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This is really interesting because I can see the differences between the scientific, data driven approach to diet and exercise, in conjunction with the idea to keep things realistic and achievable for the widest variety of people.
I think it's important to consider the emotional consequences of making changes in your diet. So much of our daily lives revolves around food, and more importantly the sharing of food. Although it is possible to control your food and activity choices in your own daily routine, life has a way of throwing curve balls and not always in a negative way. We attend weddings, go to dinner with old friends, and derive pleasure from trying new and exotic cuisines and engaging in activities that are not strictly exercise. To deny ourselves these experiences on account of health is counterproductive, in my opinion. But we can make smart choices to minimize the damage, so to speak.
I feel like it takes a certain type of person to derive satisfaction from religiously counting calories and eating optimally for maximum health benefits. Some people are really into data-driven fitness. My husband is one of them – he wears a Fitbit, tracks his calorie consumption, wears a heart rate monitor, counts his reps and times his rests and keeps a big spreadsheet of personal fitness data. For him his progress is very measurable and real and most importantly the reasons for his progress can be pinpointed with hard data. He's a scientist by profession, so it makes sense.
For me, it's really draining to spend all this time and effort on having a 100% optimal eating and exercising experience. It also leads to me getting very down on myself when I make one small mistake (like going out for coffee with a friend after I've already had my calories for the day, having to refuse offers of home cooked food, having a day when I feel tired or ill and don't finish my workout, etc.). Living in such a regimented fashion would lead to emotional consequences for me that I think would outweigh the benefits.
That doesn't mean my approach is more scientifically sound with regard to health and fitness… I know it's a lot less effective than doing everything "right." But it works for me, and it's better than nothing. I try to look at my diet and exercise plan as a set of guidelines rather than hard fast rules. For me, it leads to greater success and full body health in the long run (meaning for the rest of my life).
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I think what Lucille meant is not that there are opposing approaches to the scientific study of weight loss and metabolism, but that there are different philosophies to the same basic layman's approach – eat less (but well) and do more.
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Yes, be sure that you’re actually slipping because of sweat and not from your skin being too dry. That was hard for me to understand. With chrome (and steel, to a lesser extent) I needed a layer of moisture on my skin in order to stick. Too much was a problem, but so was not enough. Use water based lotions on your non pole days, or try poling immediately after a shower to see if that helps.
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Think of it like the stock market. You care about the long term trend line, not the daily fluctuations. 🙂
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Agreed that you should not focus as hard on the number on the scale. It is good to track, but don't let it be your only indication of your fitness level and body image. Hydration level has so much to do with your weight on any given date, as does your hormonal cycle. As long as you are seeing a downward trend over the long term, then you are on the right track.
Personally, I'm 5-10 lbs heavier than my "ideal" weight, but I also have more shoulder and back muscles than I've ever had in my life. I could easily have put 5 lbs on back there over the time I've been poling. If you are new to exercise, you will be building muscles too, and you want to make sure you eat enough protein to support that.
I've gone through periods of counting calories and tracking everything that goes in and out of my body with precision, usually followed by holidays and emotional pig out sessions which make me feel like a hopeless failure. At least for me, the overly scientific approach to diet and fitness is too rigid. I can be a perfectionist and if I don't get something exactly right, it is really disheartening. It works for some personality types though, so I still recommend it to people if they can handle the discipline aspect.
When I go grocery shopping, I always make sure to fill my cart up with whole foods. Not the store, but the concept. 🙂 I stick to the outer corners (produce, dairy, meat, fish) and avoid the center aisles as much as I can. It's honestly difficult to get too heavy when you're mostly eating vegetables, lean protein, low fat dairy and small portions of whole grains. I sometimes count calories for a few days at a time just to re-acquaint myself with proper portion sizes, but that's it. This also supports the idea of eating healthy as a lifestyle decision as opposed to a short term project for weight loss. I was very pleased to see you made that distinction as well. I'm happy for you and you should be too! 🙂
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Agreed. If you were concerned enough to ask for health advice, and then you get an answer to go see a doctor about it because it could be a sign of something serious… just go. If you hate your doctor, get a different one. Persistent muscle twitches could be a sign of a serious neurological condition. Or it could just be a quirk. But you probably shouldn't make that decision yourself.
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Oh and this goes for more than just pole. I have a "Restricted" list that doesn't see anything I post on FB that might be salacious, contain curse words, or be in any way objectionable (or less than G-rated). This is a list that includes say… my husband's grandma. She sees occasional photos of family events and that's about it, lol.
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I generally keep pole related stuff off my public FB for this reason. My friends don't care and most think it's awesome, but I know enough trolls and conservative family members where it's not worth it to engage them. When I do post pole related stuff, I use my privacy settings so anyone who would be offended or mean about it won't see it. You can set up a list of pole-friendly people on FB and broadcast pole stuff only to those supportive friends. Or, alternatively, just unfriend the jerks. I have a pretty low tolerance for intolerant people, so I'm not afraid to do that. I understand that not everyone is.
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I've had eyelid twitching before, but never for so long. Usually only lasted for like an hour or so, and it seems to be connected to being either fatigued or anxious.
Anything that lasts for a month or more is worth seeing a doctor about.
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Thank you so much for the tips everyone! I appreciate it. I like the idea of working my way up to inversions on my left side the same way I did on my right – by progressing through spins, holds, and climbs first. I didn’t invert on day one of pole and shouldn’t expect that on my left side either. I first realized how important it was when I watched the lesson for falling star and the prerequisite was a strong Gemini on both sides. I clearly don’t have that yet.
Stiletto, I know what you mean about left side actually having better form. When I do spins on my left side I am thinking much harder and focusing on using proper form, and I haven’t had time to develop bad habits like on my right side. Doing things on my bad side has actually improved them on my good side.
I stupidly injured my foot last night (PSA: always rack your free weights, even at home, especially at night!) So I might be doing a lot of off pole conditioning for the next couple of weeks. Then I will keep working on my left side skills. