Runemist34
Forum Replies Created
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I got my mirror from a place that sells glass- they do auto glass, as well as mirrors and such! It was nice and cheap, because I wasn’t paying for a frame. They gave me some small brackets so I could hang the mirror on the wall wherever I want. It’s actually a bit wider than the normal full-length mirror, too 🙂
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As far as I know, we’re just stuck with… whatever sports bras, bikini tops, or anything else we can find that fits. I’ve got big boobs and big hips, so it all kind of looks normal, until you realize my waist is a 10 inch difference from both! I cannot find ANY nice tops that fit me. :/
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Hey there!
When it comes to poles, you’ll want to look at the “top three,” those being: Lil’ Mynx (who makes the Studio Veena pole), Xpole, and Platinum Stages. These three are trusted in this industry, and have proven to have stable, sturdy product.
Personally, I have always danced on Lil Mynx- currently my pole is the Studio Veena pole, and I’m very fond of it. The powder coating provides me a lot of grip, especially compared to my previous Stanless Steel, and I like the fact that it has an option to spin. I’ve never had issues with the bolt into the ceiling. Upon moving, I simply fill it in and no one notices! There is a bit of a squeak on spin mode, which… either I’ve gotten so used to that I don’t notice it, or it may have worked itself out? I’m not sure!
Xpole has a lot of very loyal dancers, and I’m sure that people more experienced can tell you about them.
Same with Platinum stages, haha.
You can also check out their websites to get a feel for pricing, and what they offer, especially at your ceiling height.I’m positive that all three of these types of poles will be able to hold your weight- I am sure that they’re at least up to 250lbs, and I have personally been about 185lbs while dancing at one point.
Just… don’t go with something cheap. Don’t go on e-bay unless you’re an absolute hound, and be very careful about knockoffs, especially Xpole- I’ve heard a lot about cheap knockoffs selling themselves as Xpole.
Anything like the Carmen Electra pole, or any other less expensive poles, is a ripoff. I’ve seen these things bend and flex, even fall down during spins. They’re NOT safe.Good luck with your choice! And I wish you lots of luck!
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It’s normal, and it’s very, VERY good that you are stretching to the point of uncomfortable, not pain. If you stretch to pain, you’re going way too far.
For maintainence, what I’ve heard is that you should be holding the stretch for about 10 seconds, and for increasing flexibility, you hold for up to 2 minutes.
Stretching does similar things to muscles as strength training does, so feeling a little sore as your muscles heal is normal. Remember to take rest days! -
Hmm! Butt grip… I’ve never considered that! Very interesting 😉
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Unfortunately, ladies, I cannot find any kind of proper pole wear that would actually fit me, and meet these requirements 😉 I have a bikini I could wear, but I’m not sure how well it’ll be keeping the girls in (especially if I’m upside down), and most sports bras (or, bras in general) made for my size look like they should be made of iron and scaffolding. Not exactly the best when you’re looking for something with large arm-holes!
I could fold my current shorts down, certainly, but… I might have to look around, and perhaps even tape myself into something… oh well, I’ll figure it out!
Also, Lilredrobinhood, I do actually tuck really hard when I’m doing a teddy hold, but it actually brings my lower back away from the pole! I’ve been thinking I might have to tuck a little less, or find some way of exposing/using a different part of my back 😉Thanks ladies!
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It’s totally normal to struggle with these sorts of moves, especially when you’re starting out. I find the inverted crucifix (the move after the invert in your video) to be… terrifying. I’m starting to get it, but I’m still terrified of it. That tends to set me back a bit!
I agree with Saphyre- make sure you aren’t jumping into an invert. Bring your hands lower (seriously, the hand position in that video makes me cringe), like face height or so at most. Some leg swing is fine, but please don’t jump!
As for getting the inverted crucifix… it’s a tough one. Can you do the move right-side-up? That will help you get used to the leg hold position, and strengthen your muscles for it. Just remember to grip as hard as you can, and turn your knees in toward the pole!
Also, an aerial invert is crazy hard to do, so don’t feel bad. That one will probably come way, WAY later than right after learning a basic invert from the ground. The strength required is… a lot. haha 😉 -
If, indeed, you have a rotator cuff strain of any kind, you should NOT move that shoulder. Any kind of backpack swinging, rotation of your shoulder, weight… just leave it alone. I’m serious.
I’ve known people who have strained, strained, strained… and then it tore. They pushed it too far and didn’t rest it, and it really did go rip. She is in constant pain, she is rarely even able to lift a cup of milk, she’s practically disabled.
Rotator cuff is really, really touchy, and really important. Even sitting still, doing nothing, may cause you pain. It’s horrible. I get tendonitis in the rotator cuff now and then, and it is absolute hell.
I know how frustrating it is to be off pole, but… seriously, if you don’t want to take the risk, I’d say seek a doctor. You don’t want to take any risks with your shoulder. -
Anything with a leg hook, with your leg to the side of you (and either spinning backward or forwards, if you are spinning) you need to push your hips forward.
