What's your current nemesis?

polergirl started this discussion · 7/27/2013

I thought it might be fun to have a nemesis thread....who knows, someone may have a great tip for yours, and you may have a great tip for someone else's! For three stinkin' years it was superman. I could do aysha, straightedge, aerial SM, you name it.....all long before I finally nailed my superman lol. But now it's mine. Ha! And Because of my seemingly endless superman-related pain and suffering I'm an excellent superman troubleshooter, yay! Then it was a dead lift handstand to the pole. Got that one too, after giving up on it about a million times. So my new nemesis move seems to be batwing. No can do......yet!!! Oh, that and EG iron X. So troublesome. And, uh, meathook.

43 replies

Misspolejava · 7/27/2013
I just got the batwing but I'm not sure if I know it well enough to trouble shoot. :/ I can do twisted grip deadlift, working on fonji, and some other advanced tricks - but for some reason the handspring evades me. It's just the timing. I have no idea why lol I dread going into an advanced workshop in Vegas that starts with handsprings (cup grip) :/ I can go out and pull in again from my iron x but why not from the ground twisted grip is no problem though.
Beckypolegirl · 7/27/2013
Handspring and cartwheel mount :(
Quirkygrl16 · 7/27/2013
I've only been poling for 2/3 months ish... but I love it! Ironically floor work is a nemesis for me. I just never look sexy doing it !! XD I also keep getting stuck with my back hook and making it look better.
prettypuff1 · 7/28/2013
I'm dealing with shoulder mount and split grip butterfly issues. Shoulder mount hurts a lot and split grip butterfly hurts. I'm coming back from a few months break so ill get them down again soon
calipolepixie · 7/28/2013
Caterpillar!!! Grr! Been struggling with it on & off for the last year. I put it on back burner for a couple months, then come back to it. This stint, I have been working on it about 2 months...just going to keep at it until I get it this time, even if it takes me a few months to finally get it. Russian layback/Viwa is another one that I have been battling for about 2 weeks. Janeiro has also been causing me some major turmoil this past week as well.
Sincharella · 7/28/2013
Handspring.... 🙁
Krista Bocko · 7/28/2013
Great thread! So, polergirl...would love to hear some of your troubleshooting tips for superman! I have found with my students that they tend to get 'stuck' as they try to drop their hips. EG iron x is my nemesis move right now too. As are deadlift handstands...but I haven't revisited that in awhile. I haven't tried batwing or meathook. How do you get into the meathook?
Kobajo84 · 7/28/2013
Mine is any move that requires stomach contact against the pole. I had surgery in February and those moves I've been keeping away from because I had a momentary unpleasant experience with the pain associated with that area awhile back so I've been avoiding those moves like the plague. LOL. I haven't dealt with pain in that area other than that one time and I'm sure things have healed to where it would be fine now, but my brain can't get around the shock from that experience. Needless to say, no meathook attempts for me. Maybe in a couple months.
Lee lee · 7/28/2013
For me...the caterpillar, but I've figured out what I was doing wrong so now it's just a matter of building up th strength (I think).
onceuponapole · 7/28/2013
I have two at this point -- elbow stand and butterfly. It took me a good 10-15 tries before I figured out the physics of both. I'm now able to execute these moves but they still a lot of work.
hookedonpole · 7/28/2013
EG Ayesha 🙁
Tasha J · 7/28/2013
Butterfly and Cupid for me. I understand the mechanics of the butterfly but when I try to extend my leg back, I start to feel unbalanced and feel like I'm going to fall. Cupid and I have NEVER gotten along since I first introduced to it...which was around August of last year.
Vanessa Schmidt · 7/28/2013
Floorwork and lifting into inverts. I had issues with my front hook and plank but once I figured out it was all in the way the hips and toes were placed it came a lot easier!
sassylina · 7/28/2013
My nemesis right now is the advanced plank. I walk my top hand as low as possible and then place my bottom hand on the pole. But I can't get a full grip until I let go of my top hand. I guess my arms are to short. When I look at the lesson, Veena has a full grip with both hands and then lets go of her top hand. But I don't have a full grip. I can only reach with part of my fingers and can't grab the pole with my whole hand.
DanniJ · 7/28/2013
Cupid! ! I think I understand the push and pull mechanism, just can't do it! Moves like cartwheel, dead lift or iron x, I can't do them yet, but every time I practice, I know I'm getting somewhere closer. I can feel the tiny progress. Just don't feel it for Cupid! Arrrgh...
