Hayleymich started this discussion ·
Hi all 🙂 Well i have been poling for a week today! 😀 and loving every bit of it 🙂 I just have one question. I can't do a basic pole climb as of yet, i put my foot the other side and do what i am told to just when i lift up i slide down 😕 Will this come to me when i gain more strength or is it something i need to work on? I appreciate any help! 😀 Thanks, Hayley x
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I'll pass on the advice my instructor gave me. Climb little by little, dont start engaging your shoulders to do your next pull up until you have your feet in place. We all found 'sticky' heels a great help with that when starting out. A pair of plastic upper/Patent heels really help you grip and regards hands slipping god bless 'mighty grip' and 'dry hands' If you still find you cant pull up and are sliding there are some great strength training exercises on this site.
Make sure your back leg (the one you put onto the pole first) is pushing INTO the pole with the knee and foot. This will help stop that leg sliding back down when you put weight on it. Don't worry if you don't get it yet. You've only been doing this a week! Took me months to get a climb hahahaha. 😂
Pole Climbing is a challenge when you first start and can easily become frusterating. I tell my girls who are just starting out the following maybe it will help a little: If you are right handed but your right hand high on the pole, then place your right leg on the pole. When you bring your left leg up to the pole place it in the same position as your right leg ( both legs behind the pole to start ) then sqeeze with your knees, but you must lock your foot, by locking your foot we mean your foot has to be flexed and stiff in the upright position, not pointed down ( this is what we call locking your foot ) once you squeeze your knees pull up. Very important to keep the pole at the knees, if you let the pole slide between your thighs then you have no way to pull up because it is sortof like an inch worm going up. When you want to go up again push off with the first leg you placed on the pole by sliding the first leg up the pole and putting it in the same position as you started, bring the second leg now infront of the pole then sqeeze your front leg at the calf and knee into the pole while you are squeezing the back leg at the top of your foot and shin to the pole then stand up again keeping the pole at the knees not in between the thys so that you can stand up. We have found that it is easier for ladies who are first learning to climb to wear a pair of gogo type boots , the vinyl kind. This helps you stick to the pole better until you get the hang of it. This is the best way I can try to describe it for you. I'm sure StudioVeena has a video up somewhere for you to review . Good luck..and don't give up.
amy ·
i was taught the basic climb somewhat differently, and i think it could be helpful to try this way at least until you are more comfortable with the grips involved? step up to the pole- put your dominant foot (my right) up, get your foot hooked on it, put your arms up, and pull up to standing on the pole, bring your left leg to the front of the pole to wrap. you are clamping with your thighs and your calves, and holding on to the pole with both hands, your arms at about head height. this is the same as the regular climb. theeeen. instead of pulling up with your arms and bringing your legs up simultaneously.... bring your legs up, WHILE holding with your hands. once they are up and secure, you are sort of scrunched up one hte pole.... THEN bring your hands up higher, so you are standing straight. so the order is move feet- stand- hold with hands. this way, you are never pulling your weight up, only supporting it... at least until you are more secure in your leg/foot grip and stronger in the arms. hope that made sense... in my experience this climb is much easier, and as you get stronger, you can pull up more as you are moving your hands up/bringing your legs up.
I've been watching how people climb more closely lately and I see people with both feet behind the pole and one in front and one behind. My pole is so short at home that I can't really climb so I don't even know how I do it or even if I can LOL. I'm going to start taking more classes so I can use a higher pole and work on climbing.
amy ·
i learned it with both feet behind, but if i'm not doing a 1-legged climb i generally put one in front and one behind-- it's easier to do a spinning climb that way (at least for me).
carriej ·
I find that it's more about pushing up with your legs than pulling up with your arms. It's funny. Here a flashback: When we were kids my brother could climb up anything. We had this super fat (like 3 or 4 inches) fireman pole that my dad put up next to our swingset and my bro could always climb all the way to the top anytime he felt like it. I tried and tried but never got anywhere even though he tried over and over to explain it and help me. Now that I got my pole I realize it's about push not pull and that at least one foot has to stay behind the pole. 😀
