Greetings from England!

PixiePole started this discussion · 12/15/2010

Hello all! 🙂 So um, I'm Mora, I'm 19, I'm from Reading in the UK, and most of you guys are American lol. But I know there are a few poledancing studios around here for lessons, so I wonder if anyone on here is from near me...? Cause if so, I could really do with a buddy to teach me cool stuff and practise with and stuff 🙂 I've actually never really poled before! There used to be a pole at a club I went to but they got rid of it =[ and that was never exactly real dancing anyway haha. I've wanted to learn to do it properly for years, but I didn't want everyone to think I was doing it so I could become a stripper or something (don't want to put any judgement to any who are, but when you're 15 you can't really imply to your parents that you want to be a stripper 🙄) so I never really mentioned it. I'm now over 18, have been for long enough really, but I still don't have much money so I don't know when I'll really be able to start >< I actually just mentioned to my boyfriend today that I wanted to learn, so maybe he'll get me some lessons or money towards a pole...? I'm still a little hesitant about putting a pole up here, I live with my mum in a lovely little flat with not much space for swinging round a pole >< but I'm working on it! And as long as I can get a pole I can carry round with me (I've got bad shoulders...) I could always take it elsewhere and practise in friends' living rooms or something 🙂 So for now I think I'm just going to be doing the strength training exercises (like I said, bad shoulders ><) and hoping I get money for xmas lol. Hope to get to know you all better 🙂

