QUESTION FOR MY FELLOW BEGINNERS

Gelina started this discussion · 9/21/2009

OK so I have been real lazy about poling. I love it but for me I have been a couch potato for so long that I have a hard time getting off my BIG BUTT and poling. So my three part question for you is.......as a beginner how often during the week do you pole, what do you work on ( one move at a time and focus on that move, random moves) and how long do you pole for during each session? even if you are not a beginner please feel free to leave your expericance as a beginner

14 replies

monkeystar · 9/21/2009
Dear Gelina, Well I don't have a typical week when I get on the pole. I must say I have been way more lazy than I thought...! As i am working during the day, I always think on getting on the pole in the evening: but then once I arrive at home, I get attracted by the couch, or i have dinner to prepare, housework etc, or my bf is here (when he is here I don't feel like pole dancing, because I know he isn't enthousiast with me being on the pole while he is in the house). So for example one week I did like 3 days in a row, but not for a long time: from 20 to 40 minutes. Then I got a longer session during the week end: 1h20. Another week I jumped on it only on Friday evening (not more than 45 min), and then once again on Saturday (1h30). So sometimes I don't pole during one whole week, then I have a bit on the saturday, and the next day my muscles are so sore 😉 ; sometimes i jump just a bit on the pole for less than 30 minutes, just because I want to but I just do a few spins just to feel the pole, and i am afraid also to loose strength. Well all that to say that even if I am excited about pole dancing as a beginner, me too I am lazy and I don't practise like some other girls - 3 or 4 days a week, 2 or 3 hours.... I just go on it as I feel, I take it easy... 😉 Happy poling!
carriej · 9/21/2009
Hey, I learned from rock climbing hard for a few years that you tear down muscle when you use it and then you really only build muscle when you give your body a rest after a hard session. If you don't take at least a day in between hard practices, your body never has a chance to build up the muscle. I do a couple of hours of learning new moves on Friday nites and Sundays, a super light session on Monday (maybe walking around it and floor work) and then Wednesday I go to pole class which is also pretty light.
azriel · 9/21/2009
hey gelina! My opinion is that since everyone is different, what may work for one person may not necessarily work for you. Ever since my 2nd month, I personally tend to pole only about 2 times a week (occassionally 3), but have really long sessions. 😮 But since they're long, of course i do not only work on strenuous moves continuously! - i do a big warmup, lots of dancing, try to combine dancing with tricks, then work on new or more difficult tricks till i'm worn out (lol), and finish with lots of stretching. However, many people prefer or are able to have shorter but more frequent sessions, which may even better for gaining strength. Either way, i think the important thing is to figure out what's best for your schedule, your body, and for your motivation. Veena wrote somewhere (i think it was in a newletter article) that when you're feeling lazy, just get up, put some music on & do a 10min warm-up, and then see how you feel.. most likely, it will put you in the mood to pole dance! Other things that help motivate me are watching a couple videos of my favorite pole-dancers, finding a new song that i really like, or even cleaning up around my pole area and making it look pretty! 🌸 and actually, cleaning can even be like 1/2 of your warm-up, so you kill 2 birds with 1 stone, lol. 🐱
Sanchara · 9/22/2009
If you're really trying to build muscle (and thus boost your metabolism) then you need to do a short but intense workout every fourty-eight (48) hours. Wether it's poleing, gymnastics, dance or just a good run you should be focused on pushing yourself untill your ready to drop in twenty minuites or less. This isn't a pole dance thing so much as a general sport-knowlage thing. anyway, this is what I do. I hope it helps you.
Rautenbach · 9/22/2009
Here's an idea - if you're attracted to the couch and the TV, just watch a couple of music videos with hot chicks shaking their unbelievably skinny booties... that may or may not motivate you 😜 I've only been poling for 4 weeks and I get really frustrated cos I see all these amazing pole dance videos and I know how much hard work it's going to take to achieve what I see in the videos. So in order to get off my ass, I set goals: "By the end of this week, I'll have a really smooth fireman spin, carousel, and a hands-free pole sit" (for example)... then it creates really good momentum if I achieve what I wanted. Last night I got the corkscrew *yay* 😀 How often to practise? Listen to your body. Do one session for as long as you can (and for as long as you are enjoying it and having fun), leave it for a day, then try again on the third day. If, however, you hurt your <body part> on day 1 and it's still sore on day 3, then wait another day until your body is ready to practise again. It's based on what carriej said about your muscles tearing and building. Give yourself time to heal. Also ask yourself whether poling is a higher priority than couch potato-ing. There's nothing wrong with down-time, obviously, but how badly do you want to be pole fit? But yeah, throw on your favourite music and get moving. Very soon your couch potato habits will turn into HOT potato pole moves!
SissyBuns · 9/22/2009
I'm a daily poler. My days are so jam packed with work, kids, school, kids sports, housework, homework and now p90x that the only time I have is during my lunchbreak which is the time I used to use to lift. Now that I'm lifting in the evenings I jet home for lunch (I only work like 4 miles from my house) and pole for about 45 minutes. They're short sessions but I do them everyday if I can and then p90x in the evenings. It works for me. For now LOL. Once I finish my 90 days of getting super buff with p90x I'll go back to poling in the evening and then I can have longer, less frequent sessions.
