ArmaniiI think my inner thighs are too chunky 'cause this REALLY hurts them lol 4 people like this

BailaHoopsArmanii- SAME HERE!! Slowly getting better but yes, every time I try I just go ow.. ow.. ow.

VeenaIt gets better :)

TrilogyMIAme too!

Armaniistill hurts lol 1 people like this

Sugarfootlol i think I have thunderthighs! lol, its hard to cross them over with the pole tight in between and its oww oww oww everytime! i can do it, but when i try to let go of the pole with my hands i slide riiiight down! lol.. cant seem to hold it w/ my legs tight enough! :-p 3 people like this

staceyeneverhey everyone, i cant do the pole sit at all dont know why i just cant stay there lol its a bit upsetting really as it is stopping me from doing other moves such as the plank..... any suggestion would/could help me please x

VeenaPost a video stacey. Also be sure your tipping the hips and that your really warm, a cold pole and legs will slip :)

lovesmypolei can do the sit part but i cant let go grrr 1 people like this

Veenaletting is just the next step. You shouldn't worry if you can't do it right away :)

Lyme LyteOwweeee on my inner thighs. Think I am getting pole burn! 2 people like this

azblancosame as all the other ladies... pole burn!!! 2 people like this

tashpoohomg this is sooooo difficult!!!! i have a new found respect for pole dancers!!!!
4 people like this

ChocolateLegsi dont have big thighs especially for a black girl but nething where i need to hold between the thighs hurts! and then while prepping to do it another way or a diff side i psyche myself out and i feel like i make it hurt bad! ugh! although it does hurt less when i wrap my bottom ankle around the pole for extra stability 1 people like this

BACE16I did this cheater mode from crucifix then slowly crossed my legs until I found out where to put my thighs and hips so they would stick. Just doing it from the floor I kept getting the angle wrong or something. After I did it from crucifix, I can do it from the floor.

EvaRutIs it more common for people to lean to the side that you show in the video? I have found that myself and almost every student that I have had like to lean to the opposite side then what you show. Just noticed this and thought that I would point it out for those who are not getting the pole sit and haven't tried leaning to both sides. :) 2 people like this

MechieOk...2 questions:

1) Is it me or the pole hit the crotch??
2) Do you always lean towards the leg where does the crossing (on top)??

THANK!!!

VeenaThe pole shouldn't hit the crotch, most people will find it easiest to lean towards the crossed leg, this allows the bottom leg to hold more of the weight

MechieThanks!! I can't seem to hold myself up without having the pole up against my crotch...I'll practice more and if still doesn't work, I'll post a vid. Thx again!!

thepolechickI can only do this if I lean towards the wrong leg :(

VeenaIts not wrong to lean the other way...just easier for most to lean that way :) 2 people like this

thepolechickOh OK, does that means when i do the plank I'll just have to have my left arm down instead of my strong right one? At the moment I have so much cling film wrapped around my right thigh because of the burn LOL

VeenaTry both just in case :)

mcuellar2413I can't let go of my arms! Should I keep trying to let go or stay up longer (with arms) until I get stronger?

VeenaYes, there is no rush to move on to the next step. Keep holding until you feel comfortable with that :)

mcuellar2413K thx for the help

shadesofpurple1981Does the cling wrap work? my thighs hurt so bad i want to scream. sometimes i do & walk around holding them alot! lol

VeenaIt might work, but at some point you'll need to dance without it and let the skin get use to it. :) really squeezing hard with the muscles will help take pressure off the skin. 1 people like this

DulceDivine I can get into the sitting position and hold myself there, but I am having a hard time tilting towards the right leg but I can tilt towards the other leg no problem, is this wrong?

VeenaNot wrong at all :) its just another Variation!

SexxiTaiI finally got it down!!!! Vid coming soon!!!! Yayyyy!!!
3 people like this

SexyRockStarsWifeNowWidow My thighs are hating me for doing this move,lol. But now I get what I was missing, the hip tilting. 1 people like this

mzrereI can not do this for s*** :(

VeenaMzrere, Is your pole and body warm?

mzrereYes

SexyRockStarsWifeNowWidow Still trying to do it. Did it 3x last night, second one was the best. 1 people like this

Kir KirI can do the crucifix without holding on with my hands but I just cannot hold on a basic pole sit like this. Tipping helps a little but it still just hurts so much more than the crucifix. Will it get better with time and is there something I can do to progress it fast?

