Runemist34
Forum Replies Created
-
Pole CAN be a cardio workout, depending on how it’s done. If you’re moving quickly, and your heart rate is higher for an extended period of time (longer than 20 minutes), then yes, you’ll be doing a cardio workout!
Personally, I look at pole as more strength training- I don’t often get a good, fast heartbeat for a continuous amount of time when I work on moves for pole.
I do understand gauging your weight based on clothing! Your body may be changing due to an increase of muscle, so a belt may be “fighting” with your new, fantastic core muscles! I know my clothes don’t fit well on my arms- women’s clothes are definitely not made for beefy arms! -
This is actually very common.
“Weight” is usually what we say when we refer to the amount of fat on our bodies, but it is also intrinsically linked to the number we see on the scale. This, unfortunately, is quite incorrect!
Since beginning running last April, I’ve gone from 175 lbs to 205 lbs, but I’ve not gained any more fat on my body- on the contrary, I’ve lost some, though not all of it (I’m not particularly interested in “losing weight,” I simply want to be healthier and stronger!).
The loss of fat is difficult for the body. You require at LEAST 20 minutes of cardio exercise in order to burn fat (the presence of oxygen and heat is necessary, and more oxygen in the blood than resting, especially). Your body will do it’s very best to keep that fat, too. I’ve gone through random cramps, huge amounts of psychological warfare, and even the need to go to the bathroom when I don’t need to, all from my body not wanting to lose the fat!
However, losing fat is also a long-game sort of thing. It doesn’t happen quickly, and for women, we require a certain amount of fat in order to be healthy.
So, I would say that you’re seeing a lot of muscle gain, and likely less fat gain, when it comes to the weight of each. You could gain a little bit of muscle all over (lets say you gained muscle in your arms, shoulders, and back), and the same VOLUME of fat from wherever on your body… but your scale will say that you are “heavier” by number.I wouldn’t worry about it too much! It sounds like you’re doing really well, and have some great goals for wanting to teach and compete 🙂
-
Hey there!
I’ve had a total of three cats around my pole- I never take it down. Whether powder coated or stainless steel, none of them have ever shown it much interest.
I don’t think a cat’s claws would be able to scratch the pole, especially considering I don’t think they would be able to get the kind of hook onto it in order to exert much force. Cats have most force when pulling down, and when reaching upward, pulling down also requires leaning into the thing, and given that chrome is often fairly slippery, they wouldn’t be able to lean into it in order to get the force to pull down.
Also, the only thing that has ever scratched any f my poles is metal. They’ve had fingernails, wood, furniture, and other things crash into them by accident, and not a mark was left. Only metal 😉 -
I pole in my bedroom, and though it may be a large bedroom, it has the challenge of also housing my queen-sized bed, a dresser, a huge bookshelf, and a desk… and there are only so many configurations that can be done with all these pieces, due to window and closet and such.
So, my pole space is smaller than ideal. I can’t fully extend when doing a lot of spins, and trying to find space to practice splits is a study in diagonals.
However, I have had smaller. I’ve poled once in my kitchen, which at the time was barely large enough for two people, but also had a large kitchen table in it, with four chairs. I had to move the furniture when I wanted to dance.
I’ve also poled in computer rooms, living rooms, and a downstairs seating area (my parents house, they never used that space).
So, yes, I think it’s entirely possible to work on pole dancing in smaller spaces… it may not be ideal, but it may also bring out a certain kind of creativity. -
That actually sounds a lot easier! Thank you for the tip 😉 I’ll have to find a place to set up my computer that will see me on the floor- even with the furniture moved around, my huge bed still takes up a lot of the space 😉 But, I’ll work on it!
-
Okay! I finally got some pictures of my current state with the splits. Getting the middle splits was difficult, as usually when I’m training them I’m sitting down. My legs are slightly too long for my yoga mat, and carpet+sweaty feet = overextension, which hurts like crazy! I’ll figure out a better method as I go (or just get my middle splits, and then I won’t have to worry about it!)
