[StrangeFox]

Beautiful!! I love it! All of your movements are so controlled…so precise! Watching you really does bring to mind a music box ballerina! Like TropicalVertical, I am without words. It’s simply stunning and I love how there’s a workshop in the background. How long did this take to make?

[StrangeFox]

Hey camkbarn! I don’t know where you live, but if there’s a Stag Shop or another adult novelty store in your area you could always try going there to see if they have some Pleasers to try out.

Also, I’m not sure how accurate this is but this is the conversion chart on Pleaser USA:

http://www.pleaserusa.com/Index.asp?page=sizeconvchart

You could also email someone at Pleaser and ask about converting the size from women’s to men’s. 🙂 One thing to consider: if you’re inverting you may want the shoe to fit a little snug. You can always loosen up any snug plastic shoes by warming them with a blow dryer and putting them on your feet so they stretch a little.

[StrangeFox]

Okay…sorry to resurrect this but I wanted to add an update just in case anyone else runs into a similar issue.

1) Although I can SM (on both sides now! yay!) I have been told to cool it until I can hold myself parallel to the ground in a shoulder “V.” It’s safer and it’s easier for me to know whether or not I’ve got the pole in the right place (still learning this). Initially I had it too close to my neck and put a lot of pressure on the wrong places. I didn’t feel it while I was SMing but I did feel it after. Holding the “V” position I know immediately when I’m in the wrong position and I won’t attempt a mount that may pinch a muscle or bruise a bone.

2) The tricep/bicep pain was from figurehead. I need to squeeze more with my legs/knees and less with my arm.

3) Went to get a sports massage and was told the muscles in my back and shoulders are extremely tight and need to be stretched after I pole/condition. Was also told I should work on my back/shoulder flexibility if I hope to avoid injury, which until now I have sorely neglected.

[StrangeFox]

Thanks for your awesome feedback everyone! I feel a bit better about this now. I was feeling frivolous for even considering this but my fiance told me I won’t get the room unless I get another pole (what an ultimatum, huh?) and….I want to climb!!! Initially he didn’t really “get” pole dancing but after bringing him to a couple of shows and letting him watch me freestyle he’s getting really into it.

Veena – I’m really trying to sell him on the permanent mounts! That’s an excellent idea putting the piece of wood on the ceiling over the joist. He’s very, very against any “unnecessary” modifications to the house that involve power tools and is still upset with me for cutting into the chair rail in the basement. Haha!

Hannimator – your conservatory sounds so lovely! I would be getting a different type of pole, which I’m using to help assuage my guilt (somewhat)! The way my fiance sees it, making it as comfortable as possible for me to pole at home will keep me from spending all of my time and money at the studio. 🙂

[StrangeFox]

Thanks so much for the input everyone! It’s good to know I wouldn’t be “crazy” or out of the norm (well, for a pole dancer anyway) for having two poles. 😀

I have an X-Pert, which is static and spinny, so I’d be getting another one of those but a different finish and different diameter. Our spare bedroom doesn’t have extremely tall ceilings (approx 7ft 7inches, which is pretty average), but it’s much, much taller than the basement ceiling. There’s also a lot more room for floorwork, however, my fi warned me he’s going to be putting something in there for himself at some point – a massage chair.

The room isn’t used for all that much at the moment, and in addition to it being a pole space he may use it from time to time as well. He doesn’t want to take down the basement pole because he thinks the basement will look silly without it now that I’ve done it all up. As far as “problems” go this is a pretty good one to have!

[StrangeFox]

Thanks so much, Veena! I’m a programmer and on the computer a lot so I might want to invest in some wrist wraps once I get my split grip up to snuff! 🙂 I love the forearm stretches on here and I do them every time I pole.

I’m a bit nervous training split grip so I don’t do it often. I think I need to work on strengthening my forearms because that’s where I usually feel it.

