Level: Intermediate

Description

The entry to Standing in Hands on Bent Arms (Free) is an intermediate/advanced entry, in which the flyer does not use the feet of the base as help.

Flyer

Stand with your feet on both sides of the head of the base. Place your foot in the hand offered by the base. After a signal (eg. squeeze) from the base, lean slightly forward, so that you can already put weight into the base's hand. Step up slowly and gently in a continuous movement. Avoid pushing the base's arm front or sideways when stepping up. Instead try to place your weight from above, on top of the base's forearm. Stay on that one arm. Don't search for the second hand, but wait until the base's second hand takes your foot. Leave the balance to your base at all times, (especially in the one foot moment) and keep a fixed angle in your ankles!

Base

Offer your flyer one hand to step in. Normally this will be your stronger hand/arm, because the transition requires a short moment of balancing your flyer on one foot only. Make sure you have a good grip on the flyer´s foot from the beginning (good grip: support the ball of the foot as well as the heel, the index finger should be close to the ankle). Fix your hands and wrists, they should stay strong at all times (especially in the one foot moment), so that the flyer feels it as a safe platform. Give your flyer  a signal to start the mounting ( e.g. sqeezing the foot). As soon as you have your flyer's weight, grap the second foot and pull it down, placing your elbow next to your body. 

For details on the final position also look at the poses section.

Both

Keep a foot-hand-connection of about 45°. Perform the movement calmly.

Specific Challenges 

• Giving the balance to the base from the very beginning, especially in the "one-foot moment"
• Prevent collapsing of the base's forearm to front, back or sideways in the stepping up (bases can support their forarm with their body)

Spotting

Stand in the back of the flyer and focus on the hips. Be prepared to catch on all sides.