PolarGirl
Forum Replies Created
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jsheridan! Thanks for that cup grip Phoenix video – that’s awesome! I see you replace the top hand, totally makes sense 🙂
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My pole is in the loving room, pretty much right in front of the front door, and I just have to move a recliner and ottoman out the the way, and tug the couch a little further away, and boom! Space to pole! I am very tall and need at least five to six feet of clearance in all directions but I still start spins in a certain direction to avoid clipping the couch or hitting a houseplant. You definitely don’t want your pole in a corner (what!!?!?)! Even though it’s right freaking there, when I move the chair back so it’s right next to the pole, house guests seriously don’t even notice it until they’ve been there for about two hours. There’s always a funny pause that is broken with, “…Is that a stripper pole in your living room? I just noticed that.”
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Great question! How would you do a Phoenix without twisted grip since the movement is initiated with a reverse grab spin that puts your upper arm in twisted grip..? I’d love to find a video of Nadia doing a cup grip variation of this; I can’t wrap my mind around that! And wouldn’t your top hand still be in a “twisted” cup grip!?
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We call that move “boomerang” when you’re full facing the pole with a split grip. If your hips are in front of the pole in a V, that’s a different move – I think my studio calls it a “side V”. It’s hard to know what you’re describing without seeing it.
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Hookedonpole, I sold it to a friend of mine who started training at my pole studio. I bought an Xpole 45mm brass the other day and am waiting for it to arrive. (My boyfriend accidentally had it shipped to his parents’ house — whoops!) Now I’m thinking I’d love I have a second pole in SS or chrome. Someday…:)
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littlevera,
I had my TG for 8 months and at first I thought, oh I just have to wear the factory finish off like everyone talks about – but Xpole claims there is no extra “finish” on their poles. I used it enough to already turn it silver on the top pole piece and it still never became grippier, so I’m skeptical of the argument that it just needs to be worn in somehow. That’s just my experience though. I also thought maybe it was because it was summer and so warm, but now that it’s winter, it’s still extremely slippery. I do not like the TG finish but a lot of people do. I was still very surprised to find chrome to be grippier. I assumed that if TG was too slippery that chrome would be more so. -
I ended up ordering a 45mm brass today so I’ll hope for the best. Thanks, ladies!
I may just go ahead and try to order chrome A and B poles anyway so I can try it out. I only got to try chrome once so I’m super curious…
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PhoenixHunter, thanks. It’s weird, I also find a cold pole more grippy than a warm one. And I have always heard people say the opposite. Again, maybe it’s a temp or humidity thing, but I have to wait and cool down a bit if I get really warmed up, because then I can’t grip at all (my TG and sometimes the studio brass). I think I’m just a weird case. I’m tempted to go chrome but worried about picking the “wrong” one. I have read the threads on here about people just ordering A and B poles of a different finish from Xpole, but I don’t see A and B poles for sale on their US site. Guess I’ll just have to call. And I guess I’ll just have to pick a finish and hope for the best…
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Agree with Runemist!
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I won’t have a Christmas tree, but I’m totally into the challenge!
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I agree that there is a difference in how you pole when someone is watching vs. when you’re alone. I had the same experience starting out. I could not do anything at home that caused pain, which is almost everything when you are first learning to pole! I could not figure out why the pain was so much more intense! At first I blamed the finish of the pole, but the poles at the studio are brass (which are grippier and so would be expected to cause MORE not less pain) and my home pole is TG. So it didn’t add up. We are social creatures and so we unconsciously aim to please our teachers and to show everyone what we can do. We may even feel a friendly competitiveness with the other students. Li agree that you should try filming yourself and see if this helps at all. Humans just work harder when they’re in community together, which is actually pretty cool.
As for the size thing, I have a 50mm home pole. My studio also uses 50mm poles, so for me the size had nothing to do with it. I did take a private lesson recently and used a 45mm for the first time. Holy crap was everything much easier 🙂 Size definitely does matter, but if the issue is not your hand grip, I’m not sure your issue is size related. I agree that posting a video of whatever you’re struggling with might yield some great tips for comments.
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I also really wish I had a consistent pole partner to practice with. A friend from my capoeira class randomly showed up in one of my intermediate pole classes several months ago; as it turned out, she’d been poling at the same studio and I hadn’t known it. She’s pretty much dropped out so now I have no one to play with really. Hopefully now that my back injury is calming down and I’m about to resume studio classes again I’ll make some new pole friends. The only problem I’ve had so far is that the girls at my studio aren’t that consistent or else their schedules just don’t jive with mine and they end up in a different class as we progress, or else they decide to quit, so that with each advancement I end up in a class with total strangers. Which is totally fine, and we all make friends pretty quickly, but it just results in me having no consistent pole friend to jam with outside of class. I’ve even tried to artificially create new pole friends by pushing my non-pole friends to play with me. This has had very little success so far, and no one I have exposed has been interested in taking pole classes. Most people aren’t even willing to touch the pole. They just shrug and say, “I’m not strong enough to do that.” I just hope that in staying with the studio I will eventually have consistent pole friends 🙂
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What is this power invert with windmill legs? Can you upload a video demo? I’m super curious; it sounds cool. I am only familiar with a tuck invert and straight leg V or passé leg lift.
