yogini + short torso = OWWWWW!!!! help!

glitterhips started this discussion · 12/14/2010

Ok so as most of you know I am very short which usually seems to work to my advantage with most pole moves but the yogini is just sooooo painful for me and I'm wondering if it's because I have such a short torso? I feel like my torso is too short for me to grip properly with my side so all my weight ends up going on the inside of my arm and I get the most painful bruises and they burn! I don't think my bruises are supposed to feel like they're on fire! I know this is a painful move for everyone but I am pretty sure the pain I feel when I do it is not normal...I have worked through the pain of the teddy, superman etc and this doesn't feel the same way it felt with those moves. The teddy actually doesn't hurt me at all so I would think yogini shouldn't hurt as much as it does since I use the same arm and use the same part of it that I use for the teddy. It's just sooo painful and I keep trying this move over and over and it's not getting any better....could it be that I just don't have enough space on my side to do it properly? Amber worked on it with me during a private so I know my technique is correct as far as placement and I try to come around the pole as far as possible so I can get as much of my side on the pole as I can but it just hurts so so bad, the skin on my arm feels like it's ripping off and I get these gigantic bruises every time I practice, I would think by now my skin would have built up a tolerance to it like it has with all the other moves but it hasn't and I feel like that shouldn't be happening every time. I am putting this move on hold for now since I bruise so badly from it but I don't know if I will ever be able to do it which makes me sad because it looks so cool 🙁 suggestions anyone?

