New Milestone: First Pole Move that Actually Scared Me - "Basic" Butterfly

StrangeFox started this discussion · 7/27/2017

Anyone else have a massive amount of difficulty with the basic butterfly? Although it is a beautiful move it is totally not one of my favourites right now. Inverted crucifix? No problem. Gemini? Great! Crossed knee release? Yes please! Butterfly? Yeah... I'll stick with being a caterpillar for a while! :P It was pretty scary to get into and I didn't seem to understand how to get myself stable. I mentally prepared myself for this move by watching the videos on here a hundred times over and thought "I got this!" - nope. This move totally threw me. The instructor had to walk me through it three times before I got it. I was so spooked after it that I lost my confidence/focus and even had trouble doing one-handed scorpio, which I've been trying at home and am usually okay with. Everyone else got into it on their first try like it was nothing. Usually I'm pretty fearless but this move really "traumatized" me. Is basic butterfly a foundational move or can I "nope" out of this one for a while without hurting my progress? Is it normal for this move to be so scary, and is there prep I can do to help me get used to the position the top portion of my body needs to be in?

22 replies

Cherished · 7/27/2017
I forget the prep beyond the caterpillar but I'm sure you'll get lots of tips from all the Veeners here! Maybe posting a video will get you some good pointers on stable positioning. Definitely take your time with it. I think it's a great foundational move and useful to learn but I wouldn't rush into it. If you need to take a break from it you should. As you get stronger you will feel stable and safe. I remember feeling very shaky learning it. For moves that weren't solid for me when I was first learning, I practised with lots of grip aid and pillows and did prep moves as much as I could.
StrangeFox · 7/27/2017
Thanks Cherished! I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels weird in this move. Some moves feel so natural to me (gemini and inverted crucifix are my faves right now, and cross knee release feels stable), and others are kind of shaky for me. I'm just starting to feel OK with scorpio, but it never feels completely natural. Butterfly felt terrifyingly unstable, though. Watching the videos here again, I realize it's not actually the "basic" butterfly I'm doing but the butterfly (split grip, but not extended). I haven't even done basic butterfly. Would mastering a basic butterfly make it easier to master the butterfly? The huge issue I'm having is getting my body away from the pole and activating my push pull grip.
StrangeFox · 7/27/2017
One happy thing came out of my butterfly struggles, though. I bonded with some of the girls in my class. :) Most of the girls have at least one close friend in the class, and although everyone is super nice I was starting to feel like the odd man out. I do talk to some of the girls, but nothing beyond small talk. I was the first one to try the butterfly, so everyone was watching as I was dragged off of the pole three times by the instructor before I finally got the move. After that I was being included in group conversations. Even some of the girls who were a bit distant with me were joking and laughing with me at the end of class. Go figure! LOL!
PoleAdventures · 7/27/2017
I would suggest you work on your forearm and handstands first! I pole nearly two years and are not secure in the basic butterfly. It's not very a beginner move ;) Try to work on basic spins first, planks, pole sit variations and pole side holds :)
Cherished · 7/27/2017
@StrangeFox Yeah I definitely think working on the basic butterfly first is better because it's a conditioning step before really going into a split grip. Every instructor has their own way of doing things which sometimes could to be a bit more tailored to individual needs so you have to listen to what your body is telling you. As I started to progress more in pole I realized occasionally my instructor had me do moves I didn't have a foundation for as yet. Also I think it's awesome you connected with some of your classmates :)
dustbunny · 7/28/2017
Commented on your video!
StrangeFox · 7/28/2017
Looks like I'm in good company! I don't feel so bad for finding this one difficult and scary if you talented ladies struggled with it, too. :) PoleAdventures - You're right...there is a ton of other stuff to work on. I tend to get fixated on a move sometimes and then I have to step back because I get frustrated with it. Oddly enough, when I go back to it later I usually get it no problem and I can't remember what I was struggling with before. I think there are a lot of other moves that will help me build the strength and skills necessary to butterfly. The elbow stands are a great idea because they'll help me with muscle activation while being upside down, as well as balance. And my pole sits and basic planks could always use more work! Cherished - Haha! Yeah! With some moves it's like I'm missing a piece of the puzzle. The instructor told us to get right in front of our pole in a straight line and everyone else just did it no problem but I was like: "Uhm...where is the front of my pole?" *facepalm* I just didn't get it, which is silly because I do it all the time to get into inverted crucifix. Whenever I turn to face the pole and grab I get all twisted/confused and collapse out of the move. Basic butterfly and caterpillar will probably help with that. Thanks for your replies and advice, everyone! It makes me feel a lot less anxious and alone and there are a few new things I'm excited to try next time I get the guts to work on this move again.
hannimator · 7/28/2017
@StrangeFox Butterfly used to terrify me! I actually found that getting in to it from Gemini to start with helped (nice combo of gemini - butterfly - flatline scorpio). When you go from gemini to butterfly you tend to have more of a knee hook, so I found it felt more stable whilst getting me used to being upside down and AWAY from the pole (which is terrifying, I can't get aysha because I'm so scared!!). In that time I worked on getting my caterpillar really straight and super stable (caterpillar push ups are good for this!) and then one day it clicked and I could do it! It's all about baby steps and eventually you will feel strong and stable (like Theresa May... lol) enough to progress further :D
StrangeFox · 7/28/2017
Thanks Hannimator! Next time I try this move I think I'll give it a go from gemini. That option hurts my brain less than thinking about how I have to do it from basic invert. I'm having trouble keeping my legs in a stable position while I swing my top half out so I'm in line with the pole. Plus it looks a little more low-ceiling friendly. I'm also having a hard time getting that bottom hand locked... I can't seem to get my split grip activated when I'm upside down... Caterpillar might help with that. :) Sometimes, I'm stuck on a move for what feels like forever (backhook spin and reverse sunwheel...I'm looking at you!), and one day it just clicks and I do it like I've been doing it forever. Usually I end up being able to do my "trouble" moves better than the moves that I get right away. Fingers crossed that happens with the butterfly...
Veena · 7/29/2017
Don't be discouraged at all...the split grip bfly isn't basic and isn't the first one I teach. Remember the lessons here and in the app are all place in a particular order that works well for MOST people. There are always exceptions. Also if you want a rock solid butterfly start with a super strong caterpillar, you gotta be a caterpillar before you become a butterfly.:) Try the caterpillar program if you haven't already and you'll get more comfy with the bfly soon!
StrangeFox · 7/29/2017
Thanks Veena! I love your saying about having to be a caterpillar before you can be a butterfly! :) I think the caterpillar program sounds perfect for this. I see scapula exercises and core work in day 1 and ...those are my weak spots! :D I've seen a lot of other students nail the butterfly consistently after being spotted for it once or twice, but I have no clue what their background is, and we're all different so I'm trying not to compare. There are things I'm really comfortable with after one or two tries that others are still learning, and vice versa. We did do caterpillar push ups before we learned the butterfly - probably to make sure we were strong enough and that we were comfortable with the leg motion for the butterfly. But for me it's the positioning of the top portion of my body, and the push-pull while being upside down that totally messes me up, so I think getting my caterpillar solid is going to be key to rocking the butterfly.
StrangeFox · 7/30/2017
So I can get into position for the basic butterfly (pictured with partial split grip) just fine from inverted crucifix, but I cannot do it from basic invert for whatever silly reason. I don't find this position as scary anymore and can see myself doing butterfly in the future...after I've mastered caterpillar and basic butterfly. I can go into full split grip and push myself away from the pole, but my extended elbow still hyper-flexes a bit and that feels iffy, so I have to work on that, too. Any tips for locking out my elbow without hyper-flexing it?
Veena · 7/31/2017
If you deal with hypertension try focusing on keeping a slight bend and contracting the bicep of the extended arm.
StrangeFox · 7/31/2017
Thanks Veena! I'll give that a shot! The hyper-extension is definitely much better now that I've built up muscles around my elbows. Gradually it's getting corrected as I build strength, but I still have to be mindful of it in certain positions. :)
hannimator · 7/31/2017
@StrangeFox that's actually another thing I really struggled/struggle with, I have hypermobility in my elbows so split grip things were incredibly difficult for me (to the point where I couldn't do split grip spins for about a year in to pole, despite everyone else nailing them first try, sucks!) I need to really focus on keeping my arms not straight and locked, keeping everything engaged. If I'm not engaged (maybe I'm tired or something) my arms will straighten ,bend too far, and I get 1. pain in my elbows or 2. my grip suffers or 3. I feel off balance. Honestly I think we have the benefit of slowly training up to certain positions (not by choice!), and doing it safely because of this. I see so many people who are able to just hang and nail moves, but it's not done safely and puts them more at risk of injuries. Slow and steady wins the race ;)
StrangeFox · 7/31/2017
Gah! Hannimator - that's me, too! I have issues with split grip spins and up until a couple of months ago I had to really concentrate when I did them. My elbow hyper-mobility is much better now but still causes problems if I'm really tired. I'm glad to hear things will get better. Actually, I also have hyper-mobile shoulders...or at least I used to before pole. In a few short months my shoulders have gone from being hyper-mobile to just plain mobile as I've gained muscle. Pole means no more fun escape artist party tricks, but it also means no more disconcerting "catching" sensation in my shoulders. :D You're right about slow and steady winning the race! If split grip was easy for me I'd be doing it constantly. I love the look of split grip spins and moves, but because they're so much work for my core and my elbows I always keep it slow with those types of moves. I hear too much split grip can cause injuries, too.
StrangeFox · 8/1/2017
Okay...I (sort of) got it but it's quite an ugly butterfly! Haha! I'm waaaay too scared to extend my back leg any further yet. I'm going to post a pic in a couple of months and it's going to look way better. I promise. It's a lot easier to get into this from gemini and I feel way more secure. I love gemini so much... It makes me feel so safe and cool. Ps. You probably can't tell from the pic but I've got my hand at the very bottom of the pole, wedged between the crash mat. Any tips to prevent sliding down the pole while doing this one?
Veena · 8/1/2017
Yay!! Keep working on the caterpillar, this gives you everything you need to hold the position.
StrangeFox · 8/1/2017
Will do, Veena! :) I actually like the caterpillar a lot better than the butterfly (I think it looks a lot cuter, and it's easier to flow into than butterfly). Thanks so much for all of your help!
AerialJoy · 8/7/2017
@ StrangeFox One thing that really helped me feel more comfortable with the split grip butterfly is making a gun grip with my bottom hand. This included pointing my pointer finger down towards the floor and pressing the heel of my bottom hand into the pole. Keeping my bottom arm engaged and palm pressed into the pole allowed me to feel much more stable/confident.
StrangeFox · 8/8/2017
Thanks hmarshall! Last week in class we did a review of this move and I was able to get into it much easier on both my good side and my dork side. My instructor teaches this move with the "gun grip" and I found that was the only way I was able to get my arm stable without hyper-extension. :) I'm feeling much, much better about the butterfly after getting comfy in the caterpillar.
AerialJoy · 8/8/2017
@StrangeFox Awesome, I am glad you are feeling more comfortable with it and finding a safe progression :-)