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Do you have a pole at home?
Hi Veeners,
I was wondering, for those of you who pole from home (lucky you!) do you think it makes a big difference in terms of your practice and progress?
And if you do have a pole at home, do you still go to a studio for lessons / practice? Do you feel any difference in confidence or ability when you pole at home vs in a studio?
I just started lessons at a studio that uses spinning poles from the beginning of January where they teach dance routines. Thing is, I would love to just free style dance on the pole to music instead of always practicing the choreography they teach.
But I only have the strength to do a simple knee spin, back hook spin and I’m still working on spin climbing. The studio does offer practice hours but for some reason I never see beginner level girls practicing, mostly the advanced ones who are training for competitions!
I cant help but get self conscious during practice, but I really want to get to a decent level!
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22 Replies
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I bought a pole 2 months after starting pole at a studio. I found having a pole at home helped me practice as often as I wanted, and whatever I wanted. I went to the studio for just over a year before leaving in Feb 2010 (too much studio drama, plus work and school). In July 2010 I went to a workshop in NC and learned that it was the kind of studio I dreamed of having available here, and started poling more regularly at home with a friend who also left the studio here. In 6 months of working out together using YouTube, pole jams, and workshops/privates, we accomplished more than we ever did at the studio (which actually pretty much made us PAY to advance, it wasn't based on skill – the next level was a minimum of 2 years away, even if we could do all the moves required to get there and then some).
I'm NOT saying this is how all studios are though – I've been to four awesome studios in North Carolina that have made me wish I still lived up there. But having a pole at home has helped with my progress tremendously. Being able to watch something on the internet then get inspired to practice or play on the pole means that I can because the pole is down the hall. =D You also can work on your strength using the pole at home as well.
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Well, i bought a pole, because i don't find a studio of pole dance in barcelona, but i thing that have a pole at home it's the perfect complement for studio lessons, to practice more the technique, and accurate all…
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Both have their advantages and disadvantages. I bought a pole within the first month or 2 of starting S Factor. Played with it for a bit and dance for my husband once in a blue. Then didn’t use it for YEARS.
I stuck with S Factor bc they helped me build up my confidence, femininity, and sexuality. I especially loved the freestyle improv, choosing your songs, and just letting go. Though I wasn’t advancing fast enough with tricks. I started branching out to other studios a couple months ago. I love the environment of a class and the instructors teach you different things than online lessons or YouTube. You get that one on one spotting, etc.
At home is great, especially with Veena’s lessons, other online lessons, the forums, SV vids, and YouTube. But not as fun as a class setting.
I’m at that point where I’m half and half. Pole at home once a week and studio once a week. As for difference in ability and confidence, it varies on the trick. Like one thing I can do at home but not in studio and vice versa.
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I bought a pole after taking lessons for about 6 months. Shortly after that I left the studio I was going to. It was getting to be too much money, and I certainly didn't feel like I was getting my moneys worth. The lessons were seriously lacking in structure and safe techniques. I feel like buying a pole for my house is one of the best things I have done. Being able to pole anytime you feel like it can definitely help you improve faster, and I started learning a lot more than I was before. However, I do miss the class environment, and being around other people who share your interest is a lot of fun. Ideally I think a home pole makes a great compliment to studio lessons. If there was a good studio close by and I could afford it, I would go back to taking lessons as well.
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Tell me about studio poling getting to be too much money! They charge $8/hour per practice session and classes are $32/lesson so that easily adds up to $160-$190 a month just to be on the pole twice a week.
I just got Veena’s lessons and spent the past hour or so watching them and WISHING I could try some of the moves, but I have to wait till next week when I’m at the studio.
dustbunny, I do agree that having a pole at home does sound like an ideal compliment to studio classes. I’d still want to take lessons if I got one, just maybe not as often.
Getting seriously tempted to clear out the entire living room and just install one there. Who needs to watch tv, when you can pole right? Lol! ;p
But I think about the conversation I’d have to have with my family and friends when they come over to my place and I don’t know if I can handle it yet. Or rather, if they can handle it!
Do you guys use X-poles? Thanks so much for your replies! 🙂
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I bought my first xpole after my first lesson in a studio. Practicing once per week was not enough for me. I did a 6 week class in a studio then did a few private lessons cause no one was offering intermediate classes but they were too expensive and I was progressing much faster at home with the Art of Pole DVD series. I do go to a studio about once every couple months not to learn but just because its fun getting together with other girls to practice with plus they have higher poles than I do at home. The cost to pole in s studio all the time is really expensive if you compare it to other fitness memberships.
