Technique Tip: Inverting Without the Foot Assist

When we are learning to invert, it's natural to look for little shortcuts. One of the most common is using your foot to help tip yourself over. Some call it a toe tag, I like to call it the Toe Toppler inverter type.

It happens often, and for many it becomes a habit that can be difficult to break. Surface-level reminders like “lift your hips,” “engage your core,” or “use more strength” are usually well intentioned, but they rarely get to the root of the problem.

So why does it happen? Let's break it down.

Two Common Reasons Why We Use the Foot Assist

1. The arms straighten too soon In a bent-arm inversion, if your elbows “melt” and straighten before your hips have time to lift, the foot often steps in to help you over. Timing matters here: elbows close to your sides first, hips lift, then the arms lengthen.

2. The arms start too far away If your starting position places your hands around forehead height with your elbows flared at a 90-degree angle, the inversion becomes much more challenging. Your hips are farther away from your center of support, it requires extra strength to hold your arms there, your arms often lengthen too soon, and once again the foot steps in to finish the job.

💡 Think of it this way: if you were doing a bicep curl with weights, it is far easier with your elbows in at your sides than with your arms held straight out in front of you and bending to 90 degrees. The same concept applies to inverting. When your arms are closer in, the movement feels much more attainable. Of course, core strength also plays a role in the ability to lift the hips, that's a given. What is often overlooked is the arm positioning and timing. Aerialists usually surprise themselves when they realize they've had it in them to invert without their foot all along, they just needed a slightly different order of operations and a bit more bent-arm conditioning.

A Simple Exercise to Break the Habit

I highly recommend what I call Hang Time.

🎯Try This Drill:

Start from a climbing position. Place your hands around chest level, drawing your elbows down toward your hips and keeping your collarbones wide. Release your feet from the silk and hold the position for 10 seconds, gradually working your way up to longer holds.

If 10 seconds feels out of reach right now, hold for as long as you can - every effort counts.

I recommend beginning on your non-dominant side first. For example:

• Silks together with left hand on top

• Silks together with right hand on top

• Silks separate
  

If you need to come down and rest between hand positions, that’s absolutely fine.

This exercise strengthens your bent-arm position and builds the foundation for smoother, stronger inversions without relying on your foot.

Putting It All Together

Whether you are working on kicking the foot habit, overcoming micro-bends, getting back into training after a break, finding your first clean invert, or moving toward straight-arm inversions, remember that every step of progress counts. Consistency and patience will carry you forward, and with time your foot assist will be a thing of the past. 👉 If you would like structured guidance, our Inversion Method and Straight Arm Inversion courses are designed to help you progress step by step with drills, video breakdowns, and support along the way. Learn more here.