Shoulder Mount Grips! Which one for what move...?

Angie La started this discussion · 4/15/2012

Ok, so I searched first to see of there was already a thread on this because I thought certainly there would be. Anyhoo... Shoulder mount grips! Which ones do you use? Do you switch 'em up? And do you have a favorite? My go to grip had been the Veena grip--until I started the shoulder dismount, which totally got me thinking. I always used the veena grip b/c it felt more secure all the way to the top. But, the more I am playing with different things (SM splits, V's, hopefully stalls...), I am noticing it feels awkward to use the Veena grip. Like the shoulder dismount, impossible with veena grip so I have to take the cup grip. Tried the cup grip once to v-up and mount, it worked, but I almost hated every second of it. Maybe I will revisit it later. What got me thinking about it more was after watching Felix's videos. She uses the Princess grip (aka twisted grip, and I've even heard it called the "safety grip"). I tried it and I think I like it, but it almost doesn't feel natural. Now the claw grip, that just looks creepy...would it even work? Maybe I am thinking about this too hard, but I'm really searching for some view points on the different uses on the SM grips. 🤓

45 replies

donnalee · 4/15/2012
I have wondered the same about grips, JelliCrew. I first learned the twisted grip. At first could not do it but now I can.....and love it. After practice, doesn't hurt and I can pull my body up and over the pole without feeling much effort. I have even learned that I don't need to press a lot of weight against my shoulder neck area, so no pain. I see lots of videos where the "stars" use cup grip. So I have practiced the cup grip and can finally do it.....but with this grip, I find I need to press my collar bone, neck-shoulder area more into the pole to find balance to pull myself up....and this HURTS. So I have wondered the same as you stated, if a particular grip is better for moves. Right now I prefer the twisted grip. No pain or bruises for me this way.
donnalee · 4/15/2012
I would also like to add on bruises: I think there are good and bad ones. The bruises I get from my legs pulling up and moving around the pole are what I considered "good." I am not hurting myself. I am using my leg muscles and I just get bruises. But on the cup grip, I think I got "bad" bruises in my collar bone area. I was feeling too much pain on my bones in this area....and I don't think that is good. Thought to myself, "Don't be a fool. Enjoy poling...don't go over board with the "no pain-no gain theory." I may have been doing something wrong or maybe part of the learning process. I may be applying too much pressure against my neck/shoulder area for the cup grip. Don't need to apply as much pressure with twisted grip...and that's why I like it better.
Angie La · 4/15/2012
Bah!! I love it! "Good and bad bruises..." We wear our good pole bruises proudly like a girl scout and her patches. 😎 And, I am glad I am not the only one who wondered...
pinsrforkids · 4/15/2012
I'm a cup grip girl. It's they way I learned years ago and it's just stuck. Yes, you have to be careful where on your shoulder is on the pole because you DON'T want it on the collar bone, more on your trap (on the muscle NOT bone lol). Yes, you'll bruise for a while (like with any new pole move). I feel like i have a lot of control and stability with especially with dismounts, super shoulder mounts, getting into death lays, etc... However, I would like to use the twisted grip or veena once in a while, but never really felt comfortable for me. Nevertheless I use shoulder mounts allll the time when dancing and performing and always cup grip. :)
donnalee · 4/15/2012
Thanks, Pinsforkids. The twisted grip was hard for me and I felt the pain in my lower body as I tried to pull myself up. I would just get exhausted and flop down. Now....no problem....no pain. On the Cup grip, I was also wondering just because it is new to me, am I going through "newbie pains?" I think I am. I want to be able to do it and will work at trying differnt and better placement of my collar bone area. The Superman move was incredibly painful to me at first and if left on my own, I would have thought, "Stop. This is a crazy move. You are hurting yourself......" But others told me they went through the same thing and now I am over the Superman pain. I think it will be the same for Cup grip. I'm in for the "good bruises." : )
pinsrforkids · 4/15/2012
