[KateSykerd]

Thanks so much ^_^ SO proud I got this! and thanks for the website!

[KateSykerd]

oh and, the project is basically people posting youtube videos or videos on the it gets better website, telling the youth that it gets better, maybe some words of support or a story of your own to share. The idea was that if you can stop one person from taking their life with your video, its worth it, but now its gotten so big and so many massively powerful people are getting involved, its starting to completely change the way homosexuality is seen. The pole dance would just be something inspiring to show anybody watching that the dancer has been through hard times too, and can come out even stronger than before.

[KateSykerd]

Haha sorry! I'm in uni so its all over the place at the minute – its the time when people tend to come out so there's loads of support groups for it. LBGT is like shorthand for non-hetrosexual people, lesbian bisexual gay and transgender. It's also known as the Trevor Project I believe – I think the It gets better project is like a spin off. I know more about the It gets better project though because theres so many celebs behind it and its a lot more recent – theres even ads on the telly here for it at the minute which google, microsoft and apple are funding.

[KateSykerd]

I don't know what people will think of this, but I've been watching a lot of the "It gets better" videos lately – maybe everybody could do a "it gets better" pole dance and, if they feel confident enough to, put them up on the site. If you haven't heard of it its all about letting young LGBT know that if they can get through the bullying and all the hard stuff, life gets better and to hold on (it was after a patch of teen sucides over the issue). Now I know everybody here isn't LGBT, but I'm guessing most people will have had to over come something really really difficult and maybe we could do a dance that shows you can come out the other side being a stronger person? It'd also let people dance for the loss of a loved one, or just celebrate life, and help people struggling in the process.

Just a thought after watching loads of those videos – some are so sweet!

[KateSykerd]

Thoughts and prayers with you right now hun. I know how numbing an unexpected death can be, its good even that your here and talking about it – don't stop. Keep going 🙂 My love goes out to you and all your friends and family x

[KateSykerd]

Woah quite a few more posts! Ironically I picked up a stomach bug recently, so I'm now off food but want it more than ever!
Thanks everyone! Starting to love myself a little more now – I guess I really should throw those scales away 😛 I know your cup size is meant to change but I was an early-starter and I guess I thought I'd done with most of my growing already! Just shows you your body is amazing and can really surprise you at times.
@poledanceromance – really good idea to measure the resting rate of a pulse. My boyfriend still says I look nice etc (typical man with his "No of course you haven't put on weight, your still beautiful to me", even though other people tell me I do look different haha!), so I guess I'm just worried about health more than anything. I know some girls were doing a body fat calculator thing on a "girls pamper night" at a club I went to recently – kicking myself for not getting it done then because I don't know where else does it!
@Sassafrassle – good to bring up rugby players, my fave. is Castro (the Italian prop) and he's about 20stone of pure muscle so, good point! haha.

Thanks guys for all the advice! Its really opened my eyes to a lot of things 🙂 I guess I have a lot to learn about loving myself haha! Thanks 🙂

[KateSykerd]

Haha! Its strange you should say that chem, I've just come off the pill! I know I might put on weight/take it off, but I've only been off about 2 weeks after being on it years, so I doubt its that.
The only new clothes I've had to buy is bras but to be honest, I haven't brought a new one in ages so that might be it…

Happier now 🙂 I guess I was just worried because I do eat a lot more than I used to, and I didn't want all my exercise to be in vein! Thanks for all the advice ladies 🙂 Feeling so much more confident! Yay!

[KateSykerd]

I was just thinking the other day how I'd love to do like a "musical theatre" challenge, so I love the idea of a film about dancing one 😛 eee, maybe I'll actually try and post my challenge video this time around 😛

[KateSykerd]

Yay well done 😀 My sister in law decided to quit when she found out she was pregnant, and I know how tough she found it. She had cravings all the time which were terrible since she was pregnant, and she did start smoking again once or twice. She made a big collage of reasons why she decided to quit (like her scan picture, a mum running with her kids in the park, a picture of her own mum who died of cancer when she was young) and stuck it on the fridge – next to where she kept the lighters. It meant that every time she was going to light up she remembered why she wanted to quit in the first place. She did quit in the end 🙂 Good luck Brumby! Sure if you really really want to you'll get there in the end 🙂

[KateSykerd]

That sounds ace thanks! Whenever I've asked people before they've always told me to go out and buy something really expensive, but tennis balls? We have loads in the shed haha ^_^ I like the idea too that you can do each finger at a time, or all at once – very clever 🙂 Cheers!

