[Runemist34]

Hey Lazarenka!
I agree with Poleisnewtome: You seem to have a very distorted view of yourself!
Being able to get ANY spins within your first month, safely and consistently, is a big feat. When I was first starting, I did spins and I definitely should not have- my injured shoulder is testament to that! But, the other things I learned are a lot of other moves, things that you don’t necessarily need strength for, and things you don’t necessarily need any big dance background or anything for, either. They help get you used to moving around the pole, get you used to moving as a dancer, instead of just being athletic, or in my case, instead of not moving at all!
It’s taken me a LONG time to learn about being sexy, and the research and learning continues all the time. I’m still finding out what it is that makes things sexy to me, things that I love to see, and how to make them happen for myself. Getting past the beautiful, strong body types that are commonly shown in Pole dancing videos is also a big issue for me (I have many wobbly bits that I’m still a little insecure of showing off, which is why I post videos so infrequently).
So, what is sexy for one person is not sexy for another person. I really enjoy many Russian dancers for their flow and exotic nature: Eva Bembo is a big one for me! Some of her dances aren’t quite my style, but many of them push all the right buttons. And, while she is ridiculously strong and crazy flexible, I still feel like some of the moves and much of her style is accessible.

Alethea Austin is one of the big powerhouses of the Pole world. She has amazing DVD’s and a great sense of herself, she’s super strong, super flexible, and super sexy when she wants to be…
BUT, did you know it took her a few YEARS to achieve the splits? Have you thought about how long she’s been pole dancing in order to look as good as she is, and to do the moves that she does? These things take a long, long time.
A great way to look at is this: Most kids, when they learn to write, find it boring, cumbersome, and often, a little stupid. Some hate it. It’s a skill we all use as adults without thinking about it, whether we write by hand or on the computer, but when we first started out, it sucked!
Some of us learn to take it further than others. For me, I found writing very difficult at first… but, then I started writing and reading stories. It’s been over ten years of writing stories, and now I can say that I’m proud and comfortable with the work I do, of the stories I write. Sometimes I still struggle, I have a lot of “false starts” and issues, but… that’s human!
I wouldn’t be where I am with my writing today, though, without more than ten years of practice, almost nonstop, practice practice.

So, are you really going to look at yourself, and judge yourself against someone who eats, sleeps, and breathes Pole for YEARS next to your beginning?
Beginnings can be fun, you can learn a lot and you can grow and become strong! But, is it really going to be fun if you’re constantly pushing yourself, judging yourself, constantly looking at all the things you cannot do? Are you going to feel excited to touch your pole when all you get from your own self is “I suck because I can’t…”?

Sexiness, in it’s essence, is confidence. If you are confident with your pole, you can slink, slide, and slow down your movements. You can let that special someone see you- you can show off for them in ways that you may not be able to normally. You can wear the sexy pole wear and the heels and get into your flow, turn it on, and feel the music. I guarantee that confidence will make your special someone more turned on than a very-well-executed split, or a perfectly done spin.

Here’s a good example of something EVERYONE, even the very beginners, can do with some practice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtwMQPKF0BM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6t_kqFIvVI

Notice how they move slowly, how they allow people to look at them, to see what they look like, and to see that they are enjoying themselves. They touch their bodies. Much of the movement is simple, slow, and easy- nothing crazy.
You can always substitute spins you can’t do with spins you can do, and then work the floorwork into that.

At some point this week, I’m really wanting to get on the pole and just dance. I’m tempted to make a video for you of all the moves I know that are beginner level: there are nearly 50 of them. I have them all written down on an Excel spreadsheet!
If I do, I’ll post it up here and bug you to look at it! (It’s a busy week this week, so if I don’t get to do it this week, definitely next week!!)