[StrangeFox]

Thanks LatinPoler! Yeah, that’s kind of my worry, to be honest. I don’t want to rush, especially with something like split grip so I’ve been moving very slowly. I’m concerned wrist wraps would give me a false sense of security and I’d push too hard too fast. But I also want to make sure I’m protecting my wrists and forearms as much as possible. Whenever I fall even slightly out of alignment, I feel it and it scares me a bit. On the flip side I don’t want to indulge a bad habit or mask bad technique. I did run into a similar issue with mighty grip ankle protectors and it took me FOREVER to un-learn my bad climbing/side climbing habits.

I feel a huge difference in my inverted split grip. I’m now secure and my upper arm is pulling and supporting me 100%. My lower arm is just pushing me away from the pole. I think this is what upright split grip should feel like, too, but I’m not quite there yet so maybe my body needs more strength. I have been doing Veena’s exercises and I’ve noticed a huge difference. 🙂

[StrangeFox]

Thank you, Autumn Sky! Sounds like you’re in the same boat as me! I’m trying to learn those moves, too. How do you find the sizing of the strength wraps? My wrist circumference is approx. 13 1/2 cms so I’m worried I won’t be able to find a brand that fits. 😀

[StrangeFox]

Hey! Welcome to SV! I go to a studio and use SV, and I find I’m progressing fairly well despite not having any gymnastics or dance training. I highly recommend Veena’s lessons – they are wonderful and they really helped me target muscles I didn’t even know I had. She’s also very focused on injury prevention and is extremely responsive if you have any questions or concerns.

I like how you’re staggering out your pole and stretching classes – it’s important to have rest days from strength training and stretching. Everyone is different, but I didn’t start losing weight until I added cardio to my workout routines. Cardio can be running, dancing, aerobics… etc…

Maybe on the days you have stretching classes you could throw in a bit of cardio before your class just to get warm. Either work on some dancing off of the pole (which will help with your pole routines), or go running if you like. The C25K app worked really well for me and got me to the point where I can run 10K continuously. I usually listen to the music I’d like to dance to and come up with routines in my head while I run.

Congrats on your upcoming wedding, and please do keep us posted on your progress!!

[StrangeFox]

It’s awesome of you to make a blooper vid! It’s comforting to know that even someone as talented as you struggled while learning new moves. The jade bloopers hit especially close to home for me because I do the same thing in hip holds when I don’t get the POC just right (slide right down the pole!). Thank you, thank you for sharing – I really needed that today! ❤❤❤ I just went up to a new level in the pole curriculum at my studio and I’ve gone from being comfortable with all of the moves to completely clueless and uncoordinated!

On the internet we only ever get to see everyone’s successes and it sometimes looks like everyone else is getting it except you. I have to keep remembering we all have our nemesis moves. There are a couple of girls in my class that are split grip inverting and effortlessly doing the balance poses, but they’re struggling with other things that I picked up quickly (shoulder mounts, leg hangs, and aerial inverts).

[StrangeFox]

Veena – thank you so much for your reply! That is very helpful and it makes me feel so, so much better knowing this is hard and takes practice. Sometimes when I watch fellow pole students effortlessly execute the balance poses I feel a bit embarrassed that I just don’t get it. For me, the leg hangs seem to click easier.

Your video for the shoulder stand pike shows you holding shoulder stand in a tuck at one point and that helped me so much. I’m really excited to try the stands routine tonight!! (I had a weird schedule this week and wasn’t able to get to it until now and I’m just dying to try it).

I’m getting into that pose by going into caterpillar, getting secure, and removing my legs. I tend to drop more to one side which puts me off balance. I’m working on my straddle flexibility but it’s slow going seeing as I have to be careful of my hyper extending knees. 🙂

[StrangeFox]

Wait…I think I figured it out while freestyling, but I’d still love to hear your tips. 🙂 I need to make sure I’m pretty much perfectly vertical, and I have to make sure my hands are right under my shoulders, elbows cannot hyper-extend, and I need to push the floor away.

