[dustbunny]

That is great advice from Polkadotpoler!  I will try to add a little more detail to what (I think) she meant.  Instead of bringing your outside hand to the pole low (waist or hip height), bring it to the pole around the height of your face and let your whole forearm (from hand to elbow) rest along the pole.  Your body stays closer to the pole which helps take the weight off, making it much easier.  This should help with your grip, and when you are stronger you can try the standard way of doing this spin.

[dustbunny]

Poledancefan (Joel) has a vid on YT as well about balancing in the split-grip Aysha.  Someone told him to look up at his feet…his balance improved immensely after that.  I can't do the move at all, so maybe you shouldn't listen to me, just passing on what I've heard. 🙂

[dustbunny]

Not in TO, but I'm just a hop, skip, and a jump to the north west in Fergus (15 min. N of Guelph).

Come spring time (and better driving weather) I hope to meet a lot of you at the Aradia pole jams!

[dustbunny]

@ thesoulstudio,  It is posted on wikipole as a prayer slide, I believe this is what you are looking for?

http://www.wikipole.org/

The picture you linked to looks more like a carousel spin, with a big no-no on hand grip (okay for poses, but not for spinning…bad for your forearm and wrist)

@vickizoo,  That was a great video on how you trained Dende!  He reminds me of one of my cats, but about 100 times bigger.  I don't know how old that video is but did you ever get him to learn how to stop purring?  That's quite the big purr he's got.

He is one beautiful animal, you are very lucky to be able to work with him.  Thanks for sharing.

[dustbunny]

I like it!  That's pretty much what my progression looked like for the first few weeks of pole classes!

[dustbunny]

I say go with the nail idea, don't worry about the postential holes, I'll tell you how to fix those on the cheap (and your ceiling isn't going to come crashing down either)!  Get a hammer and a nail, pick a spot and tap the nail into the ceiling (drywall or plaster) after about a half an inch (1.25 cm) if it slides right through, you have missed a stud, keep going until you find one!

Now to fix those holes…the secret weapon…toothpaste!  Ordinary white toothpaste will easily fill small holes in walls or ceilings, and you won't even be able to tell it's there!

Good luck.

[dustbunny]

and make sure you are getting that pole really secure in the crease of that right knee pit, you don’t want it just against your calf or you won’t be secure when you take your hand off.

Really? I was taught with it just against my calf…but I have found out that I was taught a lot of things wrong so this shouldn’t really surprise me. Another thing to relearn…

[dustbunny]

I have cheap 8mm laminate in my living room, my pole has been up for almost a year and we have NO problems whatsoever. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif Your good to go!

[dustbunny]

I’m a shaver, I just shave kitty in the shower along with my legs and pits. I find using a moisturizer afterwards really helps to prevent in-grown hairs, I use Aveeno. I have looked into laser, would really love to try it but like most of you have said, can’t afford it right now.

LOL about the hairless grannys comment!

[dustbunny]

If you flip your top (inside) hand so it’s knuckles to the pole before you pirouette, the pole rolls right into your palm and you land in twisted grip, which is perfect for launching the reverse grab–so, you never need to adjust your top hand. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif
OMG! I feel so retarded for not figuring that out, LOL. You just made my favorite move better. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

[dustbunny]

A twirly transition that I really like and use a lot right now is a outside foot pirouette into a reverse grab spin.

So you start with your outside foot pirouette with your outside hand grabbing the pole low in a thumb down position. Extend your free leg as you spin under your inside arm. As you come under your top arm you will come to a point where the pole is directly behind you, at this point I readjust my high hand and go into a reverse grab spin.

I hope that makes sense. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[dustbunny]

I will see if I can explain how to do the dead lift basic invert, and I will add a link to my video on YT of me when I started doing them. It’s not pretty, it was literally the second one ever on my good side, and first on my weak side, but it will give you an idea of what to do.

