Disappointing Start

jannyjanjan148666 started this discussion · 12/18/2016

Hi Everyone, I tell long stories. Sorry. In September, I visited a friend who has been taking pole lessons and has a pole in her home. I decided that I was going to get a pole for myself even though I had never tried it. I'm a big girl and I figured the purchase would help save some money and embarrassment. My birthday was in November, so I bought myself the pole for a b-day/x-mas gift to myself. I had to delay installing the pole, but have watched hundreds of pole videos in the meantime. Today, I set up the pole! Yay! I can't hold up my own weight. Boo! X-Pole sent an intro pole DVD which is how I learned I couldn't hold myself up. I did what I could with the video, but I can't even pole hang. I am disappointed to say the least. I have a habit of beating myself up and of depression and anxiety. I need to know that there is a light at the end of this tunnel because I feel like a failure right now. Thanks for listening, Janis

7 replies

polegramma · 12/18/2016
The light at the end of the tunnel is here. Start with Veena's 30 day take off. Just go at your own pace and be as consistent as you can. You'll see progress. We've all been there. Veena's lessons are the best!
mystical · 12/18/2016
Hi Janis and welcome, all of us here can relate with not having the strength we need for pole. Veena has a 30 day take off program which helps you gain strength for pole. All the lesson's are in progression order, but if you cant get a move for example the thigh rest (which is a hard move) you can move on to the next move. If you haven't yet i recommend getting the lesson's, welcome to the site
Veena · 12/18/2016
Please don't feel too disappointed, I have yet to come across a pole DVD that is truly for beginners. Some will be able to hold themselves but most will struggle until they begin training. The girls are right my lesson are different and will help you build strength, flexibility and techniques needed for safe progression. If you've just joined the site you have 3 days of access to the lessons. If you missed that chance use this code GET3FREE and you will have 3 more days. The 30 day take off program is the perfect place to start and if you look at other Lesson sections you'll find that everything is in order. It's not like using youtube or other sites that have content all mixed. You literally just click the first video in line and go from there. Let me know if you have questions. I'm so happy you found us. Don't give up!! 💜💜💜
Runemist34 · 12/18/2016
Hey there! You sound like me ;) I like to tell long stories, too! I'm currently working on my first book, but as I'm sure most of the people here can attest, I also tend to write a lot in responses and blogs. Sometimes, you just need to wax verbose in order to explain something! Much of my pole journey was spent feeling weak and inadequate. I didn't really know how to create my own workout program, and there was very little help for me at home (I also had a jerk husband at the time who totally demoralized me). Honestly, I don't think most of us can hold ourselves up on the pole at first! I know for sure that I couldn't, for a long, long time! I now have a studio to go to, and have been learning a lot about how I, personally, progress and learn things with pole dance. It can still be rough- everyone in my class are deadlifting their inversions, and I'm... well, I'm not! I'm still working on it. And really, that's going to be true for the rest of my time pole dancing; I'll still be working on something!! Specifically for holding yourself on the pole like that, make sure your shoulders are pulled away from your ears (this is true of ALL pole moves- your shoulders and ears should never come together! It can be really hard!) and just lift one leg, put a little weight into your hands. Get to know the feeling, and slowly increase how much weight you put into your hands. However, this isn't really a move you need to know right now! It's something to practice, more for conditioning and strengthening the body than for actual dancing right now. Veena's lessons are really good, and you can always post videos and ask questions here on the forums! It can be really hard for a lot of more advanced people to remember what it was like at the beginning... and, their beginning may not be the same as the rest of us! There are always ways to modify something to make it easier, so you can practice, get stronger, and move toward your goals. And seriously, we don't judge. We're all happy to have you here!
Queenofwands10009677 · 12/19/2016
Whatever obstacles you face, please please don't give up! Be creative in your approach to any problems and be tenacious and you will make all the progress you want.
jannyjanjan148666 · 12/19/2016
Thank you, all! What a wonderful community! This was just the help I sought after my "first day flop" with that other so-called beginner workout. I just finished Day One here and I feel great. Part of my discouragement yesterday was that I wasn't shown how to get from point A to point B. I love the foundational work I did today and I know this is the right path. Thank you, Veena for sharing your expertise and experience as a trainer to help me correctly train. Thanks again, Janis
hookedonpole · 12/20/2016
You have a a wonderful community here! I started "late in life" and couldn't do a pole hold to save my life. Be patient and don't compare to what others are doing, how long it took them to learn, etc. We are different and should take this journey as our own. It's a lot of fun, and each accomplishment sets up for the next. And, as others said, THIS is the place to begin. I had been poling a little bit having learned some things at a studio but then it closed. I tried learning on my own. Then I found studioveena. com and went back to basics because I was doing a lot of things incorrectly. Her progression for teaching is awesome! Welcome!!!