Raise your hand if Flamenco Grip is tricky for you ... ? If your hand went up you're not alone!
I often get questions about how to improve this skill.
Flamenco Grip requires a considerable amount of shoulder and wrist mobility. For some, it comes easily, to others it seems nearly impossible. Everyone has a unique range of motion in their shoulders and wrists.
So what is Flamenco Grip used for? It makes placing the silk behind you happen in one seamless transition instead of having to do multiple hand movements. It's used when getting into Arabesque, S-Wrap, Tear-Drop from Split Roll Up and many other skills.
Before attempting it I'd recommend warming up your shoulders and wrists with dynamic movements and stretching. Some examples in the video are:
Wrist circles 10x each way
Wrist stretch with knuckles together - hold 20-30 seconds
Thera-band mobility exercises - moving from internal to external rotation - 10x each arm
After you're warmed up mark the pathway on the floor on both sides.
If you're using Flamenco grip as a pathway into Arabesque - whichever foot is locked the opposite arm reaches up to begin.
As you'll see in the video - it cannot be achieved with a bent arm. Lengthen your arm, reach up high and internally rotate your shoulder and wrist (the opposite way you would turn a door nob to open the door).
Also, be aware of how close your torso is to the pole. Slightly lean back away from the pole to allow space for your free arm and head to pass through.
It may not happen right away but with an adequate warm-up, an understanding of your hand and shoulder placement your chances for success become greater!
With that said if Flamenco Grip isn't happening for you due to limited mobility or injury, it doesn't make you less of a person or aerialist! There are other ways to get there, it'll just take a few more hand movements.
Share this post with an aerial friend who'd find it helpful!