[Runemist34]

Hey Macabre!
I think that it looks fine. In my case, I have very large hands (I could get my fingers completely around a 50mm) and it really never helped me at all! On my 45mm, the fact that my fingers are longer, and that my hands are large, hasn’t helped or hindered me in any way.
Mainly, what I’ve found, is strength to be an issue, rather than reach! My forearm strength has dwindled a bit since I stopped rock climbing, and without that, my grip strength has gone. I struggle sometimes, but I’ve been working hard to get the strength back.
You can purchase grip-strength, uh, strengtheners? They’re often at placed that sell climbing gear and such. Some look like rubber rings (that’s what I have) that you squeeze as hard as you can! Depending on where on your fingers you place it, the harder it gets- out toward your fingertips is hardest!
Also, for actually gripping the pole, I don’t find that I ever really try to grip it super hard all the way around. When I spin, most of the strength and grip comes from right around my main knuckles, and is created by the force I’m placing on my hands pressing outward away from the pole. No thumb required 😉 And, for anything split-grip, the “gun position” makes a lot of the finger wrap a moot point. Any kind of climbing or other things is more about what’s happening between thumb and other fingers, with your palm, instead of actual finger strength or grip.

So, I think you’ll be just fine working with the 45! Remember that, as a beginner, your grip strength will simply grow and get better! Be good to your forearms, and they’ll be good to you 🙂

[Runemist34]

Hey there!
It sounds to me like probably a tendon or very small muscle being pulled the wrong way, or strained somehow. Best thing to do is to ask your doctor- explain that you’re wishing to achieve the splits, and that you want to know about the pain and how to help it out.
You could also potentially see a physiotherapist.
Difficult to “diagnose” issues like these, and I would say that a health professional would be much more accurate and have fewer speculations as to what you could do.

[Runemist34]

I agree with Haloanne! Have never heard of a move called the “Guitar,” and because of that, I don’t know how advanced it is, or if it’s a spin, a pose, aerial or grounded, floorwork or inverted.
Maybe you could give us a description, and we could give you some pictures of what it might be? We can adjust from there 🙂

[Runemist34]

Ahh, I’m really sorry to hear that! I know how horrible it feels to have a strained hamstring!
My best advice is rest. DO NOT stretch that hamstring! Do your best to keep it relaxed, to be gentle with it, and just take it easy.
I know it’s really frustrating, but a hamstring injury can take a long time to heal. These are muscles we use every day, just to walk and to bend! Sitting used to be very aggravating for my hamstring- sometimes, it would ache no matter what I did! But, over time it settled down, and I can stretch them again.
Listen to your body- if it hurts, don’t do it! Your hamstring needs care, and giving it awesome care will help it heal a lot quicker!

[Runemist34]

Hey Mor Tom!
It sounds like you got into inverts very early into pole dancing- they require a lot of strength and skill to pull off properly without hurting yourself, and while some people can do it at 3 months, most don’t even start working on them till 6 months in.
That said, you mentioned you had them alright (hopefully with absolutely no jumping!), so I think this is a case of “lost move syndrome”!
If you search a bit around on the site, you’ll see that very many ladies, and guys, here have lost moves that they had solidly, even had them for YEARS, and then suddenly lost them! I even had that for a long time (sort of still do) with my cradle spin.
It sucks that the Basic Invert is the lost move, but… rest assured, it will come back!
Strength training the BI is usually a lot (and I mean a LOT) of core work! The side pole crunches in particular, but lots of other stuff can be used to help out. Planks I find really great for my core, and I also look up a lot of other core moves online, so you can see about those and find out which ones work best for you!
Also, for arm strength, just holding yourself up on the pole, doing pole climbs or other similar things.

Just be patient. It’s not a race! There’s no need to compare yourself 🙂

[Runemist34]

Hey there!
Welcome to the forums, I hope you have lots of fun here!
I think increasing strength and flexibility is the goal for pretty much every pole dancer: there are always bigger and stronger moves to do, there’s always the oversplits and a fabulous back bend to achieve, always something!
But it’s one of the things we love to do. Our journey in Pole dance keeps pushing us farther and higher, and we all love it here 😉

As for your popping hip, have you seen a doctor about it at all? Do you know why it pops? I would be wary to give any specific advice in case it’s something particularly bad, or something that may become more aggravated by more flexibility or strength training, too quickly. Always good to see your doctor if something is happening that you aren’t sure of, like bad pain or joints that don’t do what they should.

The 30 days Flexy is awesome, and Veena also has proper flexibility lessons for areas such as the lower body that you could try out, too!

Also, when it comes to tight hips (I’ve noticed a lot of women, myself included, have this issue) the trick is to be consistent, but also to go slowly. Pushing your hamstrings or other muscles too far can result in some very painful injury. I have done this, and it took me well over six months to heal it properly! I also lost a significant amount of flexibility- worse than I’d ever had.
Only recently have I really seen any results, and it’s because I’ve been super gentle, very consistent, and very careful. I only ever stretch when I’m warm (which is definitely something I had hammered home from Veena and the others here!) and often, I only do my flexibility training after a good workout.

Good luck!

[Runemist34]

Hey Lazarenka!
I agree with Phoenix Hunter- building strength for pole dancing, as well as becoming flexible, takes time. Lots of time!

But, I also want to ask… are you focused on the goal, or the journey?

One thing I’ve noticed with a lot of your posts is that you’re jumping in, all in, and while that is wonderful and I’m super glad you’re excited to really put your whole self into something you obviously love, it also seems like you aren’t really enjoying the time it takes, you’re not seeing this as a journey, but as a set of goals to be achieved. Once you have X number or certain moves under your belt, does that make you a great pole dancer? Once you can do the splits, does that make you sexy?
It’s similar to me with running. I look at my split times (how fast I’ve run for each kilometre), I look at my total time, and I think “I could have pushed harder.” I compare myself to my two runner friends (one of whom is my cousin) who have been running for AGES, and neither of them have any kind of knee issues… and I feel inadequate. I try to push harder, more, do more things, see what I’m missing and why I can’t get that 6 minute kilometre?!
But, the truth is, that this is a JOURNEY, and I need to relax and stop all this nonsense. Those two have been running for years longer than I have, and I DO have knee problems. That’s one of the big reasons why I run, in fact! If I settled in an enjoyed it, maybe I wouldn’t be where I am right now: Haven’t run more than twice in two weeks, my knees are getting worse (again), and I’ve plateaued at the place I am now. I feel awful, and I’m frustrated… but, I wouldn’t be so frustrated if I wasn’t focused only on the goals, only on the belief that I “should” be better.

You’ve “never met a physical challenge you couldn’t master,” which is very interesting to me! I’ve met thousands of physical challenges I couldn’t even start! Yet, you’re frustrated, you’re getting upset. You’re pushing so hard on this… are you enjoying it?
Maybe checking in with yourself and your expectations would be really good. I mean, pole dancing is extremely physical, seriously needing in strength, and flexibility training takes huge amounts of time. The splits do not come easily for most of us- even after years of stretching.
So, what are your goals? Where are your expectations? Are they reasonable? Like, honestly reasonable, considering the fact that building muscle takes time and effort, consistency, and that the same thing goes for flexibility? And, I’m talking all of that over YEARS, not months. Years.
Good time to check in with yourself. This may be one challenge that you may just have to buckle down and enjoy the road, instead of that sweet rush of nailing a move.

[Runemist34]

A studio can generally charge whatever it wants- I’ve seen prices as low as $60 for a half-hour, or as high as $150 for an hour. They generally sit around those ranges, though. Most studios I’ve seen like to give about an hour for a class, but will sometimes do shorter or longer classes, too.
So, I would say it very much depends on your local studios, and whether you would like to go to them.

If you mean lessons on SV, then… well, there is no “studio” specifically, as we all learn from the videos and practice at home! Our homes are our studios, and our poles are placed all over the world.
The lessons here are about $100 per year.
You can try them out for three days to see if you like them by using the code GET3FREE in your account.

Good luck! And hope the beginning of your pole journey is awesome!

[Runemist34]

Hey Jenn1989!
I had chronic knee pain since I was 14- I only recently stopped being in chronic pain this year, since starting my running.
However, this is not necessarily the course I would suggest for you.
Knee pain can be caused by so many issues. For me, it was a muscle imbalance that resulted in my kneecap not being able to sit correctly. For others, it can be issues with tendons or ligaments, with fluid, with bones.
I would suggest going to the doctor and getting a proper diagnosis (if you don’t have one already). It’s always very important to be careful with joints, and to find out if pushing them more will hurt or hinder their health.
For me, because I had a muscle imbalance, strengthening the muscles was most important. I saw a physiotherapist for a while, and did a lot of exercises.
However, with other issues, putting more weight and strain on the muscles may actually cause greater damage to your knees. More movement might aggravate the issue.

