[lilblondie]

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

I always thought this was a variation on reverse pencil mount. Don’t know if it has another name! Jenyne does it a lot. I’ll try it tomorrow for you! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[lilblondie]

I’ve fallen the same way on a handspring. I’m still too afraid to do handsprings from the ground. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif Glad you are ok!!

[lilblondie]

Tennis balls?! I love the black foam rollers though — sometimes it hurts like a bitch, but sometimes it feels soooo good! I keep meaning to get one for home. I remember Alethea saying a while ago that she stretches her splits on a foam roller so they are more flat on the floor.

Anyway, this is my center splits:
DSC06179.JPG

My right splits (my worst ones). It’s hard to tell because my floor is shiny, but they are still not flat on the floor.
DSC06176.JPG

I’ve been stuck here for a while!! It sucks https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif It hurts to sit in the splits, and I don’t have the flexibility for splits on the pole. I have always used a method similar to ratty’s where I hold each stretch for 2 min, if I can (I learned this from a contortion coach) and this is how I got to this point, but I haven’t done it regularly for about a year. But I’m about to start! This is day 1! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_sunny.gif

[lilblondie]

ooh, check this out … videos of Allegra, Alethea Austin, and more in the preliminaries in Zurich …

http://www.youtube.com/user/LadyJase

[lilblondie]

I have to try some of this stuff. I am so determined to get all the way down in my splits. I find it so frustrating and painful. It’s taken me two years, including Bikram yoga and trying contortion classes at a local circus studio, and I am still about 3" off the ground in both side splits and 9" in straddle. I feel I’m so close and have put in so much work and still can’t seem to get my splits. It’s definitely not my hamstrings — I can put my elbows on the ground in a forward fold — maybe my hip flexors? Oh, and I bought "Genius of Flexibility" and couldn’t get into it ,.. at ALL. I’m going to try ratty’s method after the gym today and maybe I will take a photo to see if you guys can give me some pointers. This thread is inspiring https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[lilblondie]

Mine don’t bother me at all. I got them 5 years ago (saline under the muscle) and have been poling, working out in the gym, and doing yoga and gymnastics for the last 3 years. I did experience a LOT of pain after the surgery and couldn’t exercise comfortably for a full 3 months. It’s true that with under the muscle, your breast deforms slightly when you lift using your chest muscles, but I have never noticed it while on the pole. They still look extremely natural and soft despite my best attempts in the gym — more so every year, actually. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif Good luck with yours!!

[lilblondie]

I’ve had mine pierced for 7 years, long before I ever got on a pole, but I still used to hurt it on the pole once in a while when I was wearing a normal barbell. Now I wear a very small ring (literally a ring with a ball – a CBR) in it and I never have problems even in cradle, etc.

[lilblondie]

Omg!! I just came on here to say I couldn’t possibly get this move, needed a Veena lesson, etc. I went back to my pole to try it one time so I could explain where I got stuck … and DID IT perfectly! Lol.

My problem was that I wasn’t tucking my hips enough. I thought I was, but I was just tilting my pelvis, I needed to use my back, too. Doing it at the right angle in front of a mirror was like magic. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif Thanks for the tips and confidence girls!!

Oh, I also did it the first time wearing exercise leggings. They helped me slide on the pole and gave me an extra layer of psychological security, haha.

[lilblondie]

NOoooooooooo…

OK, if it’s your birthday/bachelorette party/Halloween/the fetish club/an anime convention, of course anything goes, but I really don’t think there’s an excuse for wearing these out non-ironically to a regular bar.

I know you don’t dance, so you don’t understand the feeling, but I could spot a pair of stripper shoes across the room (even the solid black ones) and I would never, ever, ever wear mine out in public. And would look really funny at someone else who was doing it. I would have to assume they didn’t realize … or they mistakenly thought they were being edgy … or extra sexy … or …something … and just got it really wrong.

[lilblondie]

I have never done a competition, but I work at a club in a very similar environment. I wear a powder foundation (bare minerals) with concealer underneath if I need it. The powder stays fine with sweat and bright lights. I think big lashes, heavy bronzer (or blush) and super-shiny lip gloss are the only real essentials for the stage!

Tips on lashes: Buy the longest, thickest fake eyelashes you can find. Bend them to make sure they’re flexible and pick off any white adhesive. I swear by DUO brand eyelash glue, clear or black – it’s much better than the kind that comes in the package, and you should be able to find it at the drugstore next to the eyelashes. Apply a thin line on the lashes, wait 30-60 seconds, then gently drop them on your lashline. I like to go inner corner first, then middle, then outer corner. They should stay all night. If they don’t, take them off, try again, and fix your eyeliner afterward. I find touch-ups rarely hold very long.

Also, if you have long hair and plan on wearing it down while on the pole, pick a non-tacky lipgloss or wear lipstick instead.

Most of all don’t fuss with it — if you’re not a makeup person keep it to a few simple gestures. Lashes, blush, and gloss is plenty! What I’ve learned (true for competitions too, I’m sure) is that no one is looking at your MAKEUP. If you get what I mean. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif The key is to be comfortable.

[lilblondie]

Yeah I wanna know the cheater version. I’ve tried this several times with only extreme pain to show. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif My personal theory is that Felix is able to do this so gracefully because she has a lot of flexibilty in her straddle splits. I am nowhere close to the straddle splits so this explanation saves my pride. But I could use some genuine insight https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[lilblondie]

Veena’s elbow stand lesson is really good! That is the way I first learned to do a whatever-stand onto the pole.

This video someone else posted REALLY helped me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNGaQJmYT80

Try a HEADstand like in the video! It’s relatively easy — use a wall if you’re nervous. I had never done a headstand before because I think they look silly, but when I did a press headstand after watching the video, I had an "AHA" moment. I was immediately able to do an press forearm stand on the pole for the first time. It’s much harder because you can’t lean your back on the pole, but I can now do them without it, too, because I understand the balance.

Hope the video helps you, too! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[lilblondie]

Haha polebunny… hmm, well, I do many moves regularly that don’t bruise me at all anymore, so I don’t think it’s drinking. Once in a while I "throw" myself into a move after a few glasses of wine, but I’ve been pretty careful with the hip hold. I think it’s that I don’t have the self restraint to stay off my bruised leg because I get so excited to bust out my new moves https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

I’m going to take a break from it this weekend, hopefully let the bruises go away, and try it again next week … maybe I will "feel" the balance of the move better and it won’t put as much force on the crease of my hip! Tiggertail I’ll rewatch Veena’s video too and see if she says anything that clicks with me https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[lilblondie]

How about sitting on a yoga mat? You can fold it in half and sit on it. It’s sticky so it won’t slip. I found shoulder mounting from the floor very hard at first until I tried this because the seated position hurt my tailbone and my butt slipped on the floor. Worth a shot https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[lilblondie]

Hey https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif The second one is a jade split. Usually you straighten the back leg into a full split. Don’t know what to call the first!