16 replies

amy · 12/14/2010
yeeeeeah glitter i think i was in chat the day we were talking about this. to get my yogini secure, i use the skin above my hip more than i use my armpit. which requires that you have a long enough torso, and enough back flexibility, to have your shoulders in front and hips behind (unlike a teddy where your hips are in front). i would imagine that if you can't do that, then yes-- you'd be hanging off your arm and armpit hold alone. which would suck.
glitterhips · 12/14/2010
yes now i remember! and i think you said you have a friend who has the same problem as me but is a rockstar on the pole otherwise? blahhhh damn my shortness!
amy · 12/14/2010
yeap! i think you're okay if you never can do the yogini. it's not a pretty trick, IMO, but it seems to impress people. you can try doing the rocketman, which shouldn't hurt AS much since its your side good and proper that sticks to the pole in that one.... i think. also the chopstix is sort of along the same lines as a rocketman grip wise, you could try that one too.
glitterhips · 12/14/2010
yeah i think i should probably give up at this point, which makes me sad because it does look impressive but i was thinking the same thing about the rocketman and i think ive accidentally done the chop sticks which still left bruises but not nearly as bad as the yogini bruises. thanks amy 🙂
amy · 12/14/2010
no prob glitter! you can also do a fun drop out of chopstix/rocketman into a diva sit/fetus on a stick/bomb/sit thing.
glitterhips · 12/14/2010
Umm can we get the name of that move officially changed to "fetus on a stick"? because that would make my life.
HellsBells · 12/14/2010
Awww Glitter you are depressing me. My crazy pole buddy has this on her list of moves for us to learn. I'm really short as well so I'm not looking forward to it as I am anticipating extreme pain now lol! 😲
Veena · 12/14/2010
I don't rely on the lower torso or hip area....The P.O.C is all about the upper torso and armpit and know how to use the armpit grip right. You can't just rely on skin. For all of the armpit grips you should focus on pressing the gripping arm/armpit PAST the pole locking you into the hold. If your not pressing past the pole with the arm all of your body weight is pulling down on your armpit making it very difficult to hold!! So use those muscles contract the scapula and use the rear deltoids to pull the arm back and across the pole 💪
amy · 12/14/2010
veena, what do you mean by pressing past the pole? do you mean actively pressing your arm into the pole and engaging? if yes, then i get what you're saying. but i think i'm a little confused about your points of contact? i think of the yogini in particular as pressing my arm into the pole, to push the pole into my side right above my hip. so just like with the climb, there's tension placed by pushing into the pole from two opposing points on the pole: in a climb, it would be side of knee and top of flexed foot; for me with the yogini it is inside of upper arm pushing the pole into your body, and side of torso right above the hip (like this picture of jenyne: http://www.myspace.com/jenynebutterfly/photos/16339210# onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;{%22ImageId%22%3A16339210}). are you talking about holding the pole in tension between the inside of your upper arm and upper side of ribcage, by the armpit? that sounds diesel!
Veena · 12/14/2010
Sorry I don't think I finished my thought....was in a rush, Chris was waiting for me in the car.....anyway, no your not only using the arm/torso.....what I meant to say in a nut shell was... it can be helpful for the dancer to focus on the proper arm positioning....this will take way a lot of the stress on the side of the torso near the hip. I didn't mean to leave out the side altogether but my point was don't rely completely on that poor torso!! Proper arm placement and use is one of the most important things for this move.
PowerTwirl · 12/15/2010
I'm short (5 foot even) and the yogini is awkward for me too. I've done it like once but it looks so bad that there's really no point in trying anymore. My shortness also means I can't do those "stag" moves... you know like Felix does so well, where you are in arabesque position... one leg wrapped on the pole, then grabbing your other foot behind you... I do not have enough torso to physically wrap my body around the pole... just ain't happenin. Oh well !!
ottersocks · 12/15/2010
Totally echo Veena. That armpit has to be squeezing like mad. Don't just hang off your skin, relying on stick--that hurts like a mother. Push your hip into the pole as well, gotta get the push going in two places like Amy said. I find this position doesn't lock in until you fully arch and grab your outside ankle behind you. Felix is short. Jenyne is short. Karol is miniature. You can do this. Oh and "fetus on a stick"--WIN!!!!! 🥂
Audball · 12/16/2010
I did the yogini today actually for the first time. Im pretty short too -5'3" is being generous! I find thing like the ballerina and allegra difficult i think sure to the fact that you have to arch the body around the pole, I actually didnt find the yogini to be so bad in the respect, as long as I squeeze with my arm and get an arch with the legs to make my hip puch against the pole it seems to be okay. ALthough I've only tried it once as I'm too sore to try again, lol! I'm sure you'll get it glitter 🙂
glitterhips · 12/21/2010
ottersocks I should have clarified my post a little better....i'm not worried about not being able to do it because i'm short, i just have a really short torso in comparison to the rest of my body and i feel like even though karol and jenyne are really small too, they're more evenly proportioned than I am. I will try the armpit squeezing thing but I still can't really lock myself into position with the side of my torso/hip so maybe that's why I end up just hanging from my armpit and having searing pain, boooo 🙁
Ritalin · 12/22/2010
Hi Glitter, I'm short too, and have a reasonably short torso too (and short stumpy legs... I'm all ass! 😉 ) I've been able to do the yogini and ballerina type moves. I think maybe your problem might be a lack of flexibility thought your back and/or torso? I initially found the ballerina difficult because I couldn't twist to reach the pole above me. I would feel a stretch all the way down through my side, and over my hip when I tried. After practicing it a while, I became more flexible and just got it! Try this stretch... it might help a little: Sitting on the ground with your legs out in a V. place your left hand on the inside of your right thigh. Take your right hand up and over to grab your left ankle. Now pull up and back through your right arm pit. You should feel a good stretch all down through your side. 🙂
moonflower · 12/30/2010
Another shorty here, 4'10". Yogini is painful and I have to rely on mostly my arm pressing the pole against my ribs. I also have a alot of trouble getting ym torso to wrap aroudn the pole for the ballerina and the allegra. I can do it, and it look decent, but it's difficult. I have to mentally lengthen the torso and wrap it aroudn carefully or else it just don't reach. I don't think it's a case of lack of flexibilty, I see a lot of people with less flexibilty than I do these moves. I'm pretty sure it's the short torso.