VeenaThe pain will get better, but it does take time. Just keep at it and you body will become accustom to the pressure your putting on it :) 1 people like this

mariephiOH MY GOD! I'v been practising this for like a month, I can let go of my hands but sh** it hurts SO BAD, like SO SO BAD. Also, am I supposed to be able to hold the position for a very long time? I can do like... 15 seconds maybe? Does it still hurt when you do it? Or does it keep hurting but you get used to it? I really like your vids, it's perfect for when I'm not taking real-life classes! ANd perfect for my wallet too :) Thank you so much!

VeenaKeep at it, you'll get use to it. Try doing a sit while your just dancing around for fun, instead of thinking about it. The pain is always worse when you're expecting it to hurt. :) But if your dancing around and just do it, sometimes it's not so bad :) 1 people like this

Blexy86I am able to hold myself up with feet crossed at ankle, but I can NOT cross one leg completely over the other! Is this considered wrong?

VeenaSometimes dancers with thicker legs or limited flexibility will find crossing at the ankle better for them until they can do it by crossing the thighs :)

ellietobiasI am just getting back into this after a long hiatus. During my earlier beginner attempts I could NEVER let go with my arms. Tonight I tucked that other foot behind the pole and let go fairly easily. Held for about three seconds and there was much rejoicing, haha! So should I concentrate on doing that and will that help build into being able to let go with legs in other positions?

VeenaThe best thing you can focus on is tipping the hips. The more you can lean onto one of the thighs the easier is will be to hold :)

ellietobiasThanks! I don't think I'm tipping enough....

BabicazzeOh my it is hard going to keep trying though im sure the pain will go, it hurts more than doing the lift.

VeenaThe pain will get better :)

Babicazzesecond day and it dose feel slightly easier 1 people like this

villainvixenI do not understand why I'm not getting this sit correct. My understanding of it is you're sitting with your legs crossed. Yet, when I get my legs around they won't cross around the pole. And when I can manage to touch my legs together, I can only get them to cross at the shins. My thighs refuse to touch. :( what am I doing wrong?

VeenaIf you have limited flexibility or larger thighs then crossing at the ankle is fine. I you read through some of the other comments her you'll see others who have had the same question. :)

ibelieveinunicorns77holy canoli,can you say pole burn?!?!? veena,how long at a time would you suggest working on this if we have not yet achieved it?

VeenaGive yourself 10 tries at the most during a session, then move on to something else. :) 1 people like this

YanilleDamn the pole sit really hurts and it's hard to let go any advice?

VeenaTime! :) Pole sits can really burn when first starting out, over time your skin will become accustom to it and soon a pole sit will be a nice resting spot. Remember removing the hands is the last step so it's ok to keep the hands on the pole for now. :)

rach2410Hi all, Ithink I am doing something wrong with this move, I can do the pole sit easily if my leg is hooked around the pole and have no issues with releasing my hands however when I try to do it without the ankle wrapped around my balance seems off and when I release my hands I fall backwards, any advice would be much appreciated :-) x

VeenaHi Rach, Releasing the hands is not something you have to do right away, getting into a comfortable position for that takes time. Hooking the ankle is a common thing for new dancers because allow for easier hold, but for some it can be hard on the knee. To take the hands off the pole without the ankle you'll really need to lean into your pole and tipping the hips and bringing the torso to one side. If you're trying to sit straight up a pole sit without hands will be very challenging!!

JosephHi Veena, I'm a male, I understand the pole shouldn't touch the crotch but it feels too far down my thighs, it doesn't feel tight enough to get some grip. Please help! I crushed one already! Is there a particular side I should "dress" to?

VeenaThe higher up on the thigh you can grip the better, but yes the pole is not on the crotch. Leaning to either side is totally fine and because you can't grip as high as a woman then tipping/leaning one hip down will be really important. Short answer, focus on the dropping one hip to lock into place. ;) Also make sure your pole and legs are very warm so you'll have maximum grip.

JosephThanks! I'll try that today!! 1 people like this

Vanessa SchmidtThis move infuriates me. It's no longer painful for me, I'm tipping my hips correctly but I'm so sweaty I just slide down. Unless I do this it the beginning of practice there's no use. It makes it extremely difficult to try to move into plank, CKR, CAR, or wrist sit. I feel condemned to only advance in moves where thighs aren't involved.

VeenaVanessa, you're not alone with this issue! Some dancers have better luck with powder coated or brass finish poles. You could also try a product called Dirty girl poletice it should help with the sweating, so I'm told.

