hipshaker started this discussion ·
Anyone else working on the Iguana / Pen at the moment? It's a good challenge but it can't look good with a bum in the air, swearing trying to kick legs up 🙂 Feels really scary to pull legs all the way up - I manage to touch the pole with feet up and then get disorientated and kind of head downwards 🙂
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I used to be able to get this, but right now, I'm having problems even trying. I'm curious if you should try to get the bow and arrow (easy style first) before you try this one. Or the other way around to ensure that you are strong enough to hold it. Any advice would be appreciated!
My progression before trying this move: bow and arrow pencil from bow and arrow headstands and handstands I have fairly inflexible shoulders so this move sometimes messes with them. I also have an issue with sweaty hands in this mount.....don't know why but I do. I would LOVE to be able to do this with legs splayed.....in due time.
I'm working on trying to get my Iguana mount smoother.
Anyone else working on the Iguana / Pen at the moment? It's a good challenge but it can't look good with a bum in the air, swearing trying to kick legs up 🙂 Feels really scary to pull legs all the way up - I manage to touch the pole with feet up and then get disorientated and kind of head downwards 🙂 I can do this move most of the time (even if it's not lovely!) The way I figured it out was to do a regular headstand against the pole. This gives you the feeling of how to kick your legs up. Then I did a headstand, but put my arms in the iguana position. That way, my head was still holding a lot of my weight, and I felt more secure. Finally I did the mount in the normal way, and it worked! I posted a video of my shock at getting it if you want to look in my profile. GOOD LUCK! M
Thanks Mindy4Pole, Sissy etc! My pole instructor recommended me trying iguana (I'd never heard of bow and arrow, or tried headstand for that matter). So maybe it was a bit ambitious. Again thank you so much for the comments - I'll practice bow and arrow and will attempt head stand and take it from there! Sounds like that approach would make more sense.
I have no idea why but the iguana mount is one of the easiest moves for me (but I suck at some other ones that you guys seem to get with no problem)! Anyway, I did practice headstands against the pole for awhile first. Then, I learned to put my hands in the iguana mount position and kick up just like a headstand. As soon as I was able to hook one ankle/foot behind the pole just one time to help balance, I got the move. It does hurt my elbow really bad though (tendonitis).
The iguana requires a lot more flexibility than many of us think. I don't know if that is an issue for you but for me it is and has been. First things first. You want to have a good forward fold. This will mean stretching daily until you can get a decent forward fold, you also want to have good strong shoulders and core. The more of your back that you can get on the pole - the easier this move will be. You'll bend way down, grip the pole behind you, lifting for your shoulders, engaging your core - this also means those lower back muscles, pull yourself towards the pole, your legs should be shoulder width a but more apart and you should be on tip toes, as you lift bring your legs outwards then up. I hope that description helps. This a move I still don't have as well as I would like. I still need a bit of a jump to do it right and I cannot keep my legs totally straight. You don't want to jump into this move because you can really injure yourself. Because I don't have a very good forward fold I don't have as much of my back on the pole as I should to execute the move seemlessly.
Really good description Charley. I seem to be able to do this sometimes and then others not, but I find having the strength in my stomach and lower back is of prime importance as I seem to need that to get my legs completely up - so more often than not, it depends whether my muscles can be bothered as to whether I can get up there! 😂 I think this is one of those moves that can quite easily leave you unless you keep practising 😀
have made some attempts at this but never got both feet off the ground.. 😳
