Prepping for aerial shoulder mount?

glitterhips started this discussion · 11/16/2009

Soooooooo.....I got the regular SM a while ago and now I want to work on aerial shoulder mounts but I know they require a TON of strength and when I even try to get my body into position from up the pole I end collapsing in a heap on the ground 🙁 I think maybe working on my regular SM from the ground without kicking into it will help me lift myself into an aerial one but does anyone have any other tips for prepping for this move? Ultimately I want to learn it so I can do the death lay but that's a long way off for me still!!!

18 replies

PoleTickles · 11/16/2009
Hi 🙂 Try your shoulder mount from sitting on the ground and dont kick into it. This should help you with getting into it from standing without kicking. I do the aerial shoulder mount from a superman - means you have some momentum up the pole to get into it - and I get into the death lay postion that way also. Hope this helps and good luck with it 😀 Rach.
SissyBuns · 11/16/2009
I have no tips on an aerial sm as I am years away from even trying it LOL. I just wanted to say "Hi Glitty!"
Charley · 11/16/2009
Pole tickles is right - from the floor no kicking. Some other exercise that might be helpful are the "kick slide" although it's not truly a kick slide. Stand with your back to the pole in SM stance and and slowly bring in leg off the ground - keep it up, then bring the other off the ground. Don't worry about height just focus on trying to hold your legs up. Also work on a slow reverse SM. Very slow and controlled. Try holding the SM split as long as you can - this will also build those abs. 😁
verucablue · 11/17/2009
Also work on a slow reverse SM. Very slow and controlled. Try holding the SM split as long as you can - this will also build those abs. 😁 🙂 that's how I eventually got the SM by working my abs with the Reverse SM...I would do the reverse out of the caterpillar and do it lower to the ground with a pole mat...it felt safer to me - like I wouldn't drop on my head lol and got me used to that muscle movement/contraction with less kick. Still can't do the aerial yet poo 😈
SissyBuns · 11/17/2009
Also work on a slow reverse SM. Very slow and controlled. Try holding the SM split as long as you can - this will also build those abs. 😁 🙂 that's how I eventually got the SM by working my abs with the Reverse SM...I would do the reverse out of the caterpillar and do it lower to the ground with a pole mat...it felt safer to me - like I wouldn't drop on my head lol and got me used to that muscle movement/contraction with less kick. Still can't do the aerial yet poo 😈 You were doing a reverse SM before you had the SM?
verucablue · 11/17/2009
Yup I was looking for another way to come out of caterpillar or inverted crucifix and my teacher said try this...lol...that's when I found out that lowering my butt down from an inverted position was much easier to me than hiking it up LOL...gravity probably has a lot to do with it 😉 ...but yes I had enough ab control to go down and not quite enough to go up - without a big kick...once I got a little more control it was easier but it is still hard for me until I get my legs/hips above a certain point. I also think a lot of it was mental for me...I was looking down at the ground so I felt more comfortable rather than looking up and not being able to see the ground...if that makes any sense. But Sissy I'm all backwards anyhow...I could do a 1 handed caterpillar before a chair sit...hell...honestly I still have a crappy chair sit - I actually wouldn't say I have it down I really can't hold that grip well for a chair 🙁 and my RG is for crap - blech. I have strong abs and legs and while my arms are strong enough I am NOT a tiny girl and I swear I just feel like I will fly right off the pole whenever I am doing any big sort of flying move like a RG. Actually I have before on a spinning pole right into a wall lol...hmmm I might have a bit of a mental block when it comes to spinning/flying tricks. I'm just much more up and down than spinny I guess lol 🙂
MissJulie · 11/17/2009
I learned this one from mast. Jenyne butterfly showed me. You have to be able to do a controlled shoulder mount with as little kick as possible I also learned reverse shoulder mounts before aerials I also learned mast and figurehead If you can do that, aerial shoulder mount was very easy when I just tried it from mast (i'm sure they have a picture on wikipole or something) I got it on the first try 😀 I WAS originally trying to do it from superman/figurehead. Lots harder. I got that one much later, after I got it from mast. It's now my favorite combo though. Sometimes I fail on the second try, I can't do it more than once a night.
Veena · 11/17/2009
I just wanted to jump in and add, that you guys are totally right to be working on the shoulder dismount/reverse SM for this one. Anytime your trying to advance and gain strength without the risk of injury by using brute force, working on the negative (lowering down) portion of a move is the way to go! In weight training doing the negative portion of a lift is used often. It can really help you move up to the next level!! So remember the same goes for the Aerial invert and so on. ☀️ Negatives work.
Charley · 11/17/2009
VB - when my girls get to SM they'll be learning it from a reverse SM first. Going back to what Veena said - working the negative builds strength faster and from a pole perspective we have far less to fall if if goes awry. Going into a shouldermount is very painful on those who haven't done it before and while there are a lot of prep moves the reverse in my opinion is the best way to understand the sm V and they can if they wish keep there legs on the pole to acclimate themselves to the shoulder stress. They have the the option of when they want to take their legs off the pole vs, going up and hoping to grab with an ankle. If they want they can safely slide down the pole in sm position without legs leaving the pole. I don't think it's backwards at all.
