c0urtneyleighh started this discussion ·
I cant get my feet off the ground!! I cant even even hold myself away from the pole just to spin around it! I cant do anything. Please tell me everyone started out this way and its just because I have no upper body strength. Bcause Im really disappointed.
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Everyone started out this way and it's just because you have no upper body strength. Even trained gymnasts and circus folk who have upper body strength find pole a challenge (so I've been told). The good news is that even attempting things on the pole builds strength so keep at it! If you can, get Veena's lessons--she's got some awesome strength-builders here!
Hey there, I wouldn't worry about it! Have you looked at Veenas lessons? She has them set up so that you build strength before you do ANYTHING on the pole. It takes a great amount of strength in order to do spins etc. You have to take it a step at a time!
Safire ·
Hi Courtney, You sound exactly like me in the beginning. On my first lesson I couldn't get my feet off of the ground trying to do a fireman spin or anything for that matter. So keep trying because it is definitely possible. Now I am doing aerial inverts which I couldn't have imagined on that first day. I think it was good to have such a hard beginning because now there is no move I don't think I can learn even the ones that are a struggle I know I'll get if I keep working on it (and that's how it always turns out). Keep trying and I guarantee you'll get it :)
Do not worry!!! With consistent practice and determination you will get there! I could not even lift my feet off the ground for a pole hold. Not even for a second! I can now. Each person has their own level of strength, the good news is we can work to build it and improve it over time. You can do it and it is not just you!
im a newbie also and i was just feeling the same way couple of days ago just take ur time and you will get it the ladies here help me alot their so wonderful if it was not for the uplifting words i would have gave up on my love of pole
Oh goodness, there is NOTHING wrong with you! As you can see here, there are LOTS of people who started out just the same! Don't get discouraged because you see so many people doing aerial tricks and spins...there is so much more to work on than that. Heck, I just had a great dance session yesterday...I was feeling lazy, so I did probably about three spins in the whole time? I did everything else I could think of! It was a lot of fun, and is STILL considered pole dancing 😉 Everyone has their own journey to go through, and we all start at different levels with different challenges. One of my biggest ones is being upside down; it terrifies me! But, I've been working on it a while...just inching my shoulders up to the pole and putting my legs on it does help. My recommendation for working into spins: Try the half spin first. Veena has a great lesson for it, and lots of other dancers make this move beautiful, too! Otherwise, just be patient. You don't have to spin yet. Work on other stuff you like, and even stuff you may not like as much! Relax, and have fun! That's what it's all about! 🌸
Every time I talk to someone about starting pole, they always say they wouldn't be able to lft themselves or can't lift their body weight etc, and I always tell them that nobody ever can when they start out! It took me 2 months to be able to lift up a little bit and I am stronger than the average according to my teacher. If you stress about it it will just become a scary issue for you, so don't worry. Just be reassured that it is a very rare bear who can lift themselves early on, and usually I would guess they were weight lifters or something if they could, lol! There is nothing wrong with you, all you need is to cut yourself a break and give yourself the time to develop that upper body strength!
Oh goodness gracious no!!! One of the pole studios I go to doesn't even let students take both feet off the ground in their Pole 1 class. You don't learn a fireman spin until Pole 2. We all started that way and now many of us do things we never thought we would be able to do. I used to not be able to lift myself at all and now I can climb a pole using just my arms! When my teacher asked me to do that I looked at her like she was crazy!!! Good luck and have fun!
Just like everyone here has said, there is nothing wrong with you. Give yourself some time and patience and you will be amazed at what you can and will accomplish in just a short amount of time.
thanks everyone for your responses. that makes me feel so0oo much better. I've just seen 1000 videos on youtube where these girls are like ohhh this is my first week poling and they're climbing and spinning and polesitting etc so I was thinking there must be something Im missing lol! Im still trying to using it everyday (I've only had it for 4 days) and it must be doing something bcause my arms and legs are so sore! Im setting up a paypal account now and Im just going to get veenas lessons bcause this is def not as easy as it looks! But it def makes me feel better that some of you started out this way too so I have something to look forward too! lol thanks again :)
lol i've noticed that too ! Im like oh hey lets see some beginner vids for some inspiration and these girls are like oh my first climb & spin good luck! and they begin doing inverts hahaha but I think also a lot of girls that get into pole are already dancers or athletic in some sort of way so they kind of have that head start but don't let it discourage you everyone has to start somewhere and not everyone starts that way! Just keep practicing !