-
Hey Mermaid21!
Yes, you should definitely find the stud in your ceiling. Most, if not all the poles I know of use pressure to stay up and withstand our using them, and that pressure is placed into the ceiling and the floor. Without a stud above the pole, you risk the pole breaking through the ceiling (or cracking it, at the very least), or simply coming down while you are using it. If you know people who have chosen not to find a stud, and are steadfast in this decision, my recommendation would be not to use their poles.
I’m not quite sure what you mean by “aggressive moves,” though hopefully you’ll be doing them on a reputable pole, and well within your physical limits so as not to cause injury.
That said, easiest way to find a stud is a stud finder, often purchased at any local hardware store. They’re usually fairly cheap, and do work through most surfaces (such as stucco and drywall).
Otherwise, you can find a nearby light fixture, and remove the assembly down to the wires coming out (don’t remove those!), and then either look through or feel through to find a beam. If it’s a newer house or apartment, these are often about 16 inches apart (as far as I recall, though I don’t know about building code in your area), and all run in the same direction. If you locate one that way, your safest bet is to actually use the stud you have located there.
Some houses are… not new, and are not built to the same code, so things get tricky!The only exception I have found to the “must find a stud” rule is when I was in a VERY old house, and the entire ceiling was made up of thick wood and plaster- no drywall. The thing could have withstood a bomb. I still insisted on locating a stud, but it wouldn’t have made a difference, really.
-
Hey there!
I’m also around a similar level, and generally do all of my workout and dancing at home.
My current schedule is running three days a week, and pole three days a week- I do my best to make sure I have two rest days, because that’s super important! I don’t get stronger without rest days.
Running aside (it’s my main leg workout, and all my cardio workout, but it’s fairly straightforward), my pole workouts consist of warm up dancing, which is grounded at this point (I don’t want to stress any of my muscles or joints before they’re warm, so I stick to floorwork, general dancing, and very, very easy tricks). Then, I will transition to working on my chosen trick for that time- right now, I’m working on the Apprentice, or Thigh rest. I will do about five to ten on each side, holding for as long as possible, and trying to get my foot as high as possible. I take short breaks in between each couple of attempts, to have water, and consider what it is I’m doing right or wrong.
Then I do my strength training. Right now, I’m working a lot on my core, and trying to bring my upper body into it as well. So, I’ve found a lot of great workout videos around the internet (Veena has some great ones here on the website, too!), and if I don’t feel like those, I’ll just do my own routine, making sure to get all the muscles I can think of at the time!
Then I work on my flexibility, as I would love to increase that this year, and perhaps achieve my splits sometime in the next few years.
I do have dumbbell weights, but they aren’t much. 5-7 lbs is all I’m using right now. They’re mostly just for my arm workouts.The pole itself can be a huge help in increasing strength, not just by learning tricks, but as an apparatus to facilitate certain movements. You can check out the Ab Challenge we have hanging around here- the exercises Veena came up with for it are actually put up on Youtube, so you can see them without a subscription.
Hopefully that helps!
-
I just got a chair for dancing on (and also use for my desk, but that’s obviously secondary) and I’m excited to work on it! Mine is a metal folding chair, but it has some small amount of padding on the seat and back rest- I realize that is sort of like poling with heels and carpet, but… I’ll figure it out 🙂
-
I’m also really sorry to hear that this is happening- it’s really hard when there’s competition that you simply don’t want to participate in!
I would also recommend going for the intermediate classes- you never know. There will likely be new people, new challenges, and if nothing else, you’ll get better and stronger at what you love to do.
When it comes to people whispering and eye-rolling, the unfortunate thing is that you probably don’t want to be friends with those people at all… but I understand you want to be friends with SOME people!
