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Cross-knee/cross-ankle release ?
hi! just had a question. Did anyone have a hard time learning cross-knee/ankle release? i think part of my difficulty is mentally related with the fall back part of the move. I feel that when i ‘fall’ back with cross-knee that my ‘crossed’ leg will undo and i will fall. However, i have been able to get it a few times once i talk myself out of the fear, lol! i’m 5’1 and wonder if my legs are too short for securing the lock?!?!
And forget cross ankle. I just slide when i’ve tried to do that.
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17 Replies
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squeeze the mighty daylight out of that pole with your thighs! I tighten my bum to help remind me ! that ‘s what i can give ya.. and you need to be secure… if i’m sweaty in my upper thigh region, forget it… so be careful….
try tipping your legs up toward the ceiling first, THEN release one arm or both… try to stay up… this will activate your abs…
then with control you can start to lower yourself down. you can alway put your hands behind/beneath you and take hold of the pole there until you feel secure enough to go all the way back.
hope that helps!!! you’ll get it!!
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I had the same problem as you…I was SO afraid to let go and lean back! What really helped me was putting pillows underneath me, and staying low to the ground. That way if I did fall I wouldn’t have far to go and it would be a soft landing https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif After I did it a couple times and was more comfortable with letting go I took the pillows away and was able to go further up off the floor. For me it was all in my head. And as Notradaya said, just squeeze as hard as you can with your thighs and you will be just fine https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif
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make sure the pole goes up the knee of the bent leg.
To assist, you can hold the ankle of the bent leg to keep it bent.
I also find that the position of the pole on my thighs is important, if it’s not quite right, then I spin.Use one hand to hold the leg, preferably your strongest, and use the other to lean back, you’ll hit a point where it just works and you’re inverted.
Took me forever and these are the tricks I use.
Also try pole sits for a bit to get the grip on your thighs. -
oooh… exdiva gave a good tutorial on YT for this one, I remember seeing it a while back, i think she did it for PoledanceFan… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxYSscEm82A
that might help too… i think she explains it very well
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Try the layback in reverse first. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif If you are strong enough to pull yourself up, you’ll be string enough to layback. I’ve been using this for awhile and it seems to help.
for x knee:
lay at the bottom of the pole with the pole between your legs
walk your legs yo the up the pole
cross one leg over the other in a figure 4 position
grab the ankle of the crossed over leg
and using your abs lift up like a sit up.Work on coming up to a pole sit.
Okay once you’re strong enough and comfortable enough with that…pull yourself up on the pole, do not climb up high. Pull up to a pole sit and be sure your bottom leg has the foot wrapped around the pole, now grab the ankle of the crossed over leg, keep one hand on the pole, unwrap your foot, slowly lean yourself backwards keeping your hand on the pole for stability, when your arm is extended straight slide it down the pole and slowly lean back more, keep your hand up there until the very last point where it is time to go completely backwards.
Keeping that hand on the ankle is going to increase your grip and keep you from sliding – there will be some slide.
Let yourself build up the courage so don’t go back until you feel ready it’s okay if as far as you get is the "plank" that’s fine. The more you do the plank, the sit and work on leaning back slowly the more courageous you will get, the stronger you will get and the easier the move will eventaully be.
Definitely work this in reverse though – it’s a great way to build up your abs a bit.
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Jonessa, I am learning the cross-knee release and I have the same worries. These are all really great tips that I am excited to try. I felt like I was making some headway with it a few days ago, but then my inner thighs were so sore I didn’t practice that for a couple of days – now I’ve taken a couple of steps back. I love progressing backwards. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_scratch.gif
But I’ll get there!
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Charley makes a good point about the layback I call it a advanced plank. Here are my methods.
Use lots of pillow or mats and do it as low to the ground as possible first. This is how I teach it in my lessons. You can work on getting the leg position from the ground so there is no fear of falling https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif
1 Lie with your back on the floor
scoot yourself way up the pole so your butt is high and your up on your shoulders, you can work on pulling your body up from the both CAR/CKR positions.
