Technique Tuesday's: Pull-Up Crunch!

Aloha Pole Lovers & Supporters :)

It's Technique Tuesday's and I am blogging about my FAVORITE strengthening move the Pull-Up Crunch!!!  The Pull-Up Crunch is SO GREAT for Pole Strengthening and strengthening all together!!  This is a move that will help you with gaining the strength to properly invert, transition from different holds, etc.  Although it looks like an easy move it is commonly done wrong.  The following photos will show how to properly do a Pull-Up Crunch!

1.  Starting position:  Stand with your side towards the pole and your inside arm (arm closest to the pole) in the Strong Arm Hold position.  You can place your hips in front of the pole by placing the hip closest to the pole in front of the pole (this will help with the Pull-Up Crunch at first until you get more used to it:) ).  You will then place your outside arm's hand (arm furthest away from the pole) right above your inside arm's hand.

Strong Arm Hold

Starting position for hands & upper body

2.  Slowly pull up your legs into a fetal position while engaging your core and tucking your tailbone in.  You want to imagine bringing your knees all the way to your face as shown below.  The incorrect way to do a Pull-Up Crunch would be to keep your back in an arched position with your tailbone sticking out as shown below.

Proper Pull-Up Crunch

Improper Pull-Up Crunch

3.  To get out of the Pull-Up Crunch slowly release your legs back to the ground.  Jumping out of this move or releasing your grip too fast can cause injury.

Need more of a challenge?  The following are ways to challenge yourself if the Pull-Up Crunch is a bit too easy.

Pull-Up Straight Leg Crunch

 Pull-Up Straight Leg Crunch:  Keeping your legs straight and together while pulling them up towards your face (kind of like a pike) will add a great challenge!

Pull-Up Straight Leg Splay Crunch

Pull-Up Straight Leg Splay Crunch:  Keeping your legs straight while pulling them up into a splay towards the sky can also add a great challenge as well.

If you are doing this for the first time or even if you have done this before you may want to have a friend properly spot you so you can feel how the Pull-Up Crunch will eventually feel and you can see what your Pull-Up Crunch will eventually look like as well!

Doing the Pull-Up Crunch 3 - 5 times daily and holding it each time for about 3 - 5 seconds will definitely help you get stronger.  You will see a great difference in no time!  Well, I hope you LOVE the Pull-Up Crunch even more now!

Have a great Tuesday and come back for more Technique next week;)!!!!