[Piaketz]

Here’s her page: http://polefitnessmaui.com/classes.html

[Piaketz]

Maria at Valley Isle Fitness teaches pole and will be hosting a workshop for Karol Helms in Feb. 🙂 I don’t know the details, sorry I live in Oahu but I can ask her if you are interested. 🙂

[Piaketz]

Yay! So happy to meet you all. 🙂

[Piaketz]

@Storypole Mine is hollow https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif Her description says "thick wall steel tubing" and if you click the link that says "specifications" she describes it a bit more there as "heavy wall one inch diamater steel tubing". Though I think for those who like solid steel you could write her about that too. I've carried both a solid steel lyra and my hollow steel one of similar diameters, there is a big difference. My hollow one is a lot more manageable. I live in an apartment and I take it up and down to hang, to my parking garage and my living room. It's not bad. I chose hollow steel because I read somewhere that the aluminum lyras don't spin as long because they are so light, and I want to spin. The solid steel ones can spin longer due to their weight but I chose hollow steel as a happy medium because like you, I need to take it up and down. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[Piaketz]

Just putting in a recommendation to whoever else is planning to buy a lyra… I got mine from Spitfire Aerial. Christina is such a dear and very easy and friendly to deal with! My friends got 2 trapezes from her too, and a girl from my studio bought a lyra from her as well. We are all very happy, and all the aerial equipment was beautifully crafted, excellent quality with reasonable prices.

http://www.spitfireaerialequipment.com/

Oh and I am 5'2" and use a 35" double tab lyra. I like that size, for me it's perfect. 🙂

[Piaketz]

Make sure your back/waist/tummy is covered… I wore a shirt that was not form fitting once, and it rolled up while I was sliding down upside down. I got the loveliest silk burn on my back. I sometimes wear a leo under my tights/tank/shirt but if I don't I end up tucking in my shirt into my tights/leggings. Soooooo sexy! Lol! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[Piaketz]

As far as I know, there are no pole studios in Kauai (sad face). There are a couple of places you can take aerial classes though.

[Piaketz]

Is it a popcorn ceiling? Is the ring from the popcorn getting a bit flat? If so, kind of "feather" out the flatness of the ring… scrape a bit on the edges of the ring to make the flatness fade out. Makes it a but less noticeable. Hehe I did it, it kind of makes it less noticeable to a landlord.

Is the ring from the grease that the Xpole had when you first got it? I made a little paste out of water and Oxyclean and dabbed it on gently with a sponge. Black/dark ring went away… Hope that helps! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[Piaketz]

I may or may not just do a regular fireman for them (with a hair flip haha). They already go WOW with just that coz they don't know any better haha! But attitude wise, I tend to take it in stride and tease back about it. I find that if you're too defensive or act overly protective about your poling, either they start thinking you are stuck up, or they thinking you strip somewhere or something… And really, pole for me is fun and carefree so I don't act like it's a *super secret* thing. I treat it like a conversation piece. But I do tell male or female guests that I only show your tricks to super special people or people who really really deserve it. So if they want to see more, they better start treating you nicely… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

[Piaketz]

Yayyyyyy Trixie!!! Thanks for doing this, it'll help make people open up to pole more here in Hawaii. You girls at the Big Island rock it!!! Hope to make it to your island one day, and one day when there are more of us maybe we can have an inter-island jam 😀

[Piaketz]

Hmm… for me, pole was a very social thing when I first started and I liked that I met a lot of girls who were similar to me. 30+ professionals. Maybe in addition to the suggestion above, you can make a class called "Polefessionals" or something to that effect and advertise it as such so that women in the work force can meet like minded women who want to take good care of themselves? I think it might help to separate the college students from the rest without offending due to age. But of course you might want to describe the class as such that mommies are more than welcome, as being a professional mom is a full time job too! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[Piaketz]

Hi, I'm another Dirty Girl Poletice fan! I picked up a bottle from Summer at the Pole Expo and I'm so glad I did. I think I've tried everything except the vinegar because ewww I don't think I can handle the smell 😛 I have hyperhydrosis and I live in super humid Hawaii which makes both me and the pole sweat! I used it last night in a 4 hour pole jam with my friends and I was able to keep up. I used it first then layered Tite Grip on top. Not perfect of course but  so far it's the best combination I've ever tried. Next time I'll try it with Mighty Grip on top. I think it will go well too. Will keep you updated.