Clinky · 9/22/2009
I'm extremely random! There are weeks where I will do nothing at all, and then weeks where I spend every second I can on it. What I try to do, is Friday, Sunday nights, and Wednesday mornings for an hour each. I go out with a friend on Tuesday and Thursday morning for a 1 hr speed walk session (until the cold really sets in, and we move inside to do stretching and pole work again). However, I do get easily sidetracked. For example, if I haven't been sleeping well, I will sleep extra instead. Or I'll get all dressed, warm up, and then I catch a glimpse in the mirror and get discouraged. I want to get my time up to 7 hours a week and it's currently at 3. But I still get sore from my one hour at a time, so I want to let it do it's job and rebuild muscle to make me all strong and junk. I am getting less and less sore now than I did two months ago when I returned seriously to the idea of pole dancing. Baby steps, and build up slowly!
Elexis · 9/22/2009
I have been polin for a month or so now and I have absolutely no routine whatsoever!! I would say I spend at least an hour to 3 hours on the pole. And sometimes its even broken up, like I will work on some stuff once the kids leave for school and then again at night. I don't pole everyday. Sometimes it's 2-3 consecutive days then a day or two off, depending on how sore I am and what I have going on. As far as what I work on really depends on what kind of mood I'm in. There are days that I just want to work on spins, or just one or two moves, or just trying to be sexy. When I don't practice I try to walk or play sports with the kids, but there are days where I too just wanna be a couch potato. 😀 I do find on the days that I have no motivation, that if I make myself do some stuff on the pole, I feel a LOT better!!
Jessilee · 9/22/2009
Sissybuns please keep the updates on your p90x coming!! I want to know your experience so before I order it. I am also a beginner. I poled for a month and then had to take it down for a while. I recently put it back up so I am starting over, but not fully I guess. Anyway..my goal is every other day. I shoot for an 1- 1 1/2 hours each time that's about all it takes for me to get tired and board..I get board because I am limited. Every day seems like a new day though and I am so happy with the way you transition from one pole session to the next. It can be frustrating only being able to swing and walk around the pole and do floor work. I look forward to the day were I can climb to the top, hold on and flip around. I know it will only come with practice and that's my motivation. I agree with watching videos as well. The more I see people that are really good it makes me want to grab my pole. Just don't give up and don't go too long with out giving your pole some attention!
SissyBuns · 9/22/2009
Sissybuns please keep the updates on your p90x coming!! I want to know your experience so before I order it. I am also a beginner. I poled for a month and then had to take it down for a while. I recently put it back up so I am starting over, but not fully I guess. Anyway..my goal is every other day. I shoot for an 1- 1 1/2 hours each time that's about all it takes for me to get tired and board..I get board because I am limited. Every day seems like a new day though and I am so happy with the way you transition from one pole session to the next. It can be frustrating only being able to swing and walk around the pole and do floor work. I look forward to the day were I can climb to the top, hold on and flip around. I know it will only come with practice and that's my motivation. I agree with watching videos as well. The more I see people that are really good it makes me want to grab my pole. Just don't give up and don't go too long with out giving your pole some attention! LOL, I'm about to post an update in my blog right now 😁
jalin · 9/23/2009
I think what can work is to do something as long as you're enjoying it, have fun, feel good. As related to my programme, I'm kinda chaotic lol I tend to do aaaaaall the moves I see and not be especially good at anything lol I'm jokin'. Maybe it could help you to not see pole dancing so serious, instead dance till you drop lol and incorporate as much pole dance moves as you feel confortable to. I think your muscles will ask for mooore one day to the other. Hope that helped. 🌸
MissJinx07 · 9/24/2009
Hey girl! I usually pole 4-5 days a week depending on what I have going on. Sometimes its less, but I always pole at least 2 days a week! I also try to stretch every other day because I have like NO flexibility anymore. When I pole, I can usually go for about an 1 & a half if I'm doing spins, but now that I started trying inverts I get tired ALOT soon!! I start each practice doing basic spins (fireman, front hook.. stuff like that) because I want to perfect those, then I move on to climbs, other spins, and occassionally inverts. I watched Redke's Beginner Moves video on Youtube & wrote all those down & have been practicing those.. when I have perfected all those my plan is to move on to the Intermediate moves video!! lol.. Hope this helps!! 😀 -Holly
Kobajo84 · 9/24/2009
I watched Redke's Beginner Moves video on Youtube & wrote all those down & have been practicing those.. when I have perfected all those my plan is to move on to the Intermediate moves video!! lol. That is an excellent idea! Why didn't I think of that? LOL.BTW, Thanks Karol for your awesome videos! ☀️
vickiezoo · 9/24/2009
I pole when I can but that may be 3 or 4 times one week then nowt for a couple of weeks. Ideally I would like to do 30 mins to an hour daily but it doesn't work out like that. I have pole jams also at mine every two weeks or so that last 2 - 3 hours, but no set routine with when I practice.