Stand to whichever side of your pole you want to invert on and get your hands in position. Not too high though, the higher your hands are the harder it is to get up there. My inside hand sits about my head/forehead height and outside hand right above. Now move your inside hip to the front of the pole. This is your starting position.

From here, start by lifting your legs (no jumping!) tucking your knees up to your chest and holding for a couple seconds. Once you can do this then you have to be able to lift your hips. Doing it from a tucked position is easier than doing it with legs extended. So work your way up to it, start with the tuck. Go into your tuck, and tilt your head back as you lift your hips with your core strength. As you tilt back, extend your legs up and grab the pole as you normally would when you invert.

It is not easy to do so don’t feel too frustrated or disappointed if you don’t get this one right away. Just keep practicing. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

http://www.youtube.com/user/spinbunny?feature=mhum#p/u/15/JFOIlfm7Uag

[dustbunny]

I used to have to do this as well…silly aint it? https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif
Just practice, practice, practice, that’s what I did. You have to retrain your body and your brain. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif
I found working on the dead lift helped me a lot because you can’t step or rock into it, you are using just your arms and abs to lift yourself up. Hard to do but so worth it, it will help your ariel invert as well!

[dustbunny]

Hello,
I bought my first pair of pleasers and I’m so glad they fit well. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif
I got a 7 although I am anywhere from a 6.5-7.5 depending on brand and style. I find them slightly tight, but not uncomfortably so…I would rather they stay on rather then fall off. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

[dustbunny]

Not enough of Jenyne if you ask me! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[dustbunny]

Moth has it right, but it is worth repeating.
Front knee points up, back knee points down. Also try to keep your back straight. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[dustbunny]

Thanks ladies! I will keep at it, I love spin mode so much but it’s such a pain not being able to invert whenever I feel like it. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[dustbunny]

Ok, I bought one of these as well off ebay. I did not buy it thinking it was an x-pole, I bought it because I could not afford the real deal. It is, I believe, a cheaper chinese rip off. The instructions contain some excellent "engrish" if you want a laugh. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

I LOVE IT!! <3 <3

No it is not an x-pole, yes it has the same design specs as an x-pole. It is strong, sturdy, and stable. My spin mode works excellently, the dome is metal not plastic as some people have suggested it may be (although check yours, I did not buy mine from the same e-bay user), and I have no major issues with my pole.

Minor issues you may wish to consider:
1. The chrome finish is not as nice looking as I would like. This is asthetic only as it is not peeling or anything like that, but having worked in the manufacturing industry for nearly a decade I know how good a plating SHOULD be.
2. My DVD I received in the box, did not work right. I contacted the seller and they shipped me another one free of charge, however it does not work right either. I gave up at that point, and me and my hubby (who is very mechanically inclined) figured it out our selves.

Any way, my point is have a good look at it before you send it back. Consider that you may get your original investment returned, but you may have to pay out of pocket to ship it back. Consider also, how much more you are willing to pay for a "name brand". My pole has been installed in my living room for almost a year now. It is not a flimsy pole that will fall down or anything like that. I love my rip off x-pole and wouldn’t trade it.

I saw that everyone was saying the opposite and wanted to leave you with some thoughts from the other side of the fence…

Feel free to email me if you want to ask me anything about my pole mailto:dustbunny.00@gmail.com

[dustbunny]

OMG! I would love to have a stage pole, I want one soooooo bad. And I am in Fergus (just north of Guelph) Ontario…but I really can’t justify the cost right now. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif Too much else going on that requires $$$. I have no doubt you’ll find a buyer before I can come up with the dough, but if I can figure something out I will contact you.

