[MissKitty83]

I've considered working at a club for a while now.  I played with the idea a couple of times years ago, but dismissed it almost as soon as it came up.  The last few months I've been considering it seriously. I've been reading 'Diary of an Angry Stripper' and doing research on 'How to' and what it's really like in the club.  What is stopping me is that I don't know if I would ever really be able to take my clothes of in front of strangers.  Also, the clubs that I've been to in my area are kinda seedy, and not places I would really be comfortable working.  I have plans to go to some others and talk to the girls there to see how they like it, but the main thing is I don't know if I would be able to do it. I might have to find a bikini bar first, just to get my feet wet.

[MissKitty83]

Always, always warm up!!  And like Veena and Runemist and Gingercake say, it's so easy! Hot showers, jumping rope, I do 50 jumping jacks (cause that's what they make us do to warm up at my studio)

I've also had a lot of success with Dashama's leg stretches on YouTube – they're yoga stretches, and they're incredible:
http://www.youtube.com/user/shadovvfaerie#grid/user/17C37043DE4AE8C9

I play them and strech in the order they're set up because that seems to work best for me.  I have to play video #4 twice, because in the video she only stretches one side.  try it!

[MissKitty83]

Karol Helms and Jenyne Butterfly.

[MissKitty83]

I am a rank novice.  I cannot invert (nor would I dare try yet!!) and don't even know what a CKR is.  My tricks are limited to a Dip & Spin, pirouettes, Floor work, Switch-foot, Russian Kick, Anastasia kick, Liberty Kick, Pole sit, pole climb, Lunge spin, Hook -and-Arch, Hip spin, Cupid hold, a newly-aquired Elbow Stand against the pole, and probably a couple other basic things I've left out.  I almost always have one foot on the floor.

There's a sister studio to the one I attend that has a 45 (which they refer to as a Pixie pole).  I'm going to call them and see if I can go play on it for a few minutes between classes one day this coming week.

[MissKitty83]

Thanks to everyone for your responses.

@PoleKitten – I don't have any problems with the 50s at GDS.  Before I ordered my xpole I asked Ashley about the difference.  She says my hands are normal size. The're 6 1/2 inches from the base of the palm to the tip of my longest finger, and I too have long fingers (gloves don't ever fit right).  I've heard there's a Pixie pole (45mm) at GDS in Mt P, I'm thinking about calling them to see if I can play on it for a little bit.

@FuzzyNavel – I'm planning on still taking lessons at the studio in addition to my home practice, so I will still have access to the 50mm poles once a week.  Is that enough? I've been told it's harder to transition up in size and easier to transition down (excepting the leg holds).

Thanks again for the feedback.

[MissKitty83]

Really?  I like Midnight Mavista….  But that's just me.  🙂

[MissKitty83]

If we go strictly pet/street mine would be Black Kings.  But I prefer to use the middle name/street, which would be Elizabeth Kings, and I like that much better.  https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[MissKitty83]

Thank you Veena for expressing what I could not.  https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[MissKitty83]

If you're especially looking for CHEAP lashes, check out RED CHERRY LASHES.  They're made of human hair, and I know some girls that swear by them.  And you can't beat the price – $2 to $3 a set.

http://www.madamemadeline.com/online_shoppe/categories.asp?cat=Red+Cherry+Lashes

 

[MissKitty83]

I agree with Veena and Runemist.  

An olympic style Pole Sport would be just that – another sterile, gymnastic sport with incredible displays of strength, control and flexibility.  There would be no art to it, no dance, no sensuality, no feeling.  It would be cold and sterile, like any other gymnastics routine we watch.  And that's fine for the Olympics.  There is no place for the passionate, artistic, Sexy and sensual kind of pole dancing that most of us do at home in the Olympics.

If you want to make it an Olympic sport, fine.  Clean it up, make it gymnastic and sterile and boring. It will simply be Vertical Pole Gymnastics.

I'll keep my booty popping and artistic, sexy yet still athletic pole dancing, thanks.

[MissKitty83]

@ Sanchara-
Do tell this secret advice that your personal trainer friend told you that helped make a significant improvement…  You've hooked me, I'm dying to know…

Also, I couldn't get your pics to come up.

[MissKitty83]

I just ordered my pole from Sissy at House of Pole tonight, AND signed up for a year of Veena's lessons!!  *insert girly squeal here*  I'm SO excited!!!!  https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_heart1.gifhttps://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[MissKitty83]

going to get a 50mm Titanium Gold X-pole.  ^_^

[MissKitty83]

Well, I've gotten the Dara Torres DVD in the mail, and tried it – only once so far.  I just went through the leg strengthening/resistance streching section – my legs were SO SORE the next day.  That was Tuesday, I haven't tried it since, but I think I'll try it again this evening.  My hamstrings are just so, so, so tight…  The exercises are hard work, and I didn't really notice  much improvement in my flexibility during that one session; I was just trying really hard to get the exercises right.  It should get better as I go.

