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Page 6 of 10
  • Hazi411

    Member
    March 3, 2013 at 8:38 pm in reply to: What’s your favorite move?

    Ooh haven’t seen that one before – thank you 🙂 Its similar to one I learned called the “Nike tick” where you have your top leg straight, with the back of your leg *on* the pole and let yourself fall backwards.

  • Hazi411

    Member
    March 3, 2013 at 7:44 pm in reply to: Help please – Can’t progress to next level

    At Bobbi’s studios, there is only Bobbi’s way 😉 At my previous studio, they taught S/M with cup grip. I recently had a private with Jamilla and she showed me a couple of different grips as well.
    Am having trouble visualising claw grip – where do your other fingers go?

  • Sorry about the triple posting – I accidentally hit "save" before I was ready to send, and then I think I presses the "Esc" key to try to stop it, but too late!!

     

  • Hi all

    Because I'm learning at Bobbi's and most of the girls wear shoes, I bought a pair of 6" clear Pleasers and have been wearing them (on and off – sometimes I'm just too tired to pole in shoes!) for about a year (maybe less), twice a week.  They've now stretched, so I'm looking for my next pair/s.  I really want a pair of thigh high boots, but I also am tempted by ankle boots, and I guess I "need" new shoes as well! Any suggestions/advice please? 

    I'm not sure about wearing boots with a zip, as I worry that would scratch the pole (brass pole at Bobbi's, chrome X-pole at home).

    I notice that some websites say "patent".  Do they mean patent leather, or are they "faux" patent? What's the best material for shoes/boots?

    If I get boots, do I need to go down a size? If I'm wearing closed in boots, can I wear socks under them (because of the "sweat" factor – LOL!)

  • Hi all

    Because I'm learning at Bobbi's and most of the girls wear shoes, I bought a pair of 6" clear Pleasers and have been wearing them (on and off – sometimes I'm just too tired to pole in shoes!) for about a year (maybe less), twice a week.  They've now stretched, so I'm looking for my next pair/s.  I really want a pair of thigh high boots, but I also am tempted by ankle boots, and I guess I "need" new shoes as well! Any suggestions/advice please? 

    I'm not sure about wearing boots with a zip, as I worry that would scratch the pole (brass pole at Bobbi's, chrome X-pole at home).

    I notice that some websites say "patent".  Do they mean patent leather, or are they "faux" patent? What's the best material for shoes/boots?

    If I get boots, do I need to go down a size? If I'm wearing closed in boots, can I wear socks under them (because of the "sweat" factor – LOL!)

  • Hazi411

    Member
    March 3, 2013 at 1:05 am in reply to: Help please – Can’t progress to next level

    The grip that Bobbi's studio uses for shoulder mount is in this video, at 3:18: http://polechampionship.com/competitors-semifinals/joanna/

  • Hazi411

    Member
    March 3, 2013 at 12:48 am in reply to: using pole as a stand in for fitness barre

    I wasn't sure what Barre3 is so I googled it.  It looks similar to what I know as Xtend Barre, which I describe to people as "ballet on steroids" 😉  Barre3 has DVDs etc for sale in their shop, here:  http://shop.barre3.com/  starting from $15 up.

  • Hazi411

    Member
    March 2, 2013 at 10:44 pm in reply to: Help please – Can’t progress to next level

    When I posed my original question, I didn't envisage it becoming a discussion on grammar 🙂 

    I have 4 American-born and raised cousins. I remember their first visit to England.  Even though their father is English, they still had quite a culture shock!   Both Mum and I had met them before, but they hadn't met my Dad.  I had to translate some of what my Dadsaid, because he used a lot of colloquialisms, and I also learned that there are words that don't seem to occur in "American English" – such as "queue" and "bloke" 😉

  • Hazi411

    Member
    March 2, 2013 at 3:46 am in reply to: Help please – Can’t progress to next level

    Chemgoddess1 – to answer your question regarding the blurb:  "Mary will be at the gate at 4 pm to pick you up. I know you have never met Mary before, but Mary will be wearing a long purple coat and carrying a bouquet of roses. I have instructed Mary to take you directly to your hotel.", I would probably write "Mary will be at the gate at 4 pm to pick you up. I know you have never met Mary/her before, but she will be wearing a long purple coat and carrying a bouquet of roses. I have instructed her to take you directly to your hotel.", (which to my way of thinking/the way I was taught – which admittedly was many years ago and things may have changed since then! – is OK, because you have already said "Mary" so it's obvious that it is Mary you are talking about.)

    AerialGypsy – I agree that not every move is for everyone, but at Bobbi's that doesn't seem to apply somehow.  Everyone's expected to be able to master every move at each level – although a couple of the teachers have said that they find some moves difficult/challenging!

