Tutorials:  Pole Spins
**To reduce the risk of injury, make sure you have warmed up prior to participating in these videos. Always check that your pole is secure and properly installed, listen to your body, and use your best judgment. Participate at your own risk.**
Understanding how to create momentum is the key to being successful in your spins and dance turns. You should be comfortable with the basic step around/dip around dance turn and have a good understanding of how to create momentum. This video breaks down the foundations and techniques you will need to master before you should attempt any spins.  *These techniques are for static mode (non-spinning poles), but these techniques are also needed for understanding control in spin mode too (see the videos in the â??spin poleâ? section of the membership site.)


Spin Progressions, Options & Variations

Tips for pole spin success:
  • Protect your shoulders! You should never be hanging on your shoulders in a spin. The shoulders should be engaged by rolling them back and down, lifting the chest, and "sliding the shoulder blades into your back pocket".
  • Think about "driving the pole into the floor"
  • Spin progression should always follow the "more to less" contact rules:  2-hands with leg contact > 1-hand with leg contact > 2-hands with no leg contact > 1-hand with no leg contact
  • The basic version of the spin should always be mastered first before attempting any variations, spin combos, or direction changes.
  • Learn to spin on a static pole before working on spin pole (these require different techniques, strength, and control).
  • RED FLAGS:  "wrist breaks", "push" grips, hyperextended elbows, and shoulders up by your ears--all are risks for injury!
This instructional video covers the basic fireman spin technique which is typically the first spin taught by most pole instructors and is a foundation spin. *You should be comfortable with the basic step around/dip around dance turn and have a good understanding of how to create momentum. Please watch the "creating momentum video prior to attempting this spin.

Grip: Basic
Momentum: OL
POC: Ankles and gentle inner thigh squeeze just above the knees
Spin Group:  OL Spins, Beginner
This is the instructional video for the straight-leg fireman/martini spin. This spin can be taken to the floor for floorwork or you can land on your feet and transition back up. *This spin is a variation to the fireman spin and is also ok as a first spin to learn/teach.

Grip: Basic
Momentum: OL
POC: Ankle and gentle inner thigh squeeze just above the knees
Spin Group:  OL Spins, Beginner
This is the instructional video for the stag/double attitude spin and includes a drill to perform to help you master this spin. This spin can be a bit more difficult for beginners as it is almost an "off-the-pole" spin and has very little contact. Only the outside heel has contact with the pole so this spin requires a good understanding of how to create momentum to pull you out and away from the pole. *You should be comfortable with creating momentum and be strong in your basic OL fireman spin at least.

Grip: Basic
Momentum:  OL and whipping back of the IL
POC: Outside ankle/heel hook (or back of the knee/calf)
Spin Group:  OL Spins, Beginner/Intermediate
This is the instructional video for the double knee spin. Once the IL makes contact with the pole, you can either stay grounded (leave your feet on the ground and sit back into it) as you bring the legs in to pinch the pole (a good option for someone not comfortable lifting off the ground yet) or once the IL tags the pole, you can lift both legs up and into the tucked position as shown in this video.  *In spin pole, you are holding a pose while the pole spins (vs you spinning around the pole), so this is a good spin to use to learn spin pole technique and gain strength & control.

Grip: Half-bracket (facing the pole)
Momentum: OL
POC: Inner thighs (just above the knees, not boney part)
Spin Group: Carousel Spins, Spins, Beginner
*This spin could be thought of as an OL spin because of where the momentum comes from, but I think of this spin as an IL spin because I allow my IL to tag the pole first before bringing the OL in to meet it.
This instructional video includes the technique for the inner thigh/pike spin with the option to land on the floor and transition to floor work or landing on your feet for a sexy up. It is basically a progression from the straight-leg fireman/martini and the DB knee spins. The legs can be straight out/pike or more in a V (like a martini spin with â??olives hanging on your toesâ?). *You should be comfortable with the basic martini/straight-leg fireman spin prior to attempting this spin.

Grip: Half-bracket (facing the pole)
Momentum: OL
POC: inner thighs (just above the knees, not boney part)
Spin Group:  Carousel Spins/OL Spins, Intermediate
This instructional video includes the basic drag & fly spin technique, plus 1-hand options, and a â??drag, fly, switchâ? option to challenge you.

Grip: Basic or 1-handed
Momentum: Your body leaning out and away as you tip into the spin
POC: IL, heel hook, or back of the knee
Spin Group: IL Spins, Beginner/Intermediate
This is the instructional video for the front hook closed spin. In this spin, you want to keep the knees together and your butt back in a tucked (closed) position. I teach this with two options:  both legs on the front or one on the front/one of the back of the pole as in the BH closed spin. *The BH closed spin is easier and I usually teach the BH spin before the FH spin.

Grip:  Basic
Momentum:  OL swinging out, around, and then in to meet the IL (creating the â??out to in speeds you upâ? effect)
POC:  Back of the inside ankle/calf (if both legs on the front of the pole) or back of the inside ankle and top of the outside ankle (if one on the front/one of the back of the pole option)
Spin Group:  IL Spins, Beginner
This is the instructional video for the FH & Whip spin and this is a variation to the basic FH closed spin. The momentum and power used to create the â??whipâ? is the â??ampedâ? up version of the technique you use in the basic FH closed, so you want to be comfortable with that first.

Grip: Basic
Momentum: IL step and hook and then the OL whipping out, around, and in to meet the other leg as you sit your butt back
POC:  Back of the inside knee/calf/ankle
Spin Group:  IL Spins, Beginner/Intermediate
Resources & Bonuses
These are some articles and references about warming up.


  
 


Copyright Angela Marie Wellness