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If I’m working on some choreography, I always always start with a song (which may be difficult if your music’s disappeared). I listen to it on repeat (often when I’m walking to work in the morning) and start to imagine what moves go with which bits of the music and actually start the choreo process in my head. Then once I get to the pole, it’s a case of checking to see what of the brain-based routine actually works in reality and looks good and just filling in the gaps. From what I’ve seen online though, it’s not always that common to work in so closely with the music (eg. people just dance and the music is secondary) but that’s just the way I roll. I know that some of the tutors in our studio suggest taping yourself freestyling to a song a couple of times and then watching it to pull out what looks/good/works for you etc. Good luck with whatever you end up doing anyway – competition=exciting! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumleft.gif

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Heh I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve watched your tutorial now Karol and also your cartwheel clip Veena! If only I could play them verbatim in my head while I practised at our studio, I’d be set;p I had an almost moment in class tonight but then it was gone again *sigh*. Practise practise practise! I must remind myself that these things take practise! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_shaking2.gif

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That was glorious https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumright.gif

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Thanks so much gals:) I had a wee practice last night (my dancing classes are Tuesday and Saturday – one day I will have my own pole, oh yes one day precioussssss), using both your tips and some help from the tutor at our Studio who’s the only one who teaches this move. I was basically just practicing the entrance for the cartwheel and I could kinda get my body up into the right tucked position to start but couldn’t really stay there – this shall be an ongoing practice challenge I think! I wish I had a camera so I could record my version of the happy dance when I finally get it ‘cos I imagine it will be full-on crazy;p

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Thanks for posting these – I must wait till I’m at work and print them out (secretly;p) ‘cos I have my front and back splits when I’m doing them to the ground or against the pole but I’m working on the jade split at the moment and my upside down flexibility just ain’t that impressive and need all the guidance I can get;p

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I feel the same way amcut!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_shaking2.gif

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I second what Trena said about warming up. I think a lot of people try and stretch without warming up then get frustrated about it being so hard! For me, the best time to stretch is after I’ve been for a good run but obviously I can’t often do that before a pole session. In that case, I do gentle warming up stuff (based off Art of Pole warm up items and things I’ve picked up from dance and gym classes over the years) then get into my strength training because that really warms me up and also gives me an idea of which parts of my body need a bit of extra attention, so I’ll intersperse some active stretching amongst that. In terms of warming and opening up the hips, I find gently lowering into a deep squat (never lower than a 90 degree angle through your legs though) with my feet on their insteps and my hands on the pole for stability, is really good. Once my body’s warm, I’ll run through some repeated iterations of sitting in straddle and leaning forward, swan pose, gentle lunging building up to splits. Sometimes I need to get up in the middle and do a few more squats or basic spins to keep warm but it’s definitely worth it.

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Hm interesting – to me, that Jazzman/Jasmine clip looked more like the Starburst than the Shooting Star so now I don’t know if I’m leading you astray with my advice!! If it’s the SS, then it is about getting a strong line through your body, bracing with the thigh and pushing forward with the hips (almost to the point of a gentle arch through your back) , but if it’s the Starburst, then it’s less about the hips and more about pushing down with your straight lower leg (as opposed to letting it drift upwards in the SS) and letting the pole sit more across your hips than thigh and almost folding your body round the pole rather than pushing out against it. I wish I was there to give you pointers because it’s very difficult to give advice in writing but now I’m interested in finding out which it is and helping you achieve it! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_surprised.gif

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I’m not entirely sure whether you want suggestions for help with the name or the move so I will suggest both:) It sounds to me like what you’re describing is the Shooting Star (I would have put the link to wikipole but it didn’t seem to specify the exact page when I followed it through to the pic). Personally, I prefer going into it from the starfish (the side v kind, not the hanging outwards just with your feet kind!) because I can get better height, giving a greater slippage allowance but that’s mostly because I’m not much of a side climber. The key thing is I think to push your hips forward so that you’re balanced and the pole is well braced against your straight leg thigh. And when that’s locked on, you can be stable enough to let go with both hands (like my profile pic).

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I can’t imagine someone who has a studio would ask someone to be a teacher unless they had absolute faith that they would be good at it because it’s their reputation and finances on the line so go you! I have to admit I have only watched a small snippet of your clips but you seem to have a great combination of strength and natural dance ability that will no doubt make you an awesome teacher as you train, practice, develop and teach! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_salut.gif

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Hey hey! There’s a few of us from NZ (more specifically Welly) that lurk around this site so welcome! I hear Amy’s an awesome teacher:) https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_sunny.gif

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Holy mackerel, your inverts on a parking meter are NUTS! That’s so awesome:) Now I’m tempted to get the girls from the studio where I do classes to come out with me one day and just take photos of us guerilla poling round the city;p

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WOW! I’ve never seen a clip where someone works the spin like that!! It reminds me of the death spins that ice skaters do. Thanks for the link!!

