[Jenn]

Try putting the pole up ad the loosening the parts while it’s still erected. Just be sure to loosen the nut on top first. Also, use screw drivers instead of the chopsticks. They offer more leverage and are more comfortable to grip. If that doesn’t work, you can put the screwdrivers through the holes and lay the pole on the ground. Have someone stomp on the screwdriver,pushing it into the floor to give it a quick shock and counter force from the ground. Good luck!

[Jenn]

Oooh Glitter! I hope you can make it! I had sent you and Joel invitations to the event via Facebook yesterday. I am not sure who else is in the Chicago area, but if u know of anyone please pass it along. You have to come!!!

[Jenn]

tbh, I don’t really care what people call my pole. To me, it’s my "pole." Most people associate the word "pole," whether it be for dance or exercise, with strip clubs. It’s just our culture. In fact, before I bought my own pole and started coming on these forums, I called it a stripper pole as well. "Dance pole" can be confusing because there are many styles of dance out there that use different types of props and one can misunderstand what it means. I don’t feel the need to correct them, because it’s not attacking my character at all, so I am not offended.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am not a stripper and wouldn’t make that assumption about me, and if they do make that assumption, they probably have no business talking to me about it in the first place. Pole dancing is gaining enough popularity as a fitness based activity nowadays so that people are not shocked to find out that I have pole in my home. They usually understand what it’s for. Especially because my pole is set up in my dining room, in full view of anyone who comes into my home, along with my weights, my yoga mat, exercise ball and trampoline. If it were meant to be a sexual thing, I would have it in a private area. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_razz.gif

[Jenn]

I rarely take my pole down but when I do I pre-loosen the joints before taking it down, which makes it much easier! first loosen the nut at the top of your pole then use your screwdriver or chopsticks to loosen each joint before bringing the pole down.

[Jenn]

Wow! Beautiful pics!

[Jenn]

*sigh* I just have a feeling brass would be too sticky so I’m hoping the TG is a good alternative. And like I said grip-aids are out of the question because I pole in static.

Grip aids aren’t for static SPINS, that’s what we were talking about in chat, you will rip up your hands….but you can use grip aid for tricks if you want.

I use grip aides for static and spinning pole, tricks and spins alike. My hands are always moist, even if the rest of my body is dry. I can usually get away with one or two spins immediately after I wash my hands, but then it’s slip city from there on. I have a TG pole and I have also poled on brass. I personally find them very comparable to each other. I think everyone’s body chemistry is different, so you’ll have to play with different options until you find one that works for you. Also, there are gloves you can buy that are supposed to be helpful if you do not like grip aides. I’ve never tried them though so can’t comment on them. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumleft.gif

[Jenn]

My BF doesn’t really care for my pole-dancing either. I think he liked the idea before I bought a pole, but as soon as he realized that it was more for exercise and fitness, and not for seducing him, he lost all interest! Now, I can barely get him to spot me when I practice new moves, or even watch me when I want to show him a new skill. But, that’s what the forums and YT are great for! I have my pole buddies to talk to about it. Likewise, he has his own hobbies that I don’t really care about, and he has buddies to share those with. It’s okay to have different hobbies and interests from each other, as long we are both respectful of each other.

[Jenn]

Runemist-
In that video, what she neglected to say, is that while your hands are gripping the pole, you should be pulling the with your arms as if you are trying to pull your shoulder into the pole, and also pushing your shoulder against the pole at the same time. If you would like to practice this grip without risking falling, I would suggest doing it from the floor. Sit on the floor with your hips flexed at a 30-45 degree angle with your shoulder leaning against the pole. With your hands in the position, pull the pole into your shoulder as you lift your legs into a straddle and attempt to lift your butt off the floor. This will help you to get an idea of how much strength is needed to execute the move and it will also help you gain the core strength you’ll need to do it successfully.

[Jenn]

I don’t consider myself to have any dance background, even though I was briefly enrolled in dance/gymnastics as a child. But that was too long ago for me to even remember! I know, because my mom has pictures of me in class. When I asked her why she took me out of dance, she said that I never paid any attention as I was too busy looking at my reflection in the mirror! hahahahahaha… I love going out dancing at the bar, but I am not very much of a graceful or sensual dancer. I decided to get into pole dance because I liked the idea of all the upper body exercise I could get out of it, and I like the idea of going upside down on the pole. In the beginning, all I cared about was learning the tricks, but I have since became more interested in the dance aspect of it. I can say that since I’ve started poling, my dance style has changed in that I am more aware of my body and movements when I am dancing on a dance floor. I am slowly getting more comfortable with freestyling around the pole, and even if I don’t think it’s worth anyone else’s watching, I feel a great personal benefit from having some private dance time with my pole. So, I think you should go for it! It’s totally worth it for the physical and mental benefits.

[Jenn]

Its not much of a "drop" per se, but I like to go into an advanced plank and then drop my bottom arm off the pole and fall into the CAR.

[Jenn]

TBH, why would some perv go through the process of signing up for a membership when he can just go to any public video website, i.e. youtube and watch the videos there? If you are really that worried about people viewing your videos you can always upload them to a private host such as photobucket and then email only the people you wish to view them the link. SV does provides private messaging between members.

[Jenn]

Initally, I used dish soap and water to cleanmy chrome Xpolel, but it it did not alleviate the slipperyness. Then, I used acteone and it stripped the pole of all that slippery gunk like a charm. Alcohol is good for removing oils left on the pole from your hands/body and sanitizing it, but I find cleaning once a month with soap and water or acetone really helps clear the build up. Btw, I have never used acetone on my TG, so am not sure if that is bad for the coating or not.

[Jenn]

So I got my conversion kit yesterday. Mine came with no instructions, so I had to e-mail Kimara at X-Pole US to find out how to get started. Then it took about an hour of twisting and unscrewing and rescrewing and hoping I wasn’t doing permanent damage to my pole to get it up. The upgrade section replaces Main Pole A and (depending on your model X-Pole) the little spinny base section. You also no longer need the large spanner (wrench) in the tool case either. The upgrade goes directly onto the main base and attaches just like the old piece. The screws on the bottom are still how you change between static and spin mode too. Main Pole B then screws on top of the upgrade section. Any extensions then go on top of that. There’s now a little adapter piece with a peg that fits into the upper dome that screws on top of the extension. The dome goes on that. Now, in order to adjust the height and snug the pole to the ceiling, there’s an adjuster cover near the bottom of the upgrade section that screws into place. That gets unscrewed and then there are three screws on the pole that you loosen with the hex key. This allows the pole to screw to adjust. Once the dome is flat and the pole secure, turn the pole so that the three screws line up with the flat spots on the adjuster and tighten them down. This keeps the pole from unscrewing while dancing on it. Then slide up the adjuster cover, screw into place and start dancing. Now that I know where everything is and what goes where, I imagine next time set-up will go much easier. One thing I noticed was to be very sure that the dome is flat and tight against the ceiling. It’s harder to tell now that it’s no longer eye-level. Also, I still needed a step-stool to put the extension on top, but the little kitchen one was quite high enough, so no need to dig out the ladder.

Thanks for the description! Is there any way you can post some pictures? I am having a hard time visualizing all of this! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_scratch.gif

[Jenn]

I use my hairdryer for a quick fix https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[Jenn]

.. or maybe you should just have one of each! I have been wanting to get a smaller diameter pole myself for a while, but I don’t want to give up my TG 50mm. At one point I had a chrome 50mm as well, but I sold it. And now I miss it, even though I didn’t like it when I had it! I think poles are kinda like shoes, you can’t have just one pair, it will never suit all your needs!