[MissKitty83]

Thanks for the info Chem.  Emailed the company, the poles are made of Stainless Steel, and come in a rainbow of colors – so pretty!  I'm used to brass at the studio, though, so I don't think I'm going to get one. 🙁  I've never played on a SS Pole and I just can't buy one without trying it out first.  🙁

[MissKitty83]

A PS pole for that kind of price?  I"m all over it.  Do we know what material they're made out of??

[MissKitty83]

Thanks for the feedback.  I'll keep stretching.  I do try to remember to breathe, and have started hold my stretches for a certain number of slow, deep breaths to help me remember to breathe!  In my google search, I also found this:

Tight musculature, and tight nerves will impinge each other and give numbness.

1. Roll out your plantar fascia,
2. stretch your calves aggressively,
3. keep on stretching the hammies,
4. stretch out the glutes/deep glutes with piriformis stretches

ALL the posterior chain fascia is connected, so it will all help.

 

Thanks again for your suggestions and encouragement – I will keep trying.  I'm trying to get back on my exercise and stretching regimen after being lazy and inconsistent from Thanksgiving through New Years.  I've also started following the deep yoga stretches posted on the OFFICIAL SPLITS FORUM THREAD, and that's helping with other forms of thigh and hip flexibility, but my hamstrings are just slow, slow, slow to progress and see any noticible progress…

[MissKitty83]

Since this is about stretching correctly, I have a question.

I apparently have SUPER tight hamstrings.  So much so that when I sit on the floor with my legs together straight and bend forward, I feel a stretch in my hamstrings, but also an intense pull in the backs of my knees, and sometimes a feel a numbness or pins-and-needles in my feet.  None of this is actually painful, but the pulling behind my knees and the numbness worries me. I cannot perform another hamstring stretch because of this sensation (the one where you lay on the floor and grab your calf and pull your knee toward your chest – my legs shake terribly in this position and I cannot seem to keep my knees straight.)  Has anyone else experienced this?  Do I just need to keep stretching?  What do you recommend?  Veena??

[MissKitty83]

Just bought Dara Torres' DVD set – cannot wait to try it!!

[MissKitty83]

ok, I tried those Yoga vids.  I THOUGHT I was flexible.  I was WRONG.  My Jazz splits are almost to the floor, but I am SO not flexible compared to the things this woman can do.  But the stretches for the splits are GREAT, and I love how she shows you how to keep your hips straight!  Will keep you posted on my progress.

[MissKitty83]

thanks!!  These videos look awesome – can't wait to try them!!

[MissKitty83]

Woo hoo Chem!!!  You go girl!!!

I started working on my splits last summer, but unfortunately have fallen out of it.  I fortunately have been stretching enough not to lose any of the progress I made over the last 5 months, but I have plateaued.  One of my New Year's resolutions is to get my splits (front and straddle) all the way flat!  Will post pictures soon!

[MissKitty83]

Chem –

I do the same thing – turning my back foot out gets me MUCH closer to the ground, and I agree that for performance (esp. in heels) this is all you really need.  I will be thrilled to reach the floor like this- like you, I'm almost there!!

I'm a stickler for form though, and as I have VERY tight hip flexors (and hamstrings, grrr… ), I do all the appropriate stretches to try and loosen them, because _I_ want to know that even though it's not required in performance, that I CAN do it right.  It kills me to have to wratchet myself back up from the floor to square my hips because of my tight hip flexors, but, dammit, I want to be able to do it the RIGHT way.  I'm just stubborn like that.  And progress is slow, but I'm getting there.  (I'm also not stretching every day.  But that will change come next week – My New Year's resolutions are to exercise/pole every other day and stretch on all my exercise days, gradually adding to stretch on my non-exercise days as well.)

[MissKitty83]

I would totally be up for that!!  I really like the idea of group sessions.  ^_^ 

[MissKitty83]

I have been working on my splits for a while now.  The only issue I found is that I had to do more strength training because I was stretching TOO much.  The joints in my hips just felt…  loose, to the point of being almost unstable.  So I started stretching every other day, and doing more strength training on my hips, thighs and glutes.  The instable feeling went away within a week or two, and I didn't lose any of the progress I gained. I was actually able to start getting lower and felt better about it.  Just listen to your body.  You'll know if it doesn't feel right.  A lot of articles warn about overstretching and the dangers of stretching incorrectly (because you could accidentally tear something) but do your research and listen to your body.  Some weeks I could see lots of progress.  Others I plateaued.  I've been plateaued for about a month now, almost to the floor but not quite.  Darned hip flexors are very tight, and cannot get my hips straight and legs flat, but working on it.  Hope this helps! ^_^

~Kitty