    I've enrolled to do Intermediate 3 (again!) for a term – but only once a week, and also enrolled at another studio once a week, to give them a try.  They have a much larger syllabus, so that should provide some variety and a few different challenges.  I also plan to go to practice at Bobbi's on Fridays.  Will see how that goes.  I'm also planning to do Lyra in a couple of months, for a different kind of challenge too, and I hope to start Flex classes again at my original studio, now that my favourite instructor is back from maternity leave.

     And yes, if I decide to move up a level at Bobbi's after this term, I can always move back down to a lower level if I find it too difficult (though I tend not to want to do that, as I don't like to feel I'm "giving up" as that's not in my nature!!)

    corby – I was interested to see that you mentioned "she" being the cat's mother 🙂  That was what was said to us as children if we referred to someone as "she".  The reponse would be "who is "she"? She's the cat's mother' (which I've never really understood!)

    And yes, stepping back from something frustrating is a good idea 🙂

    Juicy J – yes that's exactly my problem.  I can invert to a V from the ground fairly consistently (except if I'm tired), but the aerial one is my nemesis! I make a point of coming out of the inverted V in a controlled way, as I've been told by several different instructors that you use the same muscles going into a move as coming out of it.

    It probably doesn't help that I'm an older (and heavier) poler with a larger bone structure than a lot of the other students, and I see the 20-something year olds doing aerial inverted v's and shoulder mounts with the "knot grip" that Bobbi's uses, without a problem. Have to keep reminding myself that I must not compare myself with them! I plan to have a practice with some of the other grips for the shoulder mount and see how that goes, too.

    Thanks again for all the help and suggestions. 

  • Hazi411

    Member
    March 1, 2013 at 11:11 pm in reply to: pole room?

    I used to have my pole smack bang in the middle of the formal lounge, but husband didn't like it in there as it was also smack bang in the middle of the TV ha ha!

    It's now in the "spare" room, which has been a bit of a junk room, but I'm gradually clearing it out.  It's carpeted, and I also have a crash mat.  I don't mind carpet at all.  There's not much room for floorwork in there though – and not a lot of pole room either really, but it's the best I can do.  I bought 3 long narrow mirrors and got another couple of large square-ish mirrors from a neighbour who was getting rid of them. I've got various posters too, which I need to put up somewhere.  My hoop is in there too.  The room has a handy hook which holds my hoop when not in use.

    A friend sent me some mirror decals which I plan to put into use once I've got the mirrors up on the wall (they are only placed around the walls, roughly in position, but still with their cardboard packing on them!

    All the ceilings in this house are really low 🙁  X-pole plus one smallish extension, and that's it! About 7 or 8 feet I think (too lazy to get the tape measure out!)

  • Hazi411

    Member
    February 26, 2013 at 1:58 am in reply to: Help please – Can’t progress to next level

    Thanks heaps SV 🙂 the studio teaches the shoulder mount from the floor too, but I will definitely take a look at your lesson as well, and I will practice some more from the ground. Its probably also the fact that when I do mansge to do the SM from standing, I think I might be so shocked that I might forget to hold on!!

    Re the term “she”, it must be a cultural thing – one of those things that’s perfectly OK in one country, but may be considered rude in another (like cursing, or nudity, for example. ) I was brought up in England and as children we were always told off for referring to someone as “she” instead of using their name, but as I said, I wasn’t offended, but some people might be. Hope this clarifies the situation 🙂

  • Hazi411

    Member
    February 25, 2013 at 10:50 pm in reply to: Help please – Can’t progress to next level

    Excuse me chemgoddess1 – "she"? 😉 ) (sorry, but where I come from, referring to someone as "she" can be viewed as being offensive, but rest assured I am not offended, just mildly amused!)

    First off, I have to say I got a couple of the names of the moves wrong.  I always get the two confused.  "The Candy" is what Bobbi's studios call the shoulder mount thingy.  The grip they use is called "knot grip".  I will try to describe it: with the pole on your right side, put your right arm up then kind of twist it so that the back of your hand is facing your body, then bring your left arm up and place your hand below your right, in a cup grip, with the back of your hand facing the inside of your right arm)

    The "Celia" is the one which is like a Teddy – except it's not the Teddy, because you have your right arm *up* on the pole so you're basically holding on with your right arm, both legs in a V shape (but higher than in the Teddy), and your *left* arm is the one that holds on to your leg.  Hope that makes sense.

