[byrdgrrl]

Hi,
I got the bottom loading upgrade kit for my X-pole. It ran me $169.99 US including shipping. I’m really happy with it. Putting up and taking down the pole is a breeze. The upgrade also preserves the ability of your X-pole to spin, though I don’t generally use spin mode. I should warn you that my upgrade did not come with instructions. I had to e-mail for them, but I have detailed pictures and instructions in this thread: https://www.studioveena.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2382&start=40 The pictures are on the next page. I would totally recomend the bottom-loading upgrade. Hope that helps!

[byrdgrrl]

Veena’s lessons are very good. She has some strength building exercises that are really helpful. Jamilla’s DVDs are also good. I use them when I’m out in the sticks and don’t have regular internet access. They’re not like yoga or some other workout DVDs where the instructor does a routine that you follow, but Jamilla has specific moves that she breaks down that you can follow. I have discs 1 and 2 and the moves that she has you work on start with simple walking and spins as well as some simple arm strength builders. It’s important to remember that pole dancing is a very strong art. It can seem very discouraging at first but if you keep at it, I promise you will get stronger. Over time, not overnight. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[byrdgrrl]

Are you sure that your pole is completely vertical? If not, that may be causing the problem. Make sure that the dome is completely flat and tight against the ceiling. I stand back a ways from my pole and line it up with the side of a door frame. The side of the door frame and the pole should be parallel. If not, then the pole is leaning.

[byrdgrrl]

The whole video was amazing. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_eek.gif I wanna do that what looked like an inverted aerial shoulder mount at 0:53. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_eek.gif

[byrdgrrl]

I thought I would have enough room, but quickly almost demolished my bookcase with my music sitting on top. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif I don’t know where you are skill-wise, but I went to working on some of the smaller forward spins (eg. fireman, front hook), anything where I don’t have to really stretch my leg out. I need a lot of work on my strength, too. Veena has a couple of awesome arm strength moves (pole row, pole triceps push) in her lessons. I also work on my pole hold (another arm strength thing) and my pole sit. I can also fit most walks and transitions in too. Some of this may or may not be helpful to you; I’m still kind of new at this. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[byrdgrrl]

I do something similar. I layer up and strip off as I warm up. I’ve also discovered the joy of space heaters. I have a pretty small room though, so it works. My main issue is the cold. I HATE being cold, and it’s really hard to get motivated when I’m freezing. That’s why the space heater is sooo nice. I live in the desert too, so I’m never sad that it’s raining. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif When it rains, we celebrate! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_nemo.gif

[byrdgrrl]

It’s really no more complicated than putting up the original version. It just seemed harder because it was new. I really like the upgrade. The key for me was no longer needing a ladder. I have ten foot ceilings, so in the past I had to wrestle a six-foot ladder off the wall of the garage over my mum’s car (or wait until her car was gone). It’s just me putting up my pole, so then I would have to scramble up and down the ladder to make adjustments to straighten the pole after I got it up. Putting up and taking down is as much a work-out as actually dancing. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif Now though,all I need it the little kitchen step-stool to get the extension on. Much easier. And I can check the alignment of my pole and then just step up and adjust it. I’m definitely not sorry that I went with the upgrade, but there are a couple of things that I’m not crazy about. One is that it is really important to make sure that the dome is flat and completely secure against the ceiling. It’s not at eye-level anymore, so twist the adjuster until the pole starts to give some resistance and really make sure you pull and spin on the pole several times before you call it good. The other thing is that the upgrade is noticeably heavier than the part it replaces. This is kind of a small thing, but I can’t really leave my pole up all the time and I move around a lot, so I’m hauling it a lot. I guess I need to work on my strength any way though. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif Overall though, I would say the new upgrade is well worth it.

[byrdgrrl]

Usually I pretty much eyeball it. I stand back away from my pole and get both it and a door frame or window frame in my line of sight. I know that the frame is vertical, so my pole should be parallel to the frame. I usually do it from a couple of different angles to make sure. I also discovered with the new system that I can look at the adjuster cover. When it’s open, it sits against the base. If the pole is not straight, then there will be space between the base and the adjuster cover. Gives you an idea of which way it’s leaning.

[byrdgrrl]

There are exercises that can be done with out a pole in the lessons. Some of the strength exercises can be done with a wall or a doorframe. Some of the body movement ones like hip rolls and body waves can be done without a pole.