verucablue · 11/17/2009
YAY...I'm not nuts... 😀
glitterhips · 11/17/2009
Thanks everyone! I will work on these for sure, I am always so bad about doing drills/preps for moves when I practice because I get impatient and want to work on stuff I already know, bad Glitter bad! I will work on these today though 🙂
chemgoddess1 · 11/17/2009
Glitter, do you have access to an incline bench (either a regular incline bench or a sit up bench)? http://localhosthttp://i.walmartimages.com/i/mp/MP/10/00/11/03/MP10001103358_P255045_215X215.jpg Instead of putting your feet where they would normally go, put your head there and then do reverse crunches. Try to bring your knees to your forehead and then lift even higher. If you want to add a little extra do a few pulses at the top and then slowly lower yourself back down. These and these alone helped me TREMENDOUSLY with my shoulder mount. I have yet to try aerial. http://localhosthttp://www.fitnessgenerator.com/images/exercises/Decline%20Reverse%20Crunch.gif
Mary Ellyn · 11/17/2009
In addition to practicing the reverse SM and other execises to build the core and arms, another little trick that helps is to gently swing both legs back, bending at the knees, then forward as you roll up into the SM. You see a lot of this done prior to a mid-air invert and it works for the mid air SM too...much as going from the mast/figurehead into the SM helps. You cannot whip your legs up though or you'll injure yourself. It should be a controlled sweep of the legs into position.
SissyBuns · 11/17/2009
VB - when my girls get to SM they'll be learning it from a reverse SM first. Going back to what Veena said - working the negative builds strength faster and from a pole perspective we have far less to fall if if goes awry. Going into a shouldermount is very painful on those who haven't done it before and while there are a lot of prep moves the reverse in my opinion is the best way to understand the sm V and they can if they wish keep there legs on the pole to acclimate themselves to the shoulder stress. They have the the option of when they want to take their legs off the pole vs, going up and hoping to grab with an ankle. If they want they can safely slide down the pole in sm position without legs leaving the pole. I don't think it's backwards at all. I'm trying to get a mental picture of how to do a reverse SM, like from a crucifix? Do you actually get your shoulderon the pole or do more of a reverse chopper? I worked on my aerial inverts last night and they went pretty smooth so I'm thinking of giving this here aerial SM a go...
Mary Ellyn · 11/17/2009
Hi SB...yes it's done from a crucifix but your hand positions start out completely differently. I do my SM with the cupped hand hold and the same for the reverse SM but when I'm hanging in the crucifix, I place my hands closer to my sternum or upper abd. Tuck/bend your head forward past the pole - then drop the hips so that your feet are still on the pole with your body in a pike position. You need to get your hips away from the pole to counter the balance so that your hands are able to grip without your body sliding down the pole. This also gets the presssure off your shoulder. If you do it too slow, you'd bruise and get a painfull collarbone until you learn to get the hips away. The important parts are the hand position and getting your hips down and away from the pole in that pike position so that you can lower your legs with control. Kind of think of it like a sommersault off the pole. The good thing about this is you can fold in and bend your knees a bit so your lower legs are still on the pole until you are more secure to release your legs. Unfortunately I don't have a tutorial vid or I'd post it. It's probably hard to envision. As always a crash mat and spotter are important when learning new inverts. 🙂
carriej · 11/18/2009
What????? I have to just be quite honest here...I have no idea what all of this means! I can picture a shoulder mount in my head. Can't do it yet, but can picture it. But when it comes to thinking about a reverse SM, my brain can't fathom how that works. I read the description but...huh? If someone could point me to a video section that would be great! 🤔
Mary Ellyn · 11/18/2009
Sorry...my description is lengthy so it's hard to follow. Imagine hanging in a crucifix....tuck your chin to your chest and do a sommersault off the pole by rolling over your shoulder. If you were close to the floor you would end sitting on the floor with your back to the pole. I'll see if I can find a vid of it.
SissyBuns · 11/18/2009
Hi SB...yes it's done from a crucifix but your hand positions start out completely differently. I do my SM with the cupped hand hold and the same for the reverse SM but when I'm hanging in the crucifix, I place my hands closer to my sternum or upper abd. Tuck/bend your head forward past the pole - then drop the hips so that your feet are still on the pole with your body in a pike position. You need to get your hips away from the pole to counter the balance so that your hands are able to grip without your body sliding down the pole. This also gets the presssure off your shoulder. If you do it too slow, you'd bruise and get a painfull collarbone until you learn to get the hips away. The important parts are the hand position and getting your hips down and away from the pole in that pike position so that you can lower your legs with control. Kind of think of it like a sommersault off the pole. The good thing about this is you can fold in and bend your knees a bit so your lower legs are still on the pole until you are more secure to release your legs. Unfortunately I don't have a tutorial vid or I'd post it. It's probably hard to envision. As always a crash mat and spotter are important when learning new inverts. 🙂 I think I'm having trouble picturing it because I don't use the cupped hand hold for SM. I use the princess grip and I was trying to picture myself in a crucifx then wiggling my hand up into that grip LOL. I'm going to try this tonight and see if I can do it .