Orchis ·
Too true! I was never more disheartened than after/during my second lesson - I rather ill-advisedly had it just two days after my first ever lesson (all on spinny poles might I add) and I had NO strength or grip whatsoever. As in, every single move I tried (even fireman!), my pole just kept THROWING me to the floor. Yet all around me, my felllow students were going upside down at the drop of a hat! It didn't help that the teacher didn't even approach to help me. I left feeling like a failure. I think it was only in my fourth lesson that things started sort of clicking about the basic moves. .. I've discovered I am by NO means a "natural" on the pole (sadly, despite having a dance background) but with some work and a bit of throwing-caution-to-the-wind and just launching myself at the pole, I am starting to puil the basics off!! 🙂
I was wondering what spins you had started with because it may be that there are other spins or things you could try to get your confidence up a bit? Are you comfortable doing a sexy walk around the pole? Maybe you could start that and some 'wiggly' stuff, pirouettes and stuff so you have confidence around the pole first. Don't get disheartened, your strength will creep up on you and you will suddenly realise you are a pole goddess and had nothing to worry about at all!
Give it some time, everyone is made differently :) When I started some of us could hold ourselves off the ground, and then there were some girls who could not. But after a few classes, you could see the improvements all around. You'll get there!
I am right there with you......I see so many neat things that these amazing ladies can do and then I feel so bad cause I can't do them. But even after the first week I noticed I tiny difference in my strength and the way I do things........Nothing is wrong with you, cause then there would be something wrong with all of us who just started........The beginning is always the hardest from there it can only get better........at least thats what I keep telling myself. Luckily there is an wonderful community filled with the support of polers of all kinds :) yippee!!❤️
hey i decided tonight im gunna put up some vids of me practicing (trust me it'll make you feel so much better when you see me struggling lol ) it's really embarrassing but I decided why not we're all here to support each other so maybe I'll even get some good pointers from some of the more experienced polers :) and also so that any other beginners who think they are "alone" in this beginners struggle lol you can see you are definately not!!!!
If you can, I would strongly recommend Veena's lessons. They're so thorough and are taught in an order to build the right strength from one move to the next. I had taken lessons in a studio for a couple months about 2yrs ago and just started poleing again on my own a few months ago. The instruction I got off Veena's lessons made me realize how many moves I was doing wrong, and suddenly my strength & moves all improved sooo much w/her instruction.
lol- at one of my first classes, my instructor did a simple pull up on the pole and told me to try. I just stood there holding the pole- my muscles did nothing! She kept saying, "it's just a pull up! you can do that!". Well, I could not! But after repeatedly trying to climb the pole, and now successfully climbing the pole- i can finally do that pull up =) You'll get it, keep trying!
I am soooo glad that I typed in "discouraged" into the Search box in the Forum section. I feel exactly like some of you other beginner ladies. Not only do I have a really week upper body but I'm also a) not flexible b) my lower back is really stiff - can barely arch it and c) my hands sweat like crazy! Dr. said it's called 'palmar hyperhidrosis'. So how many strikes is that against me? Oh and did I mention that I'm 39 years old??? Ha, but I feel so much better now after reading every ones encouraging replies. I refuse to give up, thank you for your positive thoughts!
I am soooo glad that I typed in "discouraged" into the Search box in the Forum section. I feel exactly like some of you other beginner ladies. Not only do I have a really week upper body but I'm also a) not flexible b) my lower back is really stiff - can barely arch it and c) my hands sweat like crazy! Dr. said it's called 'palmar hyperhidrosis'. So how many strikes is that against me? Oh and did I mention that I'm 39 years old??? Ha, but I feel so much better now after reading every ones encouraging replies. I refuse to give up, thank you for your positive thoughts!
Started at 43 and my pole just sat there for one month because i couldnt do anything on it! Then started w Veenas lessons, she taught me the pole hold and ive been going 7 months now. Slow progress, but i am proud of me. Also b sure to buy a big mirror to watch ur correct form....helped me a lot!
Yup, that was me. I had just spent many years sitting on my butt in college, so I had lost ALL my muscles. Don't worry, you'll get it!
Aw! Don't get discouraged. You can do it! :-) - Erica @Platinum Stages
There is NOTHING wrong with you! For one thing pole is incredibly challenging. Its amazes me how when I finally get something it just "clicks" -- like when you are a kid and ride your bicyle solo for the first time. It seems soooo hard then magically you're up. Overthinking kills it for me....also making sure you break down the move to execute: ex. inverting...hips close & slightly in front of pole, ribs behind pole, low strong arm grip, tilt back, pull down on pole to elevate -not just throwing yourself into it. Having a plan helps remove that paralysis of not being able to do it & then you won't need the steps - you'll just do it magically. You'll get it!!
thanks all for the encouragement! Keep it coming!
