[Suzanna]

I had to stop poling for some time, as I was moving all my life across the country… finally I feel settled down and ready to go back to my pole, and here I read this certification idea. I love it!!! Option 1, I think, would be very motivating to me… little steps, little by little, achieve big results 🙂

[Suzanna]

For me, nothing used to work, only plain powdered chalk. It will really dry you out, and then you just rely on the strength of your hands (which I didn’t have in the beginning either, I was a big mess). But try the regular chalk. Apply as often as you need.

[Suzanna]

Not a plus size, but “plus height” 🙂 I am 6 feet tall and somehow heavy (as a tall person, carrying the bones). I was a tennis player when I started pole 3 years ago, and looking fit, and also I thought I was fit. Until my first pole class. I could NOT do anything. I was the slowest learned. “Basic” spins took me weeks or months, all girls were climbing and I couldn’t for many many months. My skinny long arms with tall body spinning around made it really hard on my grip strength. I just had to patiently develop it. I still have problems with two-points-of contact moves, still not strong enough for that, 3 years later.

Just enjoy the journey, don’t compare to others (it’s hard to do, I tried not to, but I always envied the “little” girls how quickly they got the moves) and write down every even so tiny accomplishment you have, in your pole journal. One day you look back and realize how much you have accomplished.

[Suzanna]

I have never done a cartwheel in my life until 52 year old (2 years ago). Now I can do them. Working on your handstands (do chest-to-wall variations) will build shoulder strength and you get used to being upside down. They are small little baby progressions of cartwheels… read this post from Kirsty and you will get some good tips there: https://www.garagegymgirl.com/blog/cartwheels

[Suzanna]

I’ve been working on my handstands for two years now. I too was like you, super frightened… I feel like working on handstands is extremely beneficial for the pull practice… pole: a lot of pulling, HS: pushing… it will even out the imbalances. Also, it will build strong traps, shoulders, and all the scapular area (very good for pole)… anyway, start with the belly to wall handstands. Walk your feet up, and just hold hold hold, and push the ground away for life. Build a solid line, strong PPT (posterior pelvic tilt) and push push push the ground away… if you do this for a while, you will feel eventually strong and confident to kick up into it. And from there, your handstand world is yours 🙂

This is how far I came in two years, from a total scary cat that has not been inverted for 51 years… I am still scared, it hasn’t gone away fully, hoping that one day it will… but I spent the first year belly to the wall… building the strength. Good luck, you will love that journey… a lot of patience needed, but you already have it from your pole experience 🙂

https://www.facebook.com/suzannatennisfitness/videos/2296485410383799/

[Suzanna]

I am learning Ayesha right now too. I am about where you are, I can do the D/pike (finally) and extended Butterfly, on my own. I also only use true grip right now, and if they do twisted grip in the studio, I tell them “pardon me, but I am not ready for twisted grip right now, may I do true grip?” and of course they agree. They cannot force me to what I am not ready for (or my shoulders are not ready for).

Here is an EXCELLENT explanation of all the twisted, true, and cup grips pros and cons… this is part 1, but then you will also find part 2 and part 3 there on the blog. A great read. Enjoy your true grip 🙂

https://www.thepolept.com/shoulder-health/is-twisted-grip-really-that-bad/

[Suzanna]

Treesy, (and other ladies), here comes a thought from the completely opposite end… I am TALL (6 feet) and quite heavy and if you would look at me, you would think I am a super woman, ha ha… well, that’s what other people think when they see how fit I am… (IG: suzanna.fit_vegan) I have been working really hard to get fit, but honestly, the pole is killing me (and my “athletic” ego, ha ha… that’s good for me, I guess)… I’ve been poling for 1.5 year now, and my development is so slow. I feel heavy and tall and weak for my body proportions… I so “envy” (I mean it in a positive way) the shorter girls, they seem just to jump on the pole, boom, invert, boom, Ayesha… while I am still mastering the climb. Or something simple. Because of my body size, I have been always feeling like a baby seal trying to dance on the sand, ha ha… Always a little awkward. I don’t have any dancing or gymnastic background, I am 52 years old, and I don’t have too many tall role models…

As I was getting slightly better, and I do have a few moments of grace sometimes (like 15 seconds, haha), it struck me that other ladies/people comment how beautiful this tall body looks moving around the pole, so this, so that, so graceful… all these things that I had as my limitations, they did admire… and it hit me that I did put all the limitations on myself… I am who I am, and I’d better do the best out of it. Maybe it will take me 10 times longer than a shorter girl can do, but ultimately, who cares how long it will take me? As long as I am improving, little by little…

It maybe sounds like a brag a little about my fitness, but it is not meant to be that way. I just want to show the opposite point of the spectrum—tall and seemingly fit—and I struggle as much, if not more, than anybody else… It will bring things in perspective. I started to follow more of the “beginner” polers on IG because it makes me in touch with reality, that we all struggle when we learn something new. I still love to watch all the graceful advanced ladies/men, but for the balance, I also admire every beginner of every size.

