Perfect Pencil Pose

The Pencil Pose: Hold your body upside down in a straight line with only your hand grip holding you up. It is a great move for working on your strength, balance and for combinations in routines.

How to do the Pencil Pose:

1. Face the pole and take a few steps backwards, keeping your legs slightly apart for balance. Place your hands on the pole and bend the top half of your body over. Use your hands for support by sliding them down the pole. Place your back on the pole with your spine either side of the pole – you will need to shuffle your legs slightly closer to the pole to do this.

2. Let go of the pole with your strong hand and rotate your arm in order to place it on the pole as straight and as high as you can, with out over stretching. Place your weaker hand on the pole just slightly underneath your strongest hand.

3. Pull with your arms in order to lift your legs off the ground. Aim to straighten your legs in order to position your body in a straight line. Hold this pencil pose for a few seconds.

When learning:

The hardest part of this move is usually the controlling the legs as opposed to not having the arm strength: getting your legs off the ground, lifting and holding them up can all be problems. Each person will find different ways of getting upside down easier or harder, depending on their own body and previous pole and dance experience. It is worth exploring these different ways as you will find what suits you and will get stronger in the process.

To get your legs above your body you can try:

• Jumping your legs up. Bend both legs at the same time and jump off the ground. The aim is to get your legs bent together as if tucking them up. When you can confidently balance your legs together above your bum, try to slowly straighten them.
• Kicking your legs up. This kicking motion is similar to that of doing a handstand. This helps to get your legs up to where they need to be. As your legs get higher, make sure you are pulling with your arms in order to keep yourself balanced and to stay up there.
• Pulling your legs up. This is more of a slow, controlled motion and requires a lot of strength. This is easier if you keep your legs together. As you lift them off the ground keep them close to your body. When your legs are above your bum try to slowly straighten them.

Tips

• To practise this move try a head stand against the pole in order to work on your balance. Kneel in front of the pole and place both hands at the base. With your knees still on the ground bend your body over so that the top of your head is on the floor. Straighten your legs so that your back is against the pole and you are on your toes. Jump, kick or pull your legs up as above in order to get your legs straight and above your head.
• Slower is better. When doing this move if you go slower you are more in control and will keep your balance for longer. The tendency is to quickly get your legs as straight as possible and while this will help put your legs in the right place, it is likely that your legs will come straight back to the ground without you having time to try to balance.
• When trying either the head stand or the pencil try to hook your strongest foot over the pole in order to keep your legs up there. From here you can work on the strength in your arms and slowly hook or un-hook your foot as needs be in order to help you balance.
• When your legs are tucked above your bum tilt them back slightly towards the pole but not leaning on the pole. This will change your weight distribution and allow you to straighten your legs easier.
• If you feel like your legs might come down before you are ready, kick them down one by one as if landing from a handstand, for a smooth finish. An alternative is to hook your legs together over the pole in a fang position in order transfer your strength from using your arms to your legs. Slowly release the grip on your legs to guide you down towards the floor and into a handstand position.

Advanced Pencil:

If you have mastered the pencil and want to make it a little harder try bringing your legs up in different ways. You can also try to bring your legs down in different ways to work on your strength, balance and control. When you are confident with the pencil try to put this move into a routine.

• Straight V: Keep your legs slightly apart and straight. Keeping them in the same position move them up towards the ceiling, closing your legs to finish.
• Side V: Keep your slightly apart and move them up and out to the side and then above your head, closing your legs to finish.
• Straight legs: Keep your legs together in front of you. Keeping them straight lift, them up towards the ceiling.

Transitions to and from the pencil:

Easy: Pole Climb – Pole Sit – Cross Leg Release – Pencil Pose – Kick down to finish

Medium: Pencil Pose – Iguana – Bow and Arrow – Kick down to finish

Hard: Pencil Pose – Fang – Pull up to Pole Sit – Aerial Invert to Ayesha – Kick down to finish

If there are any moves or terms you are unfamiliar with visit our glossary at fireflypoles.co.uk or contact us at [email protected] for more help. We would love to hear how you are getting on with the pencil pose.