Pole Silks

HotPhlip started this discussion · 10/11/2014

Hello, I've just been looking into pole silks. I know some in this community use or have used it...it's the one that actually is attached to your pole...Just wondering what's your experience with it; pros and cons. To me, it seems it could help spot beginners trying to practice and perfect forms, spot intermediates and take advanced polers to another level? I've seen footages on youtube. It's beautiful what can be done with them. Veena, Have you tried Pole Silks, and if so, have you thought of adding these into your lessons in the future?

46 replies

Rachel Osborne · 10/13/2014
I have had one lesson only! My initial feedback is that they're huge fun but by no means for beginners. You need not only serious forearm strength and shoulder girdle/core control but also confidence and innate pre-learned awareness of how to control your body moving around/climbing/inverting/pushing/pulling against the pole, and to be able to handle spin pole without difficulty. So a new exciting complement to pole skills but not a spotter replacement, short cut or beginner activity. That's just my opinion though and I'm an absolute beginner at pole silks! (Pole level: intermediate-advanced dancer)
Rachel Osborne · 10/13/2014
The pic is of the class this weekend, trying silks for first time at anytime fitness, Cayman, taught by Quinn, and from the Pole Fitness Grabd Cayman public Facebook page.
HotPhlip · 10/13/2014
Thank you for the feedback! Looks like fun however, I can understand why it's best to seek out professional instruction.
Suemaz Polesilks · 10/14/2014
Hi guys, thanks for your comments :-) I use Polesilks in my studio and love love love how people can do some exercise if they are struggling with exercise due to back, shoulder etc problems. To see their face light up is so rewarding. I work with them on basic hand wraps and moves which they enjoy so much. My motto is keep it simple and it still looks beautiful. So good for choreography, flow and movement, you don't need to do advanced moves. I also use it to help people get moves they are struggling to do in pole e.g. invert, shoulder mount, superman. The list goes on for stretching, flexibility, I use it myself as I have a very dodgy lower back and it helps loads. I also teach Polesilks classes and workshops and structure how the lessons progress so everyone from a beginner to advanced poler can take part, starting on static pole then move to spinny. You find that your core, shoulder and overall body strength vastly improves and makes you much stronger on the pole too! Studios that have purchased Polesilks have waiting lists for classes as their students love it so much as it adds something different to their curriculum. :-)
Veena · 10/14/2014
I have never tried pole silks. However I love using my hammock!!!
Suemaz Polesilks · 10/14/2014
Wicked!! Looking awesome :-)
LRu Studios · 10/14/2014
Beautiful!!! Here is the link to FabPole - the beautiful combination of aerial fabric and pole dancing. www.fabpole.net
Suz Sweeney · 10/15/2014
Bought mine at the expo this year...running studio full-time I havent had time to really hone some skills on them but use them for stretching and getting beginners used to being upside down. They are pretty!
polesilks · 10/15/2014
WOW looking great Veena. Dont dream,,, just do it,,, with polesilks supplied in the USA by Maggie at www.poleamor.com
HoneyAlyssa · 10/15/2014
Polesilks are much more fun on spin mode, as the pole is moving with the silks; they can still be fun on static but it is a lot more of a start-stop flow (if that makes sense) because the silk tends to wrap around the pole as you spin. In regards to other comments about it being for intermediate+ polers - some of our polesilks students do not do pole and have not previously, but they have picked up polesilks amazingly and are better than some of the girls that do do pole. It is nevertheless a good complement to pole as well - it has been a huge help in conditioning for some things and it feels great to stretch with polesilks, plus it gives you an additional support which for some people helps get them past mental roadblocks when it comes to pole moves they may find scary. Definitely recommend giving them a go :)
Yayo · 4/15/2015
I've been teaching Polesilks in Chicago Loop for 8 months now. I'm actually the only studio in this area that does. It's actually great!! It builds your muscles and if taught correctly it's great for beginners and can be a spotter with certain tricks. I agree with @HoneyAlyssa that it helps with the mental roadblocks. It's definitely something to add to your workout. And you'll find a few things much easier too. You can view some of my videos below to help you. Web: http://lifeofapoletrick.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/lifeofapoletrick Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifeOfAPoleTrick YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxNFpyTS7s_xbntZjedWDXw Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+LifeofapoletrickStudio/posts
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Princess Buttercup · 4/15/2015
We have the X-pole silks at our studio. I just wish there were more resources to learn! I have watched a few of the videos on Poleandaerial.com, they just added them a few weeks ago, they call it pole flight. I am going to take a Fab Pole training at Pole Con, but I haven't really figured out what to do with them aside from fly around the pole like a bird, which is totally fun too :)
CD Hussey fka Jivete · 4/15/2015
I'm not going to lie, I don't quite see the point of these, but I'm willing to give them a try. What's the best attachment rig? I have plenty of silks and rescue 8s, I just need the attachment. Which one should I go for? All I see are full kits.
CD Hussey fka Jivete · 4/15/2015
Never mind, I do see the attachment for xpole and lil mynx. Any opinion? I have both poles, though only my xpole spins. The silkii attachment has two caribeeners and is cheaper. I do like the pole silks attachment, but I only UK for them.
LRu Studios · 4/15/2015
Hi Ladies, my name is Leesi. Feel free to check out FabPole.net. We have lessons and an attachment. I do online lessons and I will be at Pole Con, North Amercian Pole Convention and Pole Expo with workshops. Here is my first video in 2011 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwwfMYA_HQ I have a lot of videos online. Smiles. Leesi