On a side note maybe you could just practice the passé lift with only one leg bent, alternating of course, until you feel stronger with lifting both?
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I am studying to be a personal trainer, and was reading that, for the vast majority of people, the hip flexors are not strong enough to lift the legs when the legs are straightened. For this reason, ACE does not recommend straight leg lifts for the general population. So, two things: (1) just know that this is a very advanced modification and that most people really struggle with it, and (2) work on strengthening your core musculature. As I said above, it is mainly the hip flexors which are responsible for this movement, but the abdominals are heavily engaged as well. Here is an article discussing the muscle groups used: http://www.livestrong.com/article/520382-what-muscle-groups-do-lying-straight-leg-raises-work/#page=3
Veena’s exercises are wonderful because she is a certified trainer and lists the muscle groups used for each movement and exercise. If you are trying to work up to straight leg inverts, I would recommend doing other exercises to develop the muscle groups needed to do them.
Lastly, I would say that you are probably bending your knees involuntarily because your hip flexors, like most people’s, are not strong enough. Your body responds by bending because this shortens the lever of your leg and makes lifting easier for the muscles that are too weak to complete the job. So, long story short: strengthen your hip flexors! And your quads and abdominals as well. However, keep doing the lifts/inverts with your legs as straight as you can. Even if they are not perfect yet, you are still working the muscles needed to do them and building that strength. The best way to build strength to do a movement is to do the actual movement, because it also builds muscle memory, teaching the muscle groups how to work together to do this movement most efficiently.
So keep working! You’ll get it! It’s hard!
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Thank you everyone! My post was so long and loaded that I thought maybe no one would read it, but you all responded with incredibly thoughtful and insightful comments, and I really, really enjoyed reading them.
I never even thought about the camera angle (duh).
Still, my body is my body and I like being comfortable in my skin even though, like some of you pointed out, this can change from day to day. So much of my confidence comes from having a strong body, because it makes me feel capable and un intimidated. But I realize this image of myself is not affected by flexed feet and weird legs. I love that many of you share your insecurities with me. It really makes me feel better knowing that these feelings are shared.
I think the main reason I love pole is that I am constantly impressed by what my body can DO. I try not to dwell too much about how it looks because, yes, we will always feel like we aren’t perfect. But I very much do still want to look good when I actually do see myself in the mirror, or, now, on film! It’s such a weird and seemingly contradictory place to be in. So of course I wonder if I am dwelling and obsessing over small things. Like, do I really need to buy a new exercise video or can I just get over myself?
I think it’s perfectly okay to set new goals when we are unhappy with what we see. There are things we can’t really change about ourselves and things we can. Like I can’t really change how my face itself looks but I can try to stop making weird strained facial expressions when I pole, due to increased awareness of the fact that I am doing it. And I can work on achieving the tone, flexibility, and muscular balance I want. I may always have my mother’s legs, and that’s fine. But they are going to be the best damn my-mother’s-legs that they can be!! (And dammit, I can sure as sugar stop flexing my freaking feet!)
So I know that, yes, film can be a great tool! I just had previously thought to myself, why do I need to film when I can FEEL what my body is doing!? But to me, my toes FELT pointed and my face felt normal, but I can clearly see in the video that I only pointed my toes once I got up into the pose, because I was totally unaware of my toes in midair due to the intense concentration on basic strength and balance required to get up and into the move in the first place. Wow! Pole is tougher than I thought! So much mental energy and body awareness required.
I guess I should think of you gals just like the girls in my pole classes: all shapes and sizes, all wearing our “pole skivvies”, many of us indeed grunting and sliding down to the ground like a hippo after nailing that last trick :), and none of us judging what the other one looks like, but all genuinely celebrating the others’ successes. I know that SV is like that and that all the feedback is super complimentary but can also be constructive if you ask for it. I just need a little time to…recover from the surprise of seeing myself and then record some videos that I DO feel good about and post them. I’m sure that eventually I will totally lose awareness of how I look and just post all kinds of videos. I know that here on SV people of all levels post, and I feel inspired by knowing that others struggle with certain moves and don’t look perfect, and also am inspired by the people who have worked hard for years and achieved an amazing level of strength, grace, and skill. And I just want to participate in that process and be able to show my struggles as well as successes instead of just being a voyeur. I am confident that I still will…just as soon as I recover from my first filming experience!!!!
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Wow, Runemist! Your response was incredibly thoughtful and articulate. I really enjoyed reading this post, although I am sorry that this situation happened.
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My pole is in my living room and I have to move some furniture to pole, but it’s not a huge problem. It’s not a ton of space but it works.
