skirts and prostrations :)

[clarinet3685]

To all the ladies on here (and any attentive husbands):
Any tips on not falling over when you stand up during prostrations?  I always seem to step on my skirt while standing back up, thus preventing me to stand up, and causing near collapse!  I feel like this should be common sense, but I guess for me it's not    Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

[Veniamin]

Readers and subdeacons can have the same issue with cassocks.  What I've found helps is gathering the lower portion in a little or hiking it up an inch or so as I kneel down.  That way, when standing back up, it's not draped over the back of my feet, which is usually what causes me to step on it.  It can take a few repetitions to get it to where it's not a huge distraction, but Lent provides plenty of repetitions.

[clarinet3685]

Thanks so much Veniamin!  I didn't even think about cassocks!  Yes, I am sure by the end of Lent I will have it down

[FatherGiryus]

There are two other alternatives:

1) The Ballerina Method: stay on your toes as you come up and do not rock back onto your heels until fully vertical.  This also works for 'speed prostrations.'

2) The Starting Block Method: as start to emerge, kick one leg out behind you past your cassock/dress, similar to the starting-block position in Track-and-Field.  Come up on the extended leg.

Thanks so much Veniamin!  I didn't even think about cassocks!  Yes, I am sure by the end of Lent I will have it down

[serb1389]

There are two other alternatives:

1) The Ballerina Method: stay on your toes as you come up and do not rock back onto your heels until fully vertical.  This also works for 'speed prostrations.'

2) The Starting Block Method: as start to emerge, kick one leg out behind you past your cassock/dress, similar to the starting-block position in Track-and-Field.  Come up on the extended leg.

Thanks so much Veniamin!  I didn't even think about cassocks!  Yes, I am sure by the end of Lent I will have it down

I agree with the "speed prostrations".  If you end up doing it quickly, and fully extend your body forward and back in a rocking motion, that has always worked for myself and others (obviously for the cassocks end of it)

[Thankful]

I was working on my technique last night 

I found that if, as I started to go down, I kind of ran my hands down the back side of my legs to bring my skirt into the back of my knees as I bent them (so the bending knees kind of grab and hold the skirt), the bottom of the skirt ends up at or above the calf so that when I started to get up, the bottom of my skirt is not in the vicinity of my feet at all. I can just stand up. I wear leggings and socks under my skirt, so no skin ever shows.

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