Twisted Grip issues with my hip!

jane ette started this discussion · 4/16/2014

So, I never thought I would have issues with my hip when working on twisted grip :( But, for some reason, when trying to lift off of the ground into twisted I grip, I swing my left foot and leave the ground with my right foot and that causes severe pain in my right hip. I know my body is facing the pole and then has to twist in the other direction, so that is probably putting a lot of torque on the hip. Is there some other way to get into the twisted grip from the floor that wouldn't cause so much hip pain? Or, maybe I'm doing something wrong?

35 replies

chemgoddess1 · 4/16/2014
You should not be swinging your legs at all. At some point in time you need to realize that not all moves are not suited for all bodies. Can you get into a twisted grip ayesha from the pole? Can you do a handspring in any other grip? Sorry if I sound like a bitch, but there is SO MUCH information out there about how bad this move is for SO MANY PEOPLE and yet instructors insist on teaching it.
jane ette · 4/16/2014
I was taught to swing my leg by my instructor, so I'm not sure why you are saying I shouldn't be swinging my leg. How else are you supposed to get into a twisted grip? Also, what do you mean that "at some point you need to realize that not all moves are not suited for all bodies"? This is the first time I ever asked a question about this move and I hardly ever ask questions on this site, so I'm confused why you would say this to me :( Are you confusing me with somebody else that has asked about this before? Yes, I can do the twisted grip Ayesha from the pole. I can do a cartwheel mount if that is what you mean? I have done the twisted grip handspring many times successfully. I just asked this question because it is causing hip pain and I was wondering if I was doing something wrong.
Webmaster · 4/16/2014
Please use the search box to search for twisted grip. It is, physiologically, a very dangerous move and not suited for most people. There are a tremendous amount of injuries related to it and Veena even refuses to teach it. You only increase the risk inherent in this move if you need momentum to get into it.
MissMonte78 · 4/16/2014
The pain in ur hip could possibly be related to a back injury u might not even know u have. Maybe a disc could be out? That could be why it triggers when u swing ur leg out. i completely agree with chemgoddes. About how some movements aren't meant for all human bodies. The twisted grip is horrible for ur joints no matter how u get into it. Using momentum is worse cause u are putting more stress on ur joints and it way more dangerous cause not everyone realizes they can't hold themselves up once they get their legs over their head. It's not that ur doing it wrong, there are better, more safer ways to get into it :) I hope this was somewhat helpful
korinne · 4/16/2014
I don't think Chem was trying to be mean. She's just saying a lot of people have gotten injured doing twisted grip. The safest way to do twisted grip for all of your joints is to be strong enough to dead lift, strongly engaging the shoulder and back muscles to protect vulnerable structures such as ligaments, tendeons, etc., and to do it sparingly. Additionally, variations in individual joint structure can make the move more difficult or even impossible to do safely for certain individuals. That being said, this hip pain seems unrelated to the common injuries associated with TG. To understand the pain in your hip- can you describe it more? What type of pain--stabbing, shooting, cramping, etc. Does it spread anywhere? Does it happen with any other moves? How long does it last?
Rachel Osborne · 4/16/2014
Whenever my hips hurt its usually because I'm not fully engaging my whole core - not just locking abs in but pulling up pelvic floor, internally zipping up my 'corset' - the lower back, the side muscles, everything. I find locking external core and then thinking about activating my internal core muscles and my glutes - definitely my glutes - seems to make my pelvis more stable and prevents too much force being exerted into hip flexors or pelvic area. I am hypermobile so have really had to put lots of work into learning how to use my core to prevent shoulder and hip injury. I'm not an expert at all! Just an injury prone old ex dancer! HTH :)
x falcon 3 0 x · 4/17/2014
Not to detract from the hip issue and agreeing with chem & korinne, but I am anti swing as well. If you NEED momentum to handspring and your shoulders, back, etc aren't ready for the pressure and weight that you're about to suddenly mount onto them, then you're not conditioning for this move correctly. I've seen instructors teach the TGH by leading with the shoulder than spiraling the arm up and around instead of demonstrating shoulder engagement and sweeping the arm out to the grip. My instructor, who is also a Pilates instructor and massage therapist, teaches the TGH from the core out. That said, my own hip issues relate to how tight my hamstrings & IT band are. It's weird. I do a lot of foam rolling.
chemgoddess1 · 4/17/2014
Jane ette, I was not confusing you with some one else. As I stated (and Kori helped), twisted grip is one of those moves I really wish would just GO AWAY. Instructors will teach this because it is "easier" for people to learn because you are pretty much locking everything out to give you stability. Instructors will teach this before even teaching ayesha. As for your hip pain, the only thing I can think of is the amount of hip rotation that you may have (or not have) and how much flexy you have to do a straddle. But for your own safety I would suggest reading through a bunch of these discussions before considering even going farther with it if it is causing you pain: https://www.studioveena.com/searches/index/forum/1?s=twisted+grip
