working both sides in advanced moves

Krista Bocko started this discussion · 2/19/2013

So I've been thinking and wondering about other's preferences and abilities in doing more advanced/advanced moves. We know we should work both sides, but how many people can actually DO moves on both sides...like aysha, cartwheel, iron x, etc? And what side do you prefer to invert on compared to whether you're right or left handed? I perfer to invert to the left of the pole (so right hand is on the bottom). So I do my SG Aysha that way usually and prefer it....actually I don't know if I've tried it opposite? I can only cartwheel mount (so far) with my right hand on top though, so it's reversed in that scenario. I shoulder mount on my right shoulder 99% of the time though I can SM on my left also. Just wondering about you guys. Sometimes there doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason as to what moves 'click' on dominant/non dominant sides?

18 replies

Charley · 2/19/2013
I'm the same as you Sparrow - I like left hand high and right low in inverted repel moves. I've been training both sides on all fronts now and the perk is that when I demo a move on my bad side my students can make fun of me - but I can also slow it down. :) I am right handed and i invert with the pole to my right - so left hand high Sm - right shoulder aysha/handspring/etc - all left hand high and right hand low gemini - left leg scorpio - right Interested to see what everyone else says :)
HotelChick · 2/19/2013
I'm right handed, but I do a lot of lifting and other tasks with my left. I think that's because my mother is left handed and I learned those things by watching and mimicking her actions. I invert comfortably on both sides, but prefer one side for most tricks. For Superman, I like right hand high. Gemini - both sides, Scorpio - right leg. Here's where things get weird: Ayesha - right hand low, Handspring and Cartwheel - left hand low. Forearm grip for ayesha, straight edge, brass monkey - left forearm grip, Forearm grip for Flag - right forearm. And, just to really mix things up, when I go from CAR to brass monkey, I'm most comfortable with a right forearm grip.
Saphyre · 2/20/2013
Well, Charley. We have more in common. All the moves you listed, I do on the same side as you. I am right handed. What bothers me is that this leaves me with a left handed Superman (I get into it from side V) and that isn't working out very well! I have the thigh grip, but don't quite have the hand grip. When I climb, my right foot is behind the pole, and when I side climb, I use my right leg first. Going to try Superman from there at some point! I tried a Holly drop and about tore the skin off my thigh because I wound up in a non-dominant Scorpio! I would love to be able to do a Gemini climb, but I don't have the ability to aerial invert on the other side yet. I am still in the beginnings of inverting on my non-dominant side and only get as far as Gemini, and have to use my hands in Inverted Crucifix. Most spins I can do on both sides. Just more reasons to work on both sides! I think this is a crucial next step...
Danielle Tillie · 2/20/2013
I'm left handed, but I invert with my right side on the pole (left hand high). All of my repel moves are like Charley's, right arm low. I can do a wobbly elbow grip aysha with left hand low. I can invert on my bad side and do all the usual leg grip tricks, painfully. When I was injured a few months back I had to focus on my bad side spins quite a bit, and that brought my left arm up to speed with my right, which improved my bad side invert greatly. I'm much more balanced now.
CapFeb · 2/20/2013
I actually excel at advanced moves but suck at beg/int when it comes to being amadextrius. I can do janeiro on both my right and left side, and CAR -> flag on both sides. Aysha and caterpillar both sides. gemini? NOPE. Not happening on my right.
MellyMelody · 2/20/2013
CapFeb I know exactly what you mean. Though I haven't tried the Janerio and a few other advanced moves. I'm good at trying any hard trick(take me a few try's) but beg/and some intermediate moves I can't do...lmaooo
Krista Bocko · 2/20/2013
Interesting! I forgot to say I'm right handed. Danielle and Charley...when you cartwheel is your left hand always on top then? For me it's my right hand on top, but I aysha off the pole with my right on the bottom. I need to see if I can do it the other way off the pole. Hm!
dustbunny · 2/20/2013
This is kinda funny. I am right-handed, but my left hand has the better grip for spins. In all inverted repels I have to have my right hand towards the floor (which made learning cartwheel mount a mess, because I cartwheel on the floor the opposite way, lol) I haven't been able to do anything truly advanced on both sides yet. However I can do an upright split-grip hold both ways, but can't hold it as long with left hand towards the floor. I invert with the pole to my right, right hand low, most of the time but can dead lift it from both sides if I want. Leg hangs I can do on both sides, although the non-dominant is quite painful as my body is just not used to it. I climb with my right foot behind the pole, but side climb, left leg first.
Charley · 2/20/2013
