Summer has finally arrived here in Berlin and the weather is making the skin perfectly sticky for pole.
And one move that I like to practice especially in the summer with extra stickiness is the Brass Monkey. And this was the focus of last month’s Pole Inversions online classes.
The Brass Monkey is the move with the most entries and exits I know (and I think that generally exists).
This is exciting because if one entry doesn’t work for you, there are tons of others that you can choose from. It also means that you can practice so many different combos once you’ve nailed the move.
This video with 6 Brass Monkey combos doesn’t even include all of the possible entries. Entries that I taught that aren’t in the video are the Funny grip invert and the Kick-up from the floor. And there are even more entries that I didn’t get to teach.
The combos in the video are sorted by difficulty and include a list of the moves.
If you’d like to purchase the Brass Monkey recordings, just send me an email and let me know.
The Brass Monkey is not a difficult move but the transitions in and out of it can be considered intermediate/advanced level. The most difficult entries for my students were the Kick-up and Funny Grip invert from the floor.
The most advanced shapes are the Tornado and the Brass Bridge (combo #6). Surprisingly, more students than expected nailed them. However, these moves are dangerous and I don’t recommend attempting them if your leg hook doesn’t feel super secure.
Other safety tips for your Brass Monkey practice:
- Practice on static pole
- If possible, ask your flatmate/partner/pole buddy to spot you
- Use a mat and a mirror
- Focus on securing a tight hook first
Two of the combos in the video are on static. Can you guess which ones?
Comment below!