Dancing Paws started this discussion ·
Hey all. I'm curious, is the twisted grip an unsafe grip from an injury stand point, for the shoulder mount? I know it's not good for handsprings
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Hey Aerial Gypsy! The thing I have learned about twisted grip is that it is an alternative. Meaning, you should develop the strength necessary to do a proper shoulder mount & handspring before using twisted grip. Since TG places your shoulder in an unnatural position it tends to be a bit easier to `hang`from versus `pull`from. Once you master the other grips and develop sufficient TG becomes a bit more safe because you know and understand how to activate the muscles needed. I unfortunately learned this the hard way as I learned everything from TG first and have the injuries to show from it. I still use TG but I no longer have pain because I am not relying on the grip but my strength - hope that all makes sense!!
Good to know. Thanks for that!
I do not have the shoulder and wrist felxibility to even grab the pole for this shoulder mount. I do not think it is as bad as the handspring and it make some transitions easier due to hand placement.
I don't do this regularly, but I can and it's in indication of my ab strength at that moment. If I try it and can't get my hips up then I know I have to work on those fun pelvic floor exercises. I don't tempt fate by dangling from my wrists and trying it over and over.
It can be quite bad. I've been feeling it in my shoulder after doing it, but that's mostly after doing it on spinning. I think it's important to engage the muscles a lot in the arm that is not in the twisted grip. That should decrease the impact on the top arm/shoulder. I admit that this is my favourite SM grip despite everything. But it's not always possible to use it, it depends on what you will transition into.
korinne ·
This hurts me way more than TG handspring. If I do more than one, I feel it for a few days afterwards... I can't envision it being good for you!
Veena ·
I would avoid it if you don't have to use it.
Us Aussies apparently love the TG shoulder mount! I learnt the twisted grip hand position from my very first level, and did little "hitch kicks" in it, then slid that down to the floor. It was only after about a year and a half that I learned to shoulder mount into it, and by then the hand positioning was so natural to me, and I understood the amount of pull I needed my muscles to have for it to be safe. When I was 15 I dislocated my shoulder and tore my rotator cuff. I could not move my arm any higher than parallel to the floor for about 2 years, with lots of rehab and physio in between. So ,because of that old injury I still have quite a lot of tightness in my shoulder muscles. and even I don't find it difficult, or likely that I will injure myself. That being said, I have had a lot of practice building up to it, with my arms in the position. So I think it would be very different for someone not used to twisted grip to start off learning to handspring or shoulder mount with that grip. You have to learn to crawl before you can walk, and walk before you can run.
msusagi ·
Looked up TG because this is what we did too with the hitch kick in my beginner class. It was OK... I feel very occasional tinge of pain in my elbow and the bony side of my forearm but that could be a combination of various ways in which my arm is being put under a bit of strain with pole dancing.
Veena ·
I NOT kick into any move with a TG grip! It's safest to work on twisted grips from and invert OFF the pole not kicking up to the pole from standing.
Veena ·
Do not Kick* lol not I not
Veena, the hitch kick is just a kicking motion with the legs, with your arms in the TG position. You're not kicking into an invert or kicking into any other move.... the kick is the move itself. A lot of the time the hitch kick is taken into a slide on the floor. msusagi, you shouldn't have any pain at all... and your arm shouldn't be under any strain. If you're feeling pain you should let your teacher know so that they can correct your form if it's out, or come up with a more hand position for you :)
Veena ·
If it's a dance hitch kick, why would they be using a tg and not a split or true grip though? Some people may have pain in tg even if no lift occurs. TG is not right for everyone even from standing.
msusagi ·
I think I am a bit of a wuss... it's not really hurting when I am doing it or afterwards and not affecting my movement. I am just keeping a watch on anything that feels uneasy, and I feel it's not because of the TG. But yep... it's just a dance kick. The instructor had an alternative grip for anyone who felt pain with the twisted grip.
Veena ·
That's great to hear the instructor offered an alternative!!! :)
They probably used TG, because Twisted grip is very common here in Australia. split grip wouldn't work because you're in front of the pole, not to the side. cup grip would work, and was probably the alternative given :)
