SmilingFox started this discussion ·
I have been inverting for a few months, but it just isnt pretty. Ive been doing the knee tucks on both sides with control. Should i just focus on inverting slower? Im not really a graceful person, so flowing movement doesnt exactly come natural. I think a lot of my movements are technically correct, but lacking fluidity.
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I feel your pain... Grace is so not my thing but when I look at videos of me a year ago I do notice some improvement so I think it is just another thing that comes with time... just for the non graceful like us maybe more time :(
tacha666 ·
I know what you mean. Everytime I see myself on video I feel like a hippotamus 🙁 For me I noticed that I should definetly work on keeping my toes pointed all the way (I seem to forget at a certain point). Also, extending the legs slower and later seems to make a difference.
I am STILL working on making my inverts pretty and I have been in the game for 5+ years! I am constantly playing with moves though. For me what really gave me control with inverts was working the reverse inverts and totally working against gravity to have the control to make it smooth. Once I was able to control that all the way my inverts became prettier.
A word about grace. I for one am Not a graceful person. I think for people like myself, pole can be more about 'strength' and the like. We can't all be like ballerinas! And about inverts, working the negative or lowering phase of the move is a great way to gain strength. It's been proven that were stronger in the negative/lowering phase of a movement.
i think one thing that really helped me make my inverts smooth and fluid, was gaining so much strength that inverts are super easy now. Once inverting doesn't feel strenuous or difficult at all, you can make them very fluid. do your knee tucks with straight legs, if you aren't already, and without touching the floor in between reps (again, if you aren't already). once you can do both of those things fairly easily, then start working on inverting with ankle weights on. If you can invert fairly well with ankle weights on, you'll be inverting seemlessly and beautifully, when you take them off!
Thanks for the advice!
Hazi411 ·
Would "stripper shoes (or boots!) count as ankle wights? ;-)
Hazi, if you're using this variant which have the function of a bank as well and put your coins in there they will definitely soon be counting as ankle weights ;) http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lj5snnpxc38/TZXBSj_XnhI/AAAAAAAACSY/ne5StPSIEYk/s400/Outrageous_Celebrity_Shoes_13.jpg
Kori who is on here uses the treasure chest/tip jar shoes filled with pennies.
The amazing Jamilla has GREAT tips on straddle inverts. First and foremost she says to avoid inverting like a "plank," where your whole body pivots at the same time (straight legs go up and back while you tilt). Hard on your body in the long run. Rather, use your core to bring legs up into a full straddle position from standing first, THEN tilt your hips back, then allow your arms to extend slightly--not too much extension or you lose your shoulder and core engagement. I figure she knows best since she has one of the prettiest, most graceful straight-legged straddle inverts I have *ever* seen. She just floats up into it. Gorgeous.
Man I cannot WAIT for the day I can start doing inverts!
I tried ankle weights once got two inverts and died!!! Gotta keep that going!!!
korinne ·
Pleaser treasure chests filled with stuff really is great. The pennies were too heavy, so I switched to glass beads. Much more manageable. Better than ankle weights because you can still grip the pole in your ankles for climbs/inverted climbs.
Aha, ankle weights, have plenty of those. I'll give it a go:)
iAries ·
I prefer to straddle invert, it's a much more controlled and prettier invert for me and forces me to engage my abs more than depending on "thrusting" upwards.