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I did studio lessons and home poled at the same time right form the start. im a lil addicted to pole. lol. my studio closed. so now im glad that i got a pole at home. in my experience, my pole at home was less confident then at the studio at the beginning. i think that was cuz i wasnt confident and liked hearing what i needed to fix and so forth. now i pole at home w 2 poles (one on spin and one on static) and flip cam. that way i can see what i need to fix.
imo, studios tend to be expensive but there is nothing like someone w experience showing you the way. that being said, having a pole at home can only improve ur skill. and the lessons on here are great. i also luv the jamilla dvds. same style of teaching i think.
btw, my first pole was a platinum stage and i didnt like the experience form purshasing to delivery. misisng parts and scratched pole. etc. i now have xpoles. the poles are great (tg 45s) and their customer service is incredible!!!!!
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Sorry to all you X-pole dealers out there. My pole is an X-pole rip off, 45mm chrome. I love it so much, there was no way I could afford the real deal, including shipping it was close to $500 at the time. I saved a couple hundred bucks, and still got a great pole. It is extrememly safe and sturdy, it is identical in design to the x-pole, and unless you looked very closely I think you'd have a hard time knowing it isn't a real one. To be honest, I am hoping to get a second pole later this year, and I will probably buy another one that is the same. They are even cheaper now because the new x-pole design is out, and even though bottom loading sounds great, I've heard so many people complain about the new x joint I think I'll just stick to my chinese rip-off pole. 🙂
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@dustbunny lol. cant blame u there. if the quality is similar then u got a steal!!!! good for u!!!!
ive never had an issue with the xjints. u just gotta read the instructions carefully or just call em and they will work w ya!!!!
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Dustbunny – what is the name of the pole you have? I’m looking to buy a second pole and don’t want ti spend too much.
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I just got my own pole in Jan after from taking classes for almost 5 yrs. Due to spacing, it cant stay at my house. Its in my moms laundry room. I have a key to her house and anytime I want to come and pole I just come on in!
The game plan for me is to still take class once a week and what I learned in class, I work on at my at home sessions.
For me, I love the studio I go to and the girls who are both clients and instructors. Its great to get a socialization hour in for me since my schedule can get pretty crazy. My biggest issue with them is that I feel like they dont want to be helpful to any studio but them. I feel like you mention 'the enemy', they dont want anything to do with you. Ive paid alot of money to stay with them and continue classes. Ive been a big unpaid spokesperson for them and brought in lots of new client. Maybe a bit more respect would be appreciated.
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I don't think it has a name, or if it does I don't know what it is. It just came in an unmarked box, with the x-pole instructions and a copy of the x-pole dvd. Stupid dvd didn't even work right, haha. I bought it on ebay. They were using x-pole's advertising pics and descriptions, but they never once actualy called it an x-pole. I know that doesn't help much, sorry.
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So I don't have a pole at home (yet! just waiting on it to be shipped!) but I'm really loking forward to be able to play on it any time! While I love taking classes, I also just love cranking up the music and rocking out solo! I think it will also help me progress faster and I can watch youtube and SV videos while practicing now!
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After attending one pole party at a studio I found a platinum stages pole on Craigslist, it was a bit banged up after living in someone's back yard but it worked. I have yet to take another lesson, and I haven't really gotten any better, but I love having a pole at home.
I have a "broken" knee and there are a lot of moves that I will never get to do, but for excercise and stretching the pole is great because I can lean on it.
The stage was really too small, I am 5'9" and so with heels there was almost no pole left. I added an extension and that helped. Finally a handy friend helped me to take down a half wall and actually install the pole. We did it for pennies, but he is a carpenter and really knew how to do it. Now I have 9' of pole in my house. I also got two huge door mirror and I have the best set up. Sorry to brag, but I love it!
Privacy is the thing, I am still working this out. I like to dance alone, because, well, I guess I am shy. But, I know that is not the safest. So, I don't do it enough
I am encouraged by all of you and hope to one day really get at it. Thanks for being here to share and let me share too.
Rock n' Pole!
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After attending one pole party at a studio I found a platinum stages pole on Craigslist, it was a bit banged up after living in someone's back yard but it worked. I have yet to take another lesson, and I haven't really gotten any better, but I love having a pole at home.
I have a "broken" knee and there are a lot of moves that I will never get to do, but for excercise and stretching the pole is great because I can lean on it.
The stage was really too small, I am 5'9" and so with heels there was almost no pole left. I added an extension and that helped. Finally a handy friend helped me to take down a half wall and actually install the pole. We did it for pennies, but he is a carpenter and really knew how to do it. Now I have 9' of pole in my house. I also got two huge door mirrors and now, I have the best set up. Sorry to brag, but I love it!
Privacy is the thing, I am still working this out. I like to dance alone, because, well, I guess I am shy. But, I know that is not the safest. So, I don't do it enough
I am encouraged by all of you and hope to one day really get at it. Thanks for being here to share and let me share too.