[Piaketz]

BeccaL, that's just horrible! I can't believe these people!!! I'm so sorry that this is happening to  you… I hope you find another, better job and get out of there soon or find legal help to end all the harrassment. What they're doing to you is just so wrong on so many levels. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif

[Piaketz]

I have eczema too. It came down significantly when I changed from commercial soap (which are really technically "weak detergents") to real soap (you'll see oils listed in the ingredients). I always read the ingredient labels now. If I can't pronounce more than half of them, I'm not using it. I prefer handmade soaps, but if I can't have those, I find the best store bought one for me is Dr. Bronners. They have a tea tree version, but my favorite is the lavender, I find it more soothing. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[Piaketz]

I've had a "friend" try to get an entire house party to convince me to stop doing pole because she thought it was just so disgusting. She had been trying to tell me how disgusting I was for the longest time and I just ignored her, but it did quite take me by surprise when she tried to get ALL my friends to convince me, like an intervention or something. The worst part of it was that she chose to do it during MY surprise birthday party, right after everyone sang happy birthday to me! Ah what an idiot!!! I found her so ridiculous. I ended up just asking everyone in the room who was hotter, her or me? Of course they all said me, it was my birthday after all! So I told her "Well there you have it, the proof is in the pudding! I'm going to keep on pole dancing!" Haha! It just reaffirmed to me that not everyone thinks like her and I should just keep doing what I like to do. Though I defriended that miserable woman in real life… I slowly cut ties with her. I don't like people who are so judgemental or close-minded in general, so I am glad that I found out that she was that kind of person rather than invest any more of my friendship on her.  

Don't let that negative person in your life get you down either https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif Take it in stride, you will meet other people like her, but you know you are doing nothing immoral and not harming anyone, so you don't need to explain anything to anyone. I rarely bother nowadays. With close-minded people, you just wont win, so I find it's better just to keep these people out of our lives. Sometimes when I can't help it I tell them stuff like "Well then I guess we skanks just have more fun. More fun than you. Not to mention we all have tighter tummies and hotter asses…" Haha it really gets their panties in a bunch when you're totally unapologetic about being a pole dancer.

As said by previous posters, the previous blog posts on this topic are great and going through them might make you feel less alone on this issue. But please don't feel bad about posting what others find to be an old topic… We all experience pole haters at different times, and it's a little more shocking and upsetting when you are just starting off at pole and had no clue that some people could be so vicious towards pole. I just want to share with you my experience today, just so that you know there's another live person right now who is out there who feels for you as I've gone through the same before. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[Piaketz]

I was doing pole classes for around a year and a half until I shifted to doing silks around almost 3 years ago. And I've been taking lessons in trapeze and lyra for maybe the past year and a half. I still pole by myself at home coz I like it, but I no longer go to formal lessons. I am in the minority who think that silks is easier than pole. But that may have to do with the fact that I have super sweaty hands and hyperextended elbows. I worry about my safety on the pole but my hands and elbows are practically non-issues for me in silks/lyra/trapeze.

The transition is pretty easy if you have the right attitude. I've seen a number of girls with pole backgrounds try aerials and quit really fast because they expected to progress faster than non-polers and that's not always the case. On the flip side I've seen girls with aerial backgrounds try pole and dislike it because it was difficult for them to wrap their brains around a whole different kind of movement. A pole background helps in aerials as you already have a better general fitness level, range of flexibility and body awareness. But yogis, dancers, ballerinas, etc. have just the same advantage. For sure, all disciplines are all definitely good complements of each other. In the end, I think it is your personality that leads you to which apparatus you favor.

The trick is to realize that the movements of pole and aerial, although they may appear similar, are actually quite different. It's a paradigm shift on how you use your body. There is a lot more "pull" and rarely any "push" involved in aerials as opposed to equal amounts of "push" and "pull" like in pole. Aerial movements are a lot more controlled and precise (ie. you can't learn to invert with little kicks on the silks or you'll swing all over the place), whereas in pole you need to understand how to use your body weight and swing your limbs to generate pretty spins. The brainwork is also different. You need to learn how to wrap things around you in silks and trapeze which was totally confusing for me when I first started. If you're good at spinning pole, I think spinning on the lyra will be cake — for me, it's more difficult to work on a spinning pole because the axis is not myself. The pain factor IMHO, is the same for pole and silks, a little more for trap and lyra but still not that bad. You'll just get the bruises and burns in different places, and you'll feel new sensations, like squeezing and scraping on your bony bits. But just like in pole, It's all a matter of getting used to it. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif
Best of luck with aerials and cheers to trying new things!  https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[Piaketz]

I have hyperextended elbows (and fingers) too and I've been microbending to prevent injury and to be able to do some moves. Sometimes I find that I can do certain moves with my bent arms while hyperextended and it doesn't hurt me, so my teachers and I just leave it at that. It's a challenge, and I learn certain moves much later than other students who don't have this, but I've just learned to accept it and take it in stride. I just have to try a little harder and be patient with myself, or my teachers work with me to find a modification that I can do despite my elbows. Sometimes, I choose to work on something else and I save certain moves for later when I am stronger in general, as sometimes my wrists or elbows hurt from trying to compensate. My lyra teacher thinks my funny elbows work to my advantage sometimes because I am able to grab behind me in strange positions with not much discomfort. I try not to think of it as a disadvantage, though I have yet to find a trick in pole where my hypermobile elbows are useful https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif.