Angie La · 4/16/2015
I am the owner of La Luna Aerial Arts, in Anderson, SC. I teach PoleSilks at my studio twice a week, and I love them. I took a training online through Spin City which was pretty much theory, their combos and terms. I like that I have had a base knowledge of silks helps but you can totally learn this from the ground up. One would be more likely to catch on faster with prior pole experience (ideal) but you can learn this without ever having touched a pole before. Some people have no interest in pole so this should still be an option for them. I used a bit of strength training we use in pole class, along with fabric strength training built from flygym, aerial sling (silk hammock) and silks. Most of what I have done with PoleSilks has been exploratory on my own. We have been teaching them since March (last month) and I have been working with them since September 2014. I am still exploring and you can see my adventures on my instagram @angielaluna I use the Nexus wrap from that I bought from Leesi^^, LRu Studios (FabPole), and I like it much more than the idea of putting any metal clamp onto my poles... I have the fabric supplied by FabPole and I do not care for the thickness, at all, but this seems to be pretty standard for PoleSilks. I prefer the wider fabric up to 104." They can always be trimmed if they are too thick but the thinner fabric cuts into my hands when I play on them for a longer time (the curling of the fabric makes it thinner). Since I love to use the hitch (knot) so much, the thinner fabric digs into my back so much I can't stand it. I order my fabric through aerial essentials and aerial fabric.com. Just depends who can give me the colors I want and better shipping rates. Aerialdancing.com was formed from Rebekah Leach, who is widely known in the aerial hoop and silks community. She has several manuals that are helpful. I am still working on the application and translation from silks forms and methods to pole methods. The stronger I become, the more I am able to explore. This is a different strength requirement than traditional pole and silks than I have known. I use the pole silks mostly on spin right now. PoleSilks is very tiring and my body has been adjusting well since I have been using them much more often. Someone said something about the forearm strength and shoulder engagement... this is totally trainable for a beginner. Subscap exercises and lat engagements, pull ups from sitting on the floor... I have learned tons of things to build strength just by looking at other apparatuses :) If you have more questions about what I do, personally, send me an email. [email protected] Everyone does things differently and you would find what works for you, in a safe manner, of course.
LRu Studios · 4/16/2015
FabPole.net also carries the wider fabric 110" if you do not like the thinner fabric. Sorry the other link did not work - maybe... www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7m-N4SprIc I personally have been performing aerial since 1990, I flew with the Flying Valentines in the Shrine Circus in 91'. I took up aerial fabric in 1998 and have been teaching and performing in all circus arts since then. Trapeze, Lyra, Web, Acrobatic, Aerial Fabric, Aerial Hammock, Hula Hoop. In 2011, a former student from my aerial fabric class asked me to experiment with combining the pole and fabric and "poof" FabPole was born. My very first video May, 2011 is still on You Tube... I was still very timid. www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOf2UEWh6j4 I offer Instructor Certification via, live or virtual/Skype(FaceTime). Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Smiles, Leesi
CD Hussey fka Jivete · 4/16/2015
Well I may have to try it now. I do like the fab pole design. I'm really trying to get my silks girls more interested in pole. Maybe this will help the crossover...
Angel Eyes 2 · 6/26/2015
I have the Xpole silks attachment and wondered if anyone has come up with an innovative way to not have to take them completely on/off when switching from straight pole to using the silks?? Thanks for any feedback! Angela
CD Hussey fka Jivete · 6/26/2015
Does yours not attach to a caribeener? I have the fabpole (which I really like, btw) and I just leave my rigging up and take down the silks. It's really fast. I do actually like these after all. My training is predominantly silks, so coming at it that way, I've been making up moves and then posting the tutorials on YouTube here: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCF5URacZvPqyyBnzZBJz3Qg only have two videos up, but I'll be making more. Have another move ready (called Dancer), but I need to edit it.
Yayo · 6/26/2015
With mine I leave the attachment and just take off the silks. What brand do you have? Some you have to take the whole thing off but others you do not. I teach Silks with Pole and I'm certified. I've also create new tricks. You can look me up on Facebook or Instagram: @LifeOfAPoleTrick
Angel Eyes 2 · 6/26/2015
It is a Silkii, maybe I am just tying up my silks too much making it more difficult to just take the silks off (I was paranoid). I will check out your Facebook and Instagram page. Thanks Princess Buttercup and Yayo
CD Hussey fka Jivete · 6/27/2015
From the xpole website, it looks like there is a carabiner on the rigging. Are you attaching directly to it? They show a rescue-8 for the silks, which would then hook/unhook to the carabiner. There's a lot of tension on the fabric when you use it. Untying every time would be really difficult. The rescue-8 is unnecessary, imo, but you should attach your silks to a separate rigging point and then attach that to the carabiner. fabpole uses a steel ring, which seems to work perfectly fine. I even have an extra rescue-8, but I still use the ring. It looks like this:
Princess Buttercup · 6/27/2015
We have the X pole rigging and I just take the carribeaner off and leave the pole attachment. We also use the rescue 8
Angel Eyes 2 · 6/27/2015
Well - that explains it, I did not get rings with the attachment. Do those come with it?

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