Seriously, if you leave your hips behind and scrunch your knees up toward your chest, you will find that you just slip right off. Hips forward means you’re angling your knee away from you, giving you a better grip behind the knee, and the ability to use your calf in opposition to your thigh, rather than at direct right angle to it.
This is SUPER important if you want any kind of grip with the leg. Even better is getting your leg up higher, so that your knee is at the same horizontal level as your hip. But… some people just can’t keep it up for very long without lots of practice! -
I generally think that it depends on what you’d like to train! If you want bigger arms, a stronger core, a more developed back… all that stuff, or none of that stuff…
Most people know about bicep curls (as in, you hold a weight in your hand and bend your arm at the elbow all the way up, and then all the way back down?), and it’s fairly easy to tell what muscles those target: Biceps.
Best thing would be to decide on what you’d like to work on, and ask Google about it! That’s what I usually end up doing! You can find some really awesome websites, and gear it toward the equipment you have at home. -
Hello!
Okay, first of all: Congrats about the new job! Very exciting!!On the topic of poles and ceilings: I rent. I have never, ever, owned my own house. It may be a loooong time till I do. I’ve had my own Lil’ Mynx pole for about 6ish years now- my first one was Stainless steel, my second one an SV pole, as in powder coated. They both have bolts that go into the ceiling, with a little bracket type thing that the pole hangs on to, and the pole itself presses into the floor and ceiling in order to have stability.
I’ve had the drywall fall apart on me, and I’ve also had some issues with metal joists or un-find-able joists, but never have I had an issue once I took the pole down. Put some spackle in there (you know, the white goop that you use to fill holes in your walls?) and be done with it. People generally can’t tell it was more than a plant hook. No one, ever, has complained to me about it.
And yes, you really, seriously, HAVE to find a ceiling beam. If you just stick your pole in the middle of the room without a ceiling beam, it will likely crunch right through, or just fall over. You want neither of these options. The ceiling beam (or Joist) is what gives your pole an anchor, through the drywall. Drywall is not very sturdy, and as many people who have punched through it will attest, probably won’t hold up a person.
For an X-pole, I believe the trick for tightening is that you don’t want the pole to be too tight for spinning purposes (they can squeak or move irregularly if overtightened), and also you don’t want to do any kind of damage to your ceiling. I’ve heard a lot of awesome things about X-poles being practically untraceable.
A simple studfinder will locate the joist for you 🙂 Or, if it doesn’t work (sometimes the creation of a house is a little… less than what regulation states? Or perhaps quite old, and you’re dealing with a wood ceiling), you can also look up into a lighting fixture, and check to see where the beams are. They are usually about 16 inches apart, as far as I know. -
I think the main issue is that they’re so used to training males. Men tend to react differently than women to training- where a man will develop muscle structure and upper body strength very quickly, women tend to hold on to their fatty goodness, and develop lower body strength. They’re just sending these women through “regular” bootcamp (I’m assuming, anyways) and are now, apparently, surprised that the women being trained can’t to pull ups.
I’d say… they have to look at it differently. Not necessarily pole dancing (though that would be an effective way of achieving what they want!), but just something different. Women have to be trained differently, they have different skills and different ways of moving. -
Haaaa…bachelorette party >_>
Okay, that’s not completely true. I was interested in Pole dancing before that, but… never really had the opportunity or the encouragement to try it! I had mentioned it in passing to a couple of friends, who, I suppose, took the idea and brought it up again for another friend’s bachelorette. There were only about four of us, but it was a blast, we all loved it… and we all decided to take lessons.
I have never been athletic as a kid, or even through my teenaged years, so getting into something like pole dancing would have struck me as incredibly strange… except I didn’t think of it as “fitness” at the time. I knew nothing about the Jade Split, the Handspring mount… heck, I knew nothing of inversions in any way when I started! While doing lessons, I took a vague interest in doing a little more research, and we went to a pole dancing competition at a local strip club…
I saw someone walk on the ceiling. I was blown away.
After that came internet research, more lessons, and I learned of the Jade Split. It became the move I wanted the most- to me, it defined the whole idea of “impossible,” and I wanted it.
Since then, local lessons died and I got my own pole, signed up with SV, and here I am. I’ve never been athletic… but Pole dancing has changed that. It changed my life in a way that I’ll always be thankful for! 🙂 -
Chair dance!
Find a good, sturdy chair, and try stuff with that! I’m sure you could find loads of good videos on Youtube. I’ve been wanting to give it a shot, too 😉 -
PDR: I know your pain! I’m still fighting with this stupid head cold. So frustrating! I hope you feel better soon 🙂
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I’ve never heard of Eva Bembo before, but… I think I may have a new favourite O.O
She’s amazing! -
I know all about that move. That was my semi-nemesis move when I first started, and has turned into one of my go-to moves that I LOVE. I had to learn the mechanics of it before I could actually do it.
So, this spin: Hooking your inside leg is your anchor, it keeps you at the right distance from the pole, and provides some support (though, on static, I would advice against gripping too hard, because that hurts if you’re wearing shorts!). Your arms are also going to be providing support by way of lift… but it’s usually the position of the hips and spine that get people.
