It’s a fun one! 🎉

These are great questions Elliana! This is for sure a heavy grip/forearm combo, and even more so when first learning it, but it’s looking awesome on you already!

1) As long as they are crossed you are fine! No need to uncross and re-cross, the silks can be crossed either direction.
2) The most important thing is that the wrap stays high on the thigh after the split. So pretty much bend/lift your knees towards the chest right away as you pull up , and make sure to pull all the way up so your elbows are your side before inverting. Right now it looks like you are inverting as you’re pulling up. It’s definitely a strength moment. Your wraps were correct, but If you are ever unsure of your wraps, just keep your hands on as you slide down into the slack drop to walk it down.
3) Massage your forearms and take rest days. Taking a day or two off in between working on this combo is super helpful when first learning it. Burning out is frustrating, so be sure to pace yourself and give yourself a longer timeline (if you can) to refine this one. The best REST point is the side lean before standing up to cross the poles. Take an extra few seconds there to rest. The other rest moment is right before you go into the split. Try standing really centered over your bottom leg so you can balance there. If you’re standing balanced and your bottom foot is secure, you can and loosen your grip there (but don’t remove your hands away completely) for a moment before pulling up and stepping in the loops.

It’s looking good Kary! Nice reach out into the half turn. Yes, this one does take a lot of tail so you would have to climb pretty high if your tails arn’t long enough at the bottom. If you had a longer silks to rig it would be easier and possible to learn it at a lower height. Nice job on the second part 🙂

Hah yes this can be a tricky moment! You can try leaning the booty back (piking) just slightly while standing to help place the front foot for the split. You’ll have to really turn out that leg to get the front foot in. Or you could also try pulling up and lifting your legs first before placing them if you find that’s easier!

You’re doing great Janice!! Thanks for sharing your process, this is totally how learning this one is like. Takes many many tries! The last one you did worked better as your arms were lower on the poles (more bent) which we find does make it a bit easier to go into the spilt from. Also being higher up helps too as there is more weight of the Silks below which can help the Silks from sliding while you wrap.

Hi Yvan, good question, yes after the split bend both knees to the inside of the poles before inverting for the crochet. In the video it looks like you bent your front knee on the outside of the pole. Overall it’s coming along nicely, keep up the good work!

Hi Caro! First off great job, and really cool discovery into the belay! Sometimes accidents create magic as you did here!

1) make sure you cross the poles before diving through the center (your poles don’t look crossed in your video), that’s key to make sure one leg doesn’t slip down low once you get into the split.
2) Be sure to turn the correct direction (If your right leg is the standing leg, you will turn towards your left) when diving through the poles to prep for the arabesque lean out.
3) After the slack drop, you were correct pulling up into the arabesque, from there just lean back a little so you can unhook your right leg from the right pole and bring it down next to your left leg.. then bring your upper body forwards (through the middle of the poles). Then just fold to your left thigh hitch/hip key from there.

This is coming along great Megan! Yep, placing the foot to prep the split can be a tricky moment, getting the hips more behind the poles (leaning back) can help make a bit more space to get the foot in. Keep up the good work!

Hi Alissa! Thanks for sharing! It looks like something got mixed up with your wrap. If you’d like re-upload the video from the start of the wrap we can help guide you. Each detail is very specific with this wrap. Looking forward to seeing more of your work and helping you out with this!

Great job Yvan, you got all the technical elements! We’d recommend lots of repetition with this one to help iron out the details. A couple notes would be to make sure your bottom leg is all the way straight once you stand and go into the side balance. Also suggest working on sliding your hands down a bit further on the poles to get more arch lean out to open up that shape more before coming back to prep the split. Your slack drop looks good, just be sure to press your hips all the way forwards before you drop. Squeezing the bum helps. Overall it’s coming together nicely!

This is looking great Niksa! You got such a nice flow and lines here 👍
Bummer about the burn! Thick leggings or two layers of leggings will help prevent that when doing the slack drop. For the can can climb, see if you can raise your top leg up a bit higher as you kick to stand to show off that straight leg lift extension. Also, you did something interesting in your split… it looks like you placed your backfoot underneath the tail and then against the pole versus just on the pole itself. It looks like it didn’t change the effectivity of the split or the wrap for the slack drop at all, just wanted to point that out, it’s an interesting variation! Good work 🎉

This is coming along great Manon! The split can be a challenge especially when it billows out. What will help with that is to make sure the silk you’re standing on in your can can climb is in the center of your foot so your heel/ toes are exposed versus covered up by the silk. It will help to start the can can climb with your body a bit closer to the silk so it’s easier to scoop the tail higher up the thigh with your straight leg. We will go over that tomorrow at the QnA! Then as you enter the split, be sure to ‘turn out’ your front leg/foot so the pole is pressing against the inside of your foot versus the outside. You can also try placing that front foot before pulling up, which might be easier. Keep up the good work!

Looking good Cameron! Yep, think about using all upper body to pull up from the split and bring your knees up to your chest more before inverting. You’re doing great!

You are so welcome! And yes, absolutely- with practice and finding rest moments, it does get easier. For slack drops I like to double layer with tights under thicker leggings. Maybe give that a try?

Great work so far, Chris! When going into the arabesque shape at the end- be sure to keep that left leg straight as possible, drive the heel to the ground and press your hips to the sky a bit. Same thing with the right arm and shoulder. Also, try an exhale “breath moment” during that final shape. Nice progress!

Wonderful work so far! Yes, the wind can be suuuuper challenging at times. Loving all your additions!

Nice job! Fantastic split, great drama!

Really nice. Definitely seeing interesting dynamic choices. Love!

All good! Thank you for sharing!

You’re welcome!

Hi Caro! You are right, it helps to keep the back foot grounded for front foot placement. Try to keep your hips and left foot a little more under your shoulders and pull up as much as you can. Thinking this will help create more slack in that loop thats easier to find with your right foot. This one is tricky and it does take lots of practice. Keep up the good work!

Hi Jill! It looks like your standing leg is bending a little bit and the standing foot is raising up. Try to keep that standing leg super straight and your foot down to the floor.

Hi there, you are doing great! Don’t worry about letting go completely or the speed of the slack drop. Presentation at the landing of it is more important, and what you are doing is nice!

You’re welcome Yvan! Great split, and wow legs for days definitely create impressive slack loops!

Looking good, Manon! Nice, smooth and strong transitions. Think about refining the extension through your knees and feet. Also, maybe try a little dynamic change in your “flow”, just to mix it up. Great work!

Hi there, looking great! Yes it is possible to not do a full crochet with the legs. However its important to squeeze extra hard, keep your hips super flat and don’t pike at all. You will have less tension and points of contact with just bent knees, so be ready for more sliding. Nice work!

You look great! It’s absolutely fine to cross the poles more than once. The reason the tail is over your foot in the split versus in the middle of your split is because you’re not pulling and lifting your feet up off the silks and then placing your feet back on the poles, you’re just opening into the split without tucking up first. It doesn’t seem to make a difference with the rest of the combo so we say to keep it! We can call it Niksa variation 😉

Looking fantastic. Gorgeous arabesques and split! I would say play with mixing up dynamic change in your flow a bit? Nice work!