Pole Moves: Using Twisted Grip

I have seen some heated conversations go down on Facebook about the evils of using a twisted grip.  Of course, now that I want to post about them, they are hidden in the dark corners of Facebook's timeline format.  I know David C. Owen is an advocate AGAINST the twisted grip. 

Read Aerial Amy's take on the twisted grip handspring HERE:  "When you put your top wrist in position, twist your chest and hips to face the ceiling, and then lift, you are bearing weight on joints (your shoulders and wrists, primarily) that are not meant to be bearing weight in that position. You need a good deal of shoulder flexibility, and wrist flexibility, to even get ready to go."

Check out some comments left in response to a Studio Veena post about twisted grip handspring:

TG is a great way to get tennis elbow aka lateral epicondylitis. I've have it now for going on 2 months and my practice is now severely limited. Thanks to TG, I have to wear a brace, ice 2x/day, and take anti-inflamatory meds. My orthopedic Dr. says it may take 12 weeks or more to fully heal. BE CAREFUL!! Don't too too many reps and make sure you are WARM first! A fatigued, cold muscle is the recipe for getting hurt.

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Its the twisting of the arm that is bad, its no where near a neutral position and any time you go outside a neutral body position you risk injury, no matter how strong you are. There are always exceptions to the rules, like if someone is hyper flexible naturally...but that doesn't mean we should all strive to be hyperflexy. I have never heard of a move causing as much trouble on the joints as this one. Be careful if you do perform this one.

Here is a comment from another Studio Veena post about twisted grip and shoulder pain:

Most of it comes down to 3 things: improper form, improper strength or kicking into the move.

And another SV thread:

The twisted grip is a professional level move.
Never kick up into the twisted grip.
Flexibility and stability of the shoulder is needed to perform this move safely. Before working on this move inverts and shoulder mounts should be soiled and very controlled. The body must be highly conditioned before working on these high level moves. Even with all of these suggestions taken into consideration, I have still seen this move injure dancers.....

And another:

This move aggravated a non pole related injury for me personally and I have heard of and gotten emails from other dancers who have injured themselves because of this move. Soooo should anyone chose to try this TG mount, I feel it should be done from an invert and NOT by kicking up into the mount. Its a really unnatural position for the top arm to begin with, and adding the force of a kick and the jerking on the limbs that can result, means you can VERY easily injure yourself. If you have troubles at all with your wrist, elbows or shoulders DON'T try this move!

The twisted grip takes more abdominal strength and will feel more stable than a regular grip for the cartwheel mount and some other grips, because your not relying on arm strength as Chem said, but your "pulling/hanging" from a larger muscle group, the shoulder/upper back/teres major & minor ect.. and using a straight arm to push away from the bottom. The bottom arm can cause pain and trouble too if you tend to be hyperflexible at the elbow.

I know a good number of pole moves are far from ergonomically correct so this is my thought on the TG.... If someone has the strength and flexibility to perform this safely then that's fine for them, but I don't think this is a move that everyone should be doing.

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I use the twisted grip and I don't mind talking about it. I have experienced some pains as the result of using the twisted grip which have kept me off of the pole for days at a time. Part of this is the physical awkwardness of the position itself, and part of it has been negligence on my own part. But I have also caused myself certain pains by doing other moves like the cartwheel mount. I think any move can be dangerous or harmful for someone whose musculature isn't prepared for it in terms of strength and flexibility, and even the very strong and very flexible can hurt themselves by trying advanced moves without being warmed up adequately first.

Here are some things I like about the twisted grip. I will preface this by saying I only like twisted grip after I am inverted. But once I am inverted, the grip feels more natural and seems less taxing on the wrist and elbow of my top bracket than does the split grip (or cartwheel mount). In addition to this, it offers a lot more control over the aerial movement done in inverted holds. Also, I feel like the twisted grip allows me to hold my torso straighter without the odd sideways-bowing that I have found characteristic of the split grip in inversions. Lastly, I really like that this grip offers the ability to do very slow and controlled lifts and dismounts, instead of leaps and falls.