Vanessa SchmidtI have DGP and it's the ONLY thing that helps in conjuction with Dry hands. But even then I sometimes have issues. :/ Tite Grip helps but it wears off quick, iTac just doesn't work at all, Mighty Grip is okay, Firm Grip is waayyyy too much grip but even that stuff doesn't work through sweat. Lol I've tried it all! I'm really trying not to rely on grip aides though but that's proving to be impossible for my thighs. I have a TG finish on my pole which is so much better than the chrome at the studio. I've never tried brass or powder coat though. It's really frustrating because I want to work towards being able to do a routine but at this point I just want to give up. It's good to know I'm not alone though! :)

lrw757Does it get less painful or do you just learn to deal with it?

VeenaYes, it gets less painful :)

Ajrt2118I've always done the pole sit with legs straight. Wanted to try this variation. I have big thigh muscles so it looks less graceful when I do it but I will try to cross my knees fully. :)

VeenaKeep in mind that crossing the legs is often more secure, but if you have larger or very short thighs then crossing may not work. Either way is fine.

Ajrt2118I've always found it prettier tho. Ha I've finally got the courage to try it and the cross knee release. It wasn't that bad. Jus need more practice. :) 1 people like this

missy1234 I feel like it's not cute when I do it because my thigh chunk is all mushed up from holding myself up. Will this get better once my thighs are stronger or will it always look fugly as long as I have chunky thighs?

VeenaWe're our own worst critic, I'm sure you look fine :) everyone gets smushed skin and lumps and wrinkles when doing certain holds, often you can see it on video or photo. 1 people like this

floralindoteThanks for everthing Veena! I loved this new lesson and your hair! Kisses :) Ps: I'm from Brazil and I am very happy to have found your site! Kisses 1 people like this

msusagiCan I use the ankle of the bottom leg to hook the pole to give myself some support as ChocolateLegs said she is doing?

VeenaYes. 1 people like this

SummerthymeI got it right? :) it does hurt and I have some proud bruises! 3 people like this

Beccaf87Doing a sit from standing is a lot harder than the way I learned. I learned to do from a climb/crucifix which is pretty easy for me, aside from difficulty crossing my thighs. I find is easy to cross at the ankles.

webstershaw4618Hi veena, when I started pole seven months ago I was only ever taught the sit with the ankle hooked behind the pole for stability. I'm now intermediate. ( can do advanced plank and inverted crucifix to give you an idea) but no matter how hard I try since I saw your lesson I cannot get balance on a sit without either the ankle or hunching right forwards to the side of the pole ( not pretty - think hunchback of notre damm lol) . Of course it's fine if I move in front. I'm rather large chested so I don't know if that's the issue or just a bad habit. I can't balance at all even with very tipped hip and good squeeze, I just plummet backwards. Any extra tips or is it not so important?

VeenaIt can be so tough to re-learn!! The biggest goal in pole sit is to tip the hips locking the legs, so boobs should be off to the side anyway. Try coming at the lesson with new eyes, not assuming you know how to pole sit....listening closely and giving yourself time. If you still struggle feel free to post a video and I can see more what is going on! :) 1 people like this

webstershaw4618Thank you. Will do!

Cantetinza17I'm re-learning all of this all over again. I gained so much weight that I'm having a hard time crossing my legs.

VeenaCross at the ankles instead.

UltemaHaha, seconding having a hard time crossing the legs (I'm 5'1" and my thighs are sort of thick -- still have some weight to lose ;P), but I was also wondering what kind of stretches would help improve flexibility here, too, even though that's likely not my issue?

VeenaChoose the crossing at the ankle option instead of thigh 😊

UltemaAlrighty then! Will carry on with the ankle crossing. Curse these short legs! XD 1 people like this

RebelReggaeDancerI have the opposite problem, I have a gap in my thighs & am struggling to get a decent grip. Maybe I need to reposition my hips... anyone have any tips or similar problem?

VeenaYes, it's all about reaching one hip down, resting mostly on one thigh. Trying to hold straight up is tough! Make sure your legs are super warm and grip is good, otherwise you'Lloyd slip. 😊 1 people like this

RebelReggaeDancerThanks Veena!

ladypetrushkaFor some reason, I can only watch the first few seconds of this lesson and then it says error media cannot be viewed. Any idea why this is happening?

VeenaHave you tried using a different browser? It's working fine on our end

msbathsheba17113Typo in the description: star=start*