I hate snake arms!

Reen.Blom

New member
I mean I hate snake arms when I try to do it!

I think I figured it out - there is something wrong with my shoulders.... They are CREAKY:mad:.

When I do shoulder moves forward and back or up and down it is all fine. I Can ven roll them. But when it comes to "turning it in the socket" there comes trouble.

For "snake arms" on of the key moves(as far as I understand) is rotation of the shoulder, followed by rotation of the elbow. THERE the creak comes in. It does not really creak but it feels like there is some sort of a barrier that prevents a smooth move... it turns forward but cant turn backwards smoothly at certain point it "jumps" back and that feels rather unpleasant.(I can feel the "creek" when i put a hand on my shoulder and rotate it I can feel the move is jerky and for lack of better word "creeky")

I thought it I keep on practicing it will get better but now after several sessions of shoulder drills I do not feel any difference and after each shoulder workout my shoulders(the joint) feel funny... almost hurt... I wonder if I am doing something wrong, or is it some "salt" buildup in the joint from lack of practice....

I wonder if I should keep on practicing now that it causes me discomfort....

Anyone had similar problem?
 

slinks

New member
Mine still creak after 9 years but they don't "jump" do you think maybe you're rolling them too much, too big ? Try smaller rolls .. Try "maybe" rolling your shoulders with your arms by your side and see what happens .. you've probably already done that ... other than that I don't know hopefully some - one who knows better than me will come along .. but I always creak so you're not alone there :)
 

gisela

Super Moderator
I think this actually is a pretty hard move to do. It looks so easy but it's hard work to keep those arms up and controlled and the hands in the same place in mid-air. I have a lot of tension in my shoulders due to stress and if I'm not warmed up they creak and click and hurt. I should probably do some more stretching and stuff also when I'm not dancing but it's hard to remember.

Can't tell you if you should stop or increase your shoulder drills. Sometimes it hurts due to untrained muscles and tension and not because of severe faults. Do take your time to warm up slowly and carefully and go through the entire area, and stretch carefully afterwards. that's what I will try to do.

If you are a webdesigner and spend a lot of time on the computer this might be a reason for unflexible shoulders and built up tension. Maybe? just a thought...

Good luck!
Gisela
 

Reen.Blom

New member
Thanks Slinks!

They only "creak" if i roll the elbows up! All other moves are ok! I suspect that all is from lack of use....LOL My shoulders got rusty.... :D
 

slinks

New member
I have a dvd of Suzy from Canada .. she does not exactly do the full "snake arms" she tells you to float your arms up to just midway along the chest and roll the shoulders .. the elbow and the hand follow naturally .. this is the type of "snake arm I prefer most of the time unless the music calls for some thing more dramatic :)
 

Reen.Blom

New member
I think this actually is a pretty hard move to do. It looks so easy but it's hard work to keep those arms up and controlled and the hands in the same place in mid-air. I have a lot of tension in my shoulders due to stress and if I'm not warmed up they creak and click and hurt. I should probably do some more stretching and stuff also when I'm not dancing but it's hard to remember.

Can't tell you if you should stop or increase your shoulder drills. Sometimes it hurts due to untrained muscles and tension and not because of severe faults. Do take your time to warm up slowly and carefully and go through the entire area, and stretch carefully afterwards. that's what I will try to do.

If you are a webdesigner and spend a lot of time on the computer this might be a reason for unflexible shoulders and built up tension. Maybe? just a thought...

Good luck!
Gisela

Thanks you Gisela,
I do think that computer DOES give me all sorts of trouble including a RSD in my wrist and a flat butt from sitting for hours....LOL

I do a 20 min warmup before I go to shoulder drills.... And it feels like something right inside the joint- the the shoulder socket- i dunno its a strange feeling like there is something else inside there that makes it "hook"...

Thank you for the wishes!
 

KuteNurse

New member
If you are having discomfort, you might be over-doing it. Try practicing another move and come back to snake arms when you feel better.
 