I think aside from the safety precautions, the other thing you can do for your student is to continue to be encouraging, patient and supportive and not make her feel like a freak or excluded from the class when you are teaching a trick that requires straight elbows. Though I'm sure you are doing that now just by asking this question on this forum https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif I've had a few teachers who have been pessimistic or negative to me learning some moves because of this… and let's just say I no longer wish to be their student and am flourishing under the guidance of others. Another thing is to always communicate. My current teachers don't know all the answers to my elbow situation, but they are aware of it. Whenever I do have a problem or if they spot me doing a move and think I am doing something unsafe, we always work together to find a middle ground that works for me. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[Piaketz]

Oh Trixie… that's just horrid news.   I hope they get caught! But thanks for making us all aware. At least we now know to keep our eyes out for dodgy sellers!

[Piaketz]

I agree 100%  with the PT. I have a very similar problem which has started to bother me constantly. I've recently started seeing a PT and she is doing wonders for my back and my butt! Some states need a doctor's prescription to see a PT and some don't. Some will see you out of pocket regardless of whether or not you have a prescription. You can call your nearest friendly PT office to ask. While all PTs do have general training in different conditions, my advice is to look for a therapist who specializes in sports or dance problems as some specialize in strokes and the like. My PT was able to "get" me and my body. I got a full body assessment, deep tissue release, specialized foam roller coaching and specific stretches and exercises to release my poor irritated nerve. It's helping! She also did a lot of education with me on what was going on with my body mechanics and why I ended up with this pain in the first place and what to be conscious of to avoid reinjury. If you have medical insurance, it should be paid for. I have to pay out of pocket to see a chiro or a massage therapist. While I would like to see them too, I think seeing a PT is just as great (if not better) and easier on my wallet. By the time my PT is done with me, I think my broken butt will be as good as new! Hope your butt gets better soon too https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[Piaketz]

I was going to pole class for a year and a half when I moved to doing almost entirely aerial dance after the prompting of one of the upper level girls at pole. I wish I could take regular pole lessons, but my schedule no longer jived with the pole teachers I liked. I really love my aerial studio though… I currently take lessons in tissu, static trap and lyra (in fact the wonderful corbyOconnor is one of my trap teachers https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif)  I still do pole by myself at home and try to self teach coz I still really like it. Home schooling has been challenging and I still wish I had access to quality studio lessons. At first I thought aerial dance and pole were very similar, but the longer I do both, the more I realize they're different. While aerials have made it easier for me to do things on the pole that involve "pull" muscles or a lot of abs (like aerial inverts/inverted V's or aerial shoulder mounts), things that involve "push" muscles are a bit more of a challenge. I guess I don't get to use my tiny "push" muscles as regularly in aerials. My handstands have begun to get shaky and I lost my caterpillar and have to relearn it… it used to be easy for me when I was taking pole regularly! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif

[Piaketz]

That would be so hot on the trapole. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[Piaketz]

I had the Braun Silk Epi before I got laser. It did not hurt too badly, very tolerable. I thought it was pretty thorough.

I use the Clarisonic Mio. I think the other difference from the regular is that it has only one speed (regular Clarisonic has 2) and it does not have a stand. I got it for a really good deal online. It was right after a holiday… can't remember which one (Memorial Day last year?), but it was on skinstore.com. I see that they're 20% off entire store right now… wonder if they'll drop even more for July 4…

Oh and I've always wanted to try Latisse but couldn't stomach the price. I'm using RapidLash ($32 on drugstore.com) right now which has totally different ingredients. I'm on my second week. I don't know if it's just my imagination but I'm noticing some improvement! Will keep you updated in 4 weeks when it's supposed to start kicking in if you are interested. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

 

[Piaketz]

They can do everywhere down there. Waxing hurts worse…

[Piaketz]

Me! I'm taking Alethea's classes, BadAzz's, Michula's and the stretching with David Owen. I've always wanted to learn more about PNF stretching! Hope to see you all there… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[Piaketz]

Personally it doesn't bother me to be compared to a stripper. I simply correct people when they assume that I am, just because I am not one, but I am rarely offended by this unless they start making rude comments.

A long time ago when I used to go to pole lessons, one of the girls in my class was a stripper. She was also a single mom of two who was struggling to make ends meet providing for her kids because her deadbeat ex-husband left them. She was trying to put herself through college and didn't have the time to work 3 jobs. But the one thing she could do was dance. She said she actually enjoyed stripping and it made her feel strong. She didn't feel sorry for herself, and though she never advertised the fact that she was a stripper, she didn't hide it either. She came to class for some "me" time and to make friends and learn a trick or two (I think the girls in their club just danced but didn't do any tricks). I got to know her as a person the brief time we were in the same class, and I thought she was a pretty cool girl, who, but for a twist of fate, could have been me.  Honestly, I don't judge. There's a story behind everybody and I think strippers probably have a much more interesting story than I do. And really, it all boils down to all of us just having a passion for pole. Whether we choose to do it athletically, artistically, for an audience, with clothes or without, should it really matter to another pole dancer? https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

As a personal choice, I might strip if I were dealt the same cirumstances in life and was backed into a desperate situation a well. I don't know. I wish I had enough confidence to know. If anyone wants to see, much less pay to see my alter-ego "Slimer" naked complete with food baby and F.U.P.A. then maybe I just might. Lol! I just know that the next boyfriend is gonna be hella lucky that I have some secret skills up my sleeve https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif