Chinese Burns

[Daisy Chain]

Ow! Does anyone else get chinese burns on their upper inner arms when the man stands behind his lady and drops her in front of him?

Am I doing sommat wrong?

Should I wear vaseline?

Daisy

(An Abraded Little Flower)

[Tessalicious]

If you mean in the drop-kick move, yes, all the time.

If this happens mostly with a particular guy, try suggesting that he take his watch off, or his cufflinks.

If that isn't the reason, it might be that he is not supporting you under your arms in a way that prevents 'slippage' (ooh er). Try supporting yourself with your bent leg and limiting how low you go on these types of moves to a level that you can still hold your own weight - this will both reduce the friction burn effect and maybe bring it to your partner's attention that what he is doing is not quite comfortable, without you having to say so.

And whatever you do, don't wear Vaseline - not only will it make it harder for him to stop you from falling flat on your bum, but some people will think that you do very strange things with your armpits.

[Trousers]

Originally Posted by Daisy Chain

Should I wear vaseline?

Just Vaseline? mmmmmm could be an interesting look!

[Donna]

Originally Posted by Daisy Chain

Ow! Does anyone else get chinese burns on their upper inner arms when the man stands behind his lady and drops her in front of him?

Am I doing sommat wrong?

Should I wear vaseline?

Daisy

(An Abraded Little Flower)

We always do a back drop kick (a triple one! ) and I get a few little bruises under my arms but they disappear in no time. It's quite painful, but I think I'm getting used to it now. There are a lot of other moves we use that are similar and cause bruises... but hey, as a competitive dancer, it's something you just have to put up with I guess. It can't be any worse than when Steve leaves his keys in his pocket and decides to take me into a side drop! Oooo the pain! I keep telling him, "take those damn keys out!" come next week... it happens again, and again , and again!

I have had bruises on my back, hips, arms and now have a massive one on my knee through doing the splits but didn't turn my knee out far enough this time and hit the floor! (need sympathy rep, need sympathy rep!

[Gadget]

ouch.
I know of a few ladies complaing of bruses, especially in lifts and drops. IMHO it should be avoidable: Brusing comes from sudden impact - if these moves are led smoothly and the lady is supported during deceleration, then injurys like this should be kept to a minimum.*

Another cause may be the follower resisting the lead too much - could be the lead's fault for trying to lead it too forcefully or the follower's fault for not following properly.

BTW the 'friction burns': are they inflicted on the drop or the release?

(* not that I lead this sort of thing a lot, but no-one has said anything to me about it... perhaps it's a wrong assumption that the ladies would mention something?)

[Donna]

[quote]

Originally Posted by Gadget

ouch.
I know of a few ladies complaing of bruses, especially in lifts and drops. IMHO it should be avoidable: Brusing comes from sudden impact - if these moves are led smoothly and the lady is supported during deceleration, then injurys like this should be kept to a minimum.*

Bruises can be caused just by a slight pinch or pressure. Depends on the individual. Me, I bruise easily, so be gentle (as Natasha Bedingfield says! ) Imagine the one on my knee then!

Another cause may be the follower resisting the lead too much - could be the lead's fault for trying to lead it too forcefully or the follower's fault for not following properly.

You're right, but if the leader can feel the lady resisting maybe it's because she feels uncomfortable so the lead shouldn't continue with that move. Even with a dance partner, I think you'll find that it's something which can't be avoided until you both get the technique right.

BTW the 'friction burns': are they inflicted on the drop or the release?

Both.

[Northants Girly]

Some of us don't need to go out dancing to get brusies . . . .

Last week at the hairdressers I fell out of my chair onto the floor and I've still got some lovely bruises on both of my knees

Although it did hurt, it was more embarrassing than painful

[Donna]

Originally Posted by Northants Girly

Some of us don't need to go out dancing to get brusies . . . .

Last week at the hairdressers I fell out of my chair onto the floor and I've still got some lovely bruises on both of my knees

Although it did hurt, it was more embarrassing than painful

I can imagine how that felt! but how on earth did you manage to fall out of your chair?

[Frankie_4711]

I end up with all sorts of bruises and scrapes after almost every lesson - most of the time I don't even know how they've got there! But I don't think I've ever got any from a back drop (not that I've noticed at the time anyway!) nor any Chinese burns, although I do mostly wear long or 3/4 length sleeves, so that probably helps in the 'burn' department.

[Cruella]

Originally Posted by Northants Girly

Some of us don't need to go out dancing to get brusies . . . .

Last week at the hairdressers I fell out of my chair onto the floor and I've still got some lovely bruises on both of my knees

Although it did hurt, it was more embarrassing than painful

I'm sorry Lynda but that vision made me chuckle. You in your curlers sprawled across the floor.

