Paul, the hand thing worked for me too. I've tweaked it further by pushing the outer edge of my free hand into the ground and simultaneously pulling with elbow and it packs the shoulder without thinking about doing it. The get up is such an involved movement and at different times I've had to pay more attention at certain positions and almost learn it all again, it seems. In concentrating on that movement I started to neglect the bent leg's role. I've been doing some feldenkrais movements - which I'm really enjoying - and there are a lot of movements that cross over to the get up, the rolling pattern being one of them. As the roll is initiated and as your kb shoulder lifts from the floor, the pelvis begins to roll and there is an invitation for the foot to drive down into the ground to assist. Do it with no weight and see if you can find a connection, or notice that point and be aware when it occurs. I've found that if I do one without the other ie drive the planted foot and don't drive the hand and pull the elbow, or neglect the bent leg drive and focus on the down arm movement, it becomes very ab centric to complete the movement and in turn the straight leg goes moulin rouge and I do a very inelegant can can dance on the floor. As you say, a sort of crunch roll, a brace position. It all goes pear shaped for me when I start pushing the weight, I'm tired or unknowingly fatigued for whatever reason, so when I notice my form fail, I compensate by inefficient use of the abs and the game is up. I end it there if too fatigued or drop the weight back and then re work the pattern in the following days to re-establish the pattern for efficiency with no weight. When those 3 things occur in a seamless instant pattern ....roll, leg drive, hand pressure, elbow pull, shoulder pack...everything that needs to be on is on and the down leg stays down. For me anyway. Hope that may help.
