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True Grip/Cup Grip/Split Grip: Handspring Prep Tips pls?
I figure this will take me a while to work towards…I'm going to stay away from TG for the sake of my shoulders. I did take a workshop with Alethea where she showed us a prep for a true grip handspring…but I guess in looking up other tutorials ( Karol Helms, Aerial Amy) I am now pretty confused about which way to kick up, which leg, the right amount of space between your hands etc. I'm sure its because I'm mixing up several variations in looking things up. Can y'all help me out by posting your tips and videos here? I want to see what I can safely work on at home as well as in getting help at the studio in Open Pole…I want to make sure I know what I am doing so that I don't get more confused and faceplant while leaving both my arms wrapped around the pole.
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6 Replies
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From what I've seen from people who are learning and people who have nailed the handsprings – there isn't a perfect formula. Everyone has different bodies with different strengths, different muscles that they favour, even different postures can influence how you do a move. Some things work for some people but won't work for others. On top of that, every move has multiple entries… so it's no wonder you are getting mixed messages. My initial suggestion would be to pick one grip and one type of entry (cartwheel or handspring), and try to get that one first, before looking at the others. Try finding a tutorial that is explained really well and always start low i.e. only raise your legs a little at first, and increase the height slowly, that way your upper body can get used to the pressure you are putting on it and your body gets used to the movement. Apart from that, the biggest thing to remember is – don't let go of the pole when your legs are in the air! Good luck!
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Veena's lessons for split grip cartwheel and split grip handspring were very helpful to me. I can't do a true grip handspring yet, but from what I've seen the movement is the same as for the split grip handspring, your top hand is just in a different position is all. I don't know anything about elbow grip handsprings, so I can't help you there, and besides TG that's about all the versions I can think of.
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Hey Shimi 🙂
I don't have any tutorials for the handspring, JUST for the cartwheel (if you do it with R hand high, you start with R side next to the pole). so that might be part of why your'e getting confused…. 🙂
you can think of a handspring as being exactly the same as a cartwheel, but chopping out the part where you do a leg sweep with your R leg and turn your left side to the pole. in a handspring, you are starting with R hand high, L low, and L side to the pole. if you realize that they are the same from that point on, then it bcomes simpler– you are still keeping your hands the same distance apart, and sweeping your R leg up. If you want to make it easier, just like with the SM, you set up lower and get your body/torso more horizontal to start. Make sure you are focusing on the top arm pulling your hips up towards hte pole, engaging through the core to stack through your spine (NOT arching) and shifting the shoulderblade of the bottom support arm down and into your back so you get the structures in the right position to bear weight.
SG will be easier to start with. with true/cupped grip you need to be careful to keep your weight pulling away from the pole to keep the grip stable, so i'd recc you get comfy with handsprings in another grip first.
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Thanks Amy ( and everyone else)…that's helpful…I'll try and get myself sorted. In class, most people are working with TG and I really am not interested in it, so I need to figure out what I'm doing! LOL.
Amy…I know you're terribly busy, but if at some point you have a video that shows exactly what you are talking about I would love you even more than I already do 😉
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Also, how high should the top hand be? In line with my shoulder or higher?
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Hey! I like my top hand by my face. I am not a pro but dug up this vid of when I finally got my handspring. To me cartwheel is MUCH easier. Everyone is different though and some find han dspring easier. https://www.studioveena.com/videos/view/4fbd9079-976c-4f1e-90bc-7f270ac37250
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