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omg jealous of your iguana! Hm a sentence I never imagined myself saying https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif I can only step into it, which of course is a giant pile of cheating as there’s no actual "air time". And I know what you mean about time poling vs what you can do – when I’m telling people how long I’ve been poling for, I often add in "but I’m not as awesome as you might expect someone who’s been doing it for that long to be" – but hanging out online with so many awesomely talented polers, I think we forget that to "regular"(read: non-poling) folks, everything we do on the pole is awesome! Unless of course they’re pole-haters, but they don’t count https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_geek.gif Anyhue, my point (yeah, I’m sure I had one)? Yay for a great session for you!:)

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Geez, she’s awesome every time isn’t she https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumleft.gif

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High reps are good sometimes…The claim is longer leaner muscles, Some fear heavy lifting will make them look bulky, like a man or a bodybuilder https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_rambo.gif This is false. To get as big as a man you need testosterone, the right body type and TONS of special training and diets…I personally favor the heavy weights, for strength building. Light weights can be good for rehab work and beginners, so they can work on form. Sooo if you are poling, and doing the body pump classes be careful. Because the BP classes are really high rep, you can run the risk of over use injury!! Its fine to do for a bit, but just be aware. If your looking to gain strength, than 8, to no more than 12 reps, is what you should aim for. 2 to 3 sets. If you can do more than 12 reps, up the weight.

Hm interesting. I’m not one of those "delicate flowers" who worry about bulking up – I’ve been doing pump regularly for the past 6 or so years ‘cos I felt like I was getting better all around toning and strength from classes than I was from doing my own weights at the gym (and noone could ever mistake me for a newb when looking at the weights I use). As I train for running events though (and work fulltime etc etc), it gets increasingly hard to fit in two classes a week as well as running and poling though so I’ve been trying to do some "make up" sessions, fitting in biceps, triceps, and chest here and there when I can’t get to a second class. I’m wondering if maybe I should permanently sub in some heavier weights/lower reps for the second class and hope that this helps with pole too…of course, then I mustn’t forget to still strength train for my legs/running as well as upper body and core…so much to do! If only I could work out instead of working https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif

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Is there a reason why you go for heavier weights rather than lower weight/higher reps? Just curious is all. I do pump classes at the gym (the lower weight/higher reps) twice a week at lunchtimes generally and on one of those days, I also take pole class in the evening and am generally okay with physically managing that (although my shoulders can get a bit tired, depending on how hard pump was on any given day and what I’m doing at pole). I also run and do a yoga-esque class, as well as the weights and twice a week poling and find alternating the cardio with the strength training a pretty good way of managing things. I had in fact been thinking about doing a forum post about what sorts of things people cross train with along with pole but I guess I don’t need to now;p!

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I am SO struggling with this move too!! I had one beautiful day when I thought I’d nailed it but every attempt since, I just cannot get my grip to stick. SO FRUSTRATING! So please let me know if you get it then tell me HOW! Please:)

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Hee hee this is more a reply saying sorry for doing the annoying things, not that I can post vids anyway, due to not having a camera that films (actually mine might but I’ve never used that function, hmm, anyways). I’m a pretty bad: wedgie picker (omg hilarious term btw!), hand wiper (SO bad! I’ll do one move, wipe my hands, one move, wipe my hand etc etc), and looking at other people and wondering why I can’t do stuff (I’m REALLY bad about this ‘cos I’ve been learning for more than 2 years but we don’t really get much teaching at our studio at the upper levels and I don’t have a pole at home to learn from teh interwebs so there’s SO much that I think I should be able to do and can’t).

I do get a bit frustrated with the "stream of pole consciousness" vids ie. the ones that are like 10mins long and are just people mucking around. It’s not that I don’t think people should be filming them ‘cos I think they’re a great personal learning tool but I’m not entirely clear why they need to be posted unless you want specific feedback, in which case, 10 mins of stuff is a lot to feedback on! And all it means is I won’t watch it because when it comes down to it, it’s the individual’s prerogative to post what they want and the viewers choice to watch it or not https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cat.gif

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Holy heck but she’s awesome! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_bounce.gif

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I knew that Felix had won the latest comps but I’m not sure why I thought 06 was Bobbi. It certainly explains why I thought Bobbi and Felix’s styles were so similar!!;p

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Am working my way through the list (ah Saturday afternoon/evenings while you’re waiting for other people to turn up at your house) so thanks heaps! just a question though: I thought Miss Poledance Australia was Bobbi not Felix? That’s the clip I always direct people to when I’m talking about pole and how amazing it can be:)

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Go to wikipole and look under hip hold in the pole moves directory:) (And if you haven’t tried it before, it might look intimidating but it’s really not – let me know if you need any tips on getting into it:))

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I find it easier to get into if I do the inverted teddy bear (also called a variety of other things I think – hip hold?) first, then because I’m already holding the pole in the right place, it’s easy enough to lift my legs up and over to the gemini with minimum of pain:)

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I feel privileged to have witnessed said invert https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_sunny.gif