Straddle Help

NicciG started this discussion · 12/9/2010

I am really struggling to get into the straddle, I find other equally difficult moves easy peasy but for some reason I am stuck with the straddle. I just can't get my butt over, I get so close but just can't seem to tip over. I am not sure if it's a strength thing or that I keep my upper body too stiff (does that make sense) I don't know. My friend also tried to help me and she is also stumped she can't figure out what the problem is. Any tips/advise I could try would help tia 😁

8 replies

Mary Ellyn · 12/9/2010
This move can be more difficult than you realize! A lot of people cannot get it. Flexibility is important as well as core strength. There are various hand positions which people use but mostly you start with a secure grip, as if you're going into an invert (outside hand higher) and not too high and when you swing back, you need to drop your head and gaze toward the back wall or floor behind you as you extend and straighten your arms. Make certain to engage your abs and your shoulders as you go over. One of the main complications that inhibit people from getting this move is hamstring tightness or lower back tightness. Also involved the hip flexors which help you go into the straddle splits. You don't have to be able to do the splits but the further you can stretch, the better this will work for you. If you sit on the floor in a wide straddle and fold at the hips, keeping your back straight, how far forward can you go? If not very far then you will have more problems holding this move.
vamp79 · 12/9/2010
for me the problem is getting into the position. I think i will only get it when my inverts are completely controlled. Can u do the basic invert without any momentum?
amy · 12/9/2010
it's a lot easier with a video to figure out what you might be doing wrong! some things that i see a lot-- for the inverted straddle: make sure you are letting your head fall back. if you think of your body as a seesaw, with your legs on one end, your head on the other, and your arms as the fulcrum point-- you HAVE to let your head tip back to let your legs come up. think about letting your gaze drop to the wall behind you. to make it easier to start- work on a tuck invert, without jumping. an inverted straddle is the same thing as a tuck invert (see thread here: https://www.studioveena.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5153) except that once you get your hips overhead, you are extending your legs into straddle position. i strongly recommend that you work on plows to get the lower ab strength to bring your hips up and over- my comment describing plows is on the 2nd page of that thread. doing a tuck invert also requires a LOT of upper body strength. a straddle is NOT a beginner move or even a beginner intermediate move. most people are doing leg hangs (scorpio/gemini), one armed spins, and other intermediate moves before they are able to do an inverted straddle/chopper with control. once you are confident that you can do a tuck invert into a straddle, then work on straight legged straddles. those are WAY harder-- you have to have a lot of strength in your hips and legs to be able to keep your legs up and straight the whole time. another thing that can help is to think of straightening your arms as you roll your hips up and over. by straightening your arms, you are lowering the fulcrum point of your seesaw, which means that your legs and hips don't have to get AS high as before. also, don't grip too high with your hands-- the higher that your hands are, the higher you have to lift your body and hips before you're inverted. start with them low-- chest height.
Veena · 12/9/2010
It can be helpful to focus more on using your upper body. The abs will hold the tuck or V/straddle position but the biceps, lats, scapula will have to give that extra "pull" to the the booty up over head. 👍 Here are 2 lessons that are helpful for this move Tuck Invert http://ver3.studioveena.com/lessons/view/5400 V Invert http://ver3.studioveena.com/lessons/view/5458
Audball · 12/9/2010
What's a straddle??
Veena · 12/9/2010
Its what I call a V position. V=straddle. 🎅
Audball · 12/9/2010
Ooh! Never heard that name before, was trying to work it out by reading the posts, lol! Thanks 🙂
NicciG · 2/18/2011
I finally got it! Just like that *snaps fingers* I noticed that my one problem was that I was standing too far away from the pole now I rest my hip against the pole in the starting position I have more control closer to the pole, such a silly simple thing! 🥂