13 replies

HellsBells · 12/15/2010
Hi welcome to SV! I'm from Bristol. There are quite a few of us here from the UK. Strength training will really help you prepare for when you get a chance to take some lessons so stick with it, it's worth it. 🙂
onepinkprincess · 12/15/2010
Hey Mora, I'm another UK girl and I'm in Kent. Hope everything comes together for you so you can get poling. Be careful if you have bad shoulders though as you don't want to damage them might be worth a trip to the GP to make sure your OK to start poling and get some advise on how to strengthen them. Cxxx
PixiePole · 12/15/2010
Hehe seems there are a few UKers here but not many compared to the US! 🙂 much harder to find lol. Yeah I'm not so sure about my shoulders, I asked one GP before and he basically told me to shut up and go away, but he isn't really very nice 😐 might ask my current GP about it again soon... I've had a few health troubles lately so I can't actually start right now, but I'm told that's probably down to a food allergy so as soon as my test results come back I should be able to avoid that food, heal up and get back to exercising, which will of course include the pole 😀 I can't do pushups to save my life so I'm gonna start with like 3 a day (yup, really wasn't kidding) and see if I can make it higher... start small, work my way up. In the meantime, I've got abs, glutes and thigh muscles that lift a ton, so I'll definitely work on making them even better so when I start poling properly I should really only have to concentrate on technique, form and not ruining my neck and shoulders =D
Audball · 12/16/2010
Hey Mora! I'm in Ireland, there are loads of UK polers on here! I live in a little apartment with my boyfriend and I have a pole, have to move the couch when I practise (usually!) You could take a term of lessons and see what you think before committing to having a pole, as they are expensive! Alot of people learn to pole dance without even owing a pole so thats no big deal. Also, like you, I have a bad shoulder and it has gotten SO much better since I started poling. I think its down to strengthening the muscles.. but its different for everyone, just take things easy and you should be fine! 🙂 Don't bother asking your GP about pole dancing lol, and if the GP has okay'd your shoulder, I'd personally recommend going to a physio instead, they know much more about muscular problems generally! ☀️
PixiePole · 12/16/2010
Hello Audball! 🙂 I think the problem with my living space is more what's in it than how big it is... 1) there's a LOT of mess in my room, I really need to get more storage >< but I'm working on it! I really need more space for contortion/DDR/elliptical so I was planning on clearing that anyway. And as long as I'm not straight out sideways (which would probably take me until 2021 anyway) I could do a few things in my room if I rearrange it properly 🙂 but like I said, it's my mum haha, she's lovely but rather old-fashioned. She's a nice plump Welsh lady who likes cups of tea and biscuits and cats, which sounds like such a stereotype, but she kind of is! I think I'll have to introduce her to the idea gradually before I tell her I'm taking lessons... I was thinking of taking a term somewhere not too expensive, then maybe seeing if I could save up for my own pole and just teach myself off here. I mean a tenner a month plus £150 for a pole is nothing compared to £140 a month for lessons that some places around here charge =S As for my shoulder, my current GP is really nice, and actually listens to my problems, but the first things I have to do are 1) sort out my digestive problems (I have an inflamed duodenum. Just waiting for those test results so I know what not to eat...) and 2) get some real help with quitting smoking, because I've been trying by myself for ages and getting nowhere so I figured maybe I could ask to join a program or something. I'll do some light stretches and strengthening exercises on my neck and shoulders and if anything seems wrong I'll definitely go back and ask my GP or a physiotherapist/chirporactor 🙂
Veena · 12/16/2010
Welcome to the site! Once you do get a pole, be sure to start with some strength training and stay away from spins until you have built up strength. Spins can be very hard on shoulders. If you do get a chance to buy the lessons here is the first lesson in my shoulder strength series. http://ver3.studioveena.com/lessons/view/4467 ☀️
PixiePole · 12/16/2010
Thank you! I'm doing bits of strength training without a pole also - I'm impatient, I know as soon as I get a pole I'll want to jump right into it so I'm going to build up first 🙂 I did get a proper membership, so I'm doing the exercises I can do without a pole (like lunges) and sort of substituting anything that does need a pole. Gotta admit, I hadn't even thought of the concept of shoulder 'stabilisation' - just kinda figured you'd keep yourself upright and move them as you had to to get your arms around? I don't know lol maybe I had the right idea but just not quite done properly, that always happens when I take up something new. Definitely gonna study those videos ;D
Audball · 12/16/2010
It's actually probably so much better than you don't have a pole so you can prepare. I got a set of little pink dumbells before I started poling and used them for a few weeks too. Im sure it helped. I did exercises I think I got them from Veena called YTI. Not sure if those specific ones are in the lessons, but the exercises that are there will help you. I should really look at those more often! 🙂 You mum sounds cute 🙂 I told my mam a few months after I got my pole and she didnt really seem to care! When you do tell her you could show her the more acrobatic pole videos on facebook to help her realise its not seedy? Having said that, people are going to hold on to their preconceptions. The other day I went to a family gathering and was rushing to a pole class, which my mam insisted I call a dance class, lol! Ah well, I'm happy and they can tell how muscly I am now so im clearly not just shaking my ass around a pole hahaha! 🌸 Oh and shop around for lessons, there are so may places just out to fleece you and they're not true pole classes if you get me. Generally classes here are 80 eur per term so in UK should be the same or less, and if you call up and ask about pole:student ratio and what poles they use, you'll be able to tell if they really know what they're doing. I learned from Veena's lessons, but joined classes recently so now I do both. I just felt I needed a class to motivate me, but Im so glad I didnt learn solely from a class as I'd have learned at a much slower pace. AND for the smoking thing, I dont know if you're already into fitness but I find when i'm working on something, its easier to have a goal, like you know your exercise threshold is lower with smoking whatever.. But it is hard. I gave up smoking a few years back (although I didnt smoke loads) and even that wasnt easy, but stick with it, you're young, it will be worth it 🙂 Geez that was a whopper post, well done if you actually read it hahaha!!
UTpoler · 12/17/2010
Welcome!!! There's a fabulous poler coming to the UK to do workshops and she will be doing a beginner class (no prior experience required) which might provide for a great opportunity to learn the foundations correctly, especially if you learn better in-person. Her name is Becca Butcher (do a google or youtube search to see some of her incredible videos) and she's an incredible athlete, poler, and such a genuine kind person. ETA: Oops, saw your comment on my thread so you're aware she's coming. 🙂 Hope you get the chance to meet her and learn from her.
ShakOldProfile · 12/17/2010
Hey, I'm from the UK too, based in Bristol. There are lots of us on here!
kerryinsussex · 1/30/2011
hey im kerry a newbie here but also from the uk🌸
PixiePole · 2/1/2011
Britpride ftw! \o/ nice to meet you guys! 🙂
jennypole · 2/24/2011
Hey Pixiepole (and everyone else :-) Im in Basingstoke so not to far from Reading at all! Ive been on this site for a while, but just got the lessons and they're fab. Ive been poling for about two years and LOVE it, I started when I moved down here from Newcastle, and notr only is it great exercise, but it was a good way for me to meet some like minded girls down here, I moved for work and literally knew no-one! There are plenty of classes and schools around us so if you want any info just let me know, i'll be happy to help you out. 🙂