The move I’m working on is kind of like this but a lot prettier and without my leg touching the pole. Need to figure out how I can get centered, stable, and stacked before I master this one but I’ll get there. 🙂

[StrangeFox]

All of this is making me super sad. Veena – I would love to see your dances. The dance portion of pole is my favorite piece but also the piece I struggle with the most. I always admire dancers who can flow moves together and create beautiful art out of all of the pole moves they’ve mastered. I can’t do that (yet). I’m all tricks… but I’m working really hard on my dancing. I never post my freestyles because I feel kind of embarrassed at how terrible I am, but I LOVE watching other people dance.

For me it takes a lot more courage to post a dance than a trick. It’s a lot more personal. That may be another reason pole dancers are more focused on posting tricks. The whole music police thing is certainly not helping, though.

[StrangeFox]

Veena – I would love to see your videos. Now I’m depressed about the whole music thing. 🙁

[StrangeFox]

Aw man…that sucks. I don’t post on IG yet but I know posting videos on IG is a big ordeal for the studio I attend because of the whole music thing so it’s unfortunately not uncommon. 🙁 Let us know when you’re back on IG.

[StrangeFox]

I have the opposite problem – dry, slippery skin. I use dry hands but it doesn’t always work for me. I find for my body the ol’ shaving gel (with glycerin!!) trick works best, but I’m not sure if that will work for sweat, too.

If you have the option of getting all three grip aids, have your students try them all and see what works best!

Congrats to your students on making it to the finals!

[StrangeFox]

Thanks! I’ll have to check it out! 😀

[StrangeFox]

Hey dustbunny! No ideas for flips (not quite there yet!) but if you guys make vids be sure to post them here! I’d love to see them! 🙂

[StrangeFox]

Thanks Veena! I am excited to see how my flexibility increases with the 30 days to flexy program! I did a back/arm day yesterday and I never quite feel the stretch the same as when I stretch my legs. I tend to gain back flexibility through active stretching best, and my legs respond better to passive stretching. So weird!

So far I am loving the 30 days to flexy program, though!

[StrangeFox]

Thanks so much Estef Martinez! I look forward to watching that. I started 30 days to flexy, too, and I notice some days focuses on back flexibility. It’s so weird…I never feel like I’m gaining back/torso flexibility by doing camel or cobra or foam rolling – it’s all so comfortable! But I can get my palms flat on the ground in camel, and lateral shoulder rolls and walking/sweeping my feet in a circle around me is now comfortable so…I guess I’m getting somewhere!

[StrangeFox]

Welcome! I look forward to hearing about the progress you make in your pole journey. This is truly an addictive sport! 🙂

[StrangeFox]

Just seconding what hannimator says. As an added bonus, X-Pole has phenomenal customer support so if you ever have an issue with your pole (installation, maintenance, safety) they will respond to you quickly. Happy poling! 🙂

[StrangeFox]

Me! Me! I want a video LatinPoler! Pretty please with a cherry on top? 🙂 I always admire your head tosses in your videos. Those are all great tips… I’ll have to remember them next time I try a hair/head toss.

[StrangeFox]

I’m another non-flipper with the same issue as greyeyes. I have really thin, fine hair and it’s decently long. Whenever I flip my hair it ends up plastered to my sweaty face or in some weird position that’s very un-sexy. I tend to toss my head back instead of flip my hair. I’ve actually had people giggle at my attempts to hair flip! I’m sorry I can’t offer much advice, but maybe some of the other polers on here have some tips! Just wanted to say I’m in the same boat!

Check out Veena’s floorwork section for some great ideas on sexy things you can add to your routines. I love how everyone has their own brand of sexy when they get on the pole. 🙂

[StrangeFox]

Baudelaire – I came across your blog while researching how to fall safely out of inverted crucifix/shoulder mount and it was immensely helpful – thank you for sharing. 🙂