What's this move called?

moonflower started this discussion · 11/16/2010

It starts as a straight edge and can be done with any arm variation and then you arch your back and drop your knees to bring your foot close to your head. Does anyone know the name of this move or is it just a bent straight edge? I can touch my feet to my head with my back arched when I am on the ground, but when I do it on the pole, my back is barely arched. Any tips? What stretches should I be working on? Edit: also, there's another move, very similar but you put your legs on either side of the pole and arch your back so that the pole is behind you. I have only seen this one done with split grip. Does this move have a name as well?

8 replies

Journey · 11/16/2010
I can't do this one but I'm pretty sure the first move you're referring to is called the aysha arch (I'm sure it has other names). All I know is that you have to have wicked core strength so you don't break your back when you do this. The second one... 😕 um, sounds like a lunchbox using a split grip instead of iguana (once again it probably has another name) ... do you have a video or a picture to link to??
moonflower · 11/16/2010
I'm at work right now so I can't get youtube to work properly so Ican't provide videos. But I know Karol does both very beautifully.
amy · 11/16/2010
that leg variation is called a "fang" by the PFA (http://polefitnessassociation.com/documents/PFA_Visual_Dictionary.pdf onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) journey-- the one where your legs are on either side of the pole, is a split grip fang and can also be done with a twisted grip-- it's commonly done as a transition out of a handspring pencil/straight edge. your back isn't quite to the pole-- you're a little twisted around. moonflower-- another trick with fang legs can also be done out of the iguana mount or dropped into from a CAR- i think you've probably seen that one also? flexibility wise, i'm working on this too but as far as i know, it's just tons and tons of back stretches (bridges and cobras) and making sure your back is warm when you do the trick. one thing that my flexibility classes do is work on back strength- lay on your stomach with your hands behind your head, elbows wide, and try to get your chest as high off the ground as you can, then work to get your legs as high off the ground as you can while keeping them straight.
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moonflower · 11/16/2010
Is that 3rd move you are talking about just a very arched lunchbox? I've been doing a lot of cobras and back bends. Being in the air for hte move, there is nothing to push against so there must be strength and control through the whole range of movement. Kinda like how being abou tto get a flat splits ont eh ground doesn't mean a flat jade. To build ab strength, I get into a bridge from the ground and then lift myself up to standing...I can't drop to the bridge from standing yet, it's a mental block thing, arching backwards is scary. As for the fang with legs on either side, I can't seem to get into it with a TG grip. My hands are tiny and I find TG grip more secure as my hands wont; pop off the pole, but for this move, I can only do it with split grip. Are you sure it can be done with TG? My arm feels like it's in my way.
amy · 11/16/2010
Yes, the third move I was talking about is a lunchbox. To me, a lunchbox is always done from an iguana or CAR where your arms are behind you, straight, gripping the pole at about your butt, and it is always as arched as possible. The TG handspring can absolutely transition into a fang- I've seen Prana do it in person. Whether or not you need extreme shoulder flexibility I have no idea. Having a flat two handed jade doesn't require a flat split- you need to be close, but you can take your hips out of square and cheat the move. What you're having issues with is active flexibility. To get your feet to your head, you need to be able to elongate through the front of your body and contract the muscles in the back of your body. The exercise I mentioned is good for this (chest and leg raises on your stomach). Another thing to think about is that if you have good hip flexibility then you don't need as much in your back- one way to work this is to work squared splits and lean back to really open up the hip of the back leg.
moonflower · 11/16/2010
Oops, sorry, I don't mean I have problem with a flat jade. I meant that a flat split doesn't mean a flat jade as a comparison that touching my toe to my head on the floor doesn't translate to touching my toes to my head in the fang. I'll try the fang from TG again tonight and see if it's a shoulder flexibilty thing. Thanks. And to clarify, BOTH moves are called the fang?
amy · 11/16/2010
Fang is just the name for the leg position. So you can have a TG fang, SG fang, elbow grip aysha fang, etc. for TG try putting your legs on either side of that top arm.
Journey · 11/17/2010
This is all terminology that I'm not familiar with... Thanks for the link to the .pdf, Amyxshi - now I can get up to speed a bit. 🙂 I knew that the one move wasn't actually a lunchbox, because to me that's also specifically from the iguana, but I was just trying to make sure that I was visualizing the correct position to begin with from her description. I've seen it several times and I'd love to learn it someday, but it scares me... I'd be afraid of falling backwards. 😕