[Solya]

I don’t know how people can spin in gloves, I found it impossible. They just stick to the pole too much.

I think they1re okay if you’re super super sweaty and doing something difficult, but I really don’t like them. If you do split grip inverted moves (aysha, extended butterfly etc) your top hand gets pulled out of the glove while the glove sticks to the pole. I just found myself having to grip a lot harder and it also made me more insecure. Oh and I hate not feeling the pole too, I just feel that I don’t have any control over my grip and my hands get pulled out of the glove whatever I do.

The only use I found for them is to wear it on my bottom hand only in elbow/split/twisted grip ayshas and extended butterfly, it prevents the hand slipping. But for everything else it’s rubbish, if you get a good grip aid it will help a lot more.

[Solya]

Veena, isn’t stretching supposed to hurt? I can’t imagine getting results if I wasn’t pushing it to the point of pain, it’s still going so slow even though itreally hurts sometimes.

[Solya]

We had ours custom made by a company that sells metal tubes and they can also transform them into dance poles by adding a foot and a top dome. They are 50mm stainless steel one-piece poles and they’re fully removable because we can’t have them up when we’re not using the room.

I think it would be a good idea to get your poles custom made if you need a lot of them in your studio. Like, X-poles are awesome because you can adjust the height if you move them somewhere else but I guess you’re not going to move your studio very often https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif One-piece poles are also a lot easier to put up and you don’t have to spend extra money on extensions. And I’m sure they would work out a lot cheaper as well and you can choose your finish. I’m having a pole custom made for myself, I chose brass but I could have got steel with chrome coating or electronically polished steel and it would still be under £100.

[Solya]

Yeah definitely. I stretch a lot even when I don’t pole and it gives me horrible sore legs for days. I once read that when you stretch your muscles flex and it’s the most effective if you can stay in the stretching position until the trembling subsides and the muscle just suddenly relaxes, that’s how you can extend it further. So you’re basically working out even when you stretch, which explains the sore legs https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif But as you say it’s the right kind of sore, I love to feel that I’ve done something https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[Solya]

I’m not a super expert on relationships but I just wanted to point out a couple things https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif
I think it would be a great idea to get your own pole at home. On the long term it will save you lots of money and you could practice when your husband isn’t at home. But if you can’t buy one, I’d definitely stick to going classes. Like, does your hubby have a hobby? I bet he does. And even if he doesn’t, he’s the one who’s away and you’re the one that stays at home. He’s expecting you to completely fit your schedule around his life, based on what you say. I think I’d explain this all to him – that you need to get out and you want to have a hobby.

Also it’s not very nice to say that he doesn’t see you teaching or competing. Like, how does he know? When I started poling I was so clumsy and a year later I became an instructor at my pole school – I never even dreamed I’d do that, but I loved pole, progressed fast and had lots of motivation. There’s no way to tell you won’t compete or teach. Pole is not rhythmic gymnastics, you don’t need to start at the age of 3 and stop at 25. And even if you don’t want to compete/teach in reality, setting goals gives and working for them is so motivating. If your hubby is an overachiever like you say, he’d surely understand this.

I think it was nice of you to offer to swap a few of your classes, but that’s as far as I’d go. Considering how much pole has added to my life, I’d defo stick to it and not give up just because my husband has issues with me excelling in something he has no control over. Just my opinion, really https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[Solya]

Make sure there are more weights on the pole – I have tipped X-stages several times with very aggressive spins! Spinny mode should be fine as long as you know where the stage ends https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif It’s a good idea to practice on your pole with a circle the size of the stage drawn around so you know what you can do. Oh and not sure if you’ve poled on X-stages before, but if you go up to the top there’s lots of wobble, just make sure that doesn’t get you uncomfortable or anything. Good luck on the competition!

[Solya]

I think I went through the same as you – you just have to realise that pole won’t make you lose weight. I actually gained a little weight since I started poling. It totally put me off until I realised that I dropped TWO dress sizes as well! I don’t weight myself anymore because it’s just disappointing and I don’t think it reflects my real size. People generally assume I am a good 20lbs lighter than I actually am.

I talked to a personal trainer about this and he said pole builds muscle really fast. You lift heavy weights (your own body weight basically) and you lift it only a few times – exactly what body builders do with heavy weights in the gym. So you get loads of muscles, and we all know muscles are heavier than fat!

I haven’t poled for 2,5 months now (no pole https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif), but I do 1 hour of cardio every day. The result is that all my muscle definition is gone and I lost about 8-10lbs. This just shows that pole is going to add to your weight, but frankly I’d rather have my muscles than a slightly flabby slimmer body https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

Bottom line is, measure yourself and go by how your clothes fit instead of weighing yourself. As others said, the scales don’t make a difference between fat and muscle.

[Solya]

I don’t have much advice for you but I was so happy to read this too! I have a 51mm stainless steel pole (not Lil Mynx) and it’s been driving me crazy since I got it. I’d been learning on chrome X-stages before and I just can’t do anything on the damn SS pole https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif It feels like it’s coated in something slimey and slippery not matter how much I wipe it with acetone and alcohol. I cannot hold a scorpio, I slip out of shouldermounts and I can’t air invert either which is driving me extra crazy.

I overgrip a lot too – I practiced the TG handspring for like half an hour and my arms were trembling for days after, something that never happens on the X-poles. I think it’s just putting unnecessary strain on my joints and muscles and I’ll end up with tendonitis again. And frankly I don’t care that I’ll be good on other finishes if I get good on SS, because it takes all the joy out of poling and makes it a constant fight not to lose the moves I already can do on other finishes.

Bottom line is, I feel your pain and hope you’ll manage to find a solution! Please let us know if the sanding works, I want to try it too!

[Solya]

Hi there, I’m from Yorkshire too! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif *waves over there* Welcome to SV!

[Solya]

I think you’ll be fine https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif You use a lot of the muscles in your hand and forearms when you grip the pole so it’s not just the fingers. If your fingers are weaker, your other muscles will compensate for that.

My right wrist was broken in a car accident last year and 2 months ago I broke my left hand/thumb, it still hasn’t healed yet but I’ve poled with it. You just have to be careful and not do things that put direct pressure on your weaker hand, or where your balance depends only on that hand. If you do the split grip aysha, the extended butterfly or any other split grip stuff, have your left hand on the bottom. I found it easier to use my weaker hand just for anchoring myself, and the right hand on top does all the gripping and balancing.

I’d definitely get a 45mm pole. It’s much gentler on your hands and arms because you need to grip less to get the same results than on 50mm. Tricks that completely killed my arms on the 50mm don’t even hurt at all on 45mm and I could progress faster.

[Solya]

Hi and welcome to SV https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif I live in York, really nice to see more people from the UK here https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[Solya]

I had been learning on 50mm but I’ve had a couple sessions on 45mm poles and they’re so much better imo. You need to grip a bit harder with your legs obviously but it’s a tiny difference compared to how much better you can grip with your hands on a 45mm. I’d need to wipe the 50mm pretty much after every move but on the 45mm I can go on for like 10 minutes without wiping it. It makes spins a lot easier (especially reverse grab) and hand grip moves like aysha, extended butterfly etc.

The 45mm is also a lot easier on your arm joints. Mine are pretty sensitive and I’d had tendonitis for months and some moves hurt my wrist and shoulders on the 50mm. The 45 makes it all painless! Practising the twisted grip handspring on 50mm completely killed my shoulder but I didn’t have any pain after I did it on the 45mm (and I made so much more progress as well). Bottom line, 45mm is much more body-friendly and you can progress faster on it imo https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[Solya]

I can’t tell you how to make a pole but I’m sure there are plenty of tutorials on it https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif I’m planning to make my own pole too (X-pole shipping is astronomical to Europe) and I talked to a locksmith about it. He said that it can be made in a way that it will be as stable as the X-pole. You’ll probs have to forgo the ceiling dome and drill the pole into the ceiling and the floor, but it’s still better than no pole isn’t it https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif The dude also showed me stainless steel plumbing tubes with various diameter sizes and he said that he can polish them electronically to make them less slippery. They’re really cheap as well, the whole thing’s going to cost you like 1/3 of the price of the X-pole.

I’m savign up for a brass pole because I already have a stainless steel one and it doesn’t work for me. But if you like stainless, I’d defo ask a locksmith or someone competent to make it for you, it’s possible!

[Solya]

If you feel you don’t have momentum just walk into it a bit faster. Loads of my students are afraid to spin fast, even though the more momentum you have, the less likely you’ll fall because it keeps you in the air https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

Staying in the position is also an issue for lots of people. Make sure you tuck your elbow into your ribs and slightly twist your torso to the direction of your bottom hand so you can keep your balance. Also, look at the pole! It keeps your neck and waist square so you don’t twist off to the side and can spin on longer. Good luck!

[Solya]

This is such an awesome idea, I’ve been hunting for the perfect pole bra for bloody ages. I’m a 34D so I have to wear two bras as well to keep the girls in place, it’s so annoying. I’d love something underwired but without padding so it doesn’t push up your boobs to your neck. I really like those sports bras that are made of double elastic material – those give uniboob though, that’s why I’d like underwires. A wide adjustable back strap would be really nice because it takes pressure off your shoulders. I basically don’t want to care about my boobs when I pole, so I’d want the bra to take the weight off my shoulders so I don’t have to deal with the extra weight on my chest pulling me down etc. Also no racerback because of the shouldermount.
I have a couple underwired bandeau bras and they’re a lot better than regular ones, maybe you could use the bandeau cut as a base and make it more sports bra-y https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

Oh and the idea of a unitard with the sides cut out is genius. I’d love to use my back and waist for extra grip but I just don’t feel comfy poling in a tiny bra. Unitards are so cute, maybe you could design one with a boy shorts-like bottom, some material in the front and perhaps with thicker strings instead of the back strap and shoulder straps so it would fit different shoulder and boob sizes. I’d totally be the first to buy it! Whatever you come up with, hope you’ll ship to the UK too https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[Solya]

Hi Lucy, really nice to see you here, York Uni Pole Exercise Club says hi https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_razz.gif Welcome to SV! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[Solya]

I haven’t used any PS poles yet, but I started learning on stainless and then later switched to chrome X-pole. As I remember, we had much less sweaty hands/slipperiness issues with the stainless in the summer. I’ve just been to class today and the chrome X-stages disintegrated into a greasy mess, we couldn’t even sit on them because we’d just slide down. I also remember barely wiping my hands on stainless even though I was a beginner back then. I developed horrible sweaty hands after we switched to chrome, it might not be a coincidence.