[byrdgrrl]

I’ve used Windex wipes (like baby wipes but with Windex) regularly for almost a year. It doesn’t seem to be affecting the finish on my chrome pole, or my grip. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_scratch.gif

[byrdgrrl]

Continuing from previous. . .

This is what the top looks like when finished.
Complete Top.JPG

These are the pieces that I’ve found that I no longer need. From left of the photo to right and top to bottom: Main Pole A, Adjuster cover, little base piece, spanner, little base piece case.
Obsolete.JPG

I hope that was helpful,and I’ll be happy to try and answer any questions!

[byrdgrrl]

The new adjuster cover is threaded, not spring clipped like the old one. In the photo you can see the threads below the hex screw.
New Adjuster1.JPG

Here you can see two of the three hex screws that control the adjuster. Loosening them, as in the photo, allows the section to turn so you can adjust the height. You can also see the smooth section with no threads. The hex screws must align with those smooth sections to tighten the screws and secure the pole, in the same fashion that the Xs and screws must align when switching from spin to static.
New Adjuster2.JPG

After the adjuster has been unwound enough to get the dome flat and tight against the ceiling, just slide the cover up and screw it into place. This is what the bottom of the finished pole looks like.
Complete Bottom.JPG

[byrdgrrl]

These are all the pieces that I need to set up my pole.
From the top of the picture: 750mm extension, Main Pole B, Upgrade section, top adapter, base, hex key, tightening rods, upper dome.
Complete Pieces.JPG

Start with the base. Don’t put the little separate piece on.
Base.JPG

The upgrade section will go directly onto the base. In the photo, you can see the bottom-most hex screw. There’s another on the other side. They work just like the hex screws on the old little piece to make the pole static or spinny.Upgrade Closeup.JPG

From there, Main Pole B screws onto the Upgrade section, and then I need a 750mm extension. The top adapter screws on to the extension and the dome goes onto the adapter.

[byrdgrrl]

Here are some pictures that I took that I hope will help clarify my previous description. I might put them over several posts so I don’t end up with the Great American Novel (and I discovered a limit of three attachments per post).

These are the new pieces. The conversion kit consists of the upgrade section and the top adapter. I should mention that the upgrade section is noticeably heavier that the Main Pole A section that it replaces. The shipping label said 13.5 pounds (lbs), and the top adapter doesn’t even weigh a pound.

[byrdgrrl]

I’ll see about getting some pictures of all the new parts.

Also, I still needed a step-stool to put the extension on top, but the little kitchen one was quite high enough, so no need to dig out the ladder

Not sure if you can answer all of these questions:

1. I don’t understand this part…why did you have to be on a step ladder? Couldn’t you just add the extension on top BEFORE you stood the pole up in place?

2. So instead of putting the smallest pieces at the bottom, the largest go toward the bottom and the closer to the top the smaller the extensions?

Does anyone else find this a difficult concept to adapt to after years of putting smallest pieces at the bottom for a more stable pole?

Maybe as long as the smaller pieces aren’t in the middle but either the very top or very bottom it’s still stable?

3. I wondered about the concept of pushing the dome flat against the ceiling before tightening the adjuster rod since that is also suppose to stabelize your pole better?

Answers, hopefully.
1. I could probably put the extension on before I put Pole B onto the base, but I have a ten foot pole and it’s just me putting the thing together, so for me it’s just easier to hoist the one extension.

2. Yes. It was weird for me too, and I specifically asked where extensions go when I e-mailed Kimara. Because of the height of my pole, I use one fairly long (750 mm) extension, so it doesn’t seem quite as awkward. I haven’t noticed any difference in stability since switching.

3. This is where things get interesting. The old way, the dome was right at eye-level so I could see when it was flat and I could push up on it. Now, it’s five and a half feet above me on the ceiling. I found it easy to think that I had tightened it all the way, when in fact I had not. Remember, It’s just me putting up my pole. With two people, one could adjust the pole, while the other watches to check the dome placement, maybe. Or maybe one person could just hold the pole steady while the other person adjusts. After a couple of tries, I found that I could feel when one edge of the dome contacted the ceiling and I could shift slightly to make it flat. I also kept screwing the pole up until it there was some resistance to the screw (hopefully not enough to crack the ceiling!) I then spin tested it several times before calling it good.

I hope that helped a little. I’ll work on pictures tomorrow, and if anyone has any other questions, I’ll be happy to try and answer them!