squeezed and trapped in your right armpit yes? Sounds burny but fun! You can show me in NY. WOOT! 🥂
polergirl · 2/23/2010
OK, that's also how I do mine. Funny, the differences in terminology, eh? LOL. But we're all speaking the language of pole love. <3
amy · 2/23/2010
ahahah SORRY GUYS i am inside/outside arm confused. 🙄 😕 😀
polergirl · 2/23/2010
S' cool, LOL. Remember--the universal language of pole love!!!
Anna1340 · 2/24/2010
Thanks everyone for you input, it's been very helpful 🙂 I can do all the basic spins (except the carousel) as I don't have enough room at the moment (we are moving tho so I'll have more room lol) I can do the cradle spin and am trying playing around with the transitional moves. Not really too sure where to go from here tho. 🤔
deetron · 2/24/2010
My nomenclature goes like this: Outside arm high / Inside arm low = Corkscrew Spin / Body Spiral Inside arm high / Outside arm low = Arm Attitude Spin (source: KT Coates / Vertical Dance online lessons)
Runemist34 · 2/26/2010
S' cool, LOL. Remember--the universal language of pole love!!! *Spews random words in the language of pole love* Sorry, couldn't resist! 😂
PoleSF · 3/5/2010
Here is actually a great step by step vid for the corkscrew 🙂 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USOuTFB7f5A Happy Poling! Best regards, Leah
amy · 3/5/2010
she does it with different hands than i do... 🤔 🤔 hahahah. i have my other hand on top!
Mary Ellyn · 3/5/2010
FYI: She is doing it with the inside hand high...which is not how I do it or teach it. Personally I think it limits how far you can wrap your body around the pole if your outside hand is down in front of your lower chest like that. Now...if you want some great lift and extension to your spin....inside hand low, outside hand high but turn the outside hand over - thumb down - in a "cupped hold" position ie: all five fingers on the same side of the pole.
amy · 3/5/2010
FYI: She is doing it with the inside hand high...which is not how I do it or teach it. Personally I think it limits how far you can wrap your body around the pole if your outside hand is down in front of your lower chest like that. Now...if you want some great lift and extension to your spin....inside hand low, outside hand high but turn the outside hand over - thumb down - in a "cupped hold" position ie: all five fingers on the same side of the pole. a HA! i do that (realized by accident when it was pointed out to me) when i'm going to go from the corkscrew into a spinning chopper! it definitely feels like it's easier to control the position of the pole in relation to my body that way, and "center" it. if that makes sense. i will try that for my regular corkscrew!
Mary Ellyn · 3/5/2010
Corkscrew to spinning chopper? Your chopper is inverted right? Like a v-split but inverted? I've seen that combo and I cannot figure out how to change my body position and get UP to the inverted spin from the corkscrew! That's an awesome move!!!
amy · 3/5/2010
yeah an inverted chopper. it's easier with the hand positioning you describe-- you can use that outside hand almost like an opposite cupped grip as leverage (pushing against the pole) to push your face and upper body down and tilt back into the chopper as your legs come up. its easier if you start by not doing the corkscrew for very long- half a rotation- so that your hips are already still high and horizontal when you go into the chopper.
Mindy4pole · 3/6/2010
Anyone know of other tutorials on this move? I seem to always bang my back on the pole. This abruptly makes me spin around the pole. It sort of works, but I feel very out of control when I'm doing this move. Plus, it doesn't feel good! I wish I could post a video, but alas, my camera won't let me. HOPEFULLY I'll be getting a new one soon. Mindy

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