I *can* sm on my left but it hurts like no other - geez!!!!!!!! Which doesn't make much sense since I tg and have a lot of flexibility on my left side (more so than my right.) My left hand is always on top for every mount - invert, jamilla, handspring, cartwheel. I'm working on the right arm - I'm a scaredy pants and have a hard time commiting though. I've been working the butterfly and SG aysha from oppostie side as opposed to mounting sg. It's how I teach - you have to be able to hold the pose before doing the mount and I'm not ready for the mount with my right arm up. I find this really interesting - so many left hand high inverters. Who was studio trained and who was yt trained? I wonder for myself if I wouldn't be more successful with my right arm as my stablizer since essentially it should be stronger but perhaps learning from YT I "mirrored" what I saw putting me on my left?
Krista Bocko · 2/20/2013
I have tried and tried the sg mount with left arm high, and I can't even get close. I feel REALLY solid in it with right arm high though, which kinda makes sense b/c it's my stronger side and isn't the upper arm taking more weight? I can't really tell when I'm up in it. lol. But then, as I said, my left arm is the upper arm when doing this off the pole, so it's opposite. I think most of us prefer to invert from the left side of the pole because the bottom arm is the dominant arm. Same with the SM. My training has come from here and watching yt. To me, it really helps see to moves demo'd both sides, but I realize the harder the move, the less likely that may be.
Krista Bocko · 2/20/2013
I have tried and tried the sg mount with left arm high, and I can't even get close. I feel REALLY solid in it with right arm high though, which kinda makes sense b/c it's my stronger side and isn't the upper arm taking more weight? I can't really tell when I'm up in it. lol. But then, as I said, my left arm is the upper arm when doing this off the pole, so it's opposite. I think most of us prefer to invert from the left side of the pole because the bottom arm is the dominant arm. Same with the SM. My training has come from here and watching yt. To me, it really helps see to moves demo'd both sides, but I realize the harder the move, the less likely that may be.
Elektra Vallens · 2/20/2013
- I'm right handed. - Right hand high invert is more comfortable, but can do left ground and aerial - Right side gemini and left scorpio best, but after practicing a lot of right side gemini --> right side scorpio --> left side gemini --> left side scorpio switches, it's about the same now. I still suck at inverting directly into right side scorpio, though. On the other hand, I only have an allegra from right side scorpio. - Left side SM is dominant, but can do right side.(Though all SM-based tricks on left only) - TG ayesha goes both ways comfortably, as does my crappy iron X. - SG and EG ayesha goes both ways, but SG is better right hand up and EG is better right hand down. - CG ayesha right hand up only. - TG handspring left hand up only. - Cartwheel mount right hand up only. Basically, my right arm is dominant. Where it goes depends on where it's needed most. Except with the shouldermount, I guess, and I think that's just because I learned it on the left side for some reason.
HotelChick · 2/20/2013
I'm studio taught. Have picked up a lot of the advanced stuff from a combo of studio classes, Veena's lessons, videos and Skype sessions with members here. I try all new moves on both sides when I'm "figuring them out". I think I just stick with the side that feels most comfortable or the side that I'm working when I finally nail the new move. I do find it very odd that I feel very weak in any split grip spin with right hand low, but vary the low hand for advanced split grip poses. Weird!
PlatinumAni · 2/20/2013
Exactly to same as Charley. :) I can sg aysha on my other side easily, but not eg or cartwheel. My invert is *almost* the same on both sides and I can sm and aerial sm both sides (left side hurts though). Been meaning to work my other side cartwheel/handspring but it is scary lol. I am actually pretty proud of my bad side work since I have been pretty consistent for 4-5 months now with it. It may not be pretty but I can pull almost all my moves on both sides now :)
Charley · 2/20/2013
I can do most all basics on both sides - and almost every single upright pose both sides with the excpetion of sitting (how funny is that? Twisted Ballerina- no problem - sit on the other side what??? lol) I feel like when I am in class teaching - since I generally teach anything inverted on my bad side - I will actually start getting confused and have found myself achieving ayshas and stuff - then after class I will try to dance and I feel like I forget how to do anything on either side - I will hang there thinking "wait - which is my better side, how do i aysha?" lol
Glamourize · 2/20/2013
I do the same thing Charley! I've recently started working my bad side still can't do Ayesha on it but yeah I get confused when I'm upside down and forget which is my good and which is my right!!! I've been finding also there is certain moves that I can't do on my good side but find it really easy on my bad side lol it's confusing!!
Kyrsten · 2/21/2013
I can do true grip handsprings on either side, split grip handsprings/cartwheels only with the left hand high, and twisted grip only with the right high! Not sure what gives lol. I also use my left shoulder to SM. I can get up on the right shoulder, but it feels wrong and looks ugly!
Drdredancer · 2/22/2013
I think it's important to do many things on both sides. It helps transitions and better combos. I trained myself to do the following on both sides: inverts, leg hangs, jades, superman, genie, SM, apprentice, knee hold, Cupid, splits, butterfly.... I still have so many to practice: brass monkey, true handspring, chopsticks... Everything else I do on my right... ; /