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Getting Over Falls and Caterpillar Climb?
Okay so recently I was practicing doing the caterpillar move on the pole, and my instructor suggested we try to advance it into doing a climb using the elbow hold and just pushing up. It definitely looked simple when she did it, and I've done an aysha before so I figured it was similar. However, when I tried it long story short I didn't understand the concept of how hold on to the pole and to get up backwards so I pretty much free fell a few feet and rolled. My question is with this, what exactly is holding you up when you go up backwards? It seems like my knees are not enough to hold my entire body weight and when I let go with those how do I stay up?
And also, has anyone else had a fall that bad? I got a cut eyebrow, a bruised rib and somehow managed to bite my lip in all of that :/ (It was a wood floor lol). But because of that now I'm very very hesitant to do any new invert tricks, ESPECIALLY that one. Any advice?
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10 Replies
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I haven't had a fall like that…but to be fair, I've not done any inverted moves except for a very basic, low-to-the-ground Cross Knee Release, very slowly! lol
I'm terrified of being upside down. Even a plank/layback is difficult…but, I'm learning.
In your case, perhaps practicing the basic Caterpillar, like the stance and just moving in that position without changing your grip, would be beneficial. I'm sure I'll have to do this when I get there!
And, from what I understand, from watching Veena's lessons on here, you should be gripping with the front of one of your shins, from knee all the way up to your foot, as well as the other legs' calf, again from knee all the way to heel. When you let go of your legs to commence the straightening when you climb up, try to keep them as close to the pole as possible, and definitely practice from the floor, first! In like a handstand position.
I've also heard one or two people here like to teach things like how to fall- this might be good. I'm pretty tough when it comes to falls, I had a darn good one when learning to rollerblade, and managed only to tear my jeans and rattle my head something fierce! This might help for getting over the fear.
And, remember, fear is there for a reason- embrace it, don't fight it, and take things SLOWLY!
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I'm fairly sure you don't ever hold on with just your knees in a caterpillar climb. You always have 1 hand on as well. It's basically caterpillar up, straight edge, caterpillar up, straight edge. Just trying to visualise but I think you slide your bottom hand up, use that to hold on to the pole while you let go with your elbow and bend your knees to pull yourself up the pole, then regrasp with your elbow. Then you release your legs into a straight edge, clamp them around the pole and repeat. (I hope that's right, but if not I'm sure someone will correct. I'm just trying to remember because I have too many pulled muscles to actually do it right now. But I know you never grip with just your legs.)
You want to have a fairly solid elbow grip straight edge, because you're going to be doing this at increasing heights, where you can't just cartwheel down if you overbalance.
I fall all the time and with one exception haven't been hurt. I fall alot because I don't feel much fear, I know how to fall, I push myself too hard and I have very slippery hands (and possibly because I lack common sense). The one time I hurt myself is the first time I tried a Rainbow, and learned the hard way that you probably shouldn't try to transition to a basic invert from there. I basically lost all contact with the pole and was slipping head first. Luckily I have enough falling experience to do a bit of damage control, and managed to protect my head by landing hands first and then coming onto my knees. It would have been fine, just bruised knees if I hadn't landed with the top of my tibia right on the corner of the base of the pole. And also if I didn't ignore the injury and keep poling. Turned out to be a chipped bone.
I think the best thing to do is figure out exactly why you fell, and make sure you don't do that same thing again. Then, you have to try the thing you fell on again, but be more careful if need be. So in your case I would practice some invert moves you know you can do, and help build your confidence. Then work on having a good, confident caterpillar and straight edge. Make sure you know you're using the right technique, and when you feel confident you can try it again, with mats and spotters or absolute silence, or whatever will help you feel confident.
As for preventing falls, always figure out your next points of contact and test them tentatively before relying on them. In other words, add additional points of contact before you take some away. Even holly drops and superman drops can be done this way in the early stages. Extra contact points mean that if you get tangled, or confused, or slip you have as much contact with the pole as possible. Worst case scenario is pole burn. If you do feel you're about to slip, just grip everything as tight as you can, and stay still for a second to figure out how you can get down.
Practice sliding down a pole in pose, maybe peeling off one limb and moving it down an inch, then doing the same with the next limb all the way to the floor. It will build strength and aerial awareness too. It also got me out of a sticky situation once when my foot got trapped somehow and I got stuck upside down on a spinning pole going way too fast 2 meters above a hard wood floor. I kind of crawled down the pole inch by inch until my shoulders touched the floor. And people laughed. Which was probably fair.
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I have fallen out of the caterpillar climb and it took me almost 6 months before I would try it again.
This move is 90% hamstrings and 10% arms, and yes, you can do it without hands (LeighAnn Orsi is one I know and also Amyxshi on there does a barely one handed climb). You should NOT be using your hands to push you up but using your hamstrings to pull you up. A good conditioning for this is hamstring curls using a stability ball. There is also a thread on here for caterpillar climb you may want to search out that has lots of tips.
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Good to know some people can do it without hands, I know I couldn't! And obviously you wouldn't be pushing up with your hands instead of your legs, but I assumed anyone who can do a caterpillar knows that. Still, I would think taking both hands off would be advanced. It's always safer to have more points of contact when you learn.
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i JUST know got this move =) and it is about hand placement tho too.
when your hanging just by ur legs you should have a tight grip like you would climbing.
one hand will be at your face, and the other kinda down by your belly button. push away from the pole and pull with your legs.
to build up the legs dont initaly try and move up. but just kinda body slide your body back down (not moving your legs) and get the feel for the push out and pull.
be careful tho cuz the last time i got excited and tried to do it really fast i got a charlie horse;; LOL
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Thanks ladies 🙂 I definitely will just stick to the inverts I'm comfortable with for a while, or a least when I go back to poling after my rib bone heals somewhat.
I had my hands on the pole too, my problem I think was that I have really really sweaty hands once I start doing advanced moves. So I tried to do an elbow hold and push up and let go with my legs and my extended arm was slipping too much on the pole so i wiped out :/ I just get frustrated having to get down and wipe the pole off so much, maybe I should go buy itac or something
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If you are really sweaty try Tite grip before iTac. Also if you use clinical strength anti-perspirants on your hands before bed it will help with excessive sweating. As for the caterpillar you need to have a solid inverted crucifix.
P.S. I loove iTac it is a great tool to have, but it’s not the best for sweaty hands. -
I’m no good at the caterpillar but I also have ridiculously sweaty hands. It really puts me off too coz I have to wipe my pole after each move too 🙁
The newer the move the sweatier the hands 🙁
I use Dry Hands grip which is not too bad, but I gave the itac level 2 a try and I find it terrible it is impossible to do spins and leaves a horrible residue ALL over the pole!!! Whats worse though It makes the pole even slipperier with my sweaty hands! I’m going to try get a level 4 sample of itac and see if that is any better than -
Sorry *to see if it’s better than the level 2 😉
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I have really sweaty hands too and I fell outta a caterpillar recently too but I was fairly low down and didn't get hurt but I'm chalking that move down to one I definitely can't do! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_evil.gif
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