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Little frustrations…
Ok so this is a rant/question. So i began taking classes at a local studio and had learned "proper hand postitioning" for some spins. These spins being chair, peterpan, pretty much any flying spin. The first way I learned it was the the proper positioning is fingers toward the ground on your bottom hand so it doesnt strain your wrist. So my friend went to a studio a couple hours away and they corrected her form and told her that will strain your wrist and proper technique is to have your wrist with fingers around the pole like for a fireman but with the arm extended. So I began doing my spins the way they had corrected her. Then I went to class last night and they recorrected us telling us that the way we were doing it will hurt our wrists. So the question is for a flying spin (chair, peterpan, boomerang) in what position should your lower hand be so it does not strain your wrist?
My frustrations come from going to a studio hoping to learn proper technique but every studio has their own version of "proper technique". I mean I can understand that everyone adds their own spunk to a move and it may look different but why isnt there a set technique for moves "to avoid injury"?
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8 Replies
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As far as I know regarding the positioning of the lower hand in split grips the best way is to hold the pole so the thumb and fingers are facing down the pole. The other grip (where it is the same as the top hand, hand just wrapped around the pole) is just as comfy for others but my friend told me "Felix calls it the double twisted grip and she uses it for the spatchcock. I don't recommend doing it!"
Do what feels natural for you. I understand being frustrated with being told different things and each studio's idea of safety, maybe bring it up with the instructor and hopefully they will explain different grips pros and cons rather than just saying 'it's the wrong way to hold it'. I've been to studios that refuse to teach twisty grip moves because of the injury it can do and down the road is another studio that teaches twisty grip because it's the grip of the moment or it's 'easier'.
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The two studios I have been to teaches these moves with split grip – thumb and fingers facing down on the pole. If you're feeling a lot of strain on your wrist from this, you might not be pulling strongly enough with your upper hand, because the lower hand should mostly be there to support you and push you away from the pole, not to carry all of your weight 🙂
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It's actually funny you mention that, because I've encountered a third way- bottom hand with all fingers facing up the pole, and not gripping it, just pushing. Jamilla teaches this in her DVDs.
I would think that, for most split grips, fingers pointing down is "the least straining," because you are creating less of a bend in your wrist while doing it. However, I've very rarely strained my wrists doing anything, as they're quite flexible and used to a massive amount of strain (I'm a writer, it's all about the wrist!). I wouldn't reccommend testing the resilliency of your wrists, though.
I know that Veena teaches the "Gun pointer" method, which is to say that your thumb wraps around the pole, and your pointer finger points down, and then your other fingers sort of wrap around the pole, too. This keeps your wrist pretty well supported, and also keeps you from slipping. This is more or less the hand-down method, just with a little modification.
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Both are correct. Facing down is comfiest for me. They consider it advanced though. Some say it will strain wrists but I never had a problem. Probably depends on your level and what feels best for you. Learn the spins w/ both positioning to gain better strength.
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runemist is also correct, so 4 ways total including forarm grip too
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Instructors teach according to how they have been trained by their teachers, mostly and then also based on their strong opinions ( based on background and experience)..I have definitely encountered differences in opinion about certain moves! I tend to soak it all in and then choose the way that makes the most sense for my brain and my body ( doing your own research and surveys of other polers helps too). As far as certain spins go, I think it depends on the spin itself, but I find that the "push" method works really well for chair, diamond, split/straddle spins, basically any spin that is likely to transition into another. I learned many of these through the "split grip/open bracket" method too though.
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Thanks everyone! It is just frustrating that we keep getting told we are doing the move wrong and corrected after we are just doing what we have been taught. I have never felt any strain in my wrists from doing it either way that i described. If the move can be done multiple ways and each of them safe I dont understand why we keep getting corrected haha. When we were corrected they told us that what we were doing would strain our wrists and the last time we were corrected we tried to explain that. Oh well, Im gonna do that move the way I feel comfortable.
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if you are pushing hard with the bottom arm in this move, you can also feel a lot of pressure in the elbow especially if you hyper extend the joint. generally you should do what feels right for you,but i would also caution that the spins done with split grips or half brackets, no matter how the bottom hand is oriented and placed on the pole, should be done with MINIMAL pressure on the bottom arm; it should be engagement through the top arm and shoulder and the momentum of your spin that keeps you away from the pole, NOT pressing into the pole with the bottom arm.
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