However, my boyfriend and I share the rental house with his two male friends. So I rarely pole in heels and feel awkward sometimes even wearing my sporty bra tops and short shorts around the “public” space in my house. It was one of my conditions for moving in that I had to be able to put up my pole and that the roommates had to consent to me running around in my “pole skivvies” 🙂 But that doesn’t mean I like being that exposed around my housemates and also, even when no one is home, I pole knowing that they might come home at any time (hence the not wearing heels or less sporty clothes), and my pole is basically right in front of the front door! Definitely less than ideal but eventually I plan to upgrade this situation so I can really explore the sensual side of pole and not just the sporty side.
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Here is a great tutorial on that move (see no-handed variation at end of video):
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ca_aS9EzpyYThe teddy spin is the same as the “no-handed back spiral” (aka no hands corkscrew) with a V leg variation.
Leigh Ann does an amazing version of this spin at 1:50 in this video:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2H8rmcEFXiY -
Also if you were able to show a video of yourself attempting this dismount, it might help everyone to give personalized suggestions..? Just a thought! Also I am curious about what the handspring dismount is 🙂
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I have this same problem and thought I would never get my CAR, or even a basic plank. But somehow, over time (not even that long!, I promise!), it happened. I don’t know if I simply built up more adductor strength in my legs, or I stopped sweating from nervousness as much, or I simply developed better and more consistent technique… So as hard as it is to do when you’re frustrated and feeling like you’re physically unable to do these moves, just keep trying.
Yes on the squeeze hard; yes on the turn legs in, and another thing that helps me is to turn the hips to the side — this makes it so that there is literally MORE leg making contact with the pole which results in better skin grip and also more of those muscles able to grip the pole and hold you up.
Occasionally I just have a bad grip day and then I use a dab of dry hands between my thighs in my little “gap” area, and this also helps a lot. I promise, just keep trying and you will eventually be consistent with it. Good luck!
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Right now I really like watching Marlo Fisken and Leigh Ann Diamond. But there are honestly SO many amazing dancers out there that it’s a bit overwhelming. I think it’s all about finding someone whose style you relate and aspire to at the moment.
And I am perhaps MORE inspired by everyone’s videos here on SV (I’m so sorry – I need to post some!), because seeing people from all over the spectrum, from first starting out and struggling, to seasoned competitors, is really awesome. Especially seeing some of the progress videos that y’all have made. Because sometimes watching my pole “idols” makes me feel like I can never achieve that level so why try — whereas watching all of you grow as dancers, with strength and fluidity and grace, is so so inspiring and makes me feel like I can do anything in pole if I keep working and putting in the time. I’m so grateful to Veena for creating this community!
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I’m no expert, but my understanding is that you need to have an over split to do standing splits (i.e. to use your muscles to pull legs apart into a split without the assistance of gravity and/or the floor). So train your over splits!!!
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I have an Xpole Xpert removable pole. It is pressure mounted (no holes to drill!), which is extremely sturdy and doesn’t leave any marks on the ceiling. In my experience, it does leave marks on the hardwood floor, but they polish away easily. I love my home pole and totally recommend this product.
I do recommend that people follow the instructions to take the Xpole down about once a month to take it apart and then reassemble. This is supposed to keep the parts from getting stuck together. I left the country for a few weeks and didn’t have time to do it before I left or after I got back (so it was up for 3-4 months straight), and one day when I was training, I went into a Reiko split, and the dome MOVED. Like, quite a bit. So I took it down and put it back together and it was sturdy again. I think the parts might just shift…somehow…over time, so be aware…? I have the 2013 model, by the way. I’m unsure how exactly the new model differs, so this might not be an issue.
As for shorts, I own a couple of Mika and I don’t even like them as much as I thought I would. I actually prefer the AMB side tie shorts. I bought them at a local dance store for $20 each. I know you can just google “AMB side tie shorts” and purchase them online, and I believe they’re even cheaper. They have a ton of different colors and adjust from having enough length to wear out and about to cinching way up and showing some cheek. They are also stretchier than Mika’s material and are much comfier. Love them.
Good luck!
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You want to eat carbs (low fat, low protein) before a workout — and a combination of protein and carbs after, to restore your muscles’ glycogen (carbohydrate) stores and to repair and rebuild the muscle.
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Anzia, I agree with Slkysmith: definitely make sure you get plenty of carbs and protein within 30 minutes of finishing a workout. This will replenish your muscles’ glycogen stores (energy!) so that your muscles can recover quickly. Otherwise you risk the overtraining symptoms you are exhibiting (being super tired during training sessions, sore, bruising). Also, make sure to eat something small before your training that is very high in carbs but low in protein and fat. A banana is perfect. This will keep your body going longer in training sessions before you fatigue. It is best to also eat small high carb snacks (like a small handful of dried fruit) during a long training session. And make sure you hydrate. About 20 oz of water right before you train and then about 2 oz every 10-15 min or so. Drink plenty of water afterward as well. Glycogen (main energy source) is carried and stored by water. Keep working, you’ll get it! But make sure to rest well also. You need one day of rest (light activity) for every heavy training day you have. Otherwise you will not have enough time for your muscles to replenish their glycogen stores. Do not overtrain. It will hurt rather than help you. Good luck!!!