polergirl · 7/29/2013
Sparrow, here's my go-tip for students who are having a tough time with the hip flip (which was my problem forEVERRRRR): when they're bracketed out, bottom leg extended, have them turn out at the hip on that bottom leg--the top of the pinkie toe should face down to the floor. When they're in the right position, the pole is basically resting at the inner thigh (rather than the front of the thigh as it might be in a traditional bracket) and the hips are turned to face slightly downward. It makes it MUCH easier to get that top leg off the pole, bring knee to nose, and complete the flip if your hips are already halfway turned. If that doesn't make sense I'll record a quick video tutorial Thursday when I'm at the studio next. :)
polergirl · 7/29/2013
Sparrow, here's my go-tip for students who are having a tough time with the hip flip (which was my problem forEVERRRRR): when they're bracketed out, bottom leg extended, have them turn out at the hip on that bottom leg--the top of the pinkie toe should face down to the floor. When they're in the right position, the pole is basically resting at the inner thigh (rather than the front of the thigh as it might be in a traditional bracket) and the hips are turned to face slightly downward. It makes it MUCH easier to get that top leg off the pole, bring knee to nose, and complete the flip if your hips are already halfway turned. If that doesn't make sense I'll record a quick video tutorial Thursday when I'm at the studio next. :)
polergirl · 7/29/2013
Sparrow, here's my go-tip for students who are having a tough time with the hip flip (which was my problem forEVERRRRR): when they're bracketed out, bottom leg extended, have them turn out at the hip on that bottom leg--the top of the pinkie toe should face down to the floor. When they're in the right position, the pole is basically resting at the inner thigh (rather than the front of the thigh as it might be in a traditional bracket) and the hips are turned to face slightly downward. It makes it MUCH easier to get that top leg off the pole, bring knee to nose, and complete the flip if your hips are already halfway turned. If that doesn't make sense I'll record a quick video tutorial Thursday when I'm at the studio next. :)
polergirl · 7/29/2013
Oh boy. Sorry about the triple post! Webbie, please feel free to delete the extras. :/
Krista Bocko · 7/29/2013
Ah, yes, that makes great sense. Thank you! 'Super' helpful!! :)
prettypuff1 · 7/29/2013
Please record it!!! I am having trouble with this as well
Autumn Sky · 7/29/2013
Love this thread. I have been struggling with the extended butterfly for two whole months now, and it still escapes my brain. I agree with Tasha J...extending by back leg makes me feel unbalanced and my head will not let me release that back leg. Butterfly to flatline Scorpio no problem, but just have not gotten the extended butterfly. Glad to know I am in good company. P.S.-Another reason I like this thread. Even though I KNOW all the moves I see everyone do in their videos took A LOT of practice and hard work, sometimes I still get frustrated with myself. This thread reminds me that everyone struggles with something no matter what level you are.
SpeedyG · 7/29/2013
It has been almost 15 months since I started pole fitness, and I can do a lot of the poses and I have a good strong grip,great abs and big shoulders....they have become a "decoration", because I still can not do a deaflift nor a handspring. I still do not know why!?!? I can do an awesome butterfly, superman,caterpillar and an horrible handspring from the pole down.:-( Anyone else is having this problem after trying it for sooooo long?
Juicy J · 7/29/2013
Wow! Whatta great tip, Polergirl! I am going to try that tip as I have always had trouble with rolling over and lowering the hips in my Superman! I have also been struggling with this move for over 3 years now! It's a bit of a hit and miss for me. Mainly a miss. Haha.
polergirl · 7/30/2013
For those having trouble with butterfly....it's all about creating triangles with your body and the pole. Remember, triangles are strong! You want to keep your body as square to the pole as possible, and equalize your weight distribution between your arms and legs. Your hips *must* be further away from the pole than your shoulders or your weight will be mostly on the bottom arm and your butterfly will feel unbalanced. Think of making a triangle from your low hand through your shoulder to your hip, then to the knee of your catch leg (the leg on the pole). Also, the more you let your free leg drop back from the hip, away from the pole, the more you'll distribute your weight and allow that catch leg to take some of it.

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