[Suzanna]

You go girl!!! I love that sound at the end “oooooooooh” 🙂 that’s what I do too 💕

[Suzanna]

And see, I have the complete opposite problems, not strong enough and sliding down too fast… I think your “problem” is better, at least you are “stuck” there on the pole and look cool, haha. I just go down 🙂

[Suzanna]

I ordered it from the Lupit website, it was $309 plus $45 shipping… not too bad. Compatible price with the X-pole.

[Suzanna]

I just bought one a few months ago. I LOVE it!!! I had the X-pole (static), and bought the spinning Lupit. It’s 42 mm, and stainless steel. I feel like I have a better grip on it. But I am a beginner, so who knows, maybe I am just getting stronger in my hands… The both domes are smaller, and it looks much more elegant 🙂 I have no problems to using the 45 mm in the studio (once a week), after this 42 mm at home.Yet again, I have not done any advanced tricks on it, as I don’t dare to do the ones I know at home on my own, yet. But I highly recommend it. If I would shop again, and had the choice between X-pole or Lupit, I go for Lupit. Even though I loved my X-pole before 🙂

[Suzanna]

I don’t have the experience with Lupit, but every other aid that you described didn’t work for me… some were too sticky at the same time that they were slippery (sweat on a top of the stickiness, grrr). I found that the plain chalk (I found a good smelling one online 🙂 ) works the best. It dries out the sweat on my hands nicely, then I can struggle just with my weak hands 🙂 I apply it just a little, when needed. Less and less as time goes. Even when I start sweating on my ankles and heals (yeah, a weird thing) I can apply it there and it is all good for the inversions. Highly recommended for sweaty hands. It won’t help with that weak grip (I wish it did, ha ha), but that’s a matter of time to get stronger.

[Suzanna]

Thanks Phoenix Hunter, you got my point. I wanted to show that it is possible for those/us who want to pursue this goal. And the ladies, who don’t want, they don’t need to worry… I too like to improve my appearance. I like where I am now, and what I have achieved, but like with all my other goals in life, I always strive for more. Better education, helping more people, growing my business.. goals… I like projects… I like to get stronger and get my shoulders bigger. I am working on it. Just like I used to work on reducing my fat tissue on booty and stomach. I want to see what is possible. I love to encourage others who choose to pursue their goals, because often the limited beliefs are the only obstacle we get stuck on.

[Suzanna]

What is interesting is that men generally don’t care at all about our cellulites, whether we have them or not. They don’t see them. They like their woman for who she is and don’t notices things that we, women, see as imperfections.

It’s not about who is right or wrong with the cellulites and if it is pretty or not to have them. It’s about that we all have goals, physical, business, life, pole… the reason why we have those goals is very personal— we all have our own journeys. If we want to have or don’t want to have cellulites is personal too. I think it is good to know that it is possible to get rid of them, if somebody wants to have that goal. As a performance coach, I always love to see what is possible. Wether I choose to go for it or not, it is personal. If other people do it or don’t is not my business and I shall not judge. But if they ask for help, I will help. 🙂

[Suzanna]

My opinion and experience, from a bodybuilder background. Also, I see all the IFBB Pro Fitness and Figure and Bikini competitors daily in my gym (the famous Gold’s gym in Venice)… cellulites are fat. Fat can be burnt away. Thus we can get rid of cellulites. As many of us have noticed, for some ladies it is easier, for some harder, just because where we carry more body fat genetically. But whoever we are genetically, we all can get rid of it, if we really want. (That’s another question, but I just suppose that we want). The body parts where it is less blood supply carry more body fat, such as below your booty, upper outside thigh, lower stomach etc. The goal is to increase muscle mass under the fat, because when you move, the blood will flow to the muscles and thus surrounding layers or fat will have the opportunity to “be burnt off”. I am describing this very simplistically… (Here is a more “scientific” article if you want: https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/spot-reduction-is-real)

Because I generally don’t believe everything I read, but I am fairly open minded if it makes sense, many many years ago, I have decided to do an experiment. (I do experiments with everything in my life 🙂 ). I used to be very bottom heavy, carrying a lot of fat on my thighs and the booty. I did the experiment to do tons and tons (thousands and thousands) of reps of different targeted exercises. It took long time. Result? The fat went away… and the cellulite with it, of course. It was not a miracle, it was a hard work. Not everybody is willing to do this hard work, but if it is worth it for you, go for it. Because you WILL get results…

Those amazing fitness/figure competitor ladies work unreal hard, they spend 1.5-2 hours, 4–5 days a week on working their glutes/hamstrings, just to make that area tight. They all have nice lean thighs, and booties, I can witness it. For them it really matters, because they compete and are judged visually. For us pole girls (I used to be one of the fitness/bodybuilder ones15 years ago), the visual does not matter as much, but maybe for some of us (or many of us) it does, just personally.