[dustbunny]

I only just got this move recently and I have been poling for nearly a year and a half! I never felt secure enough to actually lay back in it, and any time I did try (with a spotter or mats of course) i would slide right down to the ground. I had only ever held it for a split second by going into it from a handstand, and immediately proceeded to slide right down again. LOL
I had heard a lot of people say that the planks (particularly the advanced version, with your hand underneath you) are much easier to learn once you can do the CAR and since I couldn’t CAR I had never really put much effort into them. Well, I finally got fed up with trying and trying and trying and failing miserably no matter what I did, I had tried every tip I had ever heard; turning knees in, turning knees out, squeezing bum, etc. and had absolutely no luck. I decided that it was going to be a move that just wasn’t going to be mine but I decided, well what the hell maybe I can learn that damn advanced plank anyway. Everyone kept telling me to get the CAR first, but I decided to go at it my way. After a couple practices I nailed the basic plank (I had done that one before but never put any time into learning it nicely) and could do a rough advanced plank, not necessarily pretty getting into it, and couldn’t hold it long but you get the idea. Then one day in an advanced plank moment that felt pretty secure I had the thought to tilt my legs up and try to walk my hands down lower and give the old CAR another go…and whaddya know? I did it! Not only did I actually hold the pose, I didn’t get into it from a handstand (which I always though would be easier) I did the layback part too! And then I thought, this is great…but can I get back up? Sure enough I even pulled myself back up into a pole sit. In that practice I completed the layback twice and pulled myself up twice (with one attempt failing miserably in between LOL). Just goes to show that sometimes move progression is different for different people!
So my advice is to just forget about the CAR for awhile, don’t even think about it. Work on those planks and one day it will just feel right to try it again, and it will happen! <3 <3 <3 Good Luck!

[dustbunny]

I really enjoyed the series very much! Thank you for sharing, I love to promote anything pole, so you got my vote. Good Luck. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[dustbunny]

I totally agree with everyone here. Video your practices! When I got my home pole and stopped going to the studio, I didn’t have a mirror so all I had was my video camera. The only issue is that I have a continuously growing file on my drive, currently it is 20GB!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_surprised.gif (that’s not bad actually, it was over 50 at one point!)

I used to be the same way as far as not being able to watch myself in my spins, and I’m still not great but it does get better with practice. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

[dustbunny]

Pole nerds unite!

This is kind of a tangent, but being a pretty big nerd I had to say something. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif
I will say that I am not very happy with the chrome finish on my pole…I am afraid that it wont last long term (I have had it since the new year). I wrote an email to the manufacturer when I got it, basically saying that the chrome finish on the bumper of my 10+ year old truck is in better condition…and I live in Canada…it sees rain, sleet, hail, snow, ice, salt, heat, humidity…etc. I never got a response but I guess that’s what I get for buying the cheap Chinese X-pole rip off! Don’t get me wrong, it’s very strong and sturdy (same exact design as the real thing), but the finish was just cheaply done (although I’ve never seen a real X-pole up close, so I don’t really know if it would be better or not). I worked in manufacturing for 8 years, and I’ve seen a lot of different finishes, I know a good chrome finish from a bad one. I don’t know how long it might last…so far it hasn’t gotten any worse, no peeling or anything. If it bites the bullet, I guess I’ll just have to buy replacement sections…or go for broke and get a real X-pole…

Sorry for the rant… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif

[dustbunny]

If I had the abs strength to slowly lift myself off the floor I would feel much more confident but I just don’t have that strength yet (and I don’t know the technique to do this properly)

I started learning how to lift my feet off the floor from an elbow stand today, it’s not pretty, but i did it! Now I don’t have to kick or swing my feet up. While doing it I realized that it must be the same technique as lifting into the iguana/pencil mount. Which I am not ready to do yet…or rather, I do think I have the strength to do it, but like most moves my sweaty hands really don’t even allow me to try.
Anyway my point was, if you want to work on the lifting your feet off the floor without jumping or kicking, doing it from an elbowstand rather than the iguana/pencil mount position might be safer and make you more confident the next time you do try that iguana/pencil.

[dustbunny]

Yes, I am hoping that polishing up the basics will help improve other moves and hopefully push me to the next level. I want to compete someday! Not at a national level or anything (I’m okay with the fact that I will never be Miss Pole Dance Canada) but an amateur competition would be so much fun!