[MommaBear]

That is a gorgeous studio!!!

I’m curious, what are those pink horseshoe shaped thingys?

[MommaBear]

Veena,

Do you know what the verdict is on whether stretching and warming-up will actually give you a better work-out?

Meaning, if I just hopped on the pole and danced for an hour, would my muscles receive LESS of a work-out than they would have if I stretched and warmed-up previous to hopping on the pole and dancing for an hour?

Or is the stretching and the warm-up not necessarily for giving your muscles a better work-out, but more for preventing injury?

[MommaBear]

OMG, please don’t you, or anyone else, feel a bit bad about offering your opinion – that is exactly what I asked for!

I was just trying to get an idea of how others would sit on this position knowing full well that each response is going to have it’s own spin because relationships vary so much from person to person and the little elements and issues that come into play are not the same for every one of us.

The odd part is that even though the responses vary, each person has mentioned a thought that has already run through my head – so, I’m not crazy here, maybe I have multiple personalities https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif , but at least I know the things I have thought and felt run the gamut of normal in terms of other woman having similar feelings.

And to officially end this battle (in my mind, not meaning here on SV), I no longer feel a pang of wrong doing, as I just found out that soon thereafter he went to a bachelor party, at a strip-club, which I strictly forbid – okay, strongly requested that he did not go to, I’m not his mom. I told him it was fine to meet up with the group after the "event" and go bar hopping or what not, but told him I was definitely NOT okay with the strip club. He kindly agreed and then flat out lied, said he was meeting the group at a local bar, but went to the whole party – strip club and all. But, I would have been proud, he didn’t do anything wrong but go see some t****ies. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif

So, as far as I am concerned, I feel no guilt anymore and have further proved my point to myself that I am only 1/2 of this equation, and the other half is a giant, immature, disrespectful, piece of . . . . . butthead.

[MommaBear]

PDR, Thank You and so wonderfully stated. Everything you’ve said is what I truly feel. Should I not be allowed to take the kids to the water park anymore? I wear less there than I would to a bar! If I had to spend my life worrying about every guys penis and opinion, I better invest in a burka collection.

Then on the other hand, I don’t want to disappoint or disrespect my husband. But in my heart I know that I am not doing anything wrong – I’m not swinging around the pole thinking https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_twisted.gif Ha-ha, this is really going to piss him off https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_twisted.gif

At the time I wanted to go to this, I had just started pole. I didn’t even know how to invert and my objective for going was to see some awesome pole stuff in person; I probably wouldn’t have even had the guts to do a front hook spin; I just wanted to be a part of the fun and have a first hand experience at pole (my only other exposure to pole has been on youtube and SV).

The end result is me feeling judged and disliked by the one person who is supposed to love and support me.

In all honesty, this one event is just a culmination of events that have left me feeling pretty crappy. Our marriage is at it’s last leg. We are separated and he has been living elsewhere since July. I’m just re-living all the events that have lead up to this point and this one seems to linger. We just sit at two different ends of the spectrum apparently and neither of us has room to give.

Thank you all for your opinions. I’m always playing devil’s advocate and trying to make sure I see things from my husbands point of view, but the more I think, the more I start to realize it may be time to be my own advocate.

[MommaBear]

This is my problem, I can understand what every single person is saying!!!!

I just go from one end of the spectrum to the other and can’t seem to come to a consensus where I feel at peace with sticking at any one position.

Where is Dr. Phil when you need him? https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif

[MommaBear]

Hugs to you dear! Sometimes men just like to toss a wrench into our plans just b/c they feel like it.

I am ready to take the wrench and beat him over the head with it! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_twisted.gif Ugh, your husband sounds very much like mine. Even the fact that I take time to pole is an issue. If I am looking at videos on youtube, I shouldn’t be wasting my time with that stupid crap, I should be "doing my job". I am feeling particularly heated today, if you can’t tell.

[MommaBear]

I have no sort of advice, but my husband is the EXACT same way lol

Well, the next time I am in Indiana we will have to let our husbands get together and talk about what crappy wives we are and in the meantime we will have to find a great bar with a pole https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif

Does your hubby get cranky about the videos too? I took some of my original ones down after having it brought up and thrown in my face every other day – how inappropriate it was for me to post that "$**!" on the internet for everyone to see https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif So now I don’t post anything that has actual dancing – just straight up trick stuff.

[MommaBear]

Congrats!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

It amazes me that this seemingly insignificant hunk of metal is capable of producing such meaningful life changes. I really have found empowerment; which seems like such a generic term, until you actually experience it for yourself.

Pole is the best all around therapy I have found and it seems that I am not the only one. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[MommaBear]

the outside fallen angel picture is actually an inside leg hang (called a descending angel or scorpio). it’s a different leg that’s hooked…

Duh! I thought it looked off, but it said OUTSIDE leg hang https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif Whoops https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_redface.gif

I get so confused with the name Gemini or Scorpio that I now call them inside leg hand or outside leg hang. People grip them in different parts of their leg but it is still the same move. Veena even uses her foot/ankle on the inside leg hang.

Okay, so there is no "rule" on where to hold it, just so long as your holding with your outside leg, your doing an outside leg hang or Gemini. These names can get complicated and I wasn’t sure if the technicality of where you held it changed it into something else. I just want to try and get the names down too. Thanks Chem!

[MommaBear]

Everyone had their awkward stage before becoming limber, flowing dancers. I still have many days where I feel awkward, and generally not in sync with my pole, but I try to remember how much I have gained gained since that first day. Isn’t there a saying – dance like no one’s looking? Some of the best belly laughs I have had have been solely because of pole, I’ll giggle myself right off the pole some days https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif

Just have fun!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_geek.gif

[MommaBear]

Oh, I love this move too, so pretty!

So this move is meant for static as well as spinny? I wasn’t sure, I keep trying it on static and OMG does is hurt! It got me thinking that maybe this one was only meant for spinny?

On the bright side, I may never grow armpit hair again, so I will definitely be sure to work both sides on this one – how odd would it be to only have one baldy pit https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif

Any tips for perfecting this one?

[MommaBear]

It all depends https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif While I’m a right handed person, My left sometimes is stronger for certain moves. I think it’s because That’s the side I use to hold my daughter in my arms…lol. Reguardless, I practice everything on both sides as much as possible, Because it comes in handy when you’re trying out more transitions, and drops, and things like that https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

Hah, that makes sense! After toting around three kids on my left side (so my dominant hand could be free), maybe that produced this left hand tendency! So this may not be a case of left or right handed, this is a case of mommy handed https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

If you invert with the left arm as the low (inside arm)….I consider that lefty but just for inverts. In general you want the "strong arm" to be the lower arm (inside arm) so it sounds like that may be what she is referring too. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

Thank you for making that so clear! I just couldn’t grasp which arm was my strong arm because they both seem to be doing a lot of work so it was hard to decide https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_geek.gif

And working both sides is something I am now finally doing. Now that I am in class, I can’t get away with cheating cause there is an instructor watching me https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_twisted.gif I actually find it kinda fun now to do that awkward side, it is definitely a challenge with some moves.

[MommaBear]

Back in the day I would wear them out!!! But that was 10 years and many shots ago https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif

Most of the shoes I see now are quite higher than they were back then, so your dancer shoes may fit in just fine https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif I would just steer clear of the clear bottoms if your trying to avoid harsh judgment – those scream stripper and seem to get the worst attention.

Bottom line though, it’s your night out, if you wanna wear your sexy shoes, do it and own it baby https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[MommaBear]

Firstly, "Ouch!", and glad your okay!!

I have creeper toes too, especially that sneaky little one!! I think it is a result of having to buy bigger shoes (to fit my wider "flintstone feet", as my husband calls them). I just have to be super careful in shoe selections, I always opt for a wider toe band.

I was just thinking the other day about this – I have this liquid band aid stuff called New-Skin and it says that it can be used to prevent blisters when hiking and stuff like that. I wonder if it could also stick your two toes together? Or just on the outside of the little toe to keep it in its place?

If you do decide to tape, I think electrical tape would be a good option. I used to use electrical tape on the shoe bottoms to prevent slippy conditions and it seems like it would be a good grip for your shoe inside too. I’ve also been known to use maxi pads inside my shoes to keep my foot from sliding about. Back in the day they actually had "thong" shaped maxi pads (how that would even work, I don’t know https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif ) so those were the pads I used for my shoes. Or you could go the professional option, they sell pads for dancing shoes (I think called Cloud 9) that work well too – the only drawback is that if your shoes are already snug, they will be even snugger with the pads in them.

[MommaBear]

I originally used Firefox, so I tried Chrome and had the same error. So I used IE (which is usually the trouble maker of all the browsers) and it loaded!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif It got stuck at a "Video Processing" (with the pink bar) message, and never changed or did anything after that, just stayed at that screen. I left that tab open and opened a brand new studioveena.com tab to check and it had loaded.

Thanks for your help! Much appreciated! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_salut.gif

[MommaBear]

So relieved to see this topic, I always thought I was the only one!

So far it hasn’t been an issue with pole, because I’m not yet attempting any of those strenuous inverts that would trigger a reaction. But in life in general, particularly the intimate part of it, this has been such an issue for me. So much that if it’s not missionary, I’m not interested because what is supposed to be good and enjoyable ends up being horribly embarrassing and a huge blow to the self esteem.

