StudioVeena.com Forums Discussions I WANT TO BE UPSIDE DOWN!

  • chemgoddess1

    Member
    January 21, 2013 at 6:55 pm

    Sorry to say, but being a beginner you should NOT be doing inverts.  There are too many things that can go wrong and too many injuries that can happen if you have no idea what you are doing.

  • zoeyxxxx

    Member
    January 21, 2013 at 6:58 pm

    hi and welcome to the pole world. im no exspert but lernt invert on my secound lesson witch wasent good idea after what i no now. luckily being quite fit i was ok. a lot off people say dont rush into it. what can you do at the moment. to invert correctly with oit hurting your self is quite hard at such a early stage.i no sum girls that have been poling months n still cant invert. but with sum good strenth training you will get there. just go careful i no how it feels to want to get upside down and do the tricks. i had a lucky escape learning so early not to hurt my self. so do go careful. enjoy poling and dnt rush. do you have veenas lessons how long u been poling

  • Runemist34

    Member
    January 21, 2013 at 9:04 pm

    A basic invert is, unfortunately, a move that could really go wrong, even if you think it's going right. Best thing I would suggest is to work on some other things! Try doing some spins, see how they work, learn about climbing and gripping the pole with your legs only- these will help you to prepare yourself for a basic invert!

    And, if you're really chomping at the bit for it, you could do some conditioning exercises specifically for the basic invert! Look up Dirdy Birdy on Youtube: she's got some great tutorials that also have conditioning exercises in them. Being able to slowly lift your legs to your chest while holding the pole with your hands, at head height, is one of those things you HAVE to be able to do!

    I've worked toward the basic invert for almost 4 years! I'm only just getting consistent with it now. I've had a lot of downtime from the Pole, granted, but I had to go at my own pace.

    Things to remember for the Basic Invert: NO Jumping, keep your hands lower than you think they should be (like, face-level), and if you feel any kind of pulling or twinging in your back, shoulders, arms or neck… stop doing it! You're not ready!

    I wish you luck! I'm sure you can get to this one a lot faster than I have if you work on it 😉

    There are also some other moves that get you upside down, and their lead-in moves. Look up the Plank, and the Cross Knee Release, and the Cross Ankle Release.

  • luvlee

    Member
    January 21, 2013 at 9:12 pm

    Why not try a reverse hand stand? You will be upside down and can practice leg grips while you are at it.

  • stoneycook

    Member
    January 23, 2013 at 4:56 pm

    Inverting the first time out is accomplished with far greater frequency if you try ice skating.  I know from experience … LOL.

  • villainvixen

    Member
    January 23, 2013 at 11:32 pm

    I know how you feel. I've been at this for about…. 10 months or so. I still can't do it. And its quite frustrating when you get SO close but still not quite there. And I practice on a stage that's solid metal, extremely scary and I've bruised my toes quite a few times. 

  • michaelaarghh

    Member
    January 24, 2013 at 5:28 am

    FAR OUT it frustrates me to no end when beginners are only interested in being upside down. 

    I'm sorry but if you are just starting out there is no way you are ready and not only are you more likely to injure yourself, but you will progress a lot SLOWER because you won't have built up any strength and your technique will be bad. 

    What makes you think you can "get a basic invert down"? 

    (Don't mean to sound snarky, that's a legit question). 

  • CreativityBySteffie

    Member
    January 24, 2013 at 5:49 am

    I understand you tallicachild, I dont teach pole, but when my friends are over, they wanna jump on that thing, upside down and I never allow that. However, I dont think it helps the poster to know that it frustrates you, its just the way it is, most that start out, wants to be up side down. All we can do is give our advice if we feel like it. 🙂
    As far as the questions about tips, I have one. Wait awhile, purchase Veenas lessons, and go in her order. She really understands what needs to be learnt first. I think I trained for about 6 months before trying the first invert and I still after almost 2 years, work hard on controlling it. Dont ever jump, always tuck. 🙂 And remember, its not the goals you reach, its the journey that matters 😀 

  • Hazelnut

    Member
    January 24, 2013 at 6:27 am

    I would say DON'T try inverting until you can climb up and hold a crucifix for an entire minute, at least. If you can't hold on with your legs solidly, without hands, when you're the right way up, it's probably a bad idea to try it upside down! Even if you don't plan on taking your hands off there's alot more weight and pressure on your legs so you need a damn good grip!

  • Amiloo

    Member
    January 24, 2013 at 6:36 am

    Like you I was sure I could do it basically straight away, I started classes and I waited. My instructor taught me how to invert after about 4-6 weeks but only because my upper and lower body strength was already pretty advanced from playing ice hockey and doing ballet. The other girls in my group didnt start until they were in their level 2.

    Im glad I didnt jump straight into it by myself now I can see how easy it would be to injure yourself. Also I feel because I could invert quite early and started learning tricks etc I kinda missed out on getting some of the basic spins and that looking really good so now Im having to really work on them.

    I would say spend some time doing some basics and strength excersies for a while and whne you feel you could give it ago get a second view from an instructor or post a video on here and see what they think.  

  • Amiloo

    Member
    January 24, 2013 at 6:37 am

    on an unrelated note! I had an x boyfriend we all used to call scottie2hottie!

  • michaelaarghh

    Member
    January 24, 2013 at 7:01 am

    One of the reasons it is so frustrating though is because this is brought up so damn often. There are so many threads about this. To me it just clearly shows that the OP hasn't even done basic research, which is what is frustrating. 

     

    What everyone else has contributed to the discussion as far as tips go is good advice.  Don't try to run before you can walk!

  • CreativityBySteffie

    Member
    January 24, 2013 at 7:55 am

    I get where you are coming from, but most that I've talked to, and myself, didnt realize that this is actually hard work, its mostly "that looks effortless" or "it would be so much fun to spin and spin" – I had no idea of the strenght it takes, or the fact that this even needed research. The reason why Im commenting it, is because of the fact that this person is new and this is her way of doing research. 🙂

  • Misspolejava

    Member
    January 24, 2013 at 8:37 am

    At my studio we invert as early as the second class, depending on your individual strength and progression. I have only been poling since November 2012, but I am lucky enough to attend class 9+ hours a week and am preparing for my first competition. I can do jade, extended butterfly, shoulder mounts (from ground and in air), layback, Cupid, Russian splits, straddle climb, and am working on my iron x right now. It just depends how often you can make it in go practice, and that you understand your personal limits.

  • Cherished

    Member
    January 24, 2013 at 10:16 am

    I understand that everybody is being safe by advising to take it slow but I personally believe as Miss mentioned that it's about strength as an individual as far as where you should start is concerened. I have a friend who could care less about pole dancing and has never taken a lesson but is able to climb to the top of a pole just while goofing around. She can do spins and all these crazy things. 

    Another thing, and I don't want to sound sexist but… if Scotty is a male, at my studio we've seen men invert by the second or third class. Everyone is different.

    @Scotty I'd suggest testing the waters before diving in:

    MissDirdyBirdy on youtube has some invert prep exercises for beginners. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrQ0RaBNxc8

    I also subscribe to the lessons here. They are in order of what you should learn first so they'd probably be a good way to gauge what level you are at strengthwise and what you are or aren't ready for.

     

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