[mizvix]

I agree with Chem – dislike my chrome pole, but only because I have to work sooooo much harder on it! I've been working hard to do aerial inverts and sm on my 'wrong' side. I didn't think i was progressing well – tried them on brass and straight up! But yes, as Chem also says, it is still slippy – not an all round cure i'm afraid 🙁

oh, and the friction bruises are insane!

[mizvix]

Studio I go to has just announced a workshop! signed up within minutes – can't wait! 🙂  

 

Anyone know when her tour starts? 

[mizvix]

mmmm…. brass too https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_heart1.gifhttps://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_heart1.gif

 

[mizvix]

@ Prncsopowr: arnica cream is widely available in supermarkets or health shops – not too expensive either!

@Kobajo: i swap shoes loads too!! to alleviate pain in certain areas, to practise different moves etc… It’s amazing the difference a pair of shoes can make!!

[mizvix]

I use tubigrip – it’s a tubular elastic bandage that comes in a range of sizes so can be used anywhere on your body. It comes in a long length. I have small one that i fold over a few times on my wrist – the more folds the more support (but not too tight of course!!) it’s quick, easy and machine washable which is always a bonus!

[mizvix]

sweaty hands but dry skin elsewhere. NEVER stick to my chrome without either boots or a massive amount of grip.

I learned on brass – much grippier but my sweaty hands still don’t always grip.

[mizvix]

i take classes. We warm up for about 25-30mins then (usually) we would work up to a full routine every 8 week session. Each session you will learn a new moves then recap and practice your routine so far. the studio i go to works a lot on dance and performance so floormoves, continuity and fluidity are a big part of the lesson. At home i would practice the spins each day, just to practice and improve (i’m not a spinny person but i’m getting better!)
More recently the session i’m in has become less formal (there are about 3 of us at a more advanced level) we decide the moves we want to work towards and our challenge is to put them into a sequence – for example there was a thread here about Bras Monkey into…. I read through it then went to my instructor and explained what i wanted and we worked on it! i try to practice other moves each session too – it’s amazing how quickly you forget your moves! Our instructor advises us to work on sequences and transitions rather than individual moves, and i have to say i get much more satisfaction from sequences!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

[mizvix]

hardware stores will be fine for getting a new key – you just need to know the size (blu-tac / kids play-dough could be useful!! lol) alternatively ask friends and family if they have any in their garages – i keep losing mine but have gathered so many from flatpack furniture that it isn’t a problem!!

[mizvix]

slightly linked to this i think is the question of judge feedback. Friends who competed in national comps (in Europe) requested feedback to find out where they went wrong and what they could do to improve. The feedback was poor to say the least. ‘such a doll’ was one judge’s comment, and ‘see through costume’ was another’s. Such comments can barely be seen as constructive. It makes us lose faith in judging and competition. It also took quite a number of months (yes, MONTHS) for this ‘feedback’ to be emailed through.
They were told they would be marked on dance performance/ musical interpretation and complexity of moves but there was no mention of how well they managed either of these in the feedback, with the exception of 1 reference to a handspring which was described, fairly, as ‘hesitant.’

Surely if marking is being done fairly and not just based on subjective opinions there would be actual constructive feedback available? There were required moves; even comments on these, something as simple as feet flexed / hesitant / lopsided would give someone the information require to improve themselves for the next time.

of course what’s done is done. things in the past are gone. but if there is discontent in our community, there are issues that need to be addressed by people organising competitions and competing.

[mizvix]

Hi queenie…

I’m assuming someone said something to really upset you?? just remember that we are the enlightened ones, the strong ones and the ones who are loving living our lives https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif times are changing – it’s just going to take a long time for people to realise that it doesn’t have to be ‘trashy’ or ‘sleazy’ or automatically make you a bad person. If people close to you can’t accept that this is a part of your life then it’s time to reconsider why you have them in your life – there are more important things in this life to worry about than how someone keeps fit and boosts their self-esteem.

Now i’m getting annoyed too!! grr!! Big hugs!

[mizvix]

you aren’t the only one!! One of the girls on another thread claimed a fridge had more grace than her- and i’m the same. Recent comment from pole teacher who didn’t know my pole style?? ‘Do you ever move away from the pole??’ Emmm… no https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_redface.gif

But good luck with your routine and i hope you find some good moves that you’re comfy with!!

[mizvix]

i was interested to see they put grip on the poles at uspdf! i put tite grip directly on the pole if i’m doing a full routine or performance (for sequence practice and move practice i try not to use anything) and i put it on my hands too. I use gorilla grip on my legs and arms. I really found tite grip worked well on the pole when it had a while to dry off. In fact, i actually ended up more bruised because my grip improved so much and i get stuck on the pole doing the SM bounce/hop, which makes it look like im just flailing my legs!!!

For people worried about spins… i practice on brass but had to perform on chrome so i had the pole plastered and was still able to complete spins with good rotation and speed, and was able to complete my full routine with no slipping! (i’m not a great spinner but even my teacher said they had really improved now that i was confident i wasn’t going to fly off into the wall!)

im debating whether to enter a comp, but you aren’t allowed to prep the pole with any grip
and they will be cleaned between each performance. i know that on chrome my chances of gripping with my body (prepped with GG), are reduced but very worried about hands https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_pale.gif

[mizvix]

like Jodes i’ve been sick https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_puke_r.gif it’s meant my challenge has completely nose dived!! i had a pole performance last night so for the past 2 weeks all i’ve been managing is 3-4 pole sessions a week, usually just to go over the routine – i haven’t had energy for anything else (a lot of time has been spent on the floor!), or the time – work load increasing steadily as my ability to function decreases!!

So, i managed last night quite well which gave me a big boost considering how rubbish i’d been feeling. Hoping to be fully recovered and back to my challenge commitments soon – have a long day in work on tuesday (my pole class night) which will exhaust me even further and i was thinking of entering a competition on saturday but can’t seem to think when i’ll get time to adjust my routine to meet criteria!

So, plus side? I managed a four minute routine after 2 weeks of rehearsal and 2 weeks of illness https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif
down side??? not going to write it down or vocalise it because even though some things aren’t perfect right now i’ve proven to myself that i can do public performances and can balance work, home and social life even when I feel like a pile of poo. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_salut.gif i thinkit’s ok to feel proud of myself today even if my tummy isn’t quite so toned as it was 2 weeks ago…. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_redface.gif

[mizvix]

in my studio my instructor noticed that i was zooming ahead of others and getting bored and frustrated so she moved me on to a higher level class. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif i know that this has happened in other classes too – sometimes people drop in to try out higher level classes to see if they are more suitable.

At the start we had a lot of focus on floor moves, posture and poses etc (instructors are dancers and run burlesque workshops too) but we still had plenty of pole to keep us occupied, but not too much that we got frustrated or hurt. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_blackeye.gif each of our 8 week courses led to a final ‘performance night’ https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_pale.gif where we would all get together and perform the routine we had learned, incorporating our new moves. Sometimes if one person was more able they would be taught an extra move or variation – lessons always seemed so flexible! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif

if you’re unhappy speak to your instructor to see if she will move you to a more advanced group – if she is unwilling then perhaps that would suggest money grabbing motives. then again, keeping you happy = more commitment to classes = more money. I always find it odd that studios either hold people back or push them on too much https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_scratch.gif I hope you get it resolved though – poling with others always keeps me motivated rather than working at home!

[mizvix]

i sympathise polebunny! I’m super sweaty too!!!

i’m performing next weekend (second time ever and first time in 2 years https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_pale.gif ) on chrome and even when i train on brass i slip!! my instructor put a lotion called ‘tite grip’ on the pole (marketed as a antiperspirant for hands and feet for sports people), left it for about 10 mins to dry then i was able to get through without having to wipe the pole – never happened before! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif it was also so sticky that when i tried to do that SM bounce move i ended up with a huge friction burn on my shoulder https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_surprised.gif needless to say i bought the stuff (via ebay in the UK).

aside from that i’m careful with choreography – i keep spins to the start so that i’m not too sweaty and out of control. i also use a range of holds (elbow, hip, knee etc) so that i’m not relying on my hands all the time — my body sticks better – but i use ‘gorilla grip gold’ (again its available on ebay uk, and don’t see why not in the USA if that’s where you are!) to help if i do full routines. i take any opportunity i can to wipe my hands (on bum/sides) just to take the worst of the sweat away – you can normally fit that into the routine! lol!

as for upping workouts…. im not a PT so can only give my opinion… i work out 3-5 times pure cardio then 2-3 times pole per week and i still slip. I have noticed that the more i practice a routine / sequence then the better i am at gripping throughout it. personally i think it’s partly about familiarity with routine. well actually i hope so cos i only agreed to do this performance last weekend and ive been doing nothing but it since in the hope that i can get through without embarrassing myself! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_redface.gif

good luck with your training and performance!
!!! lol!!!

[mizvix]

i’ve worn mine out before (black patent, clear heels). I hadn’t planned to wear them but i love the plain style of them and don’t have another pair like that so i thought ‘why not?’ lol! i think i wore them with leggings and a long top but i was in a dance club rather than a pub / restaurant. i’d def wear them under jeans tho. I have another pair of non-dancing platforms that my bf hates as they are purple and stand out more than the black ones.

if you feel confident about wearing thwm and are happy to deal with questions about them go ahead! mine made me feel confident and sexy while i was dancing around cos they’re the feelings i associate withwearing them! possible sad, but im unapologetic!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif

[mizvix]

If anyone in ireland has a TG they want rid of i’ll happily take it!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif me and my wee chrome just don’t get along that well at all https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif

[mizvix]

it is a gorgeous move! I can do it early in practices but as soon as my hands get all sweaty i tend to avoid it and any other moves requiring that perticular grip. Have stupidly volunteered to do a charity event performance in about 10 days time so trying different combos – really liking the tornado tho so think it will beat the lunch box! lol! thanks for finding that pic for me and good luck with your comp!

[mizvix]

Charley!!! What is the lunch box??!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_scratch.gif You have dangled what sounds like a fab transition in front of me and i have no idea what it is https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif please please please tell me / show me so i can try it out tonight!!! lol!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

ok so checked it out using the topic search and it s one of those moves that my hands rarely let me do…. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_scratch.gif But that would look amazing from BM! May have to try it… just to see https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[mizvix]

What’s the lunchbox? Tried searching it on wiki but no luck! I learned the tornado last week – love it, but always looking for new things!!

[mizvix]

Hugs jackib xox

[mizvix]

Waxing’s easy compared to poling!!! lol!! Counted to three, then uccessfully did my tornado on first attempt! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif Did it really slowly at first then on second go I was much faster apparently. Did happy dance!!!! Def gonna keep doing it cos it’s fab looking and no one else in studio has attempted it yet – it’s mine for a week or 2 lol!!

[mizvix]

Thanks Charley! I’m def gonna try it tonight – on a roll the past 2 weeks so fingers crossed! Will keep you posted!

[mizvix]

OK… i’m going out on limb when i say this and i don’t mean any offence so please don’t crucify me! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_pale.gif

Is it possible that after doing so many things together he is now, not just feeling left out, but either jealous or resentful that you have found something outside of your relationship that makes you happy? i know it’s a suggestion that turns his wanting to spend as much time with you as possible into something negative, but perhaps it’s something to consider before dismissal?

I admit that i do passively resent my bf when he is out and i’m stuck in the house with work. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_redface.gif he coaches kids football 2 nights a week so i do miss him, especially as i’m out at dance on 2 differnet nights!! (i know – i’m sad) But i know neither of us would ask the other to change because we respect each other’s need for time to do our own thing and to challenge ourselves.This is why I was thinking about your hubby’s motivations for asking you to scale back. He might just need some additional reassurance. Bearing his feelings in mind however, you might want to discuss with him buying a pole – i think it’s a great idea but he might not https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif

Big hugs and i hope you get sorted out. All else fails, show him your original post so he can see how much this has hurt you. xox

[mizvix]

chickened out of trying it https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif my knees just won’t grip https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_evil.gif however, i’m working on splits and am comfortably close to the ground https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif and i managed a good jamilla too (which i only managed last week) at the end of a sequence https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumleft.gif So tonight i’ll maybe try again! It’s a smaller class and it’s my actual class (i gatecrash the class below for extra practice!) so prob a better time to try!! lol!