With a proper diagnosis, you’ll know what to do, and hopefully, your doctor will be able to give you proper treatment information.

[Runemist34]

Hey there!
I know that, for me, I become severely anemic during my cycle. I’m anemic anyways, which is why I take a supplement (Carnation Instant Breakfast!), but during my cycle it becomes worse because of all the nutrient loss through the blood. It can take a big toll on the body!
And, sometimes I have very tired core muscles. My lower back, in particular, works hard and constantly during that process and can become weak and tired very easily.
So, I still do try to keep up with my exercise, but I tend to sleep a lot during that time, and feel sluggish and unmotivated.

I will also point out (there was a thread about this somewhere on the forum!) that our pain tolerance is often lower closer to our cycle, so this can also be a discouraging factor in pole dancing.

[Runemist34]

I feel very lucky that everything worked out for me in getting my beautiful SV pole- so rarely do I get to buy things like that, and I’m often late when it comes to limited time offers! I love my pole 🙂

[Runemist34]

Looks similar to a reverse sunwheel spin (I’ve seen it called that somewhere, I think youtube) with just a bit more curve to the back, and extended legs.
The half spin/swing dip really helps to gain momentum!

[Runemist34]

Unfortunately, I can’t think of any way to do that with a pole. The way she is continuing her movement is by being directly under the focal point of her spin, and by his help with keeping her momentum up.
I would think the closest you would get would require a LOT of hand switching and some truly impressive co-ordination. I know for sure I’d bang my head trying. 😉

[Runemist34]

I don’t place a lot of importance on the poles at a studio- heck, usually I don’t even know what they have before I get there!
The two places that used to be here both had Lil mynx stainless steel, and while my own SS was pretty slippy at home, they always seemed perfectly grippy at the studio! And, I’m not a big stickler for size- I’ve got big hands, so I can grip nearly any size pole!
And, should I learn something while visiting a studio briefly, I can always practice it at home on my powder coated pole, which has endless grip, most of the time!
When I went to Iceland, and danced on the poles at Erial Pole, I had never actually touched a spinning pole before. Boy, was that a crazy ride! But, again, I didn’t know what they had when I got there- I actually don’t even know what they have right now! I just knew that they spin, and that they were a little bit smaller than I was used to.

It sounds like a great way to test out going to a studio though! I hope that everything works out well for you. You never know, you might love the poles there, even if you don’t love them anywhere else!

[Runemist34]

“I am definitely on the first DVD, just the second lesson! I should be progressing past that!!”
You WILL do so. Eventually!
Please remember that a lot of people don’t even invert in the first few months of pole dancing! I hear, usually, that most people begin to work on spins around the second or third month, and then on inversions around the sixth month. PLEASE take your time with this!
I know how super exciting it can be to get lots of moves, to feel the thrill of getting a new move, to feel like you “should” be feeling stronger, but Pole dancing uses a lot more muscles, and a lot of different skills, than almost any other sport.

For reference, I’ve been poling for 6 years, and I’m not really strong enough to invert. I’ve had my ups and downs, I’ve had my times off, but I am not unhappy. I love pole dancing, and I progress at my own pace! I’ve been doing more recently, and I hope to start properly inverting by the end of the year… but, seriously? These things take time for everyone.

[Runemist34]

Hey there!
I am solidly NOT flexible, and have actually damaged my hamstrings trying SO hard to stretch them!
We actually have another thread here on the forum for us to post progress pictures, to cheer each other on, and to share tips and tricks and ideas, what works for us and what doesn’t.
It’s right here: https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/54888e4d-b880-4691-b910-32640a9aa0eb#bottom

The splits can take YEARS. Alethea Austin talks about her own journey to the splits- I think she said three or five years for her?
For some, very lucky, other people, it only takes months. But, I think those people are few and far between, and most of us have to take our time (seriously, take that time!), be patient, gentle, and stretch when we are seriously very warm, and listen to our bodies carefully. An injury from stretching is NOT FUN. I was out for about six months straight from my hamstrings, and that was just a few attempts at stretching too far when I wasn’t listening to my body.

