Saying "No Thank You" to a Move? (Cartwheel mount and handspring)

StrangeFox started this discussion · 5/2/2019

Still trying for my cartwheel mount 1.5+ years and I am 0% closer despite regular training/conditioning. I'm joking with my classmates that their great-great grandchildren will get their cartwheel mount before I do. Auuuuugh... If the complete lack of progress wasn't heartbreaking enough, I'm also watching many of my classmates nail this move for the first time AGAIN... after a mere couple of months (and sometimes couple of classes) trying for it. I've gotten some great advice on here and from my instructor but nothing seems to help. I have no clue why this move is so difficult for me. It honestly feels like it might just be physically impossible for me for some weird reason. I've made no progress on this one and I'm debating just giving up and putting it on my "no go" list. Is this really an important move? I see it as a required move to advance at most studios. When I asked my instructor about it she said it was a required move because it demonstrated muscle control and coordination that is necessary in some of the more advanced moves and combos, but that the move itself is not all that important. Am I really going to be losing out of I say "no"? And if I do decide I don't want to learn cartwheel mount or handspring, what is a good way to bring that up in class when we start working on those moves?

10 replies

Rachel Osborne · 5/2/2019
I started pole in 2004 and have never trained handspring or cartwheel Mount, or Ayesha, and lots of things. I honestly don't really want them, they do not suit my body. Hyper mobile wrists and shoulders, short forearms and extra-long femurs: it literally does not stack up. My body is wildly unsuited for it, and it's a gigantic injury festival waiting to happen. Trust your Instincts. Maybe later it will feel right but if you have a hunch that it's off limits for now, stay where you are and do other things. Maybe one day it will feel right, with the right spotter. Maybe it's just not you. If handsprings are mandatory in a class then I leave that class. The world is full of poles, and classes, and other things I can do.
MdawWat · 5/2/2019
I drilled and drilled and got there a little faster than some of my friends on handsprings, but I think I probably would have been better served to have worked on a larger variety of skills like they did instead. Learning that one thing did not open as many doors for me skill wise as being a better rounded pole dancer would have. It sounds like you might be interested in learning the move, so maybe you should consider checking back in to see how it feels for you after a nice long break from trying. I remember thinking I would never be able to shoulder mount when one day I was just playing around and my body let me know it was ready. For what to do in class, I think it depends on how you feel. If an instructor is teaching something that I feel uncomfortable with but offers a progression that I feel okay about I have no problem telling them I am sticking to the early step. If the instructor is teaching something that I am not afraid of but do not think that I will be able to learn I will give it a try just to check in again to make sure that this is still the case before working on other things in the class. If I don't feel comfortable with either of those options I will sometimes ask for a spot in a totally different move when they come around the class. For handspring classes though I would suggest that a good alternative would be to spend the time working on pole assisted handstand moves.
PoleAdventures · 5/3/2019
Strange Fox, let me share my experience: It CAN be that is a physical restriction, or, it's a psychical restriction. I had both of them with certain moves. For example I experienced my back is not very supportive when it comes to moves with a lot of backbending and floorwork for example shoulder rolls. I pole about 3 years and I stretch a lot. I nearly have my splits (started overmy 30ies, so it needed lot of time), I'm flexible in my shoulders but not in my back. So I really struggle with backbendy moves and all things floorwork like shoulderrolls. I try those moves in between times but without making progress. Then I had psycical restrictions I think, a lot of fear of handstand (without fear of being upside down on the pole lol) and I really fear superman! I know some would say superman is easy and one of the first intermediate move they can, but not for me. Maybe it's because the backbending. Then I said, I pole about 3 years: I haven't tried handspring and cartwheels a lot because I'm FEELING not ready for this. I think 1,5 years is really short time for working on cartwheel things. And...I think it's not a required move as your instructor said. Don't get me wrong....I only mean you are not less better than others when you NOW are not ready to progress in this move. And to say to you you can not move on in the level is bulls*** for me, sorry! That's why I have stopped take classes and start with Studio Veena!
Veena · 5/3/2019
