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Behind the head grip
Hello!
So, I was wondering if anyone could give me some pointers on this grip that I haven’t figured out yet! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif
I know that when you do the shoulder mount (which I am totally not trying yet!) you do it, just with your whole self a lot lower down. It’s like…your hands behind your head, with your back to the pole, and you hang on that way and you can actually lift your feet up and stay there? I’ve seen it done a couple of times, but I have NO idea how to make it work! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_scratch.gif Are my muscles just not strong enough? Is there something else I can do to help with that? Is there a "baby step" hold that leads into this one that I can get into easier?
Also, are there any specifics to hand placement, shoulders, muscle groups to be kept engaged? Like, should my elbows be at right angles, a little more bent, a little less… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_geek.gif
I want to try it and practice it! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif
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38 Replies
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sorry, i’m a little confused what you’re asking? you’re asking about shoulder mount grip? or something else that is behind the head?
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The only real time I’ve seen it is with a shoulder mount, but I’ve also seen it once before kind of leading into the shoulder mount…perhaps a video would help? I found this in my internet travels…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwNgychsN1Q&feature=email https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_bounce.gif
I know it’s an instructional video, I just can’t seem to emulate her very well. I was wondering if you guys knew of anything I might be doing wrong (like, specific hand placement to make it work) or if I was just not strong enough yet! -
are you trying to do the kicks in the video?
i think i remember you posting about having difficulty inverting a couple months ago. i’d recommend working on pullups and pull up and holds and getting a pullup invert really solid before you start working on the shoulder mount grip.
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Technically, yes, I’d love to do the kicks in the video, and I’ve also seen a slide with that hold, all the way to the floor. I was rather impressed by it.
You have a good point, though, to work on other things than this. I suppose I’m just a little eager! I never really expected to jump right into a full shoulder mount yet, but I thought perhaps just slowly working toward it would help! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_bounce.gif -
Runemist-
In that video, what she neglected to say, is that while your hands are gripping the pole, you should be pulling the with your arms as if you are trying to pull your shoulder into the pole, and also pushing your shoulder against the pole at the same time. If you would like to practice this grip without risking falling, I would suggest doing it from the floor. Sit on the floor with your hips flexed at a 30-45 degree angle with your shoulder leaning against the pole. With your hands in the position, pull the pole into your shoulder as you lift your legs into a straddle and attempt to lift your butt off the floor. This will help you to get an idea of how much strength is needed to execute the move and it will also help you gain the core strength you’ll need to do it successfully. -
Wow Thank you Jenn! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif
That was an impressive and easily understood addition that I really needed. I figured I was going for some kind of pulling/pushing thing, but I wasn’t entirely sure how I would do it safely, ’cause somehow the floor thing didn’t seem to work when I tried it… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif
I will give that a shot, and perhaps with time I’ll have the shoulder mount down https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif -
Also, In the SM position, as you reach behind you and grap the pole, you can lock your fingers together for extra support.
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Also, In the SM position, as you reach behind you and grap the pole, you can lock your fingers together for extra support.
um i dont know how safe locking the fingers is, especially for someone who is just starting out with this move.
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Oh dear please don’t lock your fingers together if your a beginner….I could see where someone would think it may be helpful but as Karol said not a good idea. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/alien.gif I have the SM lessons up next for my lessons to record, so if you have them be on the look out for the SM. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cyclops_ani.gif
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There are many different hand grips for the shoulder mount also, the one she uses in the vid looks harder than the one I practise with (I too cannot shoulder mount yet) I try with my right shoulder against the pole and my right hand cupped behind the pole, then I put my left hand cupped in front of pole. This way you can use the left hand to help pull up slightly. Hope that makes sense. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cat.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cat.gif
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For my own info, what’s the reason for this? I certainly don’t want to give bad advice or have someone get hurt. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif
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For me personally, I wouldn’t want to lace my fingers because I want as much skin contact with the pole as possible. Lacing takes away one full hand’s worth of skin. Plus if they were laced I wouldn’t be as mobile and could risk torquing a wrist on the way up.
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Hands close together (which is the only way locking the fingers can be done) shouldermount grip that is the least stable and one of the most dangerous. The farther way the hands are from each other the more stable and secure the grip becomes. Also, if you fingers are interlaced and you slip, then there is no way to catch yourself. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_pale.gif
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Funnily enough, standard cup grip with my hands less than 6" apart is the grip that felt most comfortable for me to sm, but I worked really hard on learning to walk up and hold with various grip before I EVER tried to actually flip myself over, cup grip was just what I took to in that process. I waited to actually invert from SM until my holds felt so comfy there was no extra effort involved. Now I’ve started learning the Veena grip, but I can’t comfortably invert that way yet so I’m back to walkups and holds with it. From what I’ve seen, everyone is more comfortable with one over another at first, but unless you’ve got a specific discomfort with a grip they can all potentially be just as safe as the next if you learn them properly and don’t rush the inverting process. The SM in and of itself is not a terribly natural-feeling movement, so strength and stability in any particular grip be it cup, veena, whatever, is dependent on whether you’ve given yourself time to build strength before you go turning yourself on your head. If you don’t have the strength to maintain pressure between pole and shoulder with a cup grip while you’re actually flipping over, you’re going to find yourself making a very graceful dismount *cough*.
In other words, NO sm grip is stable unless you’ve learned to sm properly, and none of them seem to be inherently riskier than the others if you’re willing to take the time to learn slowly and properly, since I’ve seen experienced (read: years) dancers SM with at least 5 different grips. It’s just not worth busting your skull to try to nail some "power-move" the first time you try it. Do your holds like a good student https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif
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If both hands are low by the head and locked together you don’t have the same leverage as a grip where the hands are farther apart…. I don’t think anyone was trying to say verticaltherapy was wrong https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/alien.gif ……because there will always a number of thoughts out there as far as technique goes, some might like that grip. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumright.gif I was simply saying I personally feel, its not the safest way to learn to SM, because if your hands are close and fingers locked together your not going have the leverage you need, and you can’t let go as fast if you need to.
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