[Runemist34]

Hey Lazarenka!
I just want to say this: The Art of Pole DVD’s (By Jamilla DeVille) are fantastic, but you should definitely be working on the very first one! The second follows up on the skills you learn in the first, and they both give a lot of very important conditioning moves that are even still difficult for me!
However, Felix Cane’s DVDs are… not quite so “beginner.” I have them, I am a HUGE fan of Felix, but I don’t think the moves she considers to be “beginner” moves are very achievable by someone at the beginner level without a dance background. Felix had grown up dancing, and had a huge leg up on pole- she won the Australian Pole competition six months after starting pole. So… I wouldn’t necessarily listen to her progressions!

Most other pole DVD’s are like Felix’s, and have wildly unrealistic ideas of what a beginner can do. The Polepeople DVD’s (sometimes also called The Art of Poledancing) are like this, as in the “beginner to intermediate” DVD, their first one, includes things like inversions and very difficult spins.

I love Jamilla’s lessons, and I would say that they are on-par with the ones here on SV. They aren’t evolving like Veena’s, but they are clear and strong, and don’t move too quickly, and they have great instruction.

I hope your pole gets figured out so you don’t have to deal with those screws! And take your time with pole dancing. You’ll get there, and it’ll be so much better to get there when you’re strong enough!

[Runemist34]

Hey lazarenka!
Strong hands is definitely a plus, but a lot of those holds and spins take a lot more than grip strength!
Chrome is definitely a type of pole finish that you really need to warm up, and you have to be warm as well, in order to get proper grip! Things like humidity and ambient heat can also affect your grip. Many people on here recommend using grip aid, and it might be a good idea if you find your pole is super slippy all the time. Definitely make sure you’re warming up both yourself and the pole, though!
As for those holds specifically, as I said, it takes a lot more than grip strength! Things like the split grip is very tricky, and you need a lot more strength and awareness in your lats, shoulders, and upper arms in order to do it safely (as well as proper hand positioning, to keep your wrists safe!!).
For moves like the chair, for example, pulling down with your lat and your shoulder is really important so that you aren’t putting all your weight on the small stabilizer muscles in your shoulders, because they can’t really take that kind of punishment. If you’re new to the grip, too, it takes some time to get used to- sometimes you’ll slide right off, and sometimes you grip too much! Momentum is also something to take into consideration, as it can change how you hold, and how well you hold.
And neither the Hollywood nor the Chair are beginner moves.

As for the bolts that stick out, what happens if you tighten them? This sounds dangerous, and hopefully they aren’t some kind of factory defect. I wouldn’t dance on a pole with things sticking out! I’d cut up my legs something fierce!

[Runemist34]

Hi Nina!
Glad to have you here- this is an awesome and super supportive community, and has a lot of knowledge and encouragement to give! Veena’s lessons here are also excellent! She has a 30 day takeoff that helps with getting a proper workout routine and habit going, and orders all her moves in order of difficulty. Many other people will point to things like a basic invert as a “beginner move,” which it really isn’t! I’ve found Veena’s lessons to be very true to my own progression, and I’ve seen lots of others have the same experience. You can always take a look at how they’re ordered even if you aren’t subscribed… and, she also has a 3 day free trial with the code GET3FREE if you want to check them out 😉
Sorry, I’m sounding like an infomercial!
I’ve been poling for about 6 years now- I’m certainly not as good as you might expect! I’ve had my own challenges with my pole journey, though, and have only recently been creating a solid and enjoyable habit, with proper support and encouragement from the people now in my life. I’m still a beginner, but I’m happy 🙂
I’ve also been on here with Studio Veena for like… I dunno, 5ish years? haha, long time!

This place has been the best for me 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!

[Runemist34]

Hey Catmoves!
So, I have a powder-coated pole, and in my home climate (very humid, quite warm in the summer), it gets super grippy. Like, I’ve come off the pole with my thighs burning like mad because of it!

The best I can suggest for this is to work on other moves while your pole is super grippy- take advantage of the ridiculous grip to practice things you may not normally do when your pole is “iffy grip” status. If you have a spin mode, get that going because it’s a great time to practice your spin mode! If not, you can still work on lots of other things. I even do climbing drills (my pole isn’t tall enough to climb up more than once) where I just stick on and lift, and lower, lift, and lower. Sure does work!

