[polegramma]

If you’re crafty there are super easy sewing patterns for dance skirts. You can really personalize your pole outfits with those. I think Simplicity has one and so does Jalie.

[polegramma]

Veena’s lessons are the best way to get good basic skills on and off the pole. You will have a great foundation with the 30 day take off. And then just keep practicing, after a while maybe you could go for a private session every now and then with an instructor you “click” with. I’m 65 and Veena’s lessons have helped me come back from injury, and keep poling happily when I’m in an area where the lessons I need are hard to find.

[polegramma]

I love Bad Kitty Brazils for my pole shorts. They do not have a center front seam so they are more flattering, I think.
I also like Artista Apparel, their halter top works best for me for a “pole bra”. I’m not too much into ever performing or competing, so my choices are more for function. Of course the colors have to be good, too!

[polegramma]

I made my first hoop by following Veena’s instructions here in the lessons. It cost next to nothing to make, everything is available at hardware and big box stores. It was fun to do;as you know Veena has excellent step by step directions for absolutely everything so it came out perfectly. And there’s such a big selection of pretty duct tapes out there. I did order my gaffer tape from Amazon as I wanted some specific colors.

[polegramma]

Do you have a hula hoop? Take the hoop into the garage and warm up by body hooping for 15 minutes (or more) while you let the space heater warm your pole a little bit. Hooping works for me every time, after body hooping maybe do some behind the back passes or hand spins in various directions to help warm up your shoulders. Then move on to some type of pole warmup that first will warm the pole up too. Then go to your pole work. The fun part is you can hoop in your warm outdoor clothes and gradually peel them off to a pole outfit as everything warms up.

[polegramma]

I wish I still lived in AZ! Y’all would be fun to pole with. My ex is in Casa Grande, maybe next time I’m there we could try to meet up.

[polegramma]

I couldn’t agree more about the issue of overdoing it. Whenever I start losing strength it’s because I’m not taking enough rest days! Rest is a very important part of training. And for me, eating enough protein is also important. That’s tough cause I am a pasta person.
Something else to think about is what competitive athletes call “periodicity”. This actually applies to training for a specific event in a sport, but something I’ve noticed in a a few training plans is that the bulk of the hard strength training comes during the early phase of endurance (cardio) training, then when the endurance training enters a phase of more intense or longer workouts, the strength training plan moves to more of a maintenance program. Now that’s an oversimplification of the opinion of some folks who write training books, but something to keep in mind.

[polegramma]

That is exactly how I feel when I pole – like I’m a kid again and just having so much fun!

[polegramma]

Try working out before you go to work. That’s the only way I can manage with my work schedule. Also be sure you are getting enough sleep; easy to say, hard to do sometimes. But enough sleep really makes a difference. It also helps me to be really organized by making most of my meals in advance, so I spend Sunday afternoon putting together my breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the whole week. Then I just have to heat them up, or if it’s salads they don’t even have to be heated. This has saved me so much time over the years.

[polegramma]

I have to giggle. Veena you are always so organized and on top of things. I feel validated as an ordinary mortal that Wednesday skipped your mind too! Thanks for all the help, encouragement and knowledge you give us every day!

[polegramma]

Another thing to remember is that this is not just a pole dancing lesson site. We have access to whole body fitness instruction including strength and flexibility. If you’re coming back from an injury, just not feeling well, or don’t have access to a pole at any time, you find lessons and training here that can help you get fit and stay fit. And you have pole lessons with the safest method that will take you step by step to your pole dancing goals. And of course, you also have access to Veena’s extensive knowledge and experience. Wait for a sale and get in on one of the $99 deals. This is the best place.

[polegramma]

Yay! My favorite 30 day program! It’s great for building the strength you need for inverts and shoulder mounts. Just try that roll up, it is killer if you do it right.

[polegramma]

The light at the end of the tunnel is here. Start with Veena’s 30 day take off. Just go at your own pace and be as consistent as you can. You’ll see progress. We’ve all been there. Veena’s lessons are the best!

[polegramma]

But you ARE sexy. Instead of thinking about acting “sexy” try doing a body wave and thinking about how good it feels – loosening your spine, feeling your arms and legs as your muscles work and then release. When you spin, take pleasure in pointing your toes and how wonderful it feels when your leg muscles engage. Concentrate on how yummy you feel and it will translate into amazing ssssexiness as you move on the pole or on the floor. Remember, this pole journey is for your pleasure. When you enjoy that wonderful feeling, you are sexy!

[polegramma]

I would start over with Veena’s 30 day takeoff program. It helped me when I had been sick for a while. Try to eat properly too, even if maybe you don’t feel like it.

[polegramma]

Thanks for starting this discussion! I use Garmin with Garminconnect and myfitnesspal. I’ll take your idea and contact Garmin and myfitnesspal as well as I am also frustrated with trying to use “equivalent” exercise options on those platforms. This would be a huge help for those of us who have company wellness plans. And of course I’m data obsessed anyway!

[polegramma]

OK I am showing my age but that looks like a pole version of a break dance helicopter move. Just sayin’. I’m sure it actually has a more pole appropriate name!

[polegramma]

I would love to come visit, this time it’s a quick long weekend trip but next year I hope to spend at least a week. What’s the best time of year for good weather?

[polegramma]

And it just goes to show you what a newby I am to the North Dakota scene. Bismark, Fargo, I have it all confused. I’ll have to go back for a much longer visit and explore the whole state!

[polegramma]

Thanks so much for the input. I think that’s a little far to travel for the time I have available on this trip to Minot. But when I go back for a longer visit I will certainly give Total Woman a try. That’s closer than Fargo, I believe.

[polegramma]

Oooh, I’m really excited to hear this. My home is FWB! Now when I go to visit family, I can try to pick up a lesson or two as well! Yay!

[polegramma]

Veeners, here’s my experience. That shoulder pain(whatever the cause) isn’t going to go away unless you strengthen the little muscles. The strength gains are very small and very slow. It takes months and I know I got very frustrated, even with great medical care and physical therapy it seemed to take forever. I was lucky that I could still use the non-injured side somewhat for poling. Very carefully. Still building up strength and being careful; even though I feel like I’m 100% again I’m pretty sure I’m not there yet.
So do I tell you that you need to go to the doctor and then get physical therapy and other treatment? That’s what worked for me.

[polegramma]

This has happened to me more than once over the years as I do repetitive tasks at work. For me, it’s always on the dominant side since that side is overdeveloped. My doctor said the key is to be sure I do weight training to strengthen both sides equally. With poling, I can carefully concentrate on developing the non-dominant side “a little more” so it balances out really well. Rest carefully, remember you can’t stretch out a muscle pull. In my experience, trying to stretch that kind of injury just makes it worse.

[polegramma]

I agree, ART is a wonderful technique. It helped me recover from a hamstring and gastroc tear injury. After I had used up all the physical therapy my insurance would cover,I found an ART practitioner and the results were worth the time and money. He also showed me body weight stretches I could do to continue my recovery. It’s not just for legs, but I believe ART certification is specific for different body areas so you need someone who has the certification for legs; if you have a back injury, I think they need the ART certification for back, etc.