    The iguana mount (Bobbi's studios call that one "The Darryl Hannah"!) we do from the floor.  I have seen it done from a layback, and I can do that one, so I know I have the strength to hold myself up there.  The reason I struggle with the iguana is because sometimes I can't get my feet (or foot) up onto the pole when doing it from the floor.  It doesn't help that the poles are spinny ones!

    chipandchar – yes I'm a bit the same.  Some of the more "advanced" moves I can do, but I struggle with some of the "easier" moves.  Often it's just a simple "tweak" that's required.

    Thanks so much for what you wrote about figuring out *why* I'm struggling with some moves – that's made me realise that part of why I struggle with the shoulder mount is the fear of "what do I do when I get up there?" (although I haven't yet managed to get my foot/feet up close enough to the pole anyways!).  Other than that, it's probably a combination of all the things you mentioned, plus probably over-thinking some things, and also trying to remember everything for the various moves (engage shoulders/pull abs in/tuck pelvis under ….oh and don't forget to breathe correctly either!)

    Most times, I can do the chopper from the ground (unless I'm tired), but doing it from *up* the pole is a whole other story.  The one time I *did* manage to do it, was because the instructor said it's the same as doing it from the ground, except your feet are off the ground, so I gave it a go with my feet *just* off the ground, and managed to "get" it, but haven't been able to do it again. I think maybe I will try a private with one of the instructors I haven't had at this level, and see how I go with that. In the meantime, I will keep at it – I'm not giving up!!

    Thanks so much for all your help everyone.  I love this forum, everyone is so supportive and helpful xx

     

     

  • Hazi411

    Member
    February 24, 2013 at 7:24 am in reply to: Help please – Can’t progress to next level

    Thanks megan12, that's what I would normally do if it's only one move I'm stuck on.  However, I've got the stage where I still need to work on one move from each of the lower levels, which is why I'm wondering what's my best course of action. 

    There are some moves – twisted grip shoulder mount, iguana mount, and one which Bobbi's calls "The Candy" which are introduced at the lower levels but are continued through several levels.  I haven't yet got the shoulder mount, the iguana is a bit hit and miss, and the candy I haven't yet got, although I am getting closer!

    The Candy is one where you are hanging on with one arm, whilst holding your legs up in a v, with the hand that' snot on the pole, holding your outside leg.

    BeccaH – I have been trying to practice knee tucks whenever I can.  I also make a point of coming down from the chopper slowly, and in controlled way, as I've heard that doing that also helps to build up the muscles. 

    I love being upside down.  The fear of handstands is more to do with thinking my arms won't support me 😉 

    Ly Kieu Le – my flexibility is pretty good.  I am not far from the front splits on either side, but have quite a way to go with my center split. My back and shoulder flexibility still needs a lot of work though. 

    I was interested to hear that you have a private every 2 weeks.

    I am just about to start flexibility training again in earnest, as my favourite flex instructor is back from maternity leave, so that should help with that area.

    amy – I'm having 2 lessons a week, with a bit of practice whenever I can (which isn't often , as I've been battling chronic tiredness for some time). I'm about to cut that down to one lesson a week at my current studio, and one lesson with a different studio, to give myself some different moves to work on, so will see how that goes for the next couple of months.

    Thanks everyone!

     

  • Hazi411

    Member
    February 23, 2013 at 8:38 am in reply to: The fear….

    Oh gosh I thought it was just me who got freaked out by handstands!  I also find a lot of moves are hit and miss for me too.

    I have the Jamilla pole DVDs.  On one of those, she teaches getting into a handstand from the floor, by putting your feet and legs on the pole, then "walking" your hand towards the pole, whiile gripping the pole with your legs.  Start from standing with your back to the pole, then put your hands down on the floor in front of you, with your feet/legs on the opposite side of the pole, then hook one foot on, then the other one.

    I also did a handstand/headstand workshop with Shimmy.  She teaches you to practice handstands by going into a lunge, reaching as far forward as you can with your hand, place your hands on the ground, one leg straight, foot on the floor, and the other leg in the air, then do a kind of "hop" up with your foot that's on the floor, until you can get used to the feeling, before you progress to doing handstands against the wall.

    When I learn a new move, I like to have an "exit strategy" in place, just in case, so that I can get out of the move safely.

    Strangely, I seem to have no fear when doing "backwards" moves (spins, and CKR, CAR for instance – maybe it's something to do with being left handed!)

     

     

  • Hazi411

    Member
    February 23, 2013 at 8:28 am in reply to: Next Level Training with Zoraya Judd

    I've done two workshops and had a private with her.  Am hoping to have another private with her (maybe at the WA Pole Camp 2014, as she will be doing workshops there).  She is fabulous.  A lovely lovely person, very down to earth, and funny – and fun!  She and Nic make a great team. 

