HyperHorsegirl
Forum Replies Created
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Camkobo- It's a little off topic, so it probably would have been better in a new thread.
My studio encourages shoes, but it is not required. I have weak ankles and I've had problems with my feet lately, so I don't wear them anymore like I did for my first level. One of the instructors ALWAYS wears shoes. She feels wrong if she doesn't, though she doesn't pressure her students to do the same. Another never wears shoes, not even when she competes. It's just her style, though if her students want to, she doesn't stop them.
I think the important part is that you are safe. If you don't feel comfortable doing a move in shoes, don't. You have to work a bit at getting used to them. I would never wear shoes the first time attempting a new move, but after getting it, I might try with shoes to make it a little different (sometimes easier, sometimes harder, but always different). I love the way shoes make my legs look around the pole, but I won't risk my safety to wear them, especially if my feet or ankles are already hurting.
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I pay a little extra with my 8 week lesson series to get what my studio calls the "Goddess Package" which includes 8 "drop-in" classes, which are scheduled througout the week and have varying focus. I absolutely love having the option to go to those classes. The studio also has "Open Pole' time three times a week at no charge to lesson students.
We have Tricks & Transitions for those who know a lot of spins, but want to make things flow better. Flirty Flow & Freestyle, Floor Play, Spin & Teaz, Hottie Body, Cardio Pole, Sultry Chair, Sultry Pole, Video Vixen, etc.
The class card for the drop ins has an expiration date of 60 days, and many times it doesn't get added to your account until the second week of the lessons (unless you call and have it added sooner) so it normally doesn't expire until after you're done. This has come in handy when I had to wait a month for the next level to come around. I used my drop in classes during the weeks I had no lessons.
I know this is just the way my studio works and what works best for me and my body, but I wouldn't have it any other way for myself. Each class brings a little something different, as does each instructor. Don't be afraid to experiment with the different class types. I've learned so many different things by branching out and going to those classes. Of course, I can't get enough of pole. Plus, I've learned things in those classes that weren't covered in my lessons. It's helped me be more rounded.
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That's the workshops on Friday, right? Not the jam on Saturday? I'll do whichever one you want to try.
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I hope I'm "good enough" to go. I mean, I just started inverting (and not very well) a few weeks ago. Makes me a little nervous. I know by now how supportive the pole community is, but I don't want to feel way way inexperienced for what they're doing.
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Is this the Badazz Pole Jam on Saturday, April 14th from 5 – 7 PM? I don't want to sign up for the wrong one. Plus, you save $5 by registering before the end of the month. Yay for saving money while spending money.
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I've been to Ego Fitness too. I did their Groupon deal for $1/class. I ended up not using 5 of them (I got 15). I didn't like their style as much. Much more fitness oriented and less dance. I also didn't like that the routines they taught went by steps like in cheerleading (5,6,7, 8, etc). I've been wanting to try Verticality too as I've never been there. I have heard good things from some of the level 6 girls at PLT.
I spend way too much money on this stuff. But I love it so much!
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If you ever want a "friend" to check out PLT with, I'm there almost all the time. At least three days a week and sometimes more. I've taken almost all their drop-in classes/workshop classes at one point or another. Let me know and I could definitely meet you there.
All of Kelly's classes are great. I love her teaching style (and music selection). Jackie was the runner up for Miss Pole Texas and I think she got Miss Technique or Flexibility or something… I don't know. She's all about good form and is great if you need help working up to something. She can break everything down to its most basic strength building parts. Yaz is very energetic and fun too. Although all the instructors are great, I must say that they really have helped me the most.
I'm planning on getting a 50mm TG X-Pole. PLT has 16 total 50mm Brass poles (two studio rooms) and one odd chrome "skinny b****" (45mm) pole off to the side in one room. I can't wait to have one at home though. I can't imagine what kind of trouble I'd get myself into. My boyfriend thinks I should find a hobby that doesn't leave me with aches and bruises. Half jokingly, of course. He knows I love it. I just bruise so easily.
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Pole la Teaz. I love it. I'm in level 3 (inverting) every Thursday night. I also go for open pole time on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays when I can, as well as other drop-in classes. The girls (most of them) are wonderfully supportive.
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I'm also in Houston and looking forward to getting my own pole. I'm currently living in the Galleria/Memorial area, but I'll be moving further out towards the Beltway somewhat near the Memorial City Mall this summer. I'll probably get a pole when I move.
I love my studio and going to open practice with those girls, but I'm always up for meeting new people and making new friends.
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Sorry to jump in here, but I get excited that I actually know these things. For a youngster, I'm fairly out of touch with text-speak. IMO means "In my opinion". You could also come across IMHO, which means "In my humble opinion".
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My studio has two "classrooms", one with 8 poles, one with 9. The poles are all 50mm brass with the exception of the 9th pole in one, which is a "skinny b****" (what they call it) or a 45 mm chrome pole. No one uses that 9th pole unless they are really impatient.