There's no reason you HAVE to do a Cartwheel mount, twisted or split grip. Don't stress about it. I personally do not consider any move beyond a caterpillar as essential in pole. In fact, next month's June challenge will be all about fundamental moves and cartwheel is NOT part of that list :) But even though I have a list of fundamentals if you love doing all things upright or everything from the ground, go for it! Pole should make you feel excited, free and happy and tricks are not everything. You can still get an amazing workout without doing crazy tricks too!!! Now, if a cartwheel is something you really are dreaming of, I'd love to help you reach that goal! Your options are private online lessons or hit me up in you're ever in Vegas for a one on one in person!
LatinPoler · 5/3/2019
I'm not an expert but I don't think a Cartwheel or handspring are fundamental, required moves. You use them to get into Ayesha type positions or just to invert, and there are many other ways to get into those moves. Regarding the control and strength, I don't share that opinion. Any pole move can be used to show control and strength - just a basic chopper invert, deadlifting, instead of jumping or kicking into it. Or even a basic climb with good form with back foot pointed! I've been poling for almost 4 years and I cannot handspring, and I don't want to learn it. Those are potentially risky moves, especially if using twisted grip which gives you the sensation of more stability at the price of stressing out your rotator calf muscles. Besides, being "pear shaped" with long arms, it's harder for me to lift all that lower body weight with my tiny arms (and core). So no thank you, it's not worth it. As others mentioned, pole is full of pretty options. Think pole longevity over checking off tricks. Also, I hear you with the class situation because it happens to me frequently. I don't want to be rude to my teachers, but if something goes wrong, it's me and not her who falls, injuries herself, etc. So I always err on the conservative side. Better safe (even rude!) than sorry! I've found that there are teachers are young flexy ladies with background in cheerleading or gymnastics but maybe not much fitness background. So they really don't understand a lot about mechanics and as everything is easy for them, don't really get that we normal (older, stiffer) people may need modifications or progressions. Or we may not be even interested in trying that crazy new trick. These are not good teachers for me. I love poling at home because I control my training.
StrangeFox · 5/4/2019
Thanks so much everyone for your awesome replies and great advice! I'm really glad to hear from so many ladies I consider so talented saying they've said "no" to handspring/cartwheel mount. I can see now that this move just feels like a big deal to me because I've seen so many pole friends reach the cartwheel mount milestone. It's one of those "everyone is doing it so there must be something wrong with me if I'm not" scenarios. These feelings are actually a huge part of the reason I have decided to take a small IG break. Fortunately, handspring/cartwheel mount is not a required move at my current studio but it was one at my last studio. I love that at this studio the curriculum is always evolving to better suit the students, and that there is a high attention to technique and injury avoidance. My current instructor has also struggled with this move and has excellent tips and some sympathies to offer - she has been amazing at letting me "nope" out of moves and do something more suited to my body. She's always just glad I'm being safe and working within my limitations, but I still feel like I'm being a bit of a brat - lol! I've decided as long as I'm polite and have a related move that I want to work on, it's probably OK for me to say no to this move until I'm truly ready for it. I'm just not having fun training it and I can only get a few tries in before my forearms and shoulders start complaining, so it will probably be a long time before I can actually train it. I'm having a lot more fun training my flexibility right now, and I'm seeing huge pay offs in my transitions, not to mention the lack of aches and pains! Veena - if I ever do make it out to Vegas I would love to take a private lesson with you! That would be amazing. Also, I didn't realize private online lessons are a thing. How do those work? I might be interested in the future...
Veena · 5/4/2019
I take PayPal payments and we do it through Skype, FaceTime, Hangouts or even easier is using IG as a one on one video chat!
amelia2000 · 5/9/2019
Choosing the moves I work on is one reason why I love training at home (as well as geographical reasons). I hated the focus on static spins when I used to go to classes. I have grip problems and even now struggle with static spins- holding the position, gaining enough momentum AND looking pretty. Handsprings aren't on my list of to-do moves either, and that's ok. I used to think I didn't want to do a shoulder mount, but I realised last week, I'm actually not too far off getting it. It's not good to pressure yourself into training specific moves- not all are meant for everyone because our bodies and psyche are all different.
StrangeFox · 5/12/2019
I also dislike static spins...and I'm OK with just not doing them! I never feel comfortable or secure. I feel like they're just a shoulder injury waiting to happen for me. I remember when I first started pole I had such a difficult time with spins. I used to wonder if I'd ever be able to do anything, but it turns out those just aren't my thing. There are polers whose first fireman spins look better than my current fireman spin - lol!
amelia2000 · 5/12/2019
@strangefox, great to hear I'm not the only one hehe