Lifts - 2 - Arabesque Up
One thing that comes up often, in any physical activity, is that part of mastering the activity is about knowing what muscles not to use. So, for example, when you lift someone up, the back curls and the shoulders rise for both people. All the muscles of the necks and the arm stiffen. We still want the neck to be long and the shoulders to be relaxed. The arms hold tight but that's as much from alignment as from stiffness. You can keep the length in your back even as your shoulder blades are working.
It's not about getting the follower in the air. It's about both people being beautiful (and feeling beautiful).
- Artist Name:
- Manuel Barrueco
- Song Title:
- Invierno Porteño
- Album Title:
- Solo Piazzolla
- Artist Website:
- http://www.barrueco.com/
From the artist's website: Manuel Barrueco is internationally recognized as one of the most important guitarists of our time. His unique artistry has been continually described as that of a superb instrumentalist and a superior and elegant musician, possessing a seductive sound and uncommon lyrical gifts....In 2007 Manuel Barrueco received a Grammy nomination for the “Best Instrumental Soloist Performance” for his Solo Piazzolla, which was the first recording to be released on the exclusive Manuel Barrueco Collection on Tonar Music.
- 00:24
- All right. We'll show more.
- 00:27
- Beginning, I want to the talk about the prep. Always the prep, right? Once you're in the air, it's not that hard. But, getting over the hump...
- 00:34
- First, I'm going to set it up by getting her leg into my inguinal crease.
- 00:39
- Inguinal crease, however you say it. So, it'll be right here, her leg.
- 00:46
- So, what's the best way to show that?
- 00:49
- So, we're starting side. And my right hip back, and I'm going to lift up with my arm. Do, do, do that, that pulls the leg up.
- 00:56
- She may... Let's pretend she doesn't know to go, well, OK, so, she'll know to go inside. But, if she doesn't,
- 01:01
- Then, when you're down here, you can encourage it a little by making sure your knee's on one side.
- 01:06
- Or, even, so that her knee goes outside. But, her foot goes inside, and you lift up.
- 01:14
- Now, as I'm down here, I pop my leg open, so I can really get her shin in my inguinal crease.
- 01:20
- I take my arm, I wrap it around. Notice, her knee goes past my body. If it's in front, there's no way she's getting up.
- 01:29
- Very high. Notice, I pick her leg up. Wrap around tight, to the knee. That's this side.
- 01:36
- This arm is here for her, but it'll change as she goes up. On the other side, same as the earlier trick.
- 01:43
- Because she's going up above, I'm going to have this mostly straight.
- 01:45
- This is so the pressure can go through her arm. If it were bent, you know, then she's doing pull-ups instead. Which is harder.
- 01:56
- I come underneath her, and I'll... You don't have to. You can do this, just like...
- 02:01
- And for the woman, really use your left thigh. Man, the left thigh works.
- 02:05
- We can do this in this long, controlled way. It's harder. But, of course.
- 02:12
- And that's almost all left thigh.
- 02:15
- D: You've got it in you just to do the left thigh, and an arm?
J: Sure.
D: So, slow and controlled, just the left thigh. - 02:22
- Here,
- 02:26
- D: I know, for balance.
J: Maybe I don't.
D: No, that's fine, for balance, that's all. But just for balance.
J: Oh, ok. - 02:35
- So, it's really a lot on the thigh. You can work on your, sort of, one leg pull-ups. Or push-ups.
- 02:44
- Now, after she... And, for the leaders, once again, I get underneath.
- 02:48
- Now, if it's harder, you might pop it up.
- 02:52
- So, imagine... Imagine your follower is very, very light.
- 02:57
- Easy to use, wonderful to hold...dumbell.
- 03:03
- And, so, you see, people doing these... I don't remember, obviously I don't go to the gym often,
- 03:09
- But, you're here, and they'll pop it over. So, I want you to think you can pop her up.
- 03:14
- So, the same way you've got "Ah", you can here go, "Ah."
- 03:18
- Get over that hump of difficulty. So, I'm going to really pop a lot. Just so that it's clear.
- 03:34
- D: How easy.
J: Yeah. - 03:38
- Now, as you slide down, the styling we're having right now is that her right leg hooks around me.
- 03:43
- And, once again, that can really slow the descent, as well as add a really beautiful line.
- 03:49
- With my right arm, hand. I'm sliding up her leg while resisting.
- 03:53
- If the ladies pull down more in their arms, you know the guy doesn't have to slide as high.
- 03:58
- Maybe you want him to slide high. Who am I to judge?
- 04:07
- I'm sorry, one more time. We have to be really close so it gets the top. Or she'll be headless again.
- 04:27
- And then, if you want.
