Weight loss/toning and having to relearn moves/techniques?!

MilienElayne started this discussion · 1/21/2010

I lost weight/fat in my thighs and totally freak out now doing a CAR from a drama queen (no hands) like I used to. I feel like I'm going to slide right off. I'm not, I've done no-handed CARs often and many times, but weight loss/ muscle toning in between trying it just threw me. I have to really concentrate on what I'm doing. I just have this mental block now feeling this gap inbetween my thighs instead of skin and fat gripping. I have to lock my knees and ankles like there's no tomorrow and SQUEEZE. Before, I just threw my ankles together, everything locked and gripped, and I threw myself back. I also atarted sliding in Gemini and the Brass Monkey (probably other moves too) while gripping with my legs. No flab left to grip things... I have to concentrate, place correctly and bend more, and really remember to squeeze. I'm thinking now that before now I've been SO lazy and was just hanging around from almost pure friction. Now I have to engage those muscles. It's totally weird, but good, I guess. Anyone else have weight loss/gain issues with particular moves and have to relearn the technique slightly?

17 replies

deetron · 1/21/2010
Well done to you on your weight loss! I'm sure you'll get to grips with your new self in no time!! Geddit??? ..Ark ark!
SissyBuns · 1/21/2010
I second that congrats on your weightloss. I can't relate to that issue because my legs have always been chicken legs the whole time I've been poling but...I do struggle with things like the CAR for the same reason I think you're struggling. When there isn't much cushion it seems to be a bit more painful and requires more squeezage....or so it seems.....to me.....LOL.
Mary Ellyn · 1/21/2010
Have you tried the cross knee release since you lost weight? That typically comes easier to those with smaller thighs but more difficult for some with larger thighs. The CAR will become more comfortable soon if you keep at it. Try it from the floor for a while until you feel comfortable with your grip. Practicingsitting back up to the pole from that pose will definitely help you feel more secure with it.
MilienElayne · 1/22/2010
Thanks guys. The scale doesn't show me any impressive change, but I look and feel thinner and have muscles now 🙂 Chicken legs. Sounds funny and makes me smile. I've heard girls complain of chicken legs going into the CAR. Now I know what that means. It's used like an international pole term. 😀 The focus is on CAR (and moves into and out of it) a lot in my classes rather than CKR, so I'll get confident again with it soon, I hope. I do switch to CKR when I am tired and when the instructor's not looking and we're doing up the pole situps or something 🙂. CKR is my go to 'I'm tired, let's rest but still hang upside down' move at the moment 😛
witeroze · 1/22/2010
hmm i have skinny legs and i can't do a CAR (not that i've been trying enough lol 😳 ) but yah whenever i did try i just slid right down and its pretty frustrating. i lost a bit more weight recently and i find myself even slipping down from a pole sit sometimes (when my legs are fully crossed)... lol i hate it but im working on gaining again. 🙂
MilienElayne · 1/22/2010
I find I really have to wear really short pants now to get the very last of my thigh fat to touch the pole and to have as much leg as possible there to stick to and squeeze. If I don't wear hot pants and wear my bike shorts and do a CAR then go to bridge it, I fall straight down too. I've seen really thin girls cross their legs with one knee almost over the other and pushing the feet apart so the soles are facing completely opposite directions and there's a gap between the tops of their feet. I wonder if that would help get grip? Would take a lot more control and strength, I think, though.
witeroze · 1/22/2010
yah i agree with the really short shorts, its the same with me.. as for that position, hmm im not sure i've seen it like that, maybe i'll try it next time, sounds kinda weird/hard. but then again, i see some girls like TaraKarina who look pretty thin and they seem to do the CAR just fine & look comfortable in it... so maybe it will just come with time & practice.
MilienElayne · 1/22/2010
I rewatched some vids and the over-crossed ankles I was thinking of are in the superman, and it's just that one leg is higher than the other. That overcross wouldn't even be possible with a pole in between the thighbones there... What was I thinking? Anyway, I've been practicing a little this morning... Here's a vid with my problem combo: http://ver3.studioveena.com/lessons/view/2692 I think my problem is in the ankle locking department. I would love to have pointed toes for the whole layout (plank?), wrap (drama queen), back brucifix (CAR) combo, but there's too much of a gap between my legs then, and I fall. So, I have to flex one foot to lock it? I really don't think that looks nice though. And... sometimes I still fall... Bah! Had a quick play with a cross leg wrap/drama queen into a CKR. MUCH easier and feels much safer... and I can throw in a bridge for good measure. Need to watch the sneaky hand checking the leg, but should be able to throw this one back pretty fast when I practice tomorrow. Should also practice this static...but I <3 spin 😀 I'll ask my instructor if I can do the CKR combo instead for my course. Please, oh please, Lulu!!! This combo with CAR is really getting to me! Crap, nearly late for work... LOVE MY POLE!
witeroze · 1/22/2010
thats a pretty combo.,. by the way that "half moon" picture that you have on your page is reaaaaally cool!! I don't think i've ever seen that move before!
Mindy4pole · 1/22/2010
I thought your video looks REALLY good! But yeah, the slipping can be very frustrating. What I find helpful... When you are inverted after the release, think about tilting your pelvis forward. That makes your legs turn out slightly, and for me, closes the gap btwn my legs. By forward, I mean pubic bone tucked toward your belly button and the whole hip unit pushed forward. My normal posture has a backward tilting pelvis, so I've been practice, practice, practicing this. It seems to make many moves work better -- like you body becomes more of a unit. Mindy
MilienElayne · 1/22/2010
thats a pretty combo.,. by the way that "half moon" picture that you have on your page is reaaaaally cool!! I don't think i've ever seen that move before! Thanks! I put up a vid of the Half Moon too: http://ver3.studioveena.com/lessons/view/2612. I saw a photo of the move here: http://www.triagedesign.co.uk/wikipole/index.php5?title=Pole_Move_Picture_Directory#H and tried it. It's funny how it feels more secure than a CAR, but it's further out from the pole and with less contact.
MilienElayne · 1/23/2010
Got the combo every time with SHOES on in class today. YAY!!! Shoes help my ankles lock better? Took shoes off and I slipped out of one. Oh well. I asked my instructor if I could do the cross knee variation and she said NO. There are combos I need to be in CAR for coming up later. Oh well, I'm happy with wearing shoes, as we're supposed to anyway for testing. Thanks everyone!
bebeduckie · 1/25/2010
on that vid it looks like you are trying to do that hang back with a majority of the grip near the knees. try to get the pole closer to your crotch and squeeze higher on your thigh and if you slip your knee will catch you!
MilienElayne · 1/25/2010
Ok, this is probably extreme TMI... WOMEN ONLY ZONE... ... let's talk lady business! I've done some thinking and experimenting after the last positioning comment (thanks bebeducky! you nailed it!) and it seems that I unconsciously do laybacks further out (towards the knee) so NO part of my lady business can show out the front of my hotpants/undies. I have been wearing bike shorts to class for this reason, which can only be hoicked up so far, which limits the extreme inner thigh from contact. I have a really tiny butt (which has gotten smaller along with my thighs) so gripping with the very inner thighs ends up being further forward towards my business than back towards my butt and if my business gets caught in there now, it gets pulled out a bit / shows out with the layback. EEK! Tilting the pelvis (thanks, Mindy!) helps secure the grip and hide things again, but that can only happen after the layback and after I've already flashed people. A brazilian would probably help. My skin would KILL me though (extremely sensitive...I bruise from any waxing, get rash from any hair removal and bruise from all pole contact, still), and there'd still be business showage, only less obvious. I am going to keep working on it to see if I can tilt as I layback. Does anyone else freak out about showage? What do the pros do about it? I want to be able to wear tiny little undies too!!! I make it impossible to help me, don't I?
Samantha B · 12/20/2011
@ https://www.studioveena.com/users/view/bc422be2-d89d-11df-ab19-12313b090e12 ; I hear you about the buisness showing. I always wear a low rise micro fiber thong, under regular cotton panties under my lycra pole shorts (which are really short and show cheeks a bit) this combo protects the buisnesses from comming out for a show and tell. Also ditto to losing weight and losing moves. I'm finding gemini harder then ever as I creep down my weight goals. 20 lbs down in 2011. 10 more to go in 2012.
verucablue · 12/20/2011
Polskivvies shorts are REALLY good for being short and cute yet totally covering up all ouf the lady bits...you should check out a pair :)
jade s · 12/20/2011
Samantha B, that's so funny, because I always get teased about wearing 3 layers of bottoms! Lol! I thought I was the only one!