[Svarri]

I've used the R Pole play – as it's 38mm hand grip is really easy. I didn't find any problems with the grip generally.

 

If you're looking for sturdiness -then pick another pole – you have to be very controlled in all you do. It seemed really flimsy to me. If you put some power in to a spin – it'd go flying.

[Svarri]

After poling for 2 years I took up trapeze at the start of 2010. Since then I've taken up hoop and silks. I recently completed a 12 week course in Circus performance, run by my local circus space.  I want to take up rope, but haven't got the time right now!

I absolutely love aerials and performing, so much so that I decided to make it my life.

I'm about to set off to do my first stint as an aerialist at a small touring circus. I'm really excited 😀

[Svarri]

I'm a pretty strong poler and aerialist with big breasts. It's been that way since I was 12 🙁 Thanks genetics! I'm tiny in all other aspects though, which makes it worse (5'2" tall)

 

I am currently a E cup. I managed to loose a cup size with all the training I do. But even though my breasts now seem small to me, they still look big to other people.

 

My problem with buying bras is that I've got a very narrow back – I usually fit between 28-30 band (but that's expanding thanks to my muscles). I've had some luck buying bras at Debenhams in their sale. You can also check ebay for cheaper branded bras you'd get at bravissimo.

[Svarri]

As you're learning the splits this might help 🙂 When I stretch I sometimes practice 'flowing' through a series of stretches. That helped me get comfortable with doing floorwork.

It's nice to take a little floorwork break when stretching 😀

[Svarri]

I thought the black widow was a wrist seat type move with the legs in a heart shape and a back bend.

 

There's a photo of it in this thread (scroll down)

 

http://wikipole.myfastforum.org/Black_Widow__about50.html

[Svarri]

Hi, I have some of the same problem with getting the back leg straight. I would suggest following how splits are done in yoga to make progress on it.

Look at how the woman goes into splits in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EWACssf7yw (from about 17mins in for the splits technique – but the whole video is a good sequence to follow).

This way you don't force the back leg straight at the expense of alignment. When you do end up putting the back foot flat, it's because your leg is straight.

[Svarri]

I definitely need to do these exercises on my right arm. I can manage a low lift into the tg with my left arm as my bottom arm. If I try it with my right arm as the bottom arm it feels like its pushing it out of place a bit.

I’ve had quite a bit go wrong with that arm. I injured playing tennis when I was younger and since then it’s never been right https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif

[Svarri]

I really benefited from massage in healing my wrist. I injured it over doing split grip poses.

I go to a trainee massage therapist. She’s blind, and as a result has been treating braille users for a long time so is a wrist/hand specialist. I took note of what she did and then took to massaging my arm. wrist and hand nightly. I also started training again as well. After training I’d ice my arm up to the elbow for 15-20mins. Then I’d massage it for about 15-20 minutes before bed,

I suffered that injury for 10 months and had physiothearapy that only worked for a little bit. 1.5 months of ice and massage solved it for me. I’m still training the strength up on that wrist though and gradually re-introducing split-grips.

[Svarri]

I use sugaring rather than waxing – my genetics makes shaving a really bad idea. Sugaring paste readymade is quite expensive for what it is.

I use this guide to making it http://www.beauty-fitness-savvy.com/sugaring-hair-removal.html

It works and is really easy to correct. If it isn’t sticky enough cook it some more. If it’s too hard then add some water.

[Svarri]

Here’s a nice yoga sequence on preparing to do splits that someone posted to me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EWACssf7yw

It’s a nice 1/2 hour practice to do as a break!

[Svarri]

Seen a lot of dances to Muse’s cover of ‘Feeling Good’ here in the UK (I’ve done it and ‘Pet’ https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_redface.gif ).

[Svarri]

TG moves are really quite taxing!

I injured my elbow over practicing a regular split-grip combo this time last year. It ‘migrated’ to my wrist and took over 10 months to heal. Split grip used to be my strong point. Now I do them sparingly. I completely stopped doing the TG.

What scares me is that, at the studio I practice at people launch themselves into handsprings of all types with NO warmup. Sadly, they’re just following the example of the teacher.

[Svarri]

I find the titanium grip a no-no for me when I’m sweaty. For me, the sweat seems to stay on the titanium and I slide dangerously. I don’t have that problem with chrome!

[Svarri]

I only manage to point both my feet when I have good thigh grip! I have quite thin thighs so gripping is harder for me than it is foe some ladies.

I honestly feel that the CAR is a pretty dangerous move (and I felt this before the woman who fell out of it and is now in a coma). I’m happy to sacrifice form for the feeling that I’m not losing my lock.

[Svarri]

One of the yoga teachers I go to has a good way of describing how this should feel. You should be like scissors. The front leg hip pulls back and the back leg him pulls forward.

It’s opposite to what you want to do when stretching splits, but it’s the safer way!

[Svarri]

Quite late, but if you look up a band called Dirty Three they have a lot of violin stuff. Check out ‘Some Summers They Drop Like Flies’ – it’s quite haunting

Found a link! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLAlRFioyA0&feature=related

[Svarri]

My experience of moving an x-stage around is that the base plates are the heaviest and most difficult to move. I’ve heard someone recommend getting an extra bag or two for them, so you carry less of them at once. That struck me as a really good idea. More trips, but less pain!

[Svarri]

Can’t make it this time – hopefully nest week.

[Svarri]

If I’m seriously choreographing (e.g. for a competition) I do it in an bit of an odd way. On one hand I can ‘see’ pole moves in music and then that’s really straightforward. However, what’s in my mind doesn’t always work https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif

What I do is I sit down with my music and I map it out. I write out what I think the phases are in the music and the amount of time each bit takes: So, I’ll have something like

00.00-00.10 intro section

00.10-00.34 chorus

00.35 – drums start

etc.

It really helps me to have a ‘map’ of what I’m dancing to, where I’ve noted the parts of the music and the features I find interesting/significant.
To the side of that map, I’ll write down the moves/combinations and actions/expressions that I think will go with them.

Then the task is trying it out and whether what’s in my head works and adjusting it as I go along. I write out what works (combinations/spins/dance bits). This is really useful if I’m entering a competition with required moves. That way I can check that I’ve included everything.

It’s a way of choreographing that won’t suit everyone. I like to write things down as a general rule https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[Svarri]

Is this on this week? My laptop broke at the beginning of October and it’s only now I have one that works – otherwise I’d have been at the first one https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[Svarri]

For the split with the double foot lock on silks – practicing splits on silks like that is an awesome way to progress the splits. You have to engage everything to hold the splits. It builds both strength and flexibility.

[Svarri]

I’m up for it https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif At the moment Tuesday and Wednesday nights are good for me.

[Svarri]

I do it (not very well) from 0.58 into this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g40_iT-gFW8

[Svarri]

FELIX!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rO_9wLHdj0&feature=player_embedded#!

[Svarri]

I have a friend who claims that the titanium x-pole irritates her skin where there’s contact – I take it this isn’t so common?