Eshta

New member
I noticed when I really drill my arm movements, it really builds strong shoulder muscles and arm muscles - I'm rubbish at anatomy, but I mean the shoulder muscles that look like shoulder pads, and the arm muscles on 'top' of your upper arm (alas no impact on the bingo wings :()

Might it be that you don't have a lot of strength in these muscles, which may contribute to the discomfort you're feeling? Where's all them nurses on this forum?!
 

Elektra

New member
Lets Love not Hate

OMG, I don't think I ever heard of anyone hating snake arms so much. I love snake arms, its so beautiful to watch and a powerful movement to perform. Georgeous arms compliement the body.

Yes, I think it could be rather challenging to learn, but with lots of pratice and training you'll be able to perform snake arms before you know it.

Please don't hate snake arms. Instead be positive and make it a goal instead.

My favorite dancer is Saida, she does wonderful arm movements.
Here is a clip of her from my blog Lovely Saida
 

Reen.Blom

New member
OMG, I don't think I ever heard of anyone hating snake arms so much. I love snake arms, its so beautiful to watch and a powerful movement to perform. Georgeous arms compliement the body.

Yes, I think it could be rather challenging to learn, but with lots of pratice and training you'll be able to perform snake arms before you know it.

Please don't hate snake arms. Instead be positive and make it a goal instead.

My favorite dancer is Saida, she does wonderful arm movements.
Here is a clip of her from my blog Lovely Saida

Thank you for the link! Also I think youhave anice blog - I enjoyed the article about dishonest costume sellers!

Oh well, since my shoulders really causeme discomfort I will have to skip the shoulder drills.... :( I do not think I "overdo" it because it feels weird and unpleasant at once! I tried to keep up but it is best not to risk.... *sad*

I love the "floating" arms (I think Slinks described it) but it also involves "elbow rotation...."
 

Safran

New member
Hey! I tend to agree with Gisela... Maybe you should look into yoga stretches and swimming to get the shoulders/arms work better. Because I have also developed a bit of a "crack" in my shoulders since I started a full-time office-job.

Slinks also has a very good point. Try to start with the shoulder rolls where your hands are hold down still and nice. And then you can just let the hands follow the shoulder rolls in sort of waves. It won't be a full dramatic snake-arm movement, don't take the arms too high, but it still looks lovely and graceful... And it might be less uncomfortable. When I do it, there isn't much elbow rotation...
 

charity

New member
geez i always sound like a decrepit young person on here, so i'll just say yea mine hurts too.

i took a lot of shoulder roll out of my snake arms. now i maintain a slight tension in my arms and do a shoulder lift to an elbow lift to a wrist lift, like each part is being lifted up by a string. i dont know it might be the same exact thing just a different way of thinking about the move. but for some reason it seems to hurt less:shrug:.

have you felt this discomfort associated with other activities? rather than bellydance...you are your best judge as to what you should do

for me there are areas of my body that i just know are going to hurt because they always hurt and probably always will.

but i definitely agree warm that area up, get the blood and oxygen pumping in that area first, do the arm circles gently and slow, cross the arms back and forth in front of your body, swing them gently around...you get the idea i'm sure.
 

Reen.Blom

New member
have you felt this discomfort associated with other activities? rather than bellydance...you are your best judge as to what you should do

Actuallly I have never noticed it before, but on the other hand how often you roll your elbows to the ceiling outside dancing???

At the moment I am trying to something "floating" with the arms without rotation of the shoulder and elbow.... does not look the same, but it is better to take it easy when it comes to the pain in the joints, eh?

Hey I am also quite broken... :( I always have something hurting more or less... But I decide to stick to belly dance no matter what!:mad: (I have gone through a patch of severe depression a couple of years ago, and it really drained alot of energy from me, but i managed to stay off medication. My main problem is lack of energy and constant tiredness and sleepiness....) So I decided that BD is something i truely love and no matter what is hurting I am going to do it! (Well I mean as long as it is safe...LOL)

PS right now I have a cold that is going into complications, so Im off dancing for a couple of days.... Stick into the BD Day website...lol
 
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