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Congrats on feeling at ease with it polergirl!! So far I have practised mainly in forearm grip, but think elbow might lock on better? I shall try the elbow on the weekend 🙂 Thanks for the pointer on the body alignment with elbow grip.  So far forearm grip feels a bit top heavy for me, maybe elbow grip will allow me to anchor off the arm more? I shall get you one day Aysha..

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Yay Hannah I'm glad my post is helpful!! I'm still too sore to try LOL let me know how you go 🙂

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Thanks heaps!! I'm sure you'll know when I get it cos I'll update this thread with a sweet pic and lots of screaming excitement, hehe

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Scary I totally agree! Veena just told me I am holding my body too central on the pole when in Caterpillar, you need to move your hips to the side so that the pole is near the shoulder of the top arm (so your weight isn't all on top of itself maybe?) i am yet to try it like this cos my body is still spent from practise a few days ago, but I hope it helps me feel more confident in it!

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I'm too tired to try this tonight and still sore from the other day.  I have watched your vid numerous times.  Would it feel harder for me so far because I have been central on the pole and not off to the side?

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Thanks so much V! That makes sense! I definitely feel too centred in the Caterpillar and knew something was missing.  It's like all my weight is on top of me in one spot, when if I move off to the side as you describe it might help me balance and feel more balanced.  Yay! I will watch your videos and take note of what you said 🙂

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Thanks guys!

Empyrean – I am surprised at the rate I am learning too, I guess having a pole at home and doing it as much as I can (with a day or 2 rest in between) has really helped.  Am I progressing too fast? I was able to learn to invert properly quickly, and never jump into them, always lift up into them. I started in September so it's been nearly 6 months and I can do some cool moves like Gemini, Scorpio, Superman, Advanced Plank, CAR, Extended Butterfly etc.  I learn from home with Veenas lessons and so I have no idea if my progress is fast or not cos I have no one to compare it to in real life 🙁  I guess now I am coming to a stage where new moves are now challenging me, every move so far has been easy to get, and at the most taken a week or so.  So I guess to come to a temporary halt and being like "Hey, I can't do this!" is new to me, but it's okay it will be good to have some things to work on now 🙂

Veena thanks for commenting! I can do a Caterpillar finally and if my grip feels right, it's very comfortable to 'hold' the position, if my hands are slipper though I can slip down, so I have to make sure my pole is wiped and my hands (stupid chrome/humidity). 

Here are a few photos of me playing around with the Caterpillar position and trying to get my legs off a few times (excuse the uglyness haha) it was a very exciting moment when I was able to push up and away and get my butt up into position.

My first Caterpillar, later realized how to properly place the upper arm for forearm grip (not sure what I'm doing here lol)

http://oi52.tinypic.com/141k3ue.jpg

 

An attempt to get my legs off, still leaning on the pole though (I could do this last week but not last night, go figure haha)

http://oi56.tinypic.com/2ebxpah.jpg

 

Got one leg off

http://oi55.tinypic.com/wvwb9j.jpg

 

I am doing weights and push ups now to strenghen my arms even more, my biceps look awesome now but I need to work on the triceps. 

I am a bit of a perfectionist so get frustrated easily, but thanks guys I will not feel disheartened and will have challenges to work towards! Like the splits, ugh!!

I am not sure where my strength is at either, without going to classes and having an instructor assess me, so if you are able to tell me if I have some sort of considerable strength that would be good, as a gauge of where I'm at 🙂

 

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I am strange because I started with Extended butterfly before any other butterfly and never really had much trouble with it, but then when I tried to backtrack and do the Basic Butterfly (forearm grip) I had trouble because I couldn't caterpillar up into a secure forearm grip very well! I still prefer the advanced split grip version.  Caterpillar things are harder for me than balancing my weight in a split grip (maybe I'm a freak)

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YES mine is always slippery, I refused to use grip aid so I would gain stronger wrists and hand grip myself (which I have) but I am trying to do aysha and straight edge moves and just slip right down in that position so HAVE To use grip aid 🙁 🙁

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Thanks heaps I must have missed the tricep lesson!!!

 

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I hurt my neck doing the CAR the other day, so being careful is very important!! I'm glad I "got" it but I will be sticking with the CKR for now, it's foolproof and MUCH safer for me

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Bahahahha love it! I love homer!

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I definetly avoid moves that have caused bruising til it clears up.  For me that is Gemini (outside leg hang) if I do it too much in a row I end up with a very abused looking hip!!

Having a day or 2 rest in between poling is good advice, especially for beginners.  I don't wake up that sore anymore the next day after poling, and I kept poling daily, but just had a scare when I pulled something in my neck, sore yesterday and okay today… but a warning sign that I may have been overdoing it.  My hubby highly recommends resting the body for a day or else injuries are more of a risk, even if you don't feel it…

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Pretty much every move I've gotten so far has seemed TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE at first attempt… I've learnt quite a few moves too 🙂

CAR was a definite impossible for me… until last week! I can do it, but I still don't find it comfortable or safe, so I won't do it often.  Let's just say you suddenly find what muscles you need in your legs to grip the pole and it will just 'work'.  I focused on turning my knees INWARDS and at the same time focused on tightening my butt… this worked for me

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I'm also having trouble getting my legs off the pole.. but I only just recently learnt caterpillar so I have a while to go before I find my balance, I think.  I'm sure you will get it soon 🙂

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I gotta say it isn't anywhere near as reliable as the CKR for me yet, and I find it hard to reach right back up and grab the pole (yay for a mattress under me) so far I'm going into handstand and just going back down lol

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WAHOOO I got this move finaly!! It's my very first CAR so I look stiff, I will work at arching back more when I get more comfortable with it LOL.  Yahooooooooooo! And it really is about turning your knees in AND I focused on squeezing my butt at the same time.. look how turned in my leg is in the pic! haha

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs252.snc6/180057_10150174151758206_532948205_8753285_6461868_n.jpg

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Welcome!!! I started poling in September too but only bought lessons in December and already I've learnt soooooo much!!! Good luck and warning: it's addictive! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

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Thanks guys!! I'll keep practising it I'm alllmost there 😀

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Interesting! So by going into the TG from an inversion you mean invert up and then hang in cruciifix and then position the hands and go from there so the legs are already up and you're not kicking them up and risking injury ?

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Thanks Audball! I can do gemini and have been trying this move, almost getting it! I think it's very pretty

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WOW!!!! Amazing! Veena here's a new lesson to make! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

Hm this looks incredibly hard, good work!!

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It's such a pretty hold!!!

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** lift, dang wheres the edit button! :p

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Beginner grip? Yikes…

I too feel that it should only be left to the pros or those who are very strong and advanced, I have tried out the position and could imagine how easy injury or strains could happen if a beginner was to try to jump up into moves (seeing as most beginners aren't anywhere near close enough to using their core to life)