That being said, the actual lesson series require a minimum of 6 (which I think is too high, as I've had to put progress on hold to wait for classes to fill up when we had 5 girls signed up) and a maximum of 14. If there are 11 or more they're supposed to have two instructors, but I've only seen them do that on some beginners classes. My class (level 3 and the first level to start inverts) has the max number and one instructor. Normally about 11 girls show up. I think it's very hard for my instructor to keep up with that many girls trying to learn the basic invert at the same time. The studio has only two crash mats.
The classes are 1.5 hours and yes, we share poles. We normally split the class in half and do everything in turns, which lets us catch our breath too. Still, girls are impatient and will take double turns, leaving one group full and the other with only a few people. Once I was the ONLY person in the second group because there were 9 people there that day. Talk about odd. Of course, everyone but me (and the person who gave up their pole for me) got double the turns. I suppose that's one down side to not having a pole for every student. I've had instructors much better than this one at managing the split groups, numbering people off and making sure they stay with their number.
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The only things I can find by googling are with chunky heels. Like this:
http://leatherlustfootwear.com/Womens-Cowboy-Boot-Chunky-Heel-Platform-Black-Brown-557-COWGIRL.html
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/sexy-cowgirl-boots–electra-1027
Are the platforms really that important? Because I see things like http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/cowgirl-ankle-boots-stiletto-heels all over the place. I think they're super cute and not terribly hard to find.
Honestly, I think you could pole in actual cowboy boots if you really wanted to.
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I guess it depends where in Texas you live. It's so big, it has many climates. I grew up in the Dallas area, but now I live in Houston and let me tell you, our climate is anything but dry. The air is so humid, even in the summer. You are drenched as soon as you go outside.
My studio has brass poles and I love them. When they get warm though, they have a little too much grip for me and start to pull my skin on spins, but it's great for climbing. Still, I'd rather have too grippy than too slick. When the brass poles are very cold though, you can forget about climbing unless you have extraordinary strength and grip. During a cold snap, I went in to practice climbing and I couldn't get anything done. I just kept slipping off. I think that is true of any pole. Temperature and air moisture (humidity) have a lot to do with the way a pole "acts". Another thing to be aware of is that your body chemistry, warmth and sweat will have a lot to do with how grippy your pole is too. And no one can give you advice on how your body acts with a certain metal.
Another studio I've visited has stainless steel poles. When I'm already warm and sweaty, I haven't had too much of a problem sticking to them. I do know that they were more slick than the brass by a lot, but a warm pole with a warm, slightly sweaty body, worked fine with my body chemistry. Then again, this is Houston and it's known to be quite humid. The air has been dryer than usual, but it's not "dry" by any means.
When I buy my own pole, I'll get an X pole (apartment living), 50 mm (I'm used to it and don't have much problems with hand grip), in the TG finish. If I was willing to bump down to a 45 mm, I could get their new brass pole too, but I don't think I'm willing to compromise on size. I do love the way brass works for my body.
Keep in mind that studio poles will always be grippier than home poles, unless they're used A LOT. Studio poles are well worked, which makes them much easier to grip. New poles especially have to be broken in. All will be slick when you first get them, no matter what finish you buy. So, even if you buy a grippier finish, you will still have that time to build your strength as you break it in.
Good luck!
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They're beautiful! I have very narrow feet and wear a size 7 in my Pleaser shoes. These still available? I recently bought a pair of shoes that didn't work for me, so I know how that goes.
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I just use an eyeliner pencil or sometimes shadow on a flat brush. I only line my top lash line majority of the time.
What I really want to say though, is that you're really brave for wanting to confront the discomfort that your Trich causes you.
I have it too. My hair and eyebrows. There was a point when I had no hair on the back of my head below my earlobes. Picture a semi-low pony tail with no hair being pulled up at the bottom into the pony tail. That was me. I also made my part (center of my head) about two inches wide at one point. It was bad. BAD. And so embarrassing. I was in a military organization at the time, so I had to wear my hair a certain way and couldn't use scarves or headbands to cover it. It was a really rough time in my life. I still struggle with my eyebrows, but they're slowly growing back and I've been struggling to not undo all my progress with them. I first started pulling almost four years ago and it's been a real struggle.
Good news is that I've almost completely stopped pulling my hair in large quantities. I'll still pull a strand or two each day, but that's much better than hundreds. Aside from my "baby hairs" which stick up when they first start growing, you can't tell at all. I blend a brown eyeshadow into what hairs I have on my eyebrows and I feel comfortable as long as I have my eyeshadow on my brows.
It's taken me a long time to feel comfortable with myself again. I applaud you for taking this step. You aren't alone in this. I know how much courage it takes to face and overcome Trich. I'll probably never be rid of that urge, especially when stressed, but I know that it doesn't have to feel hopeless anymore. You are an encouragement to me. Thank you.