Legend
Forum Replies Created
-
Hi! Long time since I’ve posted here… :/
I don’t do contortion, I stretch 🙂 I’m no where near flexible enough for contortion and to answer your question, yes I found it limiting. You can always get more flexible but changing your natural bone structure is another matter.
My back has been put trough a lot of abuse the last 4 years, there’s always a small injury here and then that sets back any bendy progress. I can touch toes to head on a regular day. On a good day, and properly warmed up I can even rest the feet flat on my head. Chest stands are still very painful on the neck so I don’t do them often.
That being said, flexibility training really helped my back overall. My posture improved, I rarely have a sore back from training or standing for too long anymore, I’m even a bit taller!
I don’t know how mild your case is or how far you want to take your contortion, my advise is to listen to your body, use proper technique (neck to the side wasn’t doing me any favours!), have a chiropractor or physiotherapist to advise and assist you if problems occur and just enjoy the journey without putting too much pressure on your body for results. (that’s usually when problems happen). Happy contorture! 🙂 -
Congratulations! Thank you for creating this amazing community, for all the help and support. Without it I would probably got myself injured and given up pole a long time ago. Completely change my life xxx
-
About my body.. let's see…
1. Love my long legs
2. Love my hair
3. Love my smileAbout pole..so many things, hard to pick just 3!
1. Love how pole made me strong, not just physically, to believe in myself and take control over my life.
2. I'm so happy with my splits, despite all limitations they are still improving!
3. Love being an instructor and I'm a pround trickster! .
-
I don't smile often, certainly not while i'm focused on practice. It's just my nature, everytime I tried to change that it always looked fake and made me unconfortable. One trick I use in performances so people don't think i'm a bitch or in a bad mood is to choose a dark/sad music (that I actually prefer and go very well with pole and aerials) and give a big smile to everyone when entering the stage then go into my "dark character" during performance and finish with another big smile, a sincere one! No matter what you do, even if you're all smiles and rainbows you won't please everyone, so better just be yourself.
-
thank you 🙂 you can see how i got into it on my january 2013 video at around 3:10min
-
oh yes sorry.. forgot about that.. I uploaded the pic here: https://www.studioveena.com/photos/view_photo/51471d52-bac0-49cb-84ab-1e9d0ac37250
🙂
-
It's a very cool trick! sadly not new like many already pointed out. :/
I've been taught a trick called the flying goddess while back, it's a bit different… here's the pic: https://www.facebook.com/susana.imaginario/photos_stream#!/photo.php?fbid=505182039510462&set=pb.100000560124990.-2207520000.1363601866&type=3&theater
it's not very common, wonder if it is know by any other names.
-
-
everytime i see something like that can't help to wish i was a foot shorter and at least 15kg lighter… sigh
-
My back often gets most comments wows and compliments, but my all time favorite was from a masseuse friend: your pectorals feel like the ones of a guy I massaged the other day… he had chest implants. 😉
-
The video is up!
@ Miraine: my chiro disencourage me actually. even for the splits he made clear that with my hip joints would be very dificult to ever get them square… well.. I still keep trying!
-
Thanks for your replys 🙂
@Lina: I've been watching your videos, you're the main cause of inspiraton, your progress and overrall flexibility is amazing, something to aim one day! yes, I've started to move out from the pole, that's what I meant with great progress, a month ago I could only reach the pole when really close to it, and now I can reach with it on my knees!
@Miraine: it hurts everytime i have the chin aligned with my back, and not stretch pain, but the back/bone pain, thats why I dont do it. when looking at my x-rays my neck and upper back really archs the wrong way . its not so bad when I put a couple of pillows under my chest so I'm working with that. I can relate to the "forgetting" part. its not just lazyness.. I find stretching and flexibility training so boring and painful that just convinently slips my mind O:) but this time I'm determined to continue, my progress on aerials depends on it…
I'll try to make a video this week! 🙂 ! !
-
ok, no more head to the side… most people seem to agree its not good. I also do the kitty cat stretch, closer to the wall.. and guess what? head goes to the side as well, cant place the chin on the wall without neck pain.. oh well, thanks for the video, lots of ideas there for sure! so much to learn…
-
Thank you Elektra!
I do all those stretches you mention, all sorts of bridges and that pole cobra one (didnt know what to call it so I'll use that).
No, there's no contortion classes in Oxford… yet 😉 Sadly I rarely have a chance to go to London… but I'll keep the info in case I have the opportunity, would be good to have more insight on the subject. Until then.. well whatever I've been doing its working, so I'll keep doing it, always careful 🙂
-
I had the change to play with one a while back. totally recommend! its every poler dream for those cold winter days that your skin just dont grip no matter how much crap you put on, or its so cold you cringe just thinking about taking clothes off. that being said its no replacement for normal pole and dont think I would recommend for beginners. unless this becomes a standard you still need to develop a strong hand grip and learn how to use body skin as points of contact to hold on. that takes time, effort, a lot of conditioning and its part of the challenge 🙂
-
First, welcome and gz for getting a pole! you'r life may never be the same again 🙂 about your first experience, don't worry it's totally normal! when I first got my pole for a while I suspected I've been sold a fake, or that I've bought a diferent kind of pole from the one I've seen other people do tricks on.. I had no strength, no grip, no skills, no clue…
I'd recomend, besides what Sasha87 said, to find a local studio, classes always help, or get the lessons here. Veena's lessons are excelent and very well organized, plus you'll find everything you need to start building strenght and flexibility. If you can, get both options! Its hard learning on your own, but dont despair, it gets better faster than you think 🙂
-
I'm a bit late sorry, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! 😉 xxx
-
just have to say, totally agree with Charley… I was convinced that the best way to progress was to teach… well wrong! the body can only take so much… but I do love teaching and figure out tricks to pass to others even If I can't do them myself, so its all good 🙂
-
got it! that's close enough, I'll contact them and try to drop by. thank you 🙂
-
nailed it the other day! one of the favorites now 😉 thanks! xx
-
Oh.. btw not sure it its the right name, I call it reverse straight edge.
-
yep it is very hard, but once you find the right point of ballance, just need abbs of steel to hold it 😉 I can do it so you'll get it too 🙂
-
I used to have my studio there, and at the time it was the only one…. Where in the Algarve are you staying? I can ask if something opened recently.
-
already answered. thanks rita ch 🙂
-
So… I was able to do it from a stargazer but almost lost my grip and fell on my head… very hard and dangerous trick… beware and use a crash mat!
