I love the Inverted D. I think it’s a great way to work on your strength and balance on the pole, but it is quite often over looked as a good move to try. It’s a perfect progression from the Butterfly and can really help you work on your Ayesha.

The most important part of this move is to have a really strong, confident Butterfly. You want to be able to hold your Butterfly without shaking for at least 10 seconds – the amount of time you need to slide out into your Inverted D and hold it.

How To

1. Invert on the pole placing your outside foot over the front and your inside foot behind the pole. You can pass through a V Invert if you want, but need to end up with your legs on the pole as in a basic invert.

2. Keep your outside hand where it is on the pole, and reach down with your inside arm, fingers point to the floor. Hold the pole and pull your body straight.  Make sure your arms are straight and your top hand is pulling and your bottom hand is pushing into the pole.

3. Try to move your body slightly away from the pole, keeping it straight to the pole as if going in to the Butterfly. If you do not feel strong at this point, keep trying this part until you feel stronger.

4. Slowly release your knee grip on the pole while keeping the pole hooked by your feet. At the same time move your bottom away from the pole to enable you to straighten your legs. Keep looking up at your legs. Keep moving until your legs are straight.

5. When your front (hooked) leg is straight, take your back foot over the other side of the pole – one leg should be either side of the pole at this point. You can squeeze between your feet or just above your ankles. This is your Inverted D – hold this position.

6. To come out pull your body back into the pole and re grip with your legs to then slide to the floor, or release your legs to come out into a handstand kick down.

Tips

• Make sure you have a strong Butterfly and grip with your arms before trying this move.
• Keep your body inline with the pole – much like in the Butterfly. If you twist, you come out of this move.
• Pull with your top hand and push with your bottom hand through out.
• This move tests your balance (and your nerve!) so move really slowly when you push your bottom back. You might not be able to get all the way out the first time, but you will get closer each time you try.
• Make sure you have a spotter ready with this move – they can help guide your hips out and keep you straight.
• Engage your shoulders, core and pretty much every muscle you have 🙂
• As you go to try the slide out, keep looking up to help with your balance.
• Practice your safety exit – once you can kick out of this move, it is much easier to try – you always know that you can safely get out of the move and so can try and get further each time.
• Mind your ankles! We want to get the grip by our feet but be careful not to bash your ankles on the pole.
• Keep trying – this is a really great move to help you get your Ayesha, which we know we all want, so stick with it! 😀

Video Tutorial

Here’s our video tutorial to help you nail your Inverted D! 😀