Now here are some things that I do not like at all about the twisted grip! From the floor, it feels very awkward and can be painful if I am not very precise about my hand and body positioning. Also, pushing off into a slow lift, I have found, puts a lot of strain on the shoulder of my lower bracket (usually left for me) which can leave that shoulder hurting for a couple days (after all, a body is a lot of weight to put there). Further, if I have to shift around too much to get myself inverted in the twisted grip, I find that there is some discomfort for a day or two following behind my right shoulder blade and on the right side of my neck.

I do feel that most of the problems that I have had using the twisted grip could have been mostly alleviated though, if I had been fully warmed up before attempting to do any twisted grip handspring work. Also, whenever I do strength training, I use the Y.T.I. exercise formula that is posted in Veena's video. My friend panda (squishypanda9 who just joined the site today) has been doing that exercise and also Veena's wrist/forearm exercises with me, and I feel much safer when I'm on the pole knowing that I'm using Veena's advice to strengthen and protect some of my very vulnerable muscles and joints. And I've been on enough forced sabbaticals from the pole to realise that I'm just not going to get away with performing demanding pole moves when not adequately warmed up. And if I weren't as stubborn and sometimes dumb as I can be, I would have learnt the first time.

All that said, I learned all of the other grips before I started trying to work with TG. And I fully agree with Veena that this grip should be done from an invert before attempting the handspring. Even though I use the handspring, I still really enjoy going into the twisted grip from a "princess grip" shoulder mount. Once you get your legs on the pole, you can drop your lower bracket, and voila! You're in twisted grip and can butterfly, aysha, or whatever. I like doing inverted bodywave in twisted grip, and when I do it makes everyone at work go crazy!

I am not overly fond of the current TG obsession that's going around right now. It almost looks like its a requirement in order to stay competitive, and I think that's too bad. There are so many beautiful and challenging moves that can be performed on the pole without having to use twisted grip, and most moves that can be done with this grip can be done with other grips. Handspring "lifts" can be done with true grip although this may take more strength and more training. I presently cannot "lift" into anything with that grip, but it has to be possible because its been done in every Chinese pole performance I've ever seen. The straight edge, aysha, and jackknife, can be done with the split, forearm, or elbow grips. I'm sure that if I practiced a little more I could get an inverted bodywave with elbow or forearm grip... and actually after watching this thread, I'm sure I really ought to work on that. I agree with Veena that TG isn't for everyone, and for myself I have found that I can only use the TG handspring in moderation unless I am just in the mood to do some suffering for a day or two to follow. I have a suspicion that the need for moderation in TG may be a universal one, but each poler knows her/his body better than I!

*****

I know I'm light years away from using any kind of grip to lift into any kind of invert, handspring-this or that, cartwheel whatever or whatnot, or anything else.  But I am realizing that if I'm not careful, especially at my size, I am putting myself at great risk for injury.  I imagine if a twisted grip could give me "more strength," I might have used it.  But I want to preserve my body since it's the only one I have and I've already done a pretty good job of beating it up. 

Does anyone use a twisted grip?  I'd like to hear both sides of why you should or should not use it!

Viva Las Vegas!!!!!!

So as many of you may already know, I went to Las Vegas last weekend for Pole Expo.  It may be easier to just say what happened in Vegas, stays in Vegas.  But I also know some of you may be dying to hear about my experience.  So here is a condensed version so you don't get bored out of your mind:

I flew in Tuesday night.  I had a meeting on Wednesday morning and wanted to be settled.  My flight was less than half full and we arrived early.  I got on a shuttle, then sat for an hour and 15 minutes while everyone but me was dropped off.  Note to self...take the cab next time.  When I got into the hotel, there was an issue with my card.  I only use a debit card and a check I had deposited hadn't been released yet.  And, upon check-in, The Palms charges you a bunch of fees.  $22 per day for a resort fee.  $100 per day deposit for incidentals (which you get back when you don't buy all of their overpriced stuff).  A bunch of crap fees.  Basically, on a $600 bill, they wanted to hold a $750+ deposit.  And my $1,300 check hadn't cleared, leaving me a little short.  :-/  It was almost 10 PM and I was exhausted and frustrated.  I explained that I had paid the first night already, so couldn't I just stay the one night I paid for and come downstairs the next morning to fix everything?  I know I probably sounded like an idiot loser, but I was not trying to screw anyone over.  Anyway, the girl at the front desk was really sweet.  It took probably half an hour to sort out for some reason, but she got my reservation split and I was finally able to get up to my room.

