Twisted Grip handspring- back/ shoulderblade pain

Kslice started this discussion · 10/9/2012

Hey guys, i was wondering if anyone has any tips for stopping my spine between my shoulderblades from wanting to cry everytimg i try T.G handspring? its more the pressure from the bottom arm. Its hindering me and now i cant even to a tru grip handspring, or shouldermount properly... :( Also, i would like to start practicing deadlifts.. any tips as to how to strength yourself to hold it?

13 replies

PersianXcursian · 10/10/2012
I've had that pain once before and I want to say it was due to sloppy orientation of my body. If you align yourself correctly to the pole, when you kick up into a handspring, you shouldn't feel any back pain. If you are sticking your shoulder out either forward or backwards, it will cause strain on the back muscles.
reenie aka Mysfit · 10/10/2012
Twisted grip is a really unfriendly character........Most of us--avoid it/won't teach it due to the incorrect anatomical havoc it plays.... If you search the forums, you will find tons of valuable info and insight...Amy wrote a fantastic blog on it a while back.... http://aerialamy.com/blog/2011/11/01/tuesday-tips-twisted-grip-handspring-from-the-ground/ My honest opinion....Get yourself looked at. The body sends pain signals for a reason and when we ignore them----it begins to hit us with the proverbial hammer. If it feels as though your spine is being ripped out of alignment, that would be a clear indicator that you don't have the strength...As you mentioned it is now giving you grief while trying other tricks.....It is telling you to avoid using it. Get it looked at it. There is a whole network of origins and insertions of muscle tissue etc....and something isn't happy. I have heard of too many people ripping rhomboids, rotator cuffs and serratus muscles with Twisted Grip... All those muscles are attached to the spine/ribs/upper skeleton.......If you have a look at the link...there are some relatively good pics on there that will show what I am trying to explain. http://fitfinity.net/2012/01/20/building-an-anatomy-book-back/ Hope that offers some insight.....Have a search through the forum posts...........there have been many discussions on TG and related injuries...... There is also additionally some fantastic information on form/technique..........but not every trick is meant for every body.....
Kslice · 10/10/2012
Its definitely the rhomboid muscles as i've had problems before but never mention it specifically because people would have no idea what im talking about lol. The pain i get is always primarily my left side, i also get this pain when i try to release out of an invert instead of bringing my legs onto the pole, its excrutiation no matter how much i rest is :S very bizzare. Thanks for the Forum links and stuff, ill start looking into it. As i said i really want to start dead lifting and i hope training in that will help increase my shoulder/back strength :\
reenie aka Mysfit · 10/10/2012
Aha....See...I tried to keep it as simple as possible as I never know what someone's background is.....no sense in me spouting off the proper terminology if no one will understand it....lol There are several of us Veeners who are Personal Trainers, Dr's, Nurses, Paramedics, Kinesiologists.....you name the medical professional...........there is likely one here. As it is those Rhomboids(which was my gut instinct based on the description of ripping your spine away) rest......really rest. Especially if you have already had problems with them. The pain you experience in those ribs, happen on the way down from an invert? get worse when you are coming out of a chopper/inverted v? That still happens to me on occasion if I am not paying attention to the descent..........Rude wake up call to say the least. I know better, I am way beyond strong..........I just get lazy and tired and don't think sometimes. If you have Veena's Lessons----Her tuck invert is an excellent tutorial to use. When I teach this at the studio....we start in tuck legs. The shorter the lever......the less intense we are fighting against gravity. Technique and form come into play here.....but if you have Veena's Lessons........She covers it all... If you don't have the lessons............I could type it all out.........but hey---why reinvent the wheel~~ Here is another really good tutorial from Amy. http://aerialamy.com/blog/2012/05/03/thursday-tip-chopper/ Love her blog! Tons of super info in there and she rocks.....like all Veeners!!
reenie aka Mysfit · 10/10/2012
Oh....and do you do any other type of fitness besides pole? Rows are an excellent way to build strength in the Rhoms..........Pull ups are great for Lats. It is really hard to get those low lats firing......pull ups(even assisted ones) is one way of doing it or an overhead dumb bell pullover while lying on a bench---but I don't like that exercise as it will put way too much strain on the lumbar if someone has a weak core....or just lacks a sense of awareness. Are you on Facebook with me? I am reenie mysfit pole or my page--www.facebook.com/MysfitFitness I will be posting workout tips etc wednesdays..........
