Levatation Holds

alicia17

Cathlete
Can anyone do the Levatation Holds in the beginining of Core Max Section 1. I am not even close to getting my legs off the floor. I know Cathe comments that they are hard, but come on. Am I the only one having such difficulity?
 
i am still having trouble with this exercise. from previous threads ppl have mentioned trying to use yoga blocks and even dumbbells as props to help out. i am seeing a difference when i use dumbbells i guess it just takes a lot of control and strength to get those legs up. i just keep working at it. i mean there was a time i couldn't do a shoulder stand in yoga but now i can roll right into it.

kassia

When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be
disappointed to discover they are not it -- Bernard Bailey
 
A couple of things:
1. Take your shoes off
2. hand placement is everything-so experiment around with it

I also agree with the yoga block or dumbells as a modification to get started. I haven't done these in a while so not sure I can still do them. It does take a good solid core and practice. The first time I actually did them correctly I got so excited I fell back down-LOL.

Catherine
 
I agree, it's all in the hand placement. I put mine pretty far back by my rear end. I definately don't have the control Cathe does :)

Also, if you have shorter arms/longer torso (like me) it can be harder, and could be impossible. When I sit and put my hands down my arms BARELY bend. If you look at some of them on the video, they have a lot of bend to their arms. Short torso's have an advantage.

Kelly
 
Also, if you sit in lotus position, the move is much easier. Cathe says that is a modified position, but still working the abs.
 
I just do what I can-I don't think I'll ever be able to do them all the way.

There's a picture of a Catheite doing it on the Open Discussion board today---in the Chicago gathering photos. Pretty cool!
 
If you do a search for "levitation holds," you can find some previous discussions on it. (note spelling, otherwise you won't have any results!)

I don't think you need to be able to do them like Cathe to get the benefits (she even says that just trying is good). Instead of looking at Cathe (who can do everything!) look at Rhonda and Brenda (who are also in fabulous shape). They don't have their feet off the ground all the time. It might be easier for smaller people with smaller lower bodies (Brenda has strong legs, and Rhonda is around 5'6" while Cathe and the others are near 5'2").

I found that I have no problem doing them while seated on my acupuncturists padded table. I stay in "chair" position, then can lift myself up either grabbing the front edges of the table, or splaying my fingers on top of the table (Cathe and crew use the splayed-fingers move) or going up on my knuckles. I lift my whole body weight, and can hold it for a count of 10, but it's in a different position than on the floor with the weight of my legs out in front of me.
 
I can do them, with my feet positioned the way Cathe & Crew are, but I had to let go of the hands-on-floor deal right from the get-go.

Instead, I stack about 3 weight plates on each side of me on the floor (total of 6 plates) and use those as my "platforms". IMHO, whatever you can do to achieve the actual elevation is fine; I don't think I'm sacrificing core benefit by using a prop. After all, this is a core exercise, not a hand exercise.

A-Jock
 
I agree. I can do them on my yoga blocks. After attempting so many times with out, it was nice to be able to do it with the blocks. I felt my abs the next day too! }(

Dallas

Oh yeah, that's Sabrina from the Chicago get together that was doing the levitation hold.
 

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