The room was just ok.  Instead of the Expo rate for a regular room, I got The Palms' 50% off rate from their website.  I was essentially paying the same price as the Expo rate but I got a nicer room (supposedly).  I guess the huge hallway (wasted space) was the upgrade.  The jet tub was nice, at least.  I definitely took advantage of that.  The room fridge was, of course, filled with all their crap that was on a scale so if you even picked it up to look at it, you were charged some astronomical price for it.  Frustrating.  I used the ice bucket to keep one bottle of water cold each day. 

My meeting ended up being moved to Wednesday night, and it left me with an entire day of almost nothing important to do!  So what did I do?  I went to a day spa (Touch of Las Vegas Day Spa) and got a massage and pedicure.  It was amazing.  I felt like I got way more bang for my buck (and no, I don't mean I got a happy ending) since it wasn't a spa in the hotel.  I think what bugged me most about The Palms' spa is that they added a $25 access fee just to walk through the doors and then required a 20% gratuity.  It ain't GRATUITY if it's required.  Just sayin'.  My experience with the cabbie who drove me there was odd.  When I told him where I was going, he responded with, F***, YOU SAID THAT TOO FAST.  When I repeated the address, he said he didn't know where it was.  I replied that it was less than a mile away, then I pulled it up on my GPS and gave him directions.  That kind of irritated me.  So, after my really relaxing pedicure and massage...I walked the mile back in the heat rather than deal with another cabbie. 

That evening, after my meeting, I went to Fawnia's Pole Fitness Studio to take the Sacred Yoga Dance class with Jennifer.  It was kind of like a tribal belly dance.  I absolutely loved it.  It's like we were viking warrior goddesses dancing around a fire in the woods instead of being in a dimly lit pole studio.  I loved Jennifer and the other girls in class. 

I was really sore from walking after a massage and then dancing...so the trips to the gift shop for over-priced Aleve began...

Thursday was another easy day.  I got to sit by the pool and relax for a bit.  Sunblock was like $16 (and since I was trying to get my suitcase on as a carry-on to avoid a $25 checked-bag charge, I avoided any "liquids" that weren't absolutely necessary -- but don't get me ranting about the whole "CHARGE WHAT YOU'RE GONNA CHARGE INSTEAD OF GOUGING ME LATER" thing).  So I only made it about an hour before I had to go back inside.  The pool was nice, although I didn't get all of their rules.  I get why I can't bring a knife.  I can even get why you don't want me to bring my Vitamin Water.  But what I don't get is why I can't have my eye drops.  Rita arrived that afternoon.  She had another awesome crappy cabbie story.  She was charged $35 for the trip.  He took the long way (to compare, the trip back was under $20).  I really don't like LV cabbies.

Friday, the madness began.  I started the day off by taking the Fly Gym intro workshop.   I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT!  Check out the link above...it was an amazing contraption.  My body was in so much pain walking into that workshop and I left with much relief.  I then walked Nadia Sharif over to the pole studio for her workshop and she kindly let me sit in to watch.  There were about 17 poles in that studio and every single one was taken.  I love watching Nadia work.  She's a great teacher and an amazing pole dancer.  I also videoed her twirls so I can learn them when I get home.  I went back to The Palms to check on Annemarie and the United Pole Artists booth, since that was a big reason I was in Vegas.  Next to her booth was Mechanics in Motion.  They use a theory similar to my favorite KEITH back home.  Since I did not have my Keith with me, I tried them out.  It is nothing like seeing a chiropractor.  The body manipulation is smooth and, although sometimes painful, very necessary.  I left with my hip feeling even better.

