[PoleSkivvies]

My stepdaughter loves playing on the pole – she’s 10. It’s all freeform and her mom and dad are totally cool about it. In fact, she gave her mom a special performance just the other week – lots of spinning and twirling and jumping around, which she loves! She’s even started asking me about teaching her some spins, but I know she’s not ready yet to really think about how she’s holding her body, so I don’t want to teach her anything much right now. But even as I write that, I realize I could teach her a grounded toe spin and that would be very pretty. I am just not qualified to teach, and I certainly don’t want her to get the shoulder problems I’ve had since starting pole.

Not to hijack here, but how do you all teach your kids to pole safely? I stress no lotion, using the level, and keeping the pole clean. What else would you recommend?

[PoleSkivvies]

I’ve been working on stretching for splits a lot lately, too. It’s definitely improving – plus, the added benefit is that I find my legs are less sore at the end of the day (since I’m at a computer so much).

One other thing I’d add, though, is massage. Sometimes that’s the only way to really loosen up knots or soothe tight muscles. It helps me a lot – even if I usually just get one from my boyfriend and not a professional massage therapist. I figure there’s got to be a reason why professional gymnasts get massages, right?

[PoleSkivvies]

I’m no expert on this, but it seems to me that sometimes the wrong butt position can masquerade as poor hip flexibility. In the boomerang, for instance, when I let my butt go out from its usual tuck (so it goes back a bit), my legs can come up much higher.

[PoleSkivvies]

If I think of them as gorgeous permanent brass poles (sigh), I’d consider myself a Carmen Electra pole!

Yogabeachbabe, if you’re a Carmen Electra, then I’m a Peekaboo! But I aspire to be a Titanium Gold X! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

Glad you liked the interview – Charley caught that I hadn’t posted contestant info, so that link is now there, too. I’m really excited to see what they do with the show.

[PoleSkivvies]

Oops, what happened to the link in my last post? It got all code-y.

I’ll try again:

http://poleskivvies.com/2009/09/vertical-pole-challenge/

[PoleSkivvies]

Hey all –

I just posted an interview with Vertical Pole Challenge’s exec producer, so it gives all the details – how the show came about, what the judging criteria are, and so forth.

And, Jungle_Cat, men ARE welcome to participate!! (I asked especially for you!)

Here’s the link: http://poleskivvies.com/2009/09/vertical-pole-challenge/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jennifer

[PoleSkivvies]

Yea, I was wondering that, too. It sounds so fun!

[PoleSkivvies]

I don’t know the details of this study, but my masters is in epidemiology (the study of creating health trials), and it is common practice to terminate a study early, if the early results show very clearly that the exercise (or drug) is either significantly helping or significantly harming the study participants.

The line of when to stop the trial varies by what is being studied and what harm is being caused, but it is considered unethical to continue a trial once it is already clearly showing that using it – or, in this case – not using it is causing harm. It looks like that was why it was terminated in this case – because those using the exercise were being helped in such strong statistical numbers over those not using it.

I only read the article, not the study result itself, but the fact of its termination in this circumstance is not a red flag.

[PoleSkivvies]

Glad you thought it was useful – I’m going to have to start incorporating it into my workout, too. My tendons hate me sometimes. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[PoleSkivvies]

With your background, have you considered getting a pole and just getting the occasional private lesson to check your posture and teach you the advanced stuff?

PoleCat Power and Yannori are both excellent – tricks and sexy stuff, both, plus lots of safety training. I hear S Factor is good, but less about the tricks.

[PoleSkivvies]

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but, with regard to mats, is there any reason why we couldn’t just buy a regular gymnastic mat and cut a hole in it?

Of course, when I look at gymnastics mats online, they are really pricey, too ..

[PoleSkivvies]

I just love that your dad knew about X-Poles! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[PoleSkivvies]

Congratulations, girl! What a ton of fun – and great pics, too!

[PoleSkivvies]

Some great pole instructors have trained with her, so I am really excited about anything she puts out – plus she goes into the dancing so much in this one, I just had to have it – cannot wait until it arrives! Plus it’s only the first of a whole series she’s putting out this year – so more to come. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

Jennifer

P.S. Glad you saw the interview on my site – thanks for coming by, Angel!

[PoleSkivvies]

I love this series – Jamilla is fantastic!