So if it does for you, go for it, you can get rid of the cellulites. Also, that’s why some of the massage things and creams give some results, because they increase the blood circulation… ultimately, you want muscles, because they will work for you always—make you strong, shapely, lean, healthy, pole-fit, confident, and much more 🙂

[Suzanna]

Congratulations! What a lovely story it is. I believe we can get fit at any age. If we eat healthy, mostly natural foods, and help our body to balance the hormones and everything naturally, that is the best way… I am 51 years old, plant-based (mostly raw), eat a lot of foods, so I always have a lot of energy for training and life… don’t eat any processed foods at all. It’s become so normal to me to live this way, that I do not feel deprived at all. I want to snack on fruits instead of unhealthy snacks. I think that is the way—eat like our grandparents used to… simple, back na nature… eat plants, many of them.

[Suzanna]

Happy happy super happy and spin-y and climb-y and invert-y birthday, Veena!!!!!

[Suzanna]

You cannot get more value for your money. I am a new pole girl, and I am a performance coach and injury prevention specialist for athletes. I don’t trust many people online with their advice. However, I am so impressed with Veena’s everything. Not just the pole instruction, but the strength training, and injury prevention advice. It is rock solid. I highly, highly recommend her lessons (and I have not even got through half of them yet)…

[Suzanna]

Intigany, it’s hard to see, but I think I have my right hand below the chin and the left somewhere around my eyes/forehead or so.. Shall I get both hands that low (chin level)?

[Suzanna]

Wibberoo, thanks! I can now do two pull-ups (the easier way, with palms facing me). I was not able to do any a few weeks ago. Feeling like my pole-strength is getting better. Now I need to start working on the pull-ups with palms facing away. 🙂

[Suzanna]

LatinPoler, I don’t have an answer for you, but I am following the discussion, as I feel like you do. I look super strong, and I am strong in a non-pole ways. When I invert, I feel like I don’t have enough strength to squeeze the pole for long enough to release my hands for crucifix or caterpillar on anything. Even when I slowly slide into a handstand, I feel unstable in my shoulder.

I am thinking that by developing the basic “pole strength” (strong hands/grip, strong leg squeeze, and shoulder) I suspect that I will become more confident in my strength and thus feeling safer inverted and having less fears. My plan is to work on handstands (I am working on headstands now, I cannot even do the elbow stand with my head off the ground) for the shoulder/stability strength and the leg squeeze strength. Hoping this will make me more comfortable in my future inverted moves.

[Suzanna]

Veena, yes, I see it. Sometimes I just like to test myself where I am… (I’ve been training abs in the gym regularly, 500 a day for many months. I know it’s different than abs on the pole.) I was just curious so I jumped in the last day to see what I can do. I did it before your reply, so I split it in a few sets. I realize now that it was much easier that way, but I did total 20 left knee tuck, 20 right knee tuck, 300 twists, 100 roll-ups, and 100 leg lift each… in a few days I will try to do them all in one bang, like you say. I suspect the 65 leg lifts will be the hardest because I don’t do those in the gym. If I cannot do it, I jump into the middle of the challenge and start from there 🙂 I know I should be progressing, I just always try to test my limits. Girls, whoever reads this: don’t do like me. Start the progression that Veena outlined. It’s much safer and better. I just don’t know “moderation” in everything I do. 😋

[Suzanna]

Do you do each exercise full number in a row, or you do a fewer shorter circuits until the full number is complete? (For example, when you do 20 knee tucks, do you do them all 20 in a row? Or 65 leg lifts in a row?)

[Suzanna]

Kiley, I feel with you. I have been athlete all my life (skier, soccer, weights, tennis player…) and no dance or gymnastics or “girly” training. I am a pole beginner too and at 6 feet and 160 lbs I really feel clumsy when moving around it. I took a few videos of myself and I think “gee… it ain’t like Veena” 😉 ha ha.

Anyway, I really like what Polegramma suggested. Rather than analyzing my moves, if I’ll try to feel how great it feels to point my toes (well, I do have to think about it because it does not feel natural) or do the body wave, and it probably will make a huge difference. I will try to do that. And I suspect (and hope) that with time, all this will feel natural and sexy.

[Suzanna]

I’ve had the original TRX for years. It’s amazing quality. It can hook both above the door, and with an attachment anywhere you want.