    Enjoy your 5 private lessons with her 🙂

  • Hazi411

    Member
    February 22, 2013 at 7:03 am in reply to: Help please – Can’t progress to next level

    Have had several different instructors (not as bad as it sounds – the studio runs an Int 3 class (sometimes more than one) per day, and there are 5 instructors who teach at that level.  There are other studios around, although my current one is the most convenient.  I have decided to enrol at another studio for a term, to learn some different things, as I think that will help.

    I think it's partly a case of feeling that I've been at this level for a long time without making a lot of progress, although that's probably just my perception.  I just seem to be repeating, repeating, repeating the same stuff over and over again.

    Definitely don't want to injure myself (been there, done that a couple of times at the current studio but I hope I've learned from those mistakes!) 

    I do have a pole at home, and am trying to practice when I can – mostly just trying to build strength, rather than practicing moves, as such. 

    I plan to subscribe to Veena's lessons again once I have my "pole room" properly set up…it's a work in progress at the moment.  Hopefully I will get it set up in the next couple of weeks or so.  (I work full time and am currently experiencing a bout of depression which causes me to sleep for about 9 hours or more a night, which of course cuts into my "spare" time.)

    I have heaps of moves and transitions I want to try out too….I recently attended the first West Australian Pole Camp, and learned heaps from all the different instructors there. 

    My current studio teaches a limited range of moves, compared to what's "out there" (they teach mostly the "pretty" moves, and at least 25-50% of each lesson is taken up with learning a routine over the 8 week term – which is good for learning transitions, and for building up stamina, of course).

  • Hazi411

    Member
    February 22, 2013 at 5:21 am in reply to: Anyone else a bit ‘perkier’?

    Oh help!  I don't want an increase in size!  I think they are a bit perkier though – yay!

  • Hazi411

    Member
    February 21, 2013 at 5:20 am in reply to: Lost Moves

    I lost my "upside down V" (helicopter/chopper) for a while, but it seems to be back now.  I just wish I could nail the same move from *up* the pole, but sadly I haven't had success with this.  I did do it once, with my feet *just* off the floor, but it must've been beginners luck!

  • Hazi411

    Member
    February 8, 2013 at 8:41 pm in reply to: Getting Something Off My Chest…

    Oh Aspygirl, I think I know how you feel (i wear a 30gg if I can get it, but modtly a 32g). I tend to wear Cleo by Panache’s Jude t shirt plunge bra with a cheap crop top (not the sort that has elastic at the bottom) over it for class. For a performance I would probably wear the same bra, either decorated in some way, or under “something”. Hope this helps.

  • Hazi411

    Member
    February 8, 2013 at 6:31 am in reply to: Worse fitness trend of all time… Pole Dancing?!

    Ha! What award did he win? Idiot of the year? (just my humble opinion)

  • Hazi411

    Member
    February 4, 2013 at 7:51 am in reply to: Pole dance clothing…

    Thanks portableninja 🙂  I have that bra, but in a different colourway. The pink is *very* pretty though 🙂 

    At the moment I mostly wear the Panache Cleo Jude bras (moulded cup), with a crop top over it.  Definitely agree that small band/large cup is not well catered for.  I agree with you that so many manufacturers think large boobs = large all over. 

    For our end of term (which was also end of year) performance the year before last, I bought a moulded cup red bra in a 16E (so that the cups fitted), and I chopped the surplus fabric out of the underband strap at the back – which also had the benefit of bringing the straps closer to the centre at the back, which was better for me, as, in addition to the large boobs/narrow back, I also have narrow and sloping shoulders!

  • Hazi411

    Member
    February 4, 2013 at 7:12 am in reply to: Pole dance clothing…

    I have 30GG boobs (very narrow back, and very boobalicious).  I find it very frustrating that pole tops "only" fit up to a D cup (or DD if you're lucky).  With my boobs, I have no chance! And I grew them myself, so it's not like they're surgically enhanced and would stay up on their own!

     

  • Hazi411

    Member
    February 4, 2013 at 7:12 am in reply to: Pole dance clothing…

    I have 30GG boobs (very narrow back, and very boobalicious).  I find it very frustrating that pole tops "only" fit up to a D cup (or DD if you're lucky).  With my boobs, I have no chance! And I grew them myself, so it's not like they're surgically enhanced and would stay up on their own!

     

  • Hazi411

    Member
    January 28, 2013 at 4:41 am in reply to: Yoga anyone?

    I just attended a couple of workshops with Luxe L'etoile (Liquid Luxe).  She suggested Bikram Yoga.  I am seriously also considering aerial yoga, as classes have just opened up not too far from my work.

     

  • Hazi411

    Member
    January 25, 2013 at 1:39 am in reply to: Best pole school in London??

    Has anyone been (or does anyone go to) Polepeople? I have a couple of their DVD’s which are good and would love to have lessons there.

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