[Petal]

Originally Posted by Daisy Chain

Ow! Does anyone else get chinese burns on their upper inner arms when the man stands behind his lady and drops her in front of him?

Am I doing sommat wrong?

Should I wear vaseline?

Daisy

(An Abraded Little Flower)

I've had two tiny bruises on each of the underside of my upper arms, where my partner has put me into this type of drop and he has a watch or some kind of jewellery on.

[RogerR]

There are complementary preparations that "reduce the appearance of bruising" Witch Hazel I think check first. Some people are more sensitive to underarm bruising than others hence the shift from shoulder crutches to elbow crutches.

[Tessalicious]

Arnica cream actually, and yes, this does work, but you have to put it on quite soon after for it to have an effect, i.e. carry in your dance bag. You can usually get this in Boots.

[Andreas]

Should this be the point where I say that if you get burns then the guy is doing the move wrong? I presume he is either placing his hands wrong in the first place or not bending sufficiently.

I dread thinking of the fact that he could wear jewelry of sorts (watch etc) because jewelry can generally only lead to injuries. I don't like it when girls are wearing it when dancing and neither would I expose them to the same painful experience by wearing some myself.

[Andreas]

Just thought of another reason, possibly the most likely one, too

There is a good chance that the guy lets the lady 'fall' into the move rather than guide her down. Thus there will be significantly higher strain on the skin, resulting in bruises and burns.

[Northants Girly]

Originally Posted by Cruella

I'm sorry Lynda but that vision made me chuckle. You in your curlers sprawled across the floor.

I do declare that you are evil

And for the record I don't use curlers (the opposite really - I use straighteners to get rid of my natural curls!)

While we were waiting my 8 year old was sat on my knee as they were busy. I was wearing a very long silky (slippery it turned out) skirt. Then my little un started to slide!
And she slid very quickly all the way to the floor and the momentum carried me with her!

So the vision you need is one me on my hands and knees, on the floor of the hairdressers with Gemma underneath me!

Everyone was very sweet and they said things like
"Oh, everyone is falling over today!"
"Oh I fell over my own feet onto the floor this morning! "
. . yeah, bet you did! I thought

[Daisy Chain]

It's not jewellery etc. It's skin on skin from the man's bare forearms and it doesn't result in bruises just the painful sensation of a chinese burn (and I don't do pain). I probably make it worse by anticipating the pain and tensing up.

I guess the answer is long sleeved tops. Oh well, I'll just have to go shopping. Wonder if Gus will take me? I hear he's after some pink sparkly shoes...


Daisy

(A Lightly Clothed Little Flower)

[Gadget]

If it's the lead in, then two things are probably happening; you are not following closely enough and they are not leading well enough:

Friction only happens when the skin rubs together - in this move, the hold should be taken, braced, then lowered. At no point should you feel any 'brushing' contact. Try not to 'clamp down' on the lead's arms; relax more and let your elbows raise slightly. Get the lead to feel for contact with the inside of his fore-arms on your sides rather than your arms on the tops of them (OK, the lead will still feel the pressure here, but it will be more comfortable)

When rising, the lead must be almost 'throwing' you up and continuing the motion higher than it needs to be. The lead should give just enough momentum to stand the follower - if their feet were nailed, enough to stand them rather than take them beyond this point and make them fall on their face.
You may also be 'pushing down' with your arms to rise yourself out of the move. Try instead to tense your abdominals and pull yourself up from your hips - this should make your feet provide the fulcrum for the lead to rather than your middle.

May work, may not. I think that the key to avoiding this in the future may be to stop trying to feel the contact with your hands all the time - when a connection is made close to your "core" then this is the one that is leading. When you feel the hands on the arms, ignore the connection in your hands and think about the new connection in your upper arms. Your 'weight' should be pressing down on the lead's arms; I think that you may be trying to press it in to give yourself more support and confidence.

{Note I'm trying to suggest stuff to you because you can take direct action; if it was a lead, I would be giving them advice on how to lead it better. It's not because you are doing anything incorrect or badly }

[Gojive]

Address to a special fried Haggis

Auld Lang Suey

My Duck is Like a Red, Red Roast

To A Mouse eh Tongue


Sorry , I'll get me coat...

[Donna]

Originally Posted by Daisy Chain

It's not jewellery etc. It's skin on skin from the man's bare forearms and it doesn't result in bruises just the painful sensation of a chinese burn (and I don't do pain). I probably make it worse by anticipating the pain and tensing up.

I guess the answer is long sleeved tops. Oh well, I'll just have to go shopping. Wonder if Gus will take me? I hear he's after some pink sparkly shoes...


Daisy

(A Lightly Clothed Little Flower)

Bigger risk of jewellery causing bruising but yes it is mainly skin on skin that causes the burns. I can't wear long sleeved tops for dancing as I get too hot. Always strappy!!