Thanks for sharing, it sure has made my day better.

And BTW, I wouldn’t change a thing. 3 wonderful kids = embarrassing lady farts – so worth it.

Off to add kegels to my workout routine https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[MommaBear]

My kids think it is hilarious how I bend and stretch and all your hear is POP POP POP CRACK POP!! And now with all this popping coming about, I am feeling this extreme need to go to a chiropractor – if I could get this one portion of my back to pop, I bet it would feel sooooo good!!

I was wondering if the increase was a factor of aging or the increase of physical activity. It will be interesting to see the responses.

[MommaBear]

I’m super careful doing cradle spins, inverted crucifixes, etc after the top ball of my curved barbell popped into one of the holes in my X-pole https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_eek.gif Luckily I noticed before I tore it but I was sort of morbidly fascinated by how far it stretched with no ill-effects!!

OMG, that has to be both the grossest and funniest thing I’ve heard all day https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_puke_r.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_puke_l.gif

[MommaBear]

No biggie, I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t just me or my computer having a temper tantrum.

[MommaBear]

I set up and take down on a daily basis. I just have a standard sized ceiling. I do it myself and once you get the hang of it, it’s a piece of cake. Initially it is a bit confusing, but you will get the hang of it in no time. The day my pole arrived, I put it up myself then too – I was too impatient to wait for my husband. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif

One thing that I have changed is that I don’t take the whole pole apart anymore. I just take the dome off, stick the whole assembled pole (leaning kinda sideways so it fits) in a closet and the dome on the shelf in the closet. I know that is probably a no-no (your supposed to take it apart every now and then), but I just didn’t have all the time to spare to completely break down and set-up.

It is annoying to have to move furniture and set up the pole every day, but I now have everything ready to roll in about 5 minutes. Until I can get my husband to buy us a bigger house, this is my only option.

Oh, and after a good practice, where your arms feel like jelly – that pole feels like it weights 200 lbs. when you go to put in away https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif

Good luck!

[MommaBear]

Noooooo, come back to Cleveland https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif (<– where I am unfortunately located).

Yay another Ohio gal! Welcome! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[MommaBear]

Breathing never occurred to me! Honestly, when I am upside down and holding these new poses, I am likely holding my breath (afraid that expanding my lungs might expel me from the pole). Wow, something so simple that I never considered!

I feel better knowing that the chances of pole face improving are a possibility.

Task for today’s practice – invert and breathe and relax!!!

It’s funny how poling has increased my self-esteem and the way I view myself when so much of it is really not all that pretty sometimes. Some of the points of contact with the pole create funky looking skin that is rippled and wrinkly and distorted, yet you still look in the mirror and can’t help but be proud at how pretty it all looks. I can’t think of any other exercise that at times highlights and exaggerates body flaws, yet still leaves you feeling better then when you started!

Chemmie, I promise you, it is hilarious. I never thought I had big cheeks, but when I am upside down, they seem massive and creep up (or rather down LOL) and infringe on my eyeball space. At first glace I was horrified, but after that I got the giggles at how silly it all was. I had to cut short after that because I could not stop laughing!

[MommaBear]

I have to agree with everyone else! I had terrible anxiety myself and I figured incorporating some exercise would be a great approach and it has been. I believe Tara Karina mentions on her youtube channel that she also struggled with anxiety and found relief in poling.

One mention of concern though, I found that when I first started I experienced "exercise induced anxiety". Whether that is an actual thing or not, I don’t know, but when my heart rate would elevate and I would get a bit dizzy from spins, my body seemed to say – "Hey, this is what happens during a panic attack!" – and I would get some pretty good panic attacks in the beginning.

I would say that it only lasted for the first two weeks or so and as my body became used to the elevated heart rate, sweating, being out of breath and dizziness and my mind began to understand that although I was experiencing the same physical symptoms of a panic attack, I actually wasn’t having one.

I think this has helped overall, because I have lost a bit of that sensitivity and built up a tolerance of sorts. Where in the past, if my heart rate increased that would result in a panic attack. Now, my heart rate can accelerate all it wants and my body seems to be less sensitive and responsive to those physical triggers resulting in the mental and emotional triggers that would normally result in a panic attack. Hopefully this makes sense and isn’t just written in a way I only understand it https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_scratch.gif

Good luck on your journey!

[MommaBear]

So pretty, I’m putting that one on my pole to-do list https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_razz.gif

[MommaBear]

Also, does anyone know why her pole came down?

And, was that a spinny pole or was her weight actually creating that arm spin?