Cherry87 started this discussion ·
Ive worked through lots & lots of Veena's Beginner move lessons, and im totally stuck on this one. https://www.studioveena.com/lessons/view/18f06398-b91f-11df-856f-001b214581be Its bugging the hell outtta me! Did it take anyone else long to get it?? Thanks in advance ladies :)
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I know a few people who had trouble with this but I found this one OK cos I find split grip quite easy and comfortable. What part are you having the most trouble with?
Cherry87 ·
My main problem is getting my legs up comfortably. I literally cant get them both up :(
I have a similar issue...I just can't seem to get my legs up. I don't know if it's because I've got the grip wrong, or if I'm not strong enough, or something, but I just can't keep it up.
I am still working on this as I'd like to start being able to invert from the thigh rest and it IS a hard one to do with control and be able to open both legs. I can do it OK, but it isn't pretty. 😲
Veena ·
This is a strength building move.... When you say you can't bring the legs up what do you mean?? Are you trying to bring them up in to a V position? Can you bring up the bottom leg but not the top? Are you trying to bring them up in to a tuck? Are you sure your using the bicep and not fully extending the top arm? Is your thigh resting against the pole or are you only using your upper body? Holding in a tuck position is the first step...opening into V is going to take time and is much for difficult. Remember you don't want all the pressure and weight on the bottom arm and...you need to engage the shoulders use the top bicep and your abs to hold as you lift your bottom leg into place against the pole. Shorter or lighter dancers will find this move easier than someone taller or heavier.
I'm weird with this one. I can't do it easily from the floor and have trouble holding it for any length of time, but I do it all the time in the air (like pulling up from a gemini hook) and can hold it no problems.
Veena... I'm trying to bring them into a tuck position, and depending on the leg I do first, the other one doesn't follow...it's holding my weight. Not fully extending the top arm. I just don't (apparently) have the strength to lift everything up in that position. 😕
Veena ·
Runemist...are resting the bottom leg on the pole?
Trying to! It doesn't seem to be able to "rest" very well. Perhaps I have my positioning wrong?
Veena ·
you may be standing too close to or too in front of the pole. There needs to be quite I bit of distance from the pole when doing this from standing...well more than you might think. 😉
Oh! I thought I should be practically against the pole! I'll give it a go farther away, and see if that works better. I'm also thinking I'm not horizontal enough 😉 Lots of thanks, Veena!
Cherry87 ·
I cant seem to get either leg up into a tucked position. My legs feel strong enough, but not my wrists :( I think i may be fully extending my top arm a little too much, will focus on using my bicep next time i attempt it. I find when i try to do it, it feels like my arms are doing/trying to do all the work, and my legs arent doing 'enough' ...if that makes sense? You said that shorter dancers will find this move easier...do you think it makes much of a difference that im tall? Im 5"11. Thanks for your help everyone, i really appreciate it :)
Yeah I find this hard too. I can do a fair few of the intermediate moves here on the lessons but cant manage the thigh rest from standing, at all, which sucks because its listed as beginner here and I feel crap about not being able to do it. In Veena's lessons she makes it look so easy and effortless but when I try it feels impossible! I can also do it in the air but not from the floor Dustbunny, it is very weird indeed!
Also in relation to the height thing, I'm 411 and I find it difficult 🙁
Veena ·
I Have placed some of these more difficult moves in beginner because they are strength builders....if you can't hold your own body weight you should not be doing spins! IF you can't get it from the ground its probably a technique issue....From the air my guess is your forced to use the bicep of the top arm and your not even realizing it, but with out seeing you do it I really can't say.
PoleNerd ·
I'm a beginner and this is a move I get, though it's definitely not easy. It uses a lot of bicep and ab strength - my bicep is always sore after practicing this move! Also have bruises where my thigh "rests." That said, I can't hold this move for long. Have you tried it on both sides? Also, have you tried it on spin mode? Not sure if Veena would recommend that, but I find it easier. I found that by lifting my inside leg (the thigh that rests) first helped me 'get it,' though it ultimately made the move more difficult; it's not what Veena shows in her vid. I watched her video about 20 times to understand the movement and learn to lift my outside leg up first. Think of tilting your body back instead of just lifting your legs up - Veena shows the body tilt (effortlessly, heh) in her video.
Veena ·
I do show to lift the inside leg first :)
PoleNerd ·
agh, sorry Veena...maybe I was thinking of which leg to step with first? That definitely helped me. Does it actually matter which leg you raise first? I rememer the part where you first placed your inside leg agains the pole, but when you did the move again it looked like you were raising the outside leg first...maybe I just have to watch it again.
I worked on this move at the studio for a few weeks, and was literally pissed at myself for not getting it. I went home and watched veenas lessons and got it. my issue was failure to squeeze once that inside thigh makes pole contact .contracting the abs and squeezing that quad tightens up your tuck, giving your other leg an opportunity to make pole contact without as much slippage. it was also easier for me to do the open leg "v" version first.
''I Have placed some of these more difficult moves in beginner because they are strength builders....if you can't hold your own body weight you should not be doing spins!'' I was not critisizing you for putting it in the beginner section, I was saying I'm disappointed myself for not being able to do it. Also, in relation to holding your own body weight and spins etc, I can hold myself up in many of the other holds and strenght exercises so it probably is down to poor technique here.
Veena ·
Oh no, no, fairy, I didn't mean you personally shouldn't be doing spins. I was simply pointing out again why its placed in beginner. As you said there are other moves that can be used to gadge strength.
Cherry87 ·
Looks like I need to work alot on my biceps then. And my abs. Thanks so much for all your help!
I'm having the same trouble with this move. Are you supposed to use just arm and core strength to hold yourself up? Or are you supposed to squeeze with your "resting" leg against the pole to help? I, too, can do a number of moves beyond this one as well as spins, but I just can't hold this thigh rest position for more than a second and I've been beating myself up over it ever since I started. 🙁
Veena ·
Eagle..yes, use the top front of the thigh. it is rested against the pole....this is why I call it a thigh rest. A big mistake is jumping into it and not leaning back allowing the thigh to rest on the pole. If your taking the lessons try watching it again and you'll see I totally rest my thigh on the pole and notice how I pull my legs up towards the pole bending at the hips/waist. There is not a straight line from torso to knees. Thigh and bottom hand are pushing against the pole, top arm is pulling, hips and body turn to face the pole.
Veena, I think I figured out my issue. I'm not really pressing with my thigh, and so I'm trying to rest everything on my arms, and I just can't do it. I'm not strong enough to lift my whole body with one arm! So, this one is a bit of a lesson for me...how to engage things and press into the pole with different parts of the body properly! Also, I watched the lesson a few more times, and I see what you mean by lifting my thigh first...I didn't understand what you meant before! So, thank you for so much help! I'm gonna get this one, I swear! Oh, and I'm getting it out of my head that this is even remotely related to the cradle spin. 😉