jane ette · 4/17/2014
Thanks for all the replies. I have read the threads on twisted grip and knew about the dangers before even attempting the move. I practiced for a long time and took it very slow not trying to rush this move because of the dangers associated with it. I kept monitoring my body to make sure I didn't have any shoulder or wrist pain which is what people usually complain about with twisted grip. I have no intentions to stop practicing this move, so it is not really helpful to tell me how dangerous this move is. I have seen lots of videos on here on ladies doing this move, so I figured I could get some helpful advice about what I might be doing wrong. If somebody could explain or had a video of how to get into twisted grip without swinging my leg, I would greatly appreciate it. As far as answering the question about my hip pain..........it is a sharp pain right in the joint that only lasts for about 30 seconds after I attempt the move. It is most likely due to not being flexible enough because I get the same pain when I'm working on my splits, but it is worse now because of working on twisted grip. I almost have my front splits, but I am pretty far away from a middle split, which is probably the position my hip is in right when I go to swing out. So, that was a very helpful comment. I will try to work on this move without swinging my leg. Thanks.
Krista Bocko · 4/17/2014
I think you're asking about a TG deadlift. Your chest is already turned upwards and you curl up and lift the legs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE02hZfVr0c
jane ette · 4/17/2014
You know, I got to thinking. Everybody is so anti-swing of the leg, so why is it ok in the cartwheel mount? The swing of the leg in this move is the almost the same thing in twisted grip. Veena teaches to swing the leg here: https://www.studioveena.com/lessons/view/4d8361e8-4b5c-46df-a8e6-5d4b0ac37250
Krista Bocko · 4/17/2014
It is ok because the arm is in a neutral position and is bent, so the shoulder muscles are protected and nothing is in a twisted, non neutral alignment.
Krista Bocko · 4/17/2014
BTW, I *do* swing my leg in twisted grip. i have not worked on it enough (in fact I have done it probably less that 20 times EVER) to deadlift or want to work on deadlifting it. My main focus is the other grips. Because I work on it so very little and I know I'm strong enough to hold other grips, I don't worry about swinging the leg.
IrishOrla · 4/17/2014
I find it a lot easier to do a tg handspring when my cheat is facing the ceiling already. This way I don't need to twist my hips or swing, I'm still working on a dead lift though because I have to jump in to it for now but I am aiming to get rid of the small jump completely. If you watch the last video I posted on here you will see what I mean. In my pole class most girls do it with swinging the leg but I just cannot do it like this. Have your chest facing the ceiling and your arms in position and try it then, I think you will find this way a lot easier for now before we master the deadlift. It isn't a permanent solution though because I understand tg can cause damage to your shoulders although I have been practicing this tg for maybe 6-7 months now with no pain. Each to their own but I like this grip. Just make sure you stretch properly and don't over do it. I find it isn't the arm that's in the twisted position that takes most of the weight but my arm at the bottom is pushing me more than anything. Hope this helps because I'm really not good at explaining things lol.
IrishOrla · 4/17/2014
Chest*
CrazyKosters · 4/17/2014
I do this move but it is dangerous. Pole is dangerous.. Try having your chest facing the ceiling and NOT turning into it if it is causing you pain. This is a public forum and just because you know the dangers, doesn't mean someone else reading this does. No one is being mean to you, don't take it personal. You are really not supposed to twist into this move that much, it might look pretty but unless you have the strength its not going to be good in the long run. A lot of people develop problems with this grip, just don't over do it. My 2cents...
CrazyKosters · 4/17/2014
I forgot to mention that I have had similar pain in my right hip when I twist with certain things and stretch for middle splits. My hip has a chronic history of rotating forward and being a little uneven. This has cause bursitis in the past when I was in the army. It acts up every once in a while and I have to take about a week or more off of anything that aggravates it when it is hurting. Try not doing anything that hurts it for a while and then make sure you are really warmed up and stretched before trying it again. I also used to get this pain when going into handstands by swinging my leg up. Consult with your dr or chiropractor to see if it is rotated. Work on conditioning exercises for your hips. Hope that helps!
jane ette · 4/17/2014
Well, I'm thankful for the help regarding my question. But, I do believe I will think twice before I ask a question about twisted grip again. It seems to be a very touchy subject on this site. Sorry to have caused such a ruckus. :/
chemgoddess1 · 4/18/2014
Jane ette, you need to remember that this site is about helping others. I started by stating I may sound like a bitch but..... Many of the people that are here have been in this game a LONG time. Many are physical therapists, doctors, study anatomy, have been injured, know someone who has been injured, etc. Pole has gone through stages. At first no one really cared about safety and just did moves any way they could get into them. Hell, I was taught how to jump and kick into an invert. I was taught split grip spins before I had the strength to execute them properly and was told that the pain in my forearms was typical and it will eventually go away. When twisted grip was first seen everyone wanted to do it no matter what. Now several years later we are learning that it is really hard on the body and can do a LOT of damage if not executed properly. I cannot begin to tell you how many people I know that have cracked their ribs attempting an Allegra. Sadly we do not always consider the dangers of a move before jumping into them. There are still instructors who teach students to kick and jump into an invert. There are still instructors that teach split grip spins almost immediately. Just because you see all sorts of people doing it on youtube or facebook does not make it "right". I have had conversations with professional pole peeps and they are horrified not only in how they used to teach but also in the quality (or lack there of) of instructing that is happening around the country. So many studios do not teach foundations. So many studios just don't care about your safety so that 5 or 10 years down the line your body is so abused that you can no longer pole. They are looking at the bottom line which is money. My comment and I am sure the rest of the comments here were not meant to inflame. You do not post much and you are a fairly new member. Without a foundation of who you are or where you are on your journey the first thing people are going to tell you is BE SAFE. That should actually make you pause and be grateful that we are looking out for your best interests. And I know I am a bitch and bluntly speak my mind, however those that initially thought that of me have gotten to know me and know that I am just a person who speaks the truth and will deliver that consistently without regard to offending feelings. The bottom line, this forum is about helping and trying to keep you safe and injury free. We don't want to see you broken and off the pole because of something that could have been prevented had you had the knowledge.
dustbunny · 4/18/2014
Your right, it is a touchy subject but don't take it personally. As someone mentioned the warnings aren't just for the op but because it is a public forum there may be beginners reading it who do not know of the dangers associated with the move. And I think that most of the people here would rather you ask questions if your unsure about something regarding twisted grip because it is so dangerous, rather than trying to figure it out on your own and risking injury. :) The best way for us to help you though is to see a video of what your doing. Best of luck with this move it is so impressive when done well. I don't have a link handy but there are some really good tutorials on YouTube that cover all the steps for conditioning and prep work before working the lift itself.
Dancing Paws · 4/18/2014
Is it possible you have snapping hip syndrome? You should talk to a doctor to find out. That is where the tendon snaps over bony structures in the hip. It can happen on the outside hip or the front hip flexor area. I have it in both places, so I cannot do straddle moves as the snapping causes pain. Some people with snapping hips feel no pain, but I was told the snapping can cause issues over time by wearing down the tissues involved. I suggest you talk to a doctor about the hip pain a) to get a diagnosis and b) to start strength and flexibility training to correct it. I went to physical therapy for snapping hips, and I still have to work on the strength and flexibility to remedy it.
jane ette · 4/19/2014
Thanks again everyone!! Like I said before, I am grateful for the help I received. I was just sorry if I stirred up anything, but now I see that I am glad we got all of this out :) I don't post any pics or videos because this is public and I only pole for my husband. There are many friends and family who would not understand my pole dancing, so I am just worried where my pics and videos would end up. There has been so many times that I wish I could post a video and ask for help. I thought of maybe making it dark somehow so that nobody could see my face? I really do appreciate this website and Veena and all the help!! :) Regarding the snapping hop syndrome........I probably do have that. My hip actually snaps all the time especially when I go to lift my leg, on the way down, my hip will snap. It feels like a tendon is rubbing over a bone.
jane ette · 4/19/2014
*hip
CrazyKosters · 4/19/2014
Just wanted to let you know that you have to be member to view the videos unless you make it public. Even then, unless you directed anyone with a link to your video, the chances of anyone outside of studioveena seeing it is pretty much non existent. Your images will not show up either in any search engine or google images. If anyone outside of this site did somehow see anything, you would have to ask them why they were looking up or googling pole dance stuff lol.
Lina Spiralyne · 4/20/2014
@CK How do I make a SV-video public/non-public?

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