Oh, I still have superman pain... My shoulder (i only do right shoulder) doesn't hurt anymore. I think it's a combination of your body getting used to it, and learning the right placement. It's so second-nature to me that i know where the pole needs to go. One thing with dismounting, you have make sure that you tuck in enough so you place the pole on your shoulder before dismounting. Since I haven't been on here in quite some time, i decided to upload some pics, and there's one where im holding ina cup grip dismount in a straddle. I could hold that for days!
Lana Lee · 4/15/2012
I like the cup grip... I've tried using the Veena grip and i just didn't feel like I could pull myself up into a V straddle with that grip. The claw grip is the worst I think. It makes me feel the least secure and it's really hard to do a claw grip especially if you have small hands and the pole is much bigger than your hands. I have honestly never tired the twisted grip but would be interested to see what that grip is all about. I'm all for experimenting because I'm pretty open about trying new things, even after I've got the move. @Donnalee - when I do my SM with the cup grip it really doesn't hurt my collarbone area. I think you are just going into it with the pole resting on the wrong area. I have the pole rest close to the base of the neck... Where the neck and the shoulder area connect, that nice gentle swoop that seperates the neck and the shoulder area. When I'm in the V straddle that's where the pole stays and rests, I never let myself roll onto the collarbone area.
hookedonpole · 4/15/2012
I have achieved the shoulder mount with cupped grip, but now I've gotten afraid again. So I'm going back to strength practice for it from the floor to get confidence back. I do like the veena grip for super shoulder mount as per veena's lesson here. Also to practice sm flip, which has been a "flop" for me LOL.
Kyrsten · 4/16/2012
I think, aesthetically, the cup grip looks the nicest... but it scares the bejesus out of me. It's how I learned the SM and even though I can do it just fine that way and I haven't fallen out of it or anything, I just feel so unsecure without a hand wrapped around the pole! There's always a split second when I'm up there that I can just envision falling right on my neck. It's better on a smaller diameter pole, but I'm still not a fan. I work on it just because I think it looks the nicest though. It also hurts my shoulder a lot more than other grips. I seem to be in the minority here but my favorite grip is the forward/Chinese grip, where both hands are in front of the pole. I also like the Veena grip a lot. I switch between the two. I've also been working on the elbow grip, which I REALLY like until I actually get hips over head, and then it's kind of the same "oh sh--" panic as I get with the cup grip...
Krista Bocko · 4/16/2012
I love the cup grip, I feel way more secure in it after I realized that at the top of the move I can wrap my legs while my butt is still far out from the pole, very similar to an aysha. Kyrelle--can you describe the chinese grip? It sounds like it's opposite of the cup grip?
Dancing Paws · 4/16/2012
What is a claw grip? I don't think I've ever seen it.
Elektra Vallens · 4/16/2012
@sensualscimitar- The claw grip is where the pole is between the middle and ring finger of one hand. I've never seen it used in a shouldermount, but it generally requires more finger/hand strength, so it's a little more difficult, as grips go. Right now I've got a busted left thumb, so claw grip has suddenly become my best friend, but I've only been using it for regular inversions. As for the shouldermount: I learned the shouldermount with cup grip, so that's mostly what I use. I never used another grip until I was learning the shouldermount flip, and was told that you *had* to use the Veena grip (which I was taught is the "princess grip", not the twisted grip- just to compare notes). After practicing that move quite a bit, I think the person who told me that was misinformed, because I don't have any trouble or wind up in a different position when I use cup grip. I've noticed that some performers use a double thumbs up grip, like the ordinary grip, to do shouldermounts. I especially noticed this in a video where the person was on spin, and sort of rolled into the shouldermount from another move. I've tried it, and it seems secure, so it might be a good choice for those who like their thumbs on the pole.
Veena · 4/16/2012
Both the Cup and Veena grip are very secure when done properly. I use both, all the time, and as mentioned, the Cup grip tends to work best for the dismount and the Veena for flips, but they're not the only options. You'll see in my videos on spin mode, I'll use the Veena grip the most because I can super invert with ease and security...I can even hold myself without having my shoulder or collarbone touching only my hands. It's a fun feeling! lol I do not suggest using the twisted grip. There's useally several ways to do pole moves and several grips that can be used. It's about finding what works for your body. I only teach and use the Veena and cup grip because these are the 2 most suitable for all, not because they're the only grips out there. 🌸 Veena Grip https://www.studioveena.com/galleries/view/4f875b22-3f0c-4e4b-a5d8-409e0ac37250 Cup Grip https://www.studioveena.com/galleries/view/4f875b0b-be80-463d-aaa0-409e0ac37250
Angie La · 4/16/2012
These are all such great view points on the different grips!!! I agree that the cup grip does look more impressive but it still doesn't feel right. I can't imagine a double thumbs up grip... Any video links I could check out? I think it is probably a good idea to try them all since it seems they may all come in handy at some time--like I never imagined the claw grip being used but having a busted thumb would make perfect sense to use a claw grip. How did you ever get over that sensation between your fingers?? Eeeew! So, the veena grip is the princess grip...? Felix calls the TG the Princess grip. So what is a respect grip? I think I have heard of that one sometime or another... Also the TG? The chinese grip (the opposite of a cup grip)...I don't see where the leverage comes in with that one. What would you call a half cup/half chinese grip (hands stacked, gripping opposing sides)..? Would that be a "choke grip"? I just made that up. 😉 Thanks everyone for all of your input! My wheels are spinning as I do my shoulder mounts smoothly & perfectly in my head.
Angie La · 4/16/2012
AHA!!! So Webmaster DID start the visual dictionary!?!? I'll have to check out this magical super invert with the veena grip. Is it like that in the lesson??? It is my go-to grip so far so I can't wait to have that super, no shoulder or collarbone, inversion. Sounds like a dream maneuver. Now I just need to keep getting my buns up there to try it out!! 🥂
Veena · 4/16/2012
The Prince's isn't the Veena grip at least that's not what it was a few yrs ago!! The hand is behind like the cup grip, but extended. You can't get into the super invert with out your shoulder...but rather you HOLD it. Here's a link......At 1:12 You'll see I'm not using my shoulder at all. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV9hkblfy3E
Veena · 4/16/2012
To clarify....Princess grip the shoulder you mount on has the arm behind and fully extended, but not twisted...at least that is what I know of the Princess grip. 😉
Angie La · 4/16/2012
All this time, I have been doing the veena grip wrong! What grip is this?? I have been switching my arms and hands. See what I mean? https://www.studioveena.com/photos/view_photo/4f8c99df-b17c-4be0-8bc2-32c40ac37250
Angie La · 4/16/2012
Oh I can't see the video! It's blocked in Germany... 🙁 I think I know this video, though. You have it in your video list on here right?
Elektra Vallens · 4/16/2012
This is the video where I saw the double thumbs up grip, around 1:00: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pzjTGfw_4o While we're on the topic of grips, I was taught that Chinese grip is the same as the true grip (which made sense once I realized "Chinese" was from "Chinese pole")- top hand thumbs down. Usually if you're upright the bottom hand is thumbs up, but if you're in an inversion, it's often thumbs down. Oh, and I feel the need to mention that the person who misinformed me about using the Veena grip for shouldermount flips was *not* Veena, or anyone else on this website.
Veena · 4/16/2012
I'll post the SV vid https://www.studioveena.com/videos/view/4d8fab79-407c-4aec-aeae-2adb0ac37250 I forgot I had it on here!!!!
donnalee · 4/16/2012
Thanks, Ewa Tran, for the tips. I am not giving up on Cup grip. Will keep at it and work on changing my placement to find the right balance : )
donnalee · 4/16/2012
And thanks Veena for posting the vid. Love it ! And I found the grip everyone is talking about. Will have to play this one back and forth lots of times to learn : )
Angie La · 4/16/2012
And don't forget about the new Jelli Grip!
Angie La · 4/16/2012
And don't forget about the new Jelli Grip!

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