Rock n' Pole!
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X-Pole chrome here too! I’m not a fan of Lil Mynx or platinum stages at all.
I totally agree about studio costs!!!! Imagine paying $480 per session (2 months) plus $35 commute every week. That’s $95 PER CLASS for me, $380/month ($240/month without commute). I found other studios that were cheaper $90-$120/month.
Point blank, its all about preference. With classes, the teacher can tell you exactly what you need to do or doing wrong. Whereas at home, you can replay the lessons over and over and over if you want.
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i actually bought one for home even though i've started classes. i drive 1hr 45min to atlanta to take classes on sundays! the pole i have is an xpole knock off as well but the contruction is similar. i paid about 165 dollars for it off of ebay. the name of the seller was healthline. its 45mm and can convert to spinning from the bottom. the studio that is starting up classes here where i "teach" also has the same pole, plus one xpole.
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Studio lessons are great! Having a home pole in addition is even better. If your looking for lessons to use at home this is a sample of my lessons here. https://www.studioveena.com/user_registrations/example_view/4cd0054b-9630-42dd-9748-057f0ac37250 Also you can leave me a comment on any lesson and I will get back to you and help you out! Lessons have routines for each level, a warm up, strength, stretching, transitions and floorwork.
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I really feel being able to work @ your own pace at home and on the things YOU want is a HUGE advantage over the studios….Don’t get me wrong if I could transplant myself close to a good studio I would definitely take advantage of that! I have 3 X poles and I LOVE them all!!! If you can afford a pole @ home and veena’s lesson I think your golden 🙂
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I took lessons for 2 months and learnt nothing compared to when I got my own home pole.. suddenly I was gaining strength and new tricks like never before! I love my pole soo much and find it hard to stay off it for a day, let alone a few days
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I literally jumped into pole fitness all by myself, never have even had a foot in the door at a studio. Well I did take the novelty one hour long "Stripper 101" while vacationing in Vegas, if that counts! After that I was sold on pole dancing. My friend had a pole in her garage and we played on that a few times and then I did all my homework on a pole and bought my xpole. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it and have learned everything I know from practice at home. I have watched youtube, had a month of Veena (and am saving up to do the 1-year, she's fantastic!) I own 3 Dvd's (the 1st and 2nd Live Once Dvd's, plus a Dvd from Sedussa Studios) I have to admit, as much as I enjoy the DVD's (Live Once is my fav so far) most of my learning has been online since my DVD player is downstairs and I keep my pole upstairs.
Now, I do want to say that I wish I could take a pole class, but the closest studios to me are in Philadelphia and another city over an hour away from where I live. i have three kids and no sitter, so even if I had the money to burn in gas plus classes I still wouldnt have the time. I would love to see how a class is formatted, the techniques being taught and so on, but without the ability to go to a class, at home poling is all I know.
I can tell you that I am just about 100% certain that if you take classes now and you get a pole at home, you will find yourself addicted to the pole. I can't even walk in my room to grab a sweatshirt without at least spining on my pole once. And everytime I see am amazing pole dance either here or on youtube, I just get so motivated to hop on my pole. It's great b/c I can do it when ever I feel like it!
I can use it before bed to wind down after a hard day, or in the morning as a great workout to start the day. I can do it when my kids have driven me so nuts that I need a moment away and can escape for even just one or two songs. My personal recomendation is a home pole, Veena lessons, youtube and maybe a class here and there if you have one local to you, if not there are some good DVD's https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif
A word of caution on the knock off xpoles, I am glad to hear that the pole u have Dustbunny is fully functional and sturdy. I have def heard some horor stories about the fakes being unstable, chipping and so on. Just be careful if your buying another one. I was super tempted to buy one because of the price, but then I read a bunch of comments about them that scared me away. I have no clue how true they were, as I have never used anything other than my own xpole, and shoot if it were just as good, I wud prob go for the cheaper model too. Just make sure its safe https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif
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Hi Hotpinksugar 🙂
Having a pole at home is FANTASTIC! I take lessons 2-3x week and LOVE being able to come home and spend some quality "what do I want to work on" time on the pole.
Lessons are fantastic, but in a class setting, sometimes you aren't able to spend as much time working on a particular move as you'd like.
I've got a 50mm TG Xpert and a 50mm Chrome something or other (I seriously have no idea what type of pole it is) set up in the top floor loft of my house. It's fantastic! Not only are my friends able to come over and have some play time, but heading upstairs, switching everything else off and dancing it all out feels fantastic!
Being able to practice at your own leisure means that you're able to build strength a bit faster and work on all of your transition moves until you smooth them out 😉
Poles can be a bit spendzy, but they're a great investment if you're really dedicated to learning.
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