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Do you have a move that you’ve had to just throw in the towel on?
So, I have been working on the knee hold for about 4 solid months now and it is about to be the death of me. When I first started working on it, the issue was just sheer pain on my lower leg where it contacted the pole. But I kept trucking through that. Then it seemed to be how far my legs should be apart? My hips are crazy open and loose, and so I had a hard time figuring out where they should be. Now, from working with other (patient!) pole dancers, a big part that we figured out was that my hamstrings just do not want to engage enough to hold me up. So now I am constantly working on hamstring strength. This knee hold business is taking over my whole practice.
I have become so obsessed with this one move that it's taking all of the fun out of my practice. During this time, I've had some great pole wins (got my TG handspring, a flat jade, teddy) but I never think of those – they are all over shadowed by this one move. Instead of having fun and appreciating the progress I've made, I just berate myself for being knee-hold incompetent. So at this point, I feel like I either need to throw in the towel (at least for a little while until I stop being so crazy about it) or maybe just accept that the knee hold is just something that I'm not going to get.
Am I crazy or just really impatient and hard on myself? I'd love to hear from some Veeners who have either walked away from a move or maybe took a break. Thank you!
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67 Replies
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You're not crazy or too hard on yourself – perhaps impatient, but aren't we all when it comes to poling! It's so much fun and we all want to do all the tricks.
I find that often when I walk away and come back to something, my brain "gets it" the second (or fifth, or twentieth) time around. Not sure what that's all about.
Don't give up on the knee hold – but if it's stressing you out so much, definitely take a break. Some day when you try it again, you brain just may click and your muscles will get it, though it could merely be a strength thing as you said. That said, you know what you need to do.
Good for you for having so much determination. You may think you are giving up now, but you have stuck with it for a "4 solid months" – that's commitment.
I CANNOT get the front hook spin. While I have only been poling a few months, it baffles me that this move is so difficult, when I can do other intermediate moves and I have strength. While my brain understands how to do it – my body doesn't follow suit, so it may actually just be a strength issue.
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sorry, I meant to say I cannot get the Ankle Attitude spin…I keep miscalling it Front Hook Spin. I'm a NOOB!
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Yup…The Marley. Has me stumped. I had watched tutorials, I paid for one month of lessons with onlinepolelessons.com—for $20–because I was determined to get this move! No luck. I can do the Knee Hold, Scorpio, Gemini, Star, Superman, Superman Fall…almost the Allegra but The marley? No such luck. It was consuming my pole sessions. So I have taken a break for now. But, yes, I know where you are coming from. I had trouble with the Knee Hold as well…I was very persistant with it, enduring the pain, But my mistake was I was not pushing my hips forward enough (figured that out with Veena's lessons!)
Give it a break, one day it will click for you.
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It took me almost 6 months to get the knee hold and probably another 6 to nail it consistantly. I have walked away from moves on numerous occasions….I still cannot do a proper aysha but I have no issue with a straight edge. Split grip inverted moves are the same. I also cannot get a pretzel spin and it took me about 2 years to get a corkscrew (and it still gives me issues). Some things just click and some take a lot of practice.
Try not to be so hard on yourself….I know it is frustrating but pole is ever evolving.
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I have this issue all the time! I have to make a really specific point to just dance and have fun every time I get down to having a pole session, because if I didn't, all I would do was strength training, stretching, and a teeny bit of cardio! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif
My bane-of-my-dancing move? The cradle spin. Augh! I've worked on this spin for SO LONG, but of course, every time I take a break, that means I've lost a lot of muscle, and I can't even achieve the lift to do it. So, now I'm working on it again…and I anticipate that it will take me a long time. But, I'm okay with that, because I still get to have fun!https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif
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The Marley. Oh the freaking Marley. No matter how many times I've been shown that …. I still cannot grasp the stupid thing. I end up way too horizontal. I've had pros show me, and I still cant do it. It's taken over practices before. I'm going to try and work on it a little more, after being shown another way to do it.
My knee hold was relatively easy – I got it after an instructor at the old studio I wasted time at told me that I'd never get it. So I went home, and did knee holds until I got it, then brought in a picture to show them next class. Pffffft.
The Allegra is another one I'm working on. I need to learn to lean downward, but I just dont do it!! It would totally help with the fluid look if I could do it but I get stuck mentally and physically on the leaning down part!
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Polekitten, I can't seem it "get" the marley as well. I've done it by accident before but when I try to do it it's a mess.
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I've been working on the knee hold, on and off, for almost two years! I actually did it for the first time about 9 months ago. But it's still not consistent. Lately it has been more lack of grip than anything else. For me it was key to realize that the hooked feet version wasn't for me. When I started trying it w/o hooking the feet, it came pretty quickly. But don't let it take over your practices! Try it e.g. three times on each side every practice, and then move on to other stuff. It'll come in time. But keep doing the strengthening exercises, they will surely help you with the knee hold eventually, and maybe improve some other moves too!
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And I have a similar story with the yogini. I'm slowly making progress, but it has been a year (on and off as well). I shelf it for a few weeks from time to time. Just to make sure I don't get obsessed, or too frustrated with myself https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif. Having fun is still the #1 priority.
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Hi! Im new to StudioVeenas lessons , but been poling for two years now and doing classes in Southamtpon, UK.
I have exactly the same issues wiht the knee hold! Its so frustrating I know how you feel about it. Ive found I cant get the angle right, maybe it sbecause im tall and have quite long legs? Not sure but it drives me nuts.
The advice the other girls have given you I would agree with. Think of what you have achieved in that time, and compare what you could do before to what you can do NOW!
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I'm about to add the Knee hold into my practises and so far it seems impossible (I had a quick go the other day and was like whatever!!) so it will be interesting to say the least! Also going to try the Marley but it seems scary to "get into". Yogini .. is there a Veena lesson on that one?
I think the moves that will take me forever to get if I ever do are the handspring and cartwheel mounts, I think mentally I won't "get it" for a very long time and that sucks cos they are so impressive 🙁
Ah well I can't complain I managed an Aysha comfortably today so had a breakthrough, I'll try the Knee Hold next week and I'm sure I'll be tearing hair out in frustration (and soothing sore shins and knees)
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THank you so much for all the replies…glad I am not crazy or the only one! I am going to take a little break and see. 🙂
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The caterpillar. I can get up into it, but can only move one leg up the pole. It's SO frustrating and absorbed so much of my practices that I've given it a rest. I've gotten other moves in the meantime once I took the focus off this one. Plus, I think it's kind of ugly. I know it's a "gateway" move, but I've worked around that so far.
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CAR aka CLR was my nemesis for a long time. I had completely given up. On day, after months and months of ignoring it, I gave it another go and …voila! Still not easy to get into and out of for me but I can at least do it now. I've had a few moves like that, I just put them on the back burner for a while and work on other things, and then suddenly one day they become mine. 🙂
Good luck everyone!
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Poleophile….caterpillar climb took me a really long time too. I could caterpillar but fell out of a climb when learning it and it took me over 6 months to finally give it a go again (part of that was healing my shoulder though). This is one move that I lose quickly if I do not continue to practice it.
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