Am i getting ahead of myself??

oops!  anyways...im still in the beginner phases of this pole addiction...im currently taking classes locally at a studio and hav had my pole for the past 2 months...in the beginning, i was really just trying to focus on being "sexy" and fluid with some dancce moves around the pole with some basic spins and now we are starting more intermediate moves...im so eager to try to catch up to some of u polers and have cheated a bit by trying moves i honestly dont think im ready for but hav gotten into them like the gemini,scorpio...but is there a correct way to learn? should i really master the basic moves before i get ahead of myself? i know i def need to work on my upper body strength but its so tempting to skip steps :(  

i've been poleing for a few years now and, being sorta self-taught from the internet and videos, only recently subscribed to the lessons here and HIGHLY recommend them. They're in order of what to learn, and truly you need to master the beginning moves and build strength from those.  Pole is an aerial art and as such, is risky. Injuries aren't worth the perceived glory, and even though it's tempting to want to do it all now, it's also a journey.  If you're not feeling ready for something, that's ok. Why rush it?  Again, if you get injured doing a move you're not physically ready for, you're REALLY set back.   So, just a few quick thoughts, I'm sure others here will have great advice!

Hey darling! I know, it's soo tempting to try to push yourself, and just see what you can do...but honestly, you really need to work on the foundational moves before you move on! Think about it this way...A lot of the foundation moves, like just dancing and spins and such, allow you to learn about momentum, spacial awareness, and your own style of movement. Also, with the impressive amount of muscle you gain through working up to those moves, if you happen to fall (which we all hope never happens!) you may, actually, recover faster and have somewhat less injury. No guarantees, but it's a better chance. I've been dancing for 3 years, or so, and I can't yet do a basic invert. Unfortunate, I know, but after many "breaks," some of them rather lengthy, I've had to restart many times. It's very, very tempting to push hard and try to get to the level everyone else seems to be at...but seriously, you run the risk of greater injury from pushing too hard! And then you're back to square one. Take your time, because it's a journey, and you're allowed to be at level zero if you want. You can spend time on your footwork, you can spend time working on just variations of a Fireman spin for a while! It's a bit like Yoga, or Tai Chi, or Karate...there's always something to learn, always something to explore. So take your time and enjoy yourself! If you wanna dance sexy, then I think I'm all the happier for it ;) I'm trying to relearn how to dance sexy, too!

This really depends on your background. If you have been athletic your entire life with back ground in dance, gymnastic, or martial arts for example, you may find doing spins and trnasitions for 3 months straight without inverting to be extremely boring and not challenging at all. I would say to listen to your body and don;t jump to the difficult stuff if you can't do the easy stuff. Now, if you can do all the basics already, then by all means move ahead. I personally do not believe in staying at a low level for x number of months just because most people need to.  There is nothing more de-motivating than the lack of challenge.Just be safe, listen to your body and make sure you've got the basics down.

If you don't build up properly now, you're really only going to hate it later. Definately take your time and learn the basics before moving on.  It is insanely hard to sit back and watch other around you seem "better" but honestly you don't know if they're doing it wrong, youtube doesn't show how much pain they have during or after that trick.  Even if they do moves correctly, you don't see the movie montage of them practicing and building up to that....well on here you do, definately go watch older practice videos of some people, it just doesn't happen over night. 3 years ago I walked into a horrible pole studio.  I was inverting by my 3rd class, wonderful yea?  Well I was jumping and kicking into and building no muscle at all and actually messing up my back.  I was doing the invert and that was all that mattered to me and the teacher.  Later when I tried to climb and invert there was no way it was going to happen because I didn't have the strength.  I was beating the crap out of my mind and body in the advanced classes I should have never been in to begin with (and they should have never taught, but thats another story). Long story short, I got Veena's lessons and am building strength correctly, using muscles correctly, doing moves correctly and finally actually progressing after 3 years.  I'm starting to let go of my bitterness and resentment about myself and my pole past actually dance.  I'm even getting some of that confidence and accomplishment feeling thingy everyone keeps talking about.

My two cents: don't over train.  I currently have tennis elbow in both my arms!!!  Why?  Because I trained every day for two weeks.  I just can't help it... I'm so addicted and it's how I deal with stress, so I'm NOW unable to do any pole and typing is actually not easy either!   I've decided that I need to find another activity that I can do to unwind that doesn't aggravate wrists.   If anyone has suggestions, I'm  up for it.   So yeah repetitive strain injuries can also happen... :(

I also wanted to write that "basic" moves aren't the same for everyone.  I could do a yogini before I could invert!  I find knee hold much easier than superman. We are all different and have different strengths.  Some spins are much harder for me than inverts, so don't beat yourself up either and think you can't try an interesting trick once in a while.      

LopsiJulie--Hooping, or hoopdance is wonderful (and my other obsession).

Don't be in a rush. Think of it like stretching. Keep it up and you'll slowly get there, but if you push too hard you'll hurt yourself and put yourself out of commission for a longer time, then have to start over. I pushed myself into a "turkish drop" too fast and hurt my knees. A turkish drop is a bellydance move where you go into a backbend and drop to the floor where your shins are tucked tight up alongside your thighs and your back in on the ground. I wasn't bendy enough for it then and suffered later. My teacher had a pole accident teaching an INTRO class. The girls wanted to know how long it took before they could do hard moves. She tried to demo a fancy move, (without wiping her hands first) slipped, and landed on her head. THANKFULLY she only fractured her shoulder and was in a sling for a month or so, but it could have been so much worse!

I second LopsiJulies comments. I am pro and reverse grabs, but I cannot do a pole hold spin or a tuck spin (even though I can do a cradle spin.) Black widows are awkward for me, but attitudes are easy. I can to a CAR, but not a CNR. Oh, and don't ge tme started on my non-dominant side! I used to be able to invert and do a shoulder mout, but after having to move and whatnot, I lost all my strength and am now struggling to get it back.

 I think we also tend to forgot to practice old moves and then they become tricky.  :)  Always try to do the moves you got and perfect, and pick a couple new ones to strive towards :)   Sparrow - thanks so much for the suggestion!  Might get me a hoop and hooooola!

PS.  We all want to do moves and catch up to someone :)  I watch blondebird, roxi, pheonix, and veena (to name a few) and am super jealous of their gorgeousness on the pole!  Some of them have been poling for less time than me as well, but then I remind myself that we probably have different starting points, trained differently, etc. Looks like patience is a virtue neither of us has really... hehehehe!

I agree with LopsiJulie. Basic is different for everyone depending on your strength and weakness. I can't spin very well at all (tennis elbow+weak stomach), but I found things like leg hangs really easy. I spent my childhood hanging upside down on monkey bars and avoiding the merry go round, figures. I can jade and kneehold, but let me in on a littel secret, the reverse grab scare the living daylights out of me.

When I hear the term "basic" I think of things like, Pole Strength moves and technique. You can never go wrong with focusing on these basics 🌸 I still work on pole holds ect...and my flexibility every time I dance. I categorize moves as beginner not because all of them should be easy...but rather because they are great strength builders and will give you the necessary foundation to progress. Over training can happen with any sport regardless of the persons level. Stretching and resting is so very important to an overall healthy and happy body ❤️

Veena, I'm so heartbroken about it today.  I think I might have both carpal tunnel AND tennis elbow.  I can't wait for physio to see if I'm right.  I'm going to get a foam roller and buy your lessons cause I don't know what else I can do :(  I'm quite good about stretching absolutely poopy at resting :( Today is not a happy lopsijulie day :(  I WANNNANANANANA POLE!

Oh dear sorry to hear that!! Rest, massage and stretch. Give your body time to heal, when you do get the lessons and are have rested for a bit start with the stretching and conditioning lessons for the hands, wrists and forearms. 🌸

Okie.  Am going to buy a) foam roller, b) set of three handmaster plus, c) gym ball. Physio did a nice little massage for me.  :) Once they arrive I'm buying your lessons and going to work on stretching and conditioning (on alternate days?). YEYEYEYEY!  This is cheering me up!