What's the secret to the TG Handspring??

pink bubbles started this discussion · 3/3/2011

Hi everyone! I spent half an hour of my practice last night trying to do the TG handsping but I seem to always be stuck at the same place. I think my position is correct from all the videos I've watched, I kick my leg back and bring both my legs in a sort of tuck position but then, I can't find the strength to straighten them up. Is it an ab strenghth problem or the arms? Also, my left wrist (my left hand was the lower one) is very sore today.. is that normal? I would've thought it would be the twisted wrist that would be more sore. I hate beeing stuck with a move like that!!! Any advice appreciated 🙂

9 replies

PoleWarrior · 3/6/2011
When I first learn the TG, I found it helped to have the lower hand quite low and the whole arm straight. If its bent, you may not be able to push yourself up. I also did quite a big kick up into it as I needed quite a lot of momentum to get into it. Once you're in the tuck position, try and push your belly towards the ceiling using your abs, your lower arm to push and your top arm to pull. You can even get into that position without the momentum of the handspring: start at the pole with your hands in TG position then rotate your chest towards the ceiling. You should be able to push into the TG position without the kick. I also RESTED my shoulder every 2 days or so and I generally left the TG til last in my pole sessions. Now that I can do it, I'm working on reducing the kick because it can be very jarring on the shoulders so make sure to look after your shoulders!
PoleKitten87 · 3/6/2011
I had one sort of before, I could only get up into a tuck, never straddle or jackknife or anything once I was up. Yesterday, after some tweaking in stance while jamming with some talented ladies, I got a TG handspring into straddle, although only could hold for a split second each time. Probably a lot due to excitement in getting it! Whenever I get the vid I'll probably post it. I found that starting lower helped a lot. I put my top arm at shoulder height like I would doing a cartwheel mount, then twisted the grip, and put my bottom arm pretty low. Bent down and "piked" my legs before giving a kick for my momentum (nowhere near being able to just lift yet). The leg momentum on my leading leg might have helped continue my trip up into the TG straddle, instead of staying tucked the whole time. Hope that makes some sort of sense.
Angel1201 · 3/6/2011
Hey pink bubbles, not to scare you, but I tore a tendon in my R arm from the TG handspring. I did it multiple times in a row early in the morning and then later in the day I busted one out when I wasn't warmed up. I heard a rip. Now granted I was 38 when it happened, but I am super conditioned and I had been poling for 2 years when this happened. I guess it was a combo of too much work on a cold muscle that was in a twisted and elongated position. A year and a half later and I'm still not back to normal. I just spent two months in Physical therapy and get autologous blood transfusions to the area as well. I also wore a brace for a year and took prescription anti-inflamatory meds. Oh, and there were the cortisone shots.... I teach a teacher training program and I advise my trainees not to teach it. Just do it the regular way. You could try lowering into it from an inversion so you don't have that sudden pull and force of the handspring on your tendon.
Shellectra · 3/6/2011
Good warning Angel, Twisted Grip can easily cause injuries! I stick to split grip I don't want to ever risk an injury like that :( I know it could happen in split grip but theres less pressure on the twisted wrist, I never get any pain after doing split grips (I do them a lot) but after twisted grip tries (and I can't even try, I just try the position) my wrist already hurts :( Be careful
Angel1201 · 3/6/2011
I should add that this wasn't just a minor tear. My forearm extensor common tendon is 50% torn off the bone😮. My official diagnosis is 'lateral epicondylitis' otherwise know as tennis elbow. Doc says I shouldn't grip anything hard with my right hand. You know, like a pole! LOL.
Shellectra · 3/6/2011
omg!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thats devastating :( :(
pink bubbles · 3/7/2011
OH!!!! Angel, wow, that is pretty scary!!! After reading this I think I'm going to lay off TG handsping for a while... my wrist still hurts anyway. How are you feeling now? Did you have to stop poling? Thanks for your advice everyone!
Angel1201 · 3/8/2011
Thanks for asking pinkbubbles. I'm doing much much better. Physical therapy was great and the pain has almost completely lifted. I did stop poling and even yoga was difficult and I love both so much!! Pole safe ladies!!!🙊 I highly recommend Veena's strengthening exercises!
NikkiP20 · 3/9/2011
Hey pink bubbles....it sounds like you may not be strong enough yet to perform this trick. The TG handspring requires total upper body strength(shoulders,back,lats, & abs). I always tell my students for any handspring variation to start super low. So that when you kick up you do not have to kick up so high and you are able to find your balance easier and work your way up the pole. A good exercise in conditioning your shoulders is getting into a TG handspring position facing the pole, pull up with your top arm & push up and out with your bottom arm & twist your body away from the pole & then come back to starting position. I also read that your bottom wrist is bothering you. When i first started doing handsprings my bottom wrist did the same thing, I rested it for about week(i still poled but no handsprings) and it was ok after that. The bottom wrist hurting could be from a couple of things: when in your handspring, your holding yourself up mostly with your bottom arm instead of equally with both arms & shoulders or your wrist is not strong enough yet. I hope i was able to help you out...Happy Poling😀