The hips have to be FORWARD. I know how freaky that is. But, if you create a straight line all the way from your shoulder, down your side, through your hip, to your knee… you’ll have better grip with your leg. You will no longer feel like you are going to fall off. Crunching up and leaving your hips behind the pole will make that feeling far stronger.
As Dustbunny said, around here we tend to teach spins a little later, because you can really wrench your joints (particularly shoulders) when doing them. I learned this spin a mere four weeks into starting pole… probably not a good idea, considering I was fairly unfit and was not working on any kind of strength! So, please be careful. Remember to engage your lats, protect your shoulders with them. It’ll save you a world of issue later.This spin does have it’s variations, like keeping your legs together once you’ve pushed off, and also doing it one-handed, but I prefer the legs-open version.
Fireman spin is awesome, and you’ll use it for the entirety of pole dancing! I also find that I use a lot of my “beginner” moves all the time, just… sort of to cool off from bigger tricks, or even as a warm up before I actually start working on said tricks. Pirouettes, half spins, slides, floorwork, footwork (such as the cross-step that Veena has on here), holds, and all of that stuff is stuff you’ll use forever. It is what makes it a dance, rather than a series of tricks!
You’ll get this one. This spin is almost like a leap of faith… but eventually, it becomes a kind of falling into awesomeness. If that makes sense 😉
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I love the idea! I’m going to work on some plans for this month, and see what it is I’m really going to work on… but I’m thinking my challenge this month is to get that basic invert under control!
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Saphyre, that really was an excellent response. You sounded very poised and in command 😉 It’s unfortunate for this person that he’s placing such old stereotypes on other people! Sounds like he’s asking you if you have “permission” from your husband! And to that, I say: LOL
You are super awesome at pole, and super sexy, and I totally agree with your friend on FB- he should shut up and sit down! -
I’ve never seen anything that looks like that… but it looks AWESOME!
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It’s not quite the full “pull up,” but that certainly helps. The major part that I found is that you really have to swing the leading leg around, hard, in order to get your momentum! I find that starting when not-quite facing the pole also helps.
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Hey there!
1) Cleaning the pole, I’ve used both windex (or whatever window cleaner was generally around), and water. I’ve heard of using rubbing alcohol, vinegar, and the list goes on. I think it depends a lot on the finish of your pole!
2) Hands getting sweaty is pretty common. My own hands get sweaty, but not enough for me to justify dishing out for a grip aid that I’m going to feel guilty using anyways- I just wipe my hands on a damp cloth. Eventually, when you and the pole are both warm and getting right into that grove, you will find that it all evens out 🙂 I don’t like the idea of having to depend on a grip aid to do my dancing, personally.
3) Again, it depends on the finish of your pole, but I’ve heard of it. Some people are pretty worried about hygiene.
4) I would suggest working on the Fireman spin, but only AFTER you’ve worked on a few other things. You’ll probably want to start getting into your strength training, and working out the kinds of ways to move around the pole. Get used to walking, bodywaves, sitting with your back against the pole, and getting more used to just dancing. Spins aren’t all they’re cracked up to be (I would know, I’ve been doing spins for 5 years!). You can also get used to pole sits, and even planks while in the beginner stage.
5) Strength training is a fantastic thing! I have stupid knees, and I work them every time I dance or work out. Sometimes even more than that. Unhappy wrists are something you need to watch for- especially if you use the computer or do any writing. Have you seen a doctor about it? Perhaps they could give you an idea of the things you could do to strengthen!
6) Unfortunately dance outfits are not made to fit my kind of body… but I know that there are a THOUSAND threads on here talking about sexy, fun clothes to wear! Some of the places people bring up often are Mika Dance wear, Bad Kitty, and even clothes from some of our Pole dance “stars” like Dirdy Birdy!Happy dancing!
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HappyRabbit, I know exactly how you feel. I am hoping for those things, too!
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I, personally, am not a great example, as I tend to aspire toward more structured workouts, but rarely really manage it. However, I’m working on it!
What I’ve heard, though, is that a lot of people (like SmilingFox!) write things down, and keep a pole journal. It gives them direction on the things they need to work on and what they feel good about. Things to focus on.
I’ve also read a lot about having particular days per week for certain things- like, one day each week or even every couple of days where you JUST work on flow. Pick about five moves, from easy to “I’ve just started feeling comfortable doing this,” and dance them out. Work on getting into and out of them in attractive ways, work on doing them with different ideas about what you want for them, and transitioning from each move into the other moves you’ve picked. It can be quite a challenge!
Otherwise, I think it’s a big part of how you feel- it depends on things like what you want out of your workout (or dancing), your end goals, the ways you want to use Pole dancing (fitness, feel sexy, etc.), as well as the things that you, alone, struggle with. I struggle with inverted moves, so I know I need to work on them almost every time, so that I can get past my fears and make progress.
You’ll get it 🙂 -
Increase my flexibility and strength- I’d like to master some of my lower-level moves, and really work on my sexy dancing 🙂