Then the evening came.  First off, I would like to say that I am not a nightclub girl.  I don't like wearing heels.  I don't drink much.  I don't like being up super late.  And I sure as hell do not like lines.  I shared a cab with Laura of Spinny T Bags and KT Coates over to The Bank Nightclub in The Bellagio for Pole-A-Palooza.  It was scheduled to begin at midnight, which already made me nervous since I knew Saturday was going to be a long day.  But alas, this is Vegas and you're never supposed to sleep.  I just wanted to video the performances.  Anyway, we arrive at the club around midnight.  We assume we were supposed to gain automatic entry via our Pole Expo bracelets.  By chance, we see someone at one of the multiple lines, who pulls us in to join their group (THANK YOU!).  They have some extra special pass that will get them in faster than the regular line.  However, heels are REQUIRED.  That cut a couple of people out of our group.  Then IDs were required and that sent Laura and KT back to the hotel.  Minutes later, after being given the up and down by a bouncer to approve my outfit, I was allowed in the club.  I felt wholly under-dressed in my Hawaiian dress.  One of the bouncers complimented my dress as I got to the top of the escalator.  Now I wonder if he was being nice or making fun of me.  Anyway, long story short, the club was packed and my feet hurt.  Pole-A-Palooza started fairly late and was half amateurs and half pole stars.  It didn't seem fair.  The prize was supposed to be $5,000 for first place.  They ultimately split it and Charlee Wagner took first and $3,500.  Alethea Austin took second and $1,500.  I should have videos up on YouTube later this week.  I got back to the hotel around 2:30 AM.  I fell asleep around 3:30.

Saturday was a clusterf*** from the minute I woke up.  I didn't get up until around 10:00 AM and I woke in a panic when Annemarie called looking for her camera.  I felt bad because I was supposed to be helping Annemarie at her booth.  We were also trying to film some I Pole Because videos for The Pole Dancing Shop while we were there (but nailing people down and finding free time was really difficult).  I also had the great luck of scoring a free workshop with Veena around noon on Saturday (While at Fawnia's studio Wednesday night, I heard her say that a man had bought six workshops for his girlfriend and she didn't come to Vegas...I offered to buy Veena's if they had it and Fawnia said he was giving them away...he just wanted a thanks, SO THANK YOU TO IAN!!!).  I only found out at 10:30 PM the night before that I was supposed to start helping set up cameras for the live stream at noon but I was scheduled to take Veena's workshop at the same time.  :-/  I was trying to fit too much into the day.  I took a cab to Fawnia's (it's only about half a mile to walk but in the heat, and if you're running late, sometimes a cab is easier).  The cabbie totally screwed me out of a bunch of money.  The bill was $6.  I gave him a $20.  He handed me change and I gave him $2 for a tip.  Turns out, he only handed me like $8 back, so when I handed him $2, I essentially ended up paying $14 for a $6 cab ride.  Guy dicked me by handing me all one's.  I thought a $5 bill was in there.  Ugh.  Seriously, next time, I'll rent a car!  Anyway, the Veena workshop was a beginner/fundamentals workshop and I loved it.  It was simple and she broke things down really well.  We did a great warm-up and some strength training.  Then she taught us a short routine that is easy to remember.  Well, it would have been easy had Saturday night not fried my brain so much.  lol.

Anyway, I left that workshop, hurried back to the hotel to shower and jumped straight out of the frying pan and into the fire (thank you to Veena for the ride...I was going to walk to avoid another cab nightmare).  I got into the Rain Nightclub around 2:30 PM to help set up cameras for the live stream of the competition and showcase.  I helped lay wire (seemed like MILES of wire).  I sat around and tried to be helpful even though I didn't feel like I was doing much.  I picked up food so everyone could eat.  Around 5 or 5:30 PM, I was given the task of pulling everyone's music on to one thumb drive.  Sounds simple enough.  Imagine me with two laptops (one a Mac, which I had to ask Rita to help me with), pulling my hair out as I tried to pull together the songs for the competition starting in less than two hours.  Once I had everything off of Fawnia's and Annemarie's laptops, then the fun began.  Thumb drives, CDs, and pure panic as one file is corrupt and the performer didn't have a copy on her phone.  I ran up and down stairs 50 times trying to find some performers and their music.  I don't think I had the music finalized until well over an hour into the event.  So I missed the Pole Life Documentary (in which Rita and I had a part!!!!) and most of the girls competing (congrats to Poletential's Tiffany Rose for taking second place!).  The boys in the competition did such a great job, though!  Keep an eye on UPA's website for video! 

