[PoleWarrior]

Ooh yes great idea!

[PoleWarrior]

Arena pole is a fair way out of the city, but is run by the amazing Fontaine Bradbury who is a well known Aussie pole dancer. Her tricks and combinations are unique and up to date. The poles themselves are spinning 42mm and about 2.5m high.

[PoleWarrior]

I think skittles has one on youtube or on her facebook page, which I found helpful.

Fonji is mostly about commitment to the trick – you have to commit to flipping over!
What I found the most helpful though was watching other peoples attempts as it put my mind at ease about what would happen if I failed the trick. Dirdy birdy has a long video showing her attempts and success.

[PoleWarrior]

Ooh where can I get cera ve? Thanks so much for all the tips!

[PoleWarrior]

Thanks I think I’ll try both!

[PoleWarrior]

If you do change careers, please keep in mind that its OK to admit if it doesn’t work out.

I changed careers last year and spent the whole of last year miserable.I felt like I had to stick to my decision after taking such a huge plunge. It took me all that time to admit firstly to myself that I was unhappy then to everyone else.

Luckily I managed to get back into my original industry. Its a bit annoying to have on my cv, but at least I tried…

[PoleWarrior]

Thats an excellent point about balance elektra thank you! Perhaps I’ll try an elbow grip to cup iron x as prep first

[PoleWarrior]

Do you think its more of a commitment/momentum issue than a strength issue? I found fonji didn’t take as much strength as Ithought, but commitment to getting over the fear!

[PoleWarrior]

Thats the one Krysten!

Thanks for the tip Amy. I think I do tend to drop my legs on the last swing, when I should really try to push out. I wonder if its also a timing thing? I can’t figure out when I should turn to the ceiling

[PoleWarrior]

I think Felix has hyper extended legs though her whole body probably is. If you have hyper extended legs, you might need to take a bit more care stretching and strengthening. This article is quite useful: http://www.pointemagazine.com/issues/december-2011january-2012/your-best-body-beyond-hype

Do your knees hurt when they’re over splitting?

[PoleWarrior]

Thanks for that! I’ll give them all a go!

[PoleWarrior]

I had the same problem so I switched my cradle around to get my good split on top. The trick is to keep as horizontal in your cradle as possible while you straighten your bottom leg. You can either keep your bottom hand on the pole or you can put your hand on your straightened leg. In that position you should be able to rotate up. If you fall out, catch yourself in Scorpio. Thats probably a good way to prep the trick too

[PoleWarrior]

Oh how annoying of them to rotate it like that – it looks like such a cool trick! I have seen the trick done with 1 leg hooked on though so that might be something new to try

[PoleWarrior]

My instructor called this 'cuddle grip' haha! You really have to get the pole right in between your boobs and literally cuddle your arms around your body as hard as you can. For prep, you could start by letting one leg off the pole so you're in something like a butterfly with a cuddel grip.Then see how you go with both legs off.

[PoleWarrior]

Iron x has a lot to do with strength and positioning. Imagine you’re lying down on the ground in an x. Rather than everything being flat on the ground, imagine that your tummy is tucked with no gap under your back and that your arms and legs are slightly raised. On the pole, Jenyne butterfly taught us to get into an extended butterfly with a twisted grip. Lower your free leg down towards the pole as if you’re going down into a center split on pole but don’t place your ankle on. Instead let it hover there and slowly release your top foot. For strengthening, you could always try lowering down slowly from a handspring or aysha.

[PoleWarrior]

Iron x has a lot to do with strength and positioning. Imagine you’re lying down on the ground in an x. Rather than everything being flat on the ground, imagine that your tummy is tucked with no gap under your back and that your arms and legs are slightly raised. On the pole, Jenyne butterfly taught us to get into an extended butterfly with a twisted grip. Lower your free leg down towards the pole as if you’re going down into a center split on pole but don’t place your ankle on. Instead let it hover there and slowly release your top foot. For strengthening, you could always try lowering down slowly from a handspring or aysha.

[PoleWarrior]

Thanks for sharing everyone. It would be ideal if I could instruct and continue to train somewhere else, but the prospective owner has told me explicitly that wasn't an option. She was concerned about how it might look to her existing students that other instructors train somewhere else. Given that and considering chemgoddess' warning, I don't think it's the right place for me. I'd love to continue to grow as a dancer and this studio doesn't offer that.

Chemgoddess you were spot on about instructing inhibiting my own pole growth. I would love to teach pole, but I still love being a student too. I don't know how some people manage the two while maintaining a full time job? Perhaps another discussion though..!

[PoleWarrior]

Thanks so much for the replies. It's been causing me a bit of angst, but at least now I know that others would feel the same.

I have previously enquired about instructing at the studio I train at, but as is the usual case with these things, I was passed up for someone else with more experience.

Unfortunately pole dance studios here are quite competitive and exclusivity clauses are commonplace. It's a bit sad it's that it's like that – I'm not sure if the same restrictions apply for other dance instructors? I wouldn't be able to train or instruct anywhere else, which might inhibit my own learning in pole. What would you guys do?

[PoleWarrior]

Hi ladies just wanted to get your opinions about something thats causing me some discomfort. I’ve been learning pole at a particular studio for close to 5 years now and have since made some fabulous friendships with both the students and the instructors. However, Another studio has offered me an instructor job. I feel like I’m betraying my studio if I take the job. I also wouldn’t be able to see my friends and train with the instructors there anymore. Is it normal to feel this way? What would you do? Thanks! X

[PoleWarrior]

Could not agree more with practicing to train muscle memory. I did this for about 3 months for my competition. On the night I didn’t even have to think about my next trick. Instead I concentrated on my facial expressions and connecting with the audience to really make it a complete performance. I won too! Good luck! 🙂

[PoleWarrior]

I was the same so I just learnt to invert my weak side. Its good to even out both sides anyway.

Also particularly came in handy for Russian/oona splits as that required an invert on my bad side to get my flexible leg on the pole 🙂

[PoleWarrior]

Wow thanks so much for the responses. I'm flexible, but no contortionist, so this trick is definitely a long term committment! I can do oversplits and my back is reasonably bendy, but I feel like I've plateaued. Any tips to ramp it up a bit? Would adding some weights help? I stretch at home alone, so unfortunatley I can't get anyone to push me https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif

[PoleWarrior]

@

I can do a regular Jade, but I just want to try a variation. And I think the Jade to Allegra without the Scorpion is a pretty transition… If I can only get that arm free!

Thanks for tips ladies. I think when I do the regular Jade, I twist into the pole a bit to try and get my top leg further down towards my face. But with this Jade, should I try to turn away from the pole, but still try to pull my leg down? Will I still get a flat split?

[PoleWarrior]

Thanks for the tips ladies. Just to be clear – if I've got my pole behind my right shoulder, then my right hand would be on the bottom?

When you flip, does your face turn towards the pole? I can shoulder mount 'bounce' fine, but I cant flip over cos I feel like I'm going to hit my face on the pole if I turn! Are there any baby steps to this? 

[PoleWarrior]

I had my first comp recently, so I know all about your worries! Aside from the usual grip aids, hairspray etc,  I dealt with it by identifying the tricks in my routine that needed the most grip and I made up a 'Plan B' sequence for the music in case I felt it wasnt safe to perform the trick combination.

I actually ended up using it too, because the poles felt disgusting and there was no way I was going to stick to them. It also helps to know your music inside out so you can freestyle a bit if you abort one of your tricks (which I also had to do)!