I have been able to do a Wrist Seat for quite a while now. I remember a year or so ago I wanted to try the No Handed Seat (pictured) also known as a Violator, among other names. (I’m not a fan of that name, so I stick to mine!)

I remember trying it over and over again with no luck. I hurt my coccyx and kept sliding down the pole. I had absolutely no idea how anyone would ever manage it.

I decided not to try it again – it just wasn’t for me. That is until I was taught to do it properly at one of Cleo’s workshops.

Nail The Technique

When I was first trying out the No Handed Seat I had convinced myself that I was doing it absolutely right. I thought I just didn’t have enough balance to get the move right. So imagine my surprise when I found out that I was doing it completely wrong!

No, you are not meant to be balancing on your coccyx! You should be pushing into the pole with the back of your leg (high on the thigh but not your butt) and pull with your hands. Previously I had no contact on the pole with the back of the leg, so no wonder I was doing it wrong!

It’s amazing to think that you are doing a move correctly, and then realise that you aren’t. A lot of moves can look the same as how you are doing it, but there’s usually a little bit that varies and that’s all you need to get right in order to nail it.

I was teaching a Hero to a student in class yesterday – she managed to get into it but found it was uncomfortable on her bottom arm. We looked at it and came to the conclusion that she needed to pull more with her top arm. She then said she hadn’t been using that arm to pull at all! Suddenly the move became a whole lot easier 🙂

In this case, both versions of her Hero looked exactly the same, but obviously felt different. It’s so interesting in pole how moves can look exactly the same, but really don’t feel like they are.

Take It Slow

Good technique often comes from being strong and being able to deadlift inverts or really control your spins. Of course you’re not going to be able to perform every move perfectly the first time you try it.

Take it slow and try to control as much of your movement as possible. Usually when we try a move we get so close and panic on the last bit, which is where we try and go into the move. The slower you can take it, the more control you’ll have and the stronger you will get.

Of course some moves need us to go faster which is perfectly fine. Fast and controlled also works well 🙂

If the move feels wrong or if you can’t feel the push / pull that pole moves need, ask where you’re going wrong. Good techniques make moves so much easier – and we all want that 😀