After the show, break down began.  Everyone who was there for the show was ushered out (so that they could get back in line to come in for the after-party).  We helped roll wires (again, not very well...sorry guys!).  What an amazing team between Annemarie's live stream team (Brandon, Sam, Shawn, Vinny of Mighty Grip), the club's DJ (Joe) and Fawnia's coordinator (Steph).  I met so many great people who made this whole thing happen.  I know I'm missing a lot of people and I am sorry for that (and if I messed up names)!!  We followed Annemarie up to the Barbie Suite to say hi to the Bad Kitty team, then we headed back to our room.  In order to save money, I stupidly scheduled myself back on the 7 AM flight on Sunday.  Rita and I got to bed around 12:30 AM and had to get up at 4:30 AM to go home.  It was funny to see how many  people were still up and partying.  It was pretty brutal and yesterday, I took a nap, then laid around the house still exhausted the rest of the day. 

I really want to thank Annemarie of United Pole Artists for having me out to help this weekend.  I also met so many new friends, fans of my blog, and other great people who made the weekend possible.  I hope to run into everyone again and hope we are all friends on Facebook.  I'm sorry for all of the people I know were there somewhere but never crossed paths with.  Next year, I learned a lesson.  Schedule the relaxing days off AFTER the Expo, not before (and sorry this still ended up being so long!).  ;-)  See you next year!

Fly Gym

On the big screen for the Pole Life documentary

Spinny T Bags herself!!

Veena!

Didja know...

...there are a whole bunch of pole dancers out there who just...pole dance??!  

They don't know who Felix Cane, Jenyne Butterfly or Alethea Austin are.  They don't Facebook stalk every pole celebrity in the world, post about their successes and failures, and share photos of every bruise earned.  They aren't on Studio Veena chatting and watching videos.  They aren't searching YouTube for the newest videos from the pros.  They don't read Aerial Amy's blog every day.  They just...go to class and dance.

Over the weekend, I went to the Pacific Pole Championships in Los Angeles.  I found a spot in the front row to take notes, photos and videos (I will do a more in-depth blog about the competition very soon).  I sat next to a lady who was very excited to be there and was taking notes about songs she wanted to dance to in the future.

We chatted between routines (many dancers didn't realize that the quiet time between routines were for judges to finish scoring).  I said something about the amazing Felix Cane.  Blank stare.  Jenyne Butterfly?  Nothing.  Alethea Austin?  Nope.  

Wow.

I really am a Pole Geek! 

Hey there's nothing wrong with either of us.  I was just happy to be in a room filled with people who have a passion for pole dancing.  

I am working on some great posts, but have been super busy with my real day job.  Until then, I sign off as a Pole Geek and proud of it!

Power of Pole: Meet Sarah Bee!

Meet pole sister, Sarah "Bee," with whom I connected on Facebook and Pole Junkies.  She is also part of our Pole Dancers United Facebook group. If you aren't already a part of our group, make sure you join us!  We have such a great group of (mostly) ladies giving great advice and support. 

How long have you been pole dancing? 

2 years and 3 months
 
What first drew you to try it? 

I had just started to lose weight, was recuperating from wrist surgery and wanted to tone up my body. I saw a youtube video, found out my local small town gym was running polefit classes, ran over to sign up and the rest is history.

Where do you take classes? 

I started at Jasper Fitness, moved on to Capital MissFits where I’m teaching now, and the only lessons I currently have are from Studioveena.com
 
Do you have a pole at home? 

I own 3 poles, 2 x-poles (but only 1 is up) and an 18ft homemade outdoor pole. I hope very soon to have my second pole installed in my basement.
 
How often do you pole? 

I teach 3 times a week, and pole twice for me.
 
What else do you do to keep your body in shape to pole? 

The only things I do to stay in shape are pole and a little hooping. In the summer, I do a little cycling with my husband.

Do you like to dance in shoes or barefoot? 

Currently barefoot but my basement is carpeted which makes heels awkward. My laminate flowing is going in soon so I hope to do my poling in heels.
 
How do you deal with dry skin on pole days and on off-pole days? 

I use Curel fragrance-free lotion. It goes on and leaves very little greasy residue. I can use it after a shower and be good to pole in 2 hours.
 
What is your favorite product to help you stick to the pole? 

The only thing I use on a regular basis is Mighty Grip, although I do have a bag of goodies I keep with me because you never know what pole conditions will be like.
 
Where do you buy your pole clothes? 

I have bought from PoleSkivvies, but now all my pole clothes come from Lorraine at Sweet Vixen Couture.
 
What is your favorite song to dance to right now? 

I like so many different things, and most music makes me move. I really like the tempo of Motivation by Kelly Rowland though…great for bringing out the inner sexiness! 

 
How do you feel like pole has improved or changed your life? 

I’m 42 and have never been flexible or particularly strong. I’ve never had any dance or gymnastics training, but I am currently about 2 inches from my first split, which I’m determined to have before my 43^rd birthday, and I am proud that I have conquered so many strength moves on the pole, moves I thought I would never get!

Studio Spotlight: Studio Veena!

Another of my Facebook and Twitter friends is "Veena," who offers really amazing online pole dance courses.  While I believe I have to be careful at home since I like to injure myself, I think that Studio Veena offers some of the best instruction around!

 

I know Studio Veena offers online courses.  Are you also a "real life" studio as well?
Studioveena.com is strictly an online studio. I developed my own method of teaching that includes what I call the P.O.C's (points of contact) and organized the lessons so the user doesn't have to "guess" when it comes to what they should work on next. It's all laid out in order! Building strength first is my primary focus for new dancers in the lessons.  I have also done workshops, private lessons and my favorite thing.... pole jams! 

What is your fitness background?
I've trained with free weights for about 14 years now. I've been an ACE certified personal trainer since 2001. I also hold a number of certifications in various fitness related areas, pre and post natal exercise and Yoga to name a few. Ever since childhood I have always been intrigued with the human body and physical fitness. Health class was my favorite subject in grade school. I love to study and learn more about the body and new fitness trends when I can. As a fitness professional, I never stop learning.

 

What is your fitness routine (on and off the pole)?  

I try to find time 5 or 6 mornings a week to workout for 1 or 2 hours. This does not always happen with kids in the house, and things like laundry, and dishes calling your name! But, I do my best to make exercise a priority. I very my workouts and rotate between pole dance, strength training, hooping and sometimes yoga.

What kind of diet do you follow?
All things in moderation!! I always eat 3 balanced meals a day and 3 snacks in between. Drinks LOTS of water is a big one for me as well!

Do you have a dance background? 

No, I wish! However, at the moment I am taking an Adult Beginner Ballet Course as part of my Continuing Education. It's been exciting for me to learn a little bit about dance. 

 

Do you compete (pole fitness or any other kind of fitness competitions)?

No. I prefer to perform. 

Do you have a preference? "pole fitness" or "pole dancing"  

Really its all pole dance to me, weather its for fitness, fun, art, or a sexy tease. 

What do you think about the stripper vs. pole fitness debate? 

I personally don't see it as a "vs." situation. It's all pole dance, just different styles. There is a time and a place for all styles!

What is your favorite product to help you stick to the pole? 

I don't normally use anything, but if I need it for those cold days, I use itac on my body. 

 

How do you deal with the dry skin on pole days (and on off-pole days)? 

I dance in the morning so I use whatever lotion I have on hand, on my legs the night before I pole. If I plan on dancing at night I'll put lotion on that morning.

Where do you like to buy your pole clothes? 

My mom and I have designed a few outfits that I love. I have a lot of sports bra's from Target. I have a great Romper from the Bad Kitty Pole Fit line. I have a bunch of Poleskivvies bottoms that I adore. And I was recently introduced to Mika Yoga Wear and love it too!

Do you like to dance in heels or barefoot? 

I enjoy both, it depends on the song.

What did you do before opening your pole studio? 

I was a stay at home mom when we started Studioveena. But before that, I work at the YMCA for a few years and was also a personal trainer. Back in the day I owned a little cleaning business, we would clean up new homes after construction was finished.

How did you come up with the name for your studio? 

Veena was a "stage" name for my first Youtube account.  Once I decided to start offering online lessons I figured everyone knew me as Veena, so I stuck with that name.

What is your favorite thing about dancing on the pole? 

The freedom of expression!!

What is your favorite song to dance to (at this moment)? 

Anything that come on my XM radio. BPM, Chill and Octane are my favorite stations.

 

Do you have any other upcoming events you'd like people to know about? 

No events for myself at the moment. However, we do have an Events section on the Studioveena.com Website, http://www.studioveena.com/events everyone be sure to check that out for events happening in your area! 
What else would you like people to know about you or your studio? 

At Studioveena.com we are always looking to improve and grow, there's always something new in the works! I recently added Flexibility and Foam Roller Lessons to the line up.