I’m not sure about X-pole US, but in the UK they have a horrible customer service. We’ve ordered X-stage carry cases 5 months ago and they still haven’t come. Another friend of mine waited for more than 4 months for a tiny piece of extension. So I guess you’ll have to deal with either bad anyways https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

Have you looked into the TG X-poles? They have better grip than chrome and stainless.

[Solya]

Thanks so much for the input guys https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif I might have found a joist (there’s a line on the ceiling lol) so I’ll just put my pole up and pray that it doesn’t demolish the house https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_razz.gif It’s not an X-pole btw so God knows what the top dome will do to the ceiling.

Considering that I’ve been craving for my own pole for more than a year, I don’t even care.

[Solya]

I have very sweaty hands and Mighty Grip didn’t do anything. It just disintegrates after like 2 spins and leaves a mess on the pole. I’m using liquid chalk now (Beal Pure Grip) and it works well, it makes my hands sticky like Spiderman https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

I think if you have sweaty hands I’d use liquid chalk – mind you, it’s awful for dry hands as the sweat on your hands turns the chalk into a tacky film. If you have dry hands Mighty Grip might work, or one of the wax-based grip aids.

Has anyone with sweaty hands used iTac2 by the way?

[Solya]

It is early here I need to get my kids to school so I haven’t read the whole thread, sorry if I am repeating! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_redface.gif

The Pole Angels are fab, watched them on youtube, any more news?? when is the final?

Here in the UK our poley got to the semi and was beaten essentially by a boy drummer who (according to my music teacher and guitarist b/f) was ok/good not the most fantastic but his appeal was he was a youngster. My b/f wanted the poley to get through cause a) she was really good and b) he has tried on my pole and now realises even a fireman spin is really hard when you’re starting https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

Just wanted to add that it was Alesia Vazmitsel (Miss Pole Dance UK 2008) on Britain’s Got Talent and she was awesome! She performed on an extended X-stage really really high and she got really positive comments as well. I was really sad she didn’t make it into the final, she should have.

Here’s the vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsDby9uG4J0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Solya]

I think it’s definitely the death grip and maybe you’re pushing yourself too hard on some spins/moves? I had serious tendonitis for like half a year because I was obsessed about the reverse grab and just did it over and over again. Generally it’s the moves that twist your arm and wrist that cause pain and tendonitis, so I’d avoid those for a while.

Try to loosen up your grip a bit as well, death gripping strains your arms a lot. Just keep poling and don’t push it if it hurts, you’ll gain the muscle strength to do tricks without hurting your arms. Just be patient https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[Solya]

Welcome to SV https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif I live in York, nice to meet another UKer https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif Hope you’ll have lots of fun with your new pole!

[Solya]

There’s not much to motivate you apart from the distant prospect of being really flexible https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif There are ways to make it less boring though. I usually time myself, like I say I’ll be in a stretching position for a minute even if I die of pain. Setting a time limit motivates me to stay stretching longer because if I stop before time is over I feel like a total failure lol.

I also listen to music while I stretch, it diverts your attention from the pain. Sometimes I take down a large mirror from the wall and put it in front of me so I can see myself becoming more and more flexible, it’s strangely satisfying and decreases the boredom https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif Oh and when I stretch into the centre splits I just put my laptop in front of me and watch series.

If you have someone around you could do assisted stretching which is really useful! There’s lots of literature on it on the internet. When I’m home I have my mum help me stretch my legs and my back while we watch telly or something. Having someone help you is also motivating because you can relax all your muscles and don’t get tired of holding a position for too long.

[Solya]

I just got my gloves and they’re nice and grippy and all, BUT. If I do split grip stuff (extended butterfly, aysha etc), my top hand gets pulled out of the glove and off the pole, it feels really dangerous. Like the gloves are sticking to the pole more than to my skin so they stay on the pole and my hand slides out https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif Anyone with the same problem?

Apart from this they’re so useful (even though you can’t spin in them), I made lots of progress on the elbow grip aysha https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[Solya]

I’m learning the elbow grip now too https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif Someone told me you need to make use of your skin sticking to the pole too. So basically stand in front of the pole (not in the aysha, just to practise the grip), get your non-dominant hand on the top and grip with your other hand on the bottom. Make sure you get your body away from the pole and grip very very low with the bottom hand. Then clench the muscles in your bottom arm and start pulling it up the pole and roll it inwards. Your skin’s resistance will give you lots of extra grip. You’re just going to have to do the same when you’re upside down. This got me a little more stable in the elbow grip https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif