RockNAngel started this discussion ·
Does anyone else hit serious road blocks??? I have been working on my handspring and aerial brass monkey for MONTHS and I keep finally getting some ugly ones just to try it the next day and find myself unable to do it again!!! I am getting so frustrated I am in tears!!! Any advice??? These moves are killing me and I am doing everything I can and feel like everyone can get them but me :(
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luvlee ·
I can not get the aerial brass monkey from flag mount yet. I have not worked hard on it. It is frustrating. I do know that working on the same moves over and over can over do it to where you become weak and can not do that move when that happens. Give it a test and come back. Also, adding protein drinks help me to the moon and back!!!
Awesome! I have been doing protein for a month or two and totally agree... I recover way faster!!! I try to only do the same move at the soonest every other day... I just feel like I am not gaining any strength anymore :( I feel like there must be something I am missing but I also know I am really hard on myself and do not understand patience. I just can't tell if it is patience or me doing something wrong at this point...
Awesome! I have been doing protein for a month or two and totally agree... I recover way faster!!! I try to only do the same move at the soonest every other day... I just feel like I am not gaining any strength anymore :( I feel like there must be something I am missing but I also know I am really hard on myself and do not understand patience. I just can't tell if it is patience or me doing something wrong at this point...
tacha666 ·
I know how you feel... I was so scared of doing extended butterfly that I thought I would never get it (and with that all the other pretty stuff like Ayshe etc), but two weeks ago it just happened and I don't know even why! I suddenly just did it and it felt like I have been doing it all my life. And that's how a lot of things in pole seem to happen (at least for me), so just keep practicing and it will happen one day and you won't know why 🌸
I cannot tell you how many plateaus I have hit in the last years. When you start out moves comes easy and you are always learning something new. Then comes your first plateau which may last a few months and then you start hitting stuff again. I have hit 6 month plateaus and they SUCKED. You will find a bunch of threads on here about this exact thing and what people do to get through them. This is the time that so many try other aerial arts, or it is when they start to focus on strength training or dance or something to keep that learning process going. Some times all it takes is traveling somewhere to take a workshop or go to a pole show to motivate. This is typical. It happens with pretty much every sport. The hard part is not throwing in the towel because you are frustrated. Come back to this thread in 3 months and tell us what happened.
I've been in a rut myself lately. It ends up being self-fulfilling - you feel like you're not making any progress, so you don't feel motivated to practice, and then you lose the skills you've already gained through lack of practice. It is tough, but at least it's universal. I think it's important to focus on more than just tricks and getting strong. The competitive aspect of pole can be great for some people, but it can hurt others. There is a video going around of a 10 year old Russian poler who executed pretty much every trick in the book in one routine. After seeing something like that, it can feel like... what is the point of trying? I'll never be like that, so why try? I can be very inconsistent poler, some days I am a rockstar and other days I struggle to invert or do spins. How am I supposed to know how "good" I am? I really liked Veena's July challenge video because so much of what she did in it was within reach of the majority of polers. It wasn't just "hey, look at all the advanced tricks I can do!" You can work on hair flips, body rolls, floorwork, or just fluidity and grace. Some of my favorite polers are not necessarily the most technically skilled, but the ones that move in a beautiful way, or know how to tell a story.
Dwiizie ·
Ninja, your first sentence is EXACTLY what I'm doing right now. Actually you're whole post kind of shows exactly how I've been feeling, especially in reference to the 10 year old. Press on I MUST!!!!
adAstra ·
Ladies, from the pictures and video I've seen of you on SV that girl has nothing on you. I saw it and thought of the dance girls whose families spend crazy amounts of money and time on teaching them to dance in a specific, limited way. Yes, she is very skilled, but I did not get the impression she was expressing herself. To me that's what really makes pole beautiful, self expression. ❤️
adAstra ·
Ladies, from the pictures and video I've seen of you on SV that girl has nothing on you. I saw it and thought of the dance girls whose families spend crazy amounts of money and time on teaching them to dance in a specific, limited way. Yes, she is very skilled, but I did not get the impression she was expressing herself. To me that's what really makes pole beautiful, self expression. ❤️
Good to know we aren't alone!!! It helps sometimes to know my body is not just retarded... Lol pressing on as I refuse to throw in the towell!!!
Lee lee ·
I'm currently going through a plateau but I think it's partially due to grip issues. I have not been able to find a grip combination that works for me this summer so I'm unwilling to try anything new. I'm frustrated but I've also decided to take the opportunity like someone above mentioned to try something other than pole (in my case, Aerial Hammock). I really hope it helps me get back into my pole grooves and helps with my splits training.
CapFeb ·
I've been in one for four months. I've tried personal trainers for working out to lose weight, I've tried a different instructor for pole (waste of time and money). I've changed my diet and witheevery change I'm just more depressed that it isn't doing anything for me. It doesn't help that it's 115 degrees where I live and my pole is on my garage. I can't even do more than one CKR before I start slipping in even that.
Quite a few people I know are preparing for pole competitions. They're all better than me (don't try to convince me otherwise - they're just objectively stronger, more skilled, etc.) It hurts sometimes to watch them succeed while I spin my wheels, but I try to let it motivate me. I was all ready to get back into poling after this weekend. But I seem to have pulled a muscle in my chest. No idea how I did it - but it hurts to breathe and has since Saturday. On top of my back injury... it's hard not to feel like my body is decaying while everyone else is getting stronger. But I went for a run this morning, and I'll go to yoga tonight and do the best I can. It's better than sitting on the couch pouting and feeling sorry for myself.
Dwiizie ·
Go you for keeping on, even during highly demotivating circumstances. I definitely feel the "spinning wheels" thing. I can't even do a CKR yet and I've been working on this for 2 years. I've only successfully inverted a handful of times. I see girls posting "My first months progress" type videos and I'm like how is she doing butterflies and ayeshas and v inverts etc. A month?!? Noone in particular, just saying when you see people pick up a pole and just progress like crazy, it makes your efforts feel menial. I definitely hoop and yoga and aerial hammock and sometimes just dance to try and keep feeling good about myself when the pole eludes me.
It's really hard seeing others progress especially when I am doing all I can to commit and work and feel like it doesn't pay off... Makes me wonder if I'm doing something wrong or is it just going to take more time I'm told it will just take time so trying to stay positive and just keep holding on to what I know!
adAstra ·
Absolutely! I have had the horrible thought of selling my pole but then I'll see a positive comment from KiKi or any Veener and it stops me from following that line of thought. It definitely seems like some people's bodies are just made to do well with pole. If I can keep on trucking and nail me some moves that will have to be good enough. I second Chem, add something you can feel more accomplished with. One thing that helps me a lot is working on flexy since I progress better with that than strength (or even coordination lol!). This thread is helpful too--I've been working at pole since September and I've been working at getting my first tricks back (crucifix, pole sit, basic spins). Here I am all "I've got my crucifix back" and others can do that at day one. If not for SV I would think it's hopeless and I better quit!
mekkiec ·
I'm new at this, and I'm terribly weak still. I saw something on here, and I don't remember where, but it was "Focus on what you can do, instead of what you can't." When I would see other girls in class doing perfect simple spins and pole sits, when I would sink like a rock each time, I really got down on myself. I would remember that saying and realize I was really good at other things like floor work! I ended up knocking it out of the park at the end of our 4 week beginner's series. (Even if I did trip on my shoes twice due to nerves!)
I totally understand. I'm in a rut because I can't get to class enough to learn/ practice, and I have no pole at home. It's like very time i go in, I'm back at square one strength wise
This article from The Heart of Pole website might be helpful for you - it has some tips for busting out of ruts - http://heartofpole.net/health-fitness-beauty/shake-up-your-workout.html and also another one all about the dreaded plateau, what it means and what you can do about it - http://heartofpole.net/life-and-pole/meet-mr-plateau.html :) Good luck!
You guys are sooooo awesome you guys actually get it here!!! Thanks for all the support!!