Kslice · 10/10/2012
brilliant, ive just liked your page so thanks for the heads up! in regards to the invert on the decent yes in the chopper is the most painful. I have strong core and muscles but i also have a heavy set body with some extra weight which i think really hinders my sometimes... its like lifting an arse of led over my head so its a lot of pressure on my joints etc. I have a pull up bar in my bedroom door which i try to do one or two everytime i go in and out of the door, and i just do a mix between mens push ups and woman push ups but thats about the extent of my outer pole activities.
amy · 10/10/2012
you should NEVER come out of an invert with straight arms. If you are releasing down to hte ground (instead of wrapping your legs) you should pull UP to the pole to bend your arms and bring your legs down with control!! HUGE cause of rhomboid injury aside from kicking into choppers. see :25 and :42 at the video here: http://aerialamy.com/blog/2012/05/03/thursday-tip-chopper/
Veena · 10/10/2012
The twisted grip is a professional level move. Never kick up into the twisted grip. Flexibility and stability of the shoulder is needed to perform this move safely. Before working on this move inverts and shoulder mounts should be soiled and very controlled. The body must be highly conditioned before working on these high level moves. Even with all of these suggestions taken into consideration, I have still seen this move injure dancers..... Kslice, I took a look at your most recent video and I would suggest working on your basic invert and aerial invert technique, once your injury is better. In your aerial invert you're starting off holding the pole near the forearm, instead it should be by the armpit. This will save your upper back/shoulders and give you more control. 🥂 Aerial Invert. https://www.studioveena.com/lessons/view/4f69dbcd-582c-4f2b-87e8-2c070ac37250 Working on some shoulder conditioning exercises would also be very helpful.
Veena · 10/10/2012
Solid not soiled. LOL!! 😲
Kslice · 10/10/2012
Studio Veena, thanks heaps for the tip with the aieral. Ive only just in the last couple of weeks after poling for a year been able to even lift into an invert or aieral even tho i can do most the standard advanced tricks... seems silly but for some reason my body just couldnt comprehend the rock back motion. So any tips and tricks to make life easier are more than welcome. In regards to the twisted grip, should i just practice dead lifting? like getting the arm position and trying to hold my weight correctly for a couple of seconds.. should this help improve the strenght in my back? since this video, ive been able to pretty much lift into a shoulder mount so i think i should have enough core hopefully and i know that its going to take about a million years for me to deadlift but i guess it that exersize helps with other aspects its worth it? sorry for so many questions, its just every school teaches stuff so differently and what they say is the right and wrong thing to do! Also since iv started trying to Twisted grip i seem to have lost my abiility to just handspring which i nail easily >:| poling can be so frustrating sometimes lol
Veena · 10/10/2012
Personally I would place the twisted grip on the back burner for now. Focus on increasing strength and control in your other moves. It really frustrates me that studios teach the twisted grip This grip should be left for professional level dancers, even then, I am far more impressed with other grips. Anywho, If you do decide to work on it again, try using a twisted grip coming off the pole, not as a way to mount the pole. This will allow you to work on controlling the movement. I would not work on deadlifting. 🌸 Here is an old video of myself working on an iron x, so you can see what I mean about doing it from on the pole instead of as a mount. read the description too. https://www.studioveena.com/videos/view/4d83f54c-9954-488c-917f-06550ac37250
Kslice · 10/10/2012
thanks again! Yeah i used to practice coming off the pole a lot, but my one at home is 50mm and my grip is the horendous for aysha, straight edge, irox X sort of stuff, i hope to get a 45mm brass soon to stop this problem as i find the 50mm really holds me back in training compared to at a studio. I thought tru grip might be better as you can use more top arm strenght but wasnt sure. Alright get T.G is on the back burner and strengthing my inverts is in gahhh feels wierd going back to the beginning bit the more i progress in this sport the more i realise the sloppy techniques ive taught myself which need to be corrected!
Veena · 10/10/2012
It's always great to work on fundamentals! Here is a great example of how great "basic" moves can look fab! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi25Vm38gwY&feature=g-high-u