[KateSykerd]

Me and my flatmate had the same problem BACE, we saw the joints slightly turning on one side so decided to take it down and redo it all, and the joint turned out to be COMPLETELY stuck (unable to loosen it)! I think the people at Xpole are lovely, they just exchanged it for another without batting a lid, it's the product thats annoying. Some poles are fine, my old one was fine until the joint got stuck, but my new pole always rotates to the extent that I've stopped trying to stop it. Every spin it rotates, and I know I can set them up because I set my old one up in the same way. Its ok if you're a professional poler or own your own studio, but I'm just a 20 year old student with no knowledge of how to set things up apart from what the instructions tell me to do, and if they're telling me wrong and I need some other knowlesge then, well, xpole shouldn't be allowed to sell to me or the general public…

[KateSykerd]

My dad just laughed when I told him – to this day I don’t think he actually believes me! My mum had a hard time with it, but whenever we spoke about it I’d just blast her misconceptions with a good attitude and she came around in the end. She always used to call it lap dancing and I’d have to gently remind her no, that’s not what it is… I think the turning point was when I had the Pole set up in the sitting room and I started yelling for her – I was so happy that after 2 weeks of straight practice I’d gotten a pole sit. I was so happy I was almost crying and I guess then she realised it was more than just “lap dancing” to me. She’s still a bit weird but at least she calls it pole gymnastics now haha

[KateSykerd]

My mum actually calls it pole gymnastics, and refuses to call it anything else lol! Shes actually in the W.I of sorts, and I know that once she actually saw me poling she warmed to it so much more, so I think a routine is a great idea. You could talk about how it’s for everybody – young, old, mums and daughters, even guys do it!
A tip for public speaking, no matter how long it takes you to say it in private it’ll take you at least 10% longer in front of people. I also like to practice saying the wrong thing to see how I could recover from it- nothing worse than slipping up and only bein able to say “Erm” while you try to remember what to say!

[KateSykerd]

Mine does this too! Its a xpole sport, and I've always found the creeking somes from within it somewhere… But my joints are stuck so I can't take it down and find out why…

[KateSykerd]

ooo,  good luck! I'll be home for the summer then 🙁 I'm just at uni up here, and I pole with the pole dance society (also on a monday night!). Don't push yourself too hard though, the last thing you'd want is an injury!

[KateSykerd]

eee! Congrats for taking the plunge! Firstly, this link might help you:
http://www.poledancecommunity.co.uk/syllabus.html

It gives details of all PDC 1 moves, which are mainly just floor moves so you should be ok. Also, try picking quite a fast song – slow songs tend to mean you have to get every move just right, where as fast songs any slip up can just be "improvisation" lol! But I think everybody has a type, so just put a big range of songs on and see what feels right. I prefere bouncy songs like disney songs (its a guilty pleasure!) but my friend preferes slipknot and my chemical romance, so that part you just have to feel.
Where's this comp anyway? I've not heard of any since elizabeth-jade events did theirs 😛

[KateSykerd]

Thanks ladies, really given me a boost 🙂 I was tempted to try inverting the other day but I decided to just work on strength by doing off-hand spins and one handed spins, and my thumb has all swollen up (tendonitis AGAIN)! So its a really good thing I didn't try and do anything more intense than that. I guess I'm really jealous of all the other girls but if I can't do it yet then I can't do it, and I'm not going to hurt myself trying. I'm just gonna carry on going along at my own pace and in the summer, when I have more time for practice, I'm gonna get some of Veena's lessons to make sure I'm doing everything right! Thanks girlies!

[KateSykerd]

haha amazing! Nice to see people not getting too discouraged when they fall – gives me hope for when I finally do! And at least they kind of said "stripper" in a positive way

[KateSykerd]

woah Nymph! Never done anything that bad – ouch!
The other day I was practicing a strength move, I'm not sure what its called on here but its just a basic lifting yourself on the ground holding the pole but kicking your legs out into a V shape and holding it. My boyfriend came in while I was struggling to hold it and thought he'd "help" by holding my legs up for me – throwing my centre of gravity off and smacking the middle of the V (i.e. my lady bits!) into the pole… Was not fun. He's not allowed near me when I'm poling anymore…

[KateSykerd]

I epilate now, but before when I used to shave I found it made my legs really dry straight afterwards, and as you probably know dry skin is so much harder to grip with 🙁 But I think it probably just depends on your own skin type, and as Runemist said its more about if you use lotion or not afterwards

[KateSykerd]

All I can say is I wish they could make them in the UK! Gaahhh I'd LOVE one!

[KateSykerd]

@xthisc, don't worry, this sounds like the first of your pole badges(/bruisees)! This is completely normal and just like the pain it'll fade with time 🙂 But don't worry, new ones will always tend to appear to replace them 😐 Welcome to the world of pole dancing – I doubt theres any poler out there without some bruises!

[KateSykerd]

I sometimes think that too about no being able to do some moves on my left, I just can't seem to grip properly with my left hand!
As for the leg length, my boyfriend has one leg a good inch or two shorter than the other and he has a definate limp, but his physio says to take up yoga, flexibility training, and strength training for his off leg, and things will improve… If its a similar thing then pole on your off side will actually help realign everything! It probably will be really difficult, but if you keep in mind how much it'll help with not just pole, but other aspects of your life, I'm sure it'll get easier 🙂 Its good that your starting from scratch just on your left side, I'm sure you'll progress in no time!