If there are any other studios nearby, you can always try those, as well. I find that much of the competitive nature is either nurtured or destroyed by the atmosphere of the studio itself. Some of them might not notice or care, and if there are people creating that unfortunate precedent, it’s not going to go away with that group, because by omitting any kind of discouragement, they are being “encouraged” to act that way. Other studios will talk about competition, and the fact that some people have different backgrounds, different journey’s, and that we’re all equal, and all have something to give to the others.The latter is what I see here on SV very often, and it’s wonderful that it has continued for so long. I hope you can find a place in person that is similar 🙂
-
It’ll be a great way to force me to start working on them, anyways! I like the mix of levels, I think it gives us a lot of variety, keeping the challenge as a “challenge.”
-
This looks great! I’m not sure that I’ll be able to do all of these moves (I sure haven’t worked on, let alone perfected, my shoulder stands), but the challenge looks… like a challenge!
-
LisaKristin- I would say that your knee issue is the more pressing one. Do you know if it’s going to be a permanent injury, or one that can be treated with appropriate exercise? It’s really unfortunate when you have a problem like that and it keeps you from what you love.
When it comes to pregnancy, it’s… similar to the “fitness industry,” in that you’ll get all sorts of advice, ideas about what you should and should not do, what works for some people and what works for others… and it gets very confusing.
Traditionally, women are expected to become sedentary when pregnant. In fact, you can see this expressed in the Disney movie, Lady and the Tramp. The woman becomes pregnant, and can’t even touch the dog, let alone go for walks, or do house chores. This is why most women (and men, and some doctors) are so appalled by someone doing anything strenuous when pregnant- we’re conditioned to believe that said strain on the woman’s body would place strain on the baby.
I don’t know that there is any evidence supporting or refuting this. I intend to, eventually, look it up and see if there are actually any scientific studies on this. As I get closer to having my own children, the subject has become one of interest.
As I said, there will be a multitude of different opinions and beliefs around what you should and should not do while pregnant.
Best thing to do would be to listen to your doctor (as they have the most up-to-date information, as best as we can have it at this time), and listen to your body.
I hope you feel better soon, especially with that knee! -
Curiously, I’ve found sort of the opposite with running- but perhaps that’s because I have a really good stretch after each run! I’m closer to my splits than I have ever been (which isn’t that close if compared to others 😉 ), and I think a big part of it is that, when I run regularly, I also stretch regularly.
I’m already quite inflexible in the hamstrings, but I have also been trying to stretch those out more often (I do it after every run!), and they have been showing some very slow improvement, as well.
I can see why running would make most inflexible, as you’re working the muscles quite a bit, and if you don’t stretch properly, or very much, it can make you tight. That’s a common thing for the body! After some of my early runs, I was so stiff the next day I had to do “The Raptor Walk,” which is where you’re on your toes, and your knees and everything don’t actually want to fully extend or work properly. I add in the t-rex arms just because it adds to the illusion 😉 I didn’t really like doing The Raptor Walk around the house, so I started stretching more! It’s worked well 🙂I know I keep saying it, but… I’ll have proper pictures up soon. Promise 🙂 This weekend I’m gonna do it!
-
Hookedonpole, I know how you feel! I just kept saying “Tomorrow, I’ll feel up to it!” Now I’m sick and about to travel to Arizona for a week. Oh well, I’ll be absolutely dying to get back on my pole when I get back! And, they have a weight room out there that I can use (and relax in, haha), so I’ll be getting my workout bug back. That’s the plan!
Hopefully I’ll be sticking harder to it for February 😉 -
Poledancefan, could you elaborate on this “opposition” between very strong muscles and flexibility? I’ve never heard that having flexibility could hinder being very strong- quite the contrary, I’ve heard that the two go very well together, as being flexible makes muscles more useful, and brings greater health to joints.
-
Hi Gizy!
My own experience has been one of… relative progress, but it’s very slow. I don’t stretch all the time (only after running and pole), so my progress could be better, but I’m fairly happy with it.