So once your sure about leg placement and how it should feel move on to step two..2 Either from standing or by doing a SMALL pole climb, get into the proper leg position for either the CKR or CAR
Make sure for both, that your legs are locked into the position by tipping them towards your upper body first before attempting to layback.
Reach your free hand behind you as if to do a plank/layback then slowly walk or let your hand slide down the pole allowing your body to go into the full move. You can do this with both the CKR and CAR. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gifAnd yes….it will hurt. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_rambo.gif
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Yeah this will hurt really badly at first – only do a few tries a day and shelf it.
Be really solid with the pole sit too.
Some other moves you’ll want to be good with are the basic crucifix upright, the upright thigh hold, and variations onthe pole sit as they will help acclimate your thighs, https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif
Take time too – layback moves are difficult and scary, they take time to get.
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Hi, regarding cross ankle release (It feels really weird for me to cross my legs, even when just sitting down on a chair for cross leg so I’m starting with cross knee)
I have been having a tonne of problems with this move since late May, poling on average for 30 mins 5 times a week, with 10 mins devoted to this move (I get too sweaty pretty quick)
My main problems are:
unable to get crossed legs upright against pole before laying back, the pole seems just too big, I’m squeezing it soo hard near my upper thighs but I can get no grip from mid thigh to knee. I’m squeezing in bum and rolling knees towards pole.
ah theres loads more but it makes more sense just to put it in a video. my upper thighs sweat and I just slip down pole alot too. grrr.
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Hi, regarding cross ankle release (It feels really weird for me to cross my legs, even when just sitting down on a chair for cross leg so I’m starting with cross knee)
I have been having a tonne of problems with this move since late May, poling on average for 30 mins 5 times a week, with 10 mins devoted to this move (I get too sweaty pretty quick)
My main problems are:
unable to get crossed legs upright against pole before laying back, the pole seems just too big, I’m squeezing it soo hard near my upper thighs but I can get no grip from mid thigh to knee. I’m squeezing in bum and rolling knees towards pole.
ah theres loads more but it makes more sense just to put it in a video. my upper thighs sweat and I just slip down pole alot too. grrr.
If you could take a pic or make a vid of you tying the move we could see what is going wrong. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_sunny.gif -
I have done one today which shows me struggling with a number of things, I’m sure half of the problem is my weight, I look like I’m 6 months pregnant! I hold all my weight around my torso with skinny legs. mayeb I should concentrate on weight loss rather than pole moves !
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https://www.studioveena.com/video/gallery/cxxxxxx-pole-dance-video-2
here is the video…cxxx
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Clarita, I loved your video and really like your style! You’ve got such fresh energy and you link your spins together so well. Don’t be so hard on your figure – you look great! We all have body quirks that we have to work around, and you certainly do not look pregnant! Keep up your hard work and I am sure you will become more confident in your skin. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif
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I just did it!!! twice!!!
Veena thanks so much for your advice, and everyone. The reason I was unable to do it was because my legs weren’t positioned right! I needed them more in line with pole to bring my knees bright behind the pole. I could only just manage it twice as my body was shaking from the squeezing on the way down (v.slow way down). I nearly cried after, had pillows everywhere and everything, it was easier once I was upside down and I just slid down to get out of it, will be a while before i can pull back up I think.
Soo happy! (and so sweaty) https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_compress.gif
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Hi y’all!
Wow. thank you so much for all the advice. Well, i’m happy to say that i can finally do the cross-knee release. I think my first 2 problems were the fear of falling back and the immense pain between my thighs. However, just like learning pole sit, i think my thighs just got used to the pain so it doesn’t hurt anymore. Also, i practiced very low to the ground with lots of pillows!!
I still can’t do the cross ankle release, but i can pull-up from handstand to cross ankle…go figure!
Good luck to those that are still trying to conquer the cross-knee/ankle relase….You can do it!!!
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