I know it can be really frustrating when the moves you’re working on are all movement-oriented, though. I don’t necessarily have a solution, I just decided to diversify and make sure I had a variety of moves to work on, whether my pole was crazy-grippy or not. 😉

[Runemist34]

Hey lazarenka!
Those spins were difficult for me for a long time, too… and I no longer have any classes in my town to turn to. I’ve not been going to lessons for most of my pole journey!
So, first of all… many “Beginner” DVD’s that I’ve seen in the Pole world don’t really have the same idea of what a Beginner move is. The Pole People one I saw puts the Chopper as a Beginner move- I mean, REALLY? That’s a very intermediate move. I’ve seen others with one-handed spins, I’ve seen lots with very poor instruction.
So, don’t put too much stock in a lot of the moves shown being “beginner” moves. You can always take a look at how Veena places her lessons, as they’re in order of difficulty. I’ve found her method and her ordering to be quite true for me in progression, and I know it’s true for many other people, too.

However, as for those particular moves, I’ll say this: Momentum is tough. Appropriate swinging of legs, at the right time, is what will really get you around the pole in those moves. BUT, being strong enough to hold yourself up, with the momentum and everything, is something that comes with time! Using your lats to pull your shoulders down and protect the smaller stabilizer muscles is really key, and I’ve found that sometimes I can forget, and do myself some damage. So, please be careful!

For going upside down, you can purchase crash mats (some are really awesome, too!) to put around your pole. You can take it slow, be really careful about NEVER jumping into any move, and just see how you feel as you get into those moves. Pole dancing when you have no one around, I’ve found, requires a huge amount of body awareness and trust- you can do it! It just takes time, openness, and strength!

Posting on here with any of your questions is also super good. No question is stupid! We would all rather you asked “Hey, am I doing this right?” and post a video, than not and accidentally hurt yourself with a repeated injury!

And… flexibility requires a constant practice. Check out the Splits for Christmas 2015 thread for some tips (lots of pictures to scroll through, but we’re also all talking about HOW to get more flexible!) and as you add that into your routine, you will see slow, steady results 🙂

[Runemist34]

Breaking down that video… isn’t easy!
So, what I’m seeing is a buildup of momentum through the longer walking steps, into a “pencil spin” with open legs (when she’s facing directly forward into the pole, like a pull up, with spinning and open legs). One hand high, one lower.
And then, she turns and goes into a back hook spin, which would be the first thing to practice. This is partly facilitated by her hand placement, as well.
THEN it gets tricky- her knee stays in place, but she brings it up into her chest, and points her outside foot up toward the walls around her, rather than the floor.
Bringing hands down (by going top hand down so that it is just under her hooked knee, and then next hand), which allows that straight leg to begin pointing more upward. From here, it’s a quick re-adjustment of body and opening of legs, into a chopper.
And then the ground.

Hopefully that helps, Newschik 🙂

[Runemist34]

I totally agree with poleisnewtome! Not just abs, but your whole core is what really makes the difference for getting your legs and hips up and over. The chopper and V-invert are nothing to sneeze at- they take HUGE amounts of control and strength! Huge!
Can you do a totally controlled and slow basic invert or tuck invert? Have you tried (this one always kills me) a V-sit up on the pole (like, go into CAR or CKR, and then just leg go with your hands without allowing yourself to lay back- just stay up, stare at your legs or feet)? How are your hip flexors, too?

Having tight hamstrings is pretty common, I’m noticing. Mine are also super tight! Try to stretch them often, but don’t push it too hard. They’ll loosen in their time! I never used to get even close to the ground (I couldn’t even put my hands on my knees unless I bent with my back, too), but now I’m almost all the way down! It’s possible 🙂

I actually found that doing the plough was really helpful, even if it wasn’t super controlled for a while. That, and Veena’s exercises from the 30 Day Ab challenge! That one is free, so check it out!!

[Runemist34]

Hey Dizzykitty!
The Pussycat Pole has been talked about here on the forum before, but it was several years ago.
https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/5037019e-2320-405f-bfb7-30810ac37250

It looks like they had good reviews from the Veeners that had them and tried them. I’m hoping that they have the same craftsmanship that they did then, and that it works out for you!