StudioVeena.com Forums Discussions How long does it take to learn elbow stand?

  • How long does it take to learn elbow stand?

    Posted by yelena on July 2, 2010 at 8:14 pm

    Anyone else had trouble with doing the elbow stand? How long does it usually take to learn and are there exercises i can do to help me hold up myself faster?

    Veena replied 14 years, 4 months ago 6 Members · 7 Replies
  • 7 Replies
  • Meleania

    Member
    July 2, 2010 at 10:49 pm

    i would come into an elbow stand from being inverted on the pole, that way I could slowly put more and more weight onto my elbows and quickly let off by gripping the pole with my legs if I needed to. I was really shaky and it felt odd at first, we aren’t supposed to stand on our elbows after all!Now I am doing the same thing with my handstand. It took forever and a spotter before I was comfortable enough to go into an elbow stand from the floor, I was afraid I would miss the pole and flop over and hurt myself on something (didnt exactly have much space)

  • miss fern

    Member
    July 3, 2010 at 5:04 am

    Are you trying to do an elbow stand alone, or next to the pole?

    If you’re doing it with the pole, either do as Meleania said and go into it from a layback/cross knee release or do the following:

    – Crawl to your pole and curl up (on your knees) at the base.
    – Put your forearms on your pole and hold the base of the pole in your fists.
    – Place the top of your head down between your arms on the floor (if you arms are close together, they can help support your head too)
    – Push your legs up straight so your butt is high in the air
    – Spring up form your feet and tip your butt towards the pole, while pulling against the pole with your hands to help stabilise you.
    – Rest your back or butt against the pole and play with legs positions such as stag legs/attitude legs until your are comfortable trying to put your legs up straight (like a pencil)

    Once you can do all this, you try elbow standing without holding on to pole, and eventually without needing to rest onf the pole either, or allow it to catch you at all.

    As for how long – I couldn’t say without knowing more about your strength and background. I learnt it a year or so ago – took me a couple of weeks, and I still prefer to hold on to the pole.

    Good luck! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

  • Angel1201

    Member
    July 3, 2010 at 2:43 pm

    http://ver3.studioveena.com/lessons/view/4286

    Hi, I do an elbow stand about halfway through this vid (before the barking ensues https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_silent.gif). Is that the type of elbow stand you are talking about? It isn’t easy and it is really going to depend on your core strength. For mine, I don’t touch the poles with my hands and your legs need to open and rise sideways. You can practice against a wall for safety and have a friend spot you and assist your lift. There seems to be a sticking point about half way up, but once you get past it your golden https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_bounce.gif. Good luck!

  • SissyBuns

    Member
    July 3, 2010 at 5:20 pm

    I agree with Angel. It’s hard to say how long it will take you without knowing more about your strength and background. I found that when I started learning the elbow stand off of the pole I had to really engage my shoulders and arms to balance myself. It’s actually a lot harder than it looks. Takes a good bit of core strength too. Keep plucking away at it and you’ll get it https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

  • yelena

    Member
    July 3, 2010 at 7:43 pm

    That is exactly the move im trying to learn how to do, but i seem like i just cant get my feet off the ground. I found a really helpful video on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhVi0ljFLuQ even though its for a handstand but ive tried to do the flutter kicks and i think they will help me gain the strength i need.

  • Angel1201

    Member
    July 3, 2010 at 10:06 pm

    Yelena, before your feet leave the ground you have to tilt your butt past your head. Do you see how I tilted my butt almost all the way toward the pole yet my head and elbows are further away? That tilt is key.

    Before ever touching a pole I did A LOT of yoga. There is an elbow stand in yoga that is almost the exact same thing. I had worked on that ages ago, but could just barely get my feet up and then I’d topple over. I think that practice helped me nail it in the pole room. Here is a tutorial for a yoga elbowstand that you might like to use to practice. Once you can do it in the way they do it in the video (bending the knees to lift the legs) you can work on lifting your unbent legs.

  • Veena

    Administrator
    July 3, 2010 at 10:25 pm

    Some will grasp balance moves quickly while other it may take months of practice. Thats the key, practice. It took me a few weeks of almost getting it and then…falling over when I learned the elbowstand in the middle of the floor and now I do it with no troubles. One thing to keep in mind is also a lack of flexibility…this would make getting the hips over head more difficult and you may feel like kicking hard is the only way to get up there. If your talking the lessons here is the one for elbowstand…start against the wall and notice how slowly and controlled I move into it.

    http://ver3.studioveena.com/lessons/view/2191

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