It sounds like you’re making some great progress, and if you’re happy with it, then that’s all that matters! It’s nice to hear that you’re taking it easy- stretching is a tough one, because it can result in injury fairly easily if done wrong, or “too hardcore.”
I did also want to touch on something in this thread for everyone to think about, on this topic: It may take more than a year to get the splits.
Alethea Austin makes no qualms about her splits achievement taking at least two years of constant work.
It is wonderful to set yourself to working on it more, within reason, this year, BUT please don’t be disappointed if you don’t get your splits by Christmas. Some people get them naturally, some do not. We’re all built differently, and our bodies may all react differently to this sort of stimulus. -
I’m also going to be getting boyfriend to take my pictures, more than likely tonight or tomorrow. I’m only just getting back to proper exercise after my dental surgery! It seems to be all healed up now, and I CANNOT WAIT to get back on my pole!
-
Cazzzz, I usually use “control – C” to copy, and “Control – V” to paste. You just hold down control and the letter while you’ve got the URL highlighted, and it’ll copy/paste for you.
What’s your Instagram name? Perhaps I could put it up for you, if you want 🙂 -
I got my day 2 http://instagram.com/p/xaciSdRGlu/?modal=true
and my day 3 http://instagram.com/p/xadCuYRGmj/?modal=true
I loved doing the body waves! Sometimes I get SO critical of myself when trying to dance, and I even criticize my body waves harshly… but, really, I love doing them, and I like seeing me do them! They’re one of the few things I really understood, and took to. 🙂 -
Thanks Veena! I like how you explained it all, and used a squatting position to help get used to the grip. I’ll be working on this one again soon!
-
Hey there!
Motivation is a tricky thing- for a lot of people, the subject of “motivation” seems to be of one thing over the other- would rather sit on the couch and eat chips than work hard and pole dance. It’s the instant gratification over the long-term pride.
Changing your medication may take a while (up to a month) to settle in your system, and you may feel strangely for that time. I’m not sure how much research or information you have (or that your doctor had given you), but when it comes to medication that affects brain chemicals, they can be difficult to predict fully. Your lack of motivation may pass, or… it may not.
In any case, the difficulty often lies in how we talk to ourselves, and how we feel about what we’re doing. If, for example, I feel happier eating chips on the couch than I do when dancing, I’ll more likely sit and eat chips. Usually the thought process is somewhere along the lines of “These chips taste so good, they’re better than dancing.” Or, “I can dance later, I would rather just sit.” I often come up with excuses; “I’m tired today,” “I’ve had a rough week, I deserve a break,” “I’ll dance tomorrow.”
Motivation, from what I’ve seen, is as simple as getting off the couch. Physically moving, getting up, changing your actual circumstances, is the best way to do it. Even when you don’t feel like it, and you’ve got a thousand excuses and reasons, the truth is… you want to!
As my boyfriend always says, “Well, if you want to do it, then do it!”
Sometimes, it really is that easy.
Be gentle with yourself, know that your medication may take time to settle and your brain take time to acclimate to the drugs, but remember that you do WANT to dance. You’ll get there 🙂 -
My first pole was a Stainless Lil Mynx, and I live in a somewhat cold, and very humid climate. It got better with age, and for sure warming the pole up was definitely necessary!!
I think it’s perfectly acceptable for a newbie, because it’ll be gentler on your hands (spins on static pole won’t pull your skin quite so much), and it’ll teach you about the trials of grip 😉 Haha -
Mine is also on Instagram for now! So much cringing… but it will get better. My room will be cleaner, my workouts will happen again (once my face heals), and it’ll just be better!
Anyways, racing-driver excuses aside, I DID do it!
http://instagram.com/p/xVS1l-RGha/ -
Blaaah, I may not be able to start tomorrow. I’m not quite healed from my surgery, still have stitches, so I’m instructed “Not to do anything strenuous.”
Fireman spin isn’t so strenuous, but… I’d actually like to do cool things with it, so…. we’ll see. As soon as I’m back on the pole, I’ll have my videos up though!
