I hate The Chair and it obviously hates me :(

verucablue started this discussion · 11/28/2009

UGGGG...the chair!!! Blech Blech Blech!!! Why can I do the caterpillar - inverts and such - I have a shoulder mount roughly 50% of the times I try...more when I am spending more time on the pole but the chair...seriously I can not do!!! It's really anoying...the reverse grab is hard for me too but that is more of a *really tight shoulder - no shoulder flexibilty thing* at least that makes sense to me. The thing is my arms are stong...if I am properly warmed up I can climb without legs...so I just don't get it. I think my body likes up and down more than spinning - but it's still REALLY annoying and it's so frustrating that I won't practice it either LOL - which obviously doesn't help lol 😈

19 replies

Poleluver · 11/28/2009
There is alot that I cannot do and was surprised to find that I got the chair eventually. My teacher pushed me to try a one handed and I can do a short one. The straight leg chair??? I cannot bring my legs straight .The cradle (NEVER) ! The vertical stuff is a little more menacing. I have sensitive thighs and shins ( probably no more than others) but why can I not lean back for the wrist sit??? I imagine once you get it- it involves muscle memory. I remember getting the chair and anything that involved pushing away from the pole seemed impossibly uncomfortable and felt wrong in the beginning. Maybe my body just needs to get the feeling for leaning back after sitting and that will be it! Right now my core just won't do it. Let us know about your progress!
rubberstarlet · 11/28/2009
I cant do the chair -_- I can do a wrist sit but On my pole I cant hang on, I slide right down. At my studio class I can do it on there pole no problem.
Castleoutsider · 11/28/2009
yea i was practicing at home last night and i cant do alot of the things here that i can at teh studio =( very upsetting really T___T as for the chair, i only got it cuz i tried to teach myself break dancing;; ROFL so that position was really easy for me LOL
Judy Jovanelly · 11/28/2009
so i'm not the only one with a chair problem, eh ? funny thing with me is i CAN do it on one side, (not as well as i'd like, for sure) but when it comes to reversing it to the other side, my body is completely clueless. mind just goes right out the window.... silly ! then i get silly and start giggling...... sigh. one day..... 🙄
Castleoutsider · 11/28/2009
yeah mines better on one side as well tho alot of my spins tho i lack in skill because im always doing everything on the right -o- bad habit really;;
Judy Jovanelly · 11/28/2009
yeah castle ! i was only one sided for a while but then one day i was at the gym lookin at myself -- i wasn't sure, but it kinda looked like the shoulder on that side was getting a different shape. THAT was enuff for me to start religiously working both sides ! can you imagine living life with one big shoulder and one puny shoulder ??? yikes !
Castleoutsider · 11/28/2009
ahahhahaha have you seen lady in the water ^^
Judy Jovanelly · 11/28/2009
no i didn't see it.... did she have a shoulder issue ? 😂
Mary Ellyn · 11/28/2009
When I first began pole dancing and reached the point of split grip holds, I nailed the carousel with no problem but it took me a long time to get the chair. I often find that students can do one or the other. Those that do the chair well, have a harder time with the carousel. If you can post a vid it would really help to pinpoint which tips would work for you. A couple that may help (if you aren't doing this already) 1. Those who have problems may try to start this move by walking a little further away from the pole than usual and taking smaller steps to build more momentum. 2. Lead with the outside leg by sweeping it in a large, high circle before you push off the floor with your inside leg. It is important that the outside leg makes a nice circle and doesn't kick across the front of you - if your leg makes a nice circle your body will follow - if you jerk your leg forward across the front, your body will not spin in a nice circle. 3. Make certain that you outside hand comes across your body at about the chest level and angles down from there to create the bracket hold to push your body away from the pole. If your hand position it higher than your elbow, then you are more likely to bend at the elbow and not be able to brace your body away from the pole. Also make certain that you do not place your outside/lower hand thumb down when spinning forward like this as this can cause injuries.
Castleoutsider · 11/28/2009
yupyup =) that outer leg swing is most ness in most spins ^^ and in lady in the water.. one of the guys for some reason purposefully works out only one side of his body lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnVvrCVIU5Q
Layla Duvay · 11/28/2009
I was watching Veena's newsletters the other day (yeah, I'd seen some before, but they're always enjoyable) and the one with Glitterhips (July I think) show her giving G. a chair spin lesson. Might be helpful! ☀️
SissyBuns · 11/28/2009
ahahhahaha have you seen lady in the water ^^ HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! The guy who only worked one arm! He had one big ass buff arm and one tiny normal sized one LOL.
SissyBuns · 11/28/2009
I'd love to see a video of your chair to see what's going wrong.
Poleluver · 11/28/2009
my chair is one sided, everything is one sided:(
Veena · 11/28/2009
Don't feel bad verucablue....I think people underestimate the amount of strength some spins require. If you don't have a solid chair spin you shouldn't move on to a Reverse grab, unless you enjoy injuries. 😂 but seriously, in my new lessons most spins will not be labeled as beginner, I feel too many use all spins as beginner moves, but really pole climbs, sits, elbowstands, and hold and so on...are much better for the beginner to work on. When your spinning your holding your own body weight AND you have added momentum to that equation, adding more weight of course. So don't feel bad if you can invert but still have troubles with some spins. If you having troubles you may need to start working on some strength off the pole or with your pole. Spins require, hand, forearm, chest, upper back ab and a lot of shoulder strength. Also it might be helpful to take a look to make sure you technique for spins is good, if you don't have the proper form down, you'll begin to have troubles with the more difficult spins. 🤓 🤓 A vid might be helpful so we can see whats going on...it might be as simple as you being to close the pole.
Judy Jovanelly · 11/28/2009
i think it IS the leg swing on the side i can't do. i get walkin and thinkin and can't work out which leg to pick up, even tho i KNOW it's the outside one 🤔 makes me giggle even just thinking about it now. and yes, gotta get some vids going one of these days so you guys can critique !
Former member · 11/28/2009
no worries hunny, its weird how some moves are easier than others for us. like i can do the superman (thanks to veena) but i had the HARDEST time with the wrist seat for some reason...you sound like you're determined though, i bet you'll get it in no time at all! 🙂
verucablue · 11/28/2009
Hey Empy 🙂 !!!...interesting because I never had any issue with the carousel...that was always easy for me lol...who knows... Veena I will try to post a video soon after the holidays when I can figure out this new web cam 😉 (yay got a new computer!!!) but I have noticed one thing... certain spins annoy me or are harder than others and I think a lot of it is a tight shoulder situation. I have a lot of upper body strength but little if any flexibility in my shoulders. My shoulders are so tight that I can barely grasp my hands behind my back - barely. This is something that definitely impacts my spins or more noticeably my one handed spins (or spins where one hand is in a stronger position than the other). I am working on it with my physical therapist and Pilate's instructor... and you know...I might be a little close to the pole in my chair - I will check that out - once the turkey settles and I put my pole back up 😉
moonflower · 12/1/2009
Veena, thank you for realizing and making this change. I find many spins are harder to execute gracefully than most climbs, sits and even some inverts. Also, I can't seem to spin much without getting sick, while I can spend quite a bit of time upside down or on the pole. The studio I used to go to didn't teach climbs until intermediate, the entire first 3 months were spins, limited floor work and a handful of dance moves. Also, to move onto intermediate, you had to be able ot invert...but they hadn't even taught how to climb yet!!! verucablue, don't worry, it will come. My body picked up moves in the "wrong" order sometimes. I'm comfortable with the knee hold, but i still think I'm going to fall everytime I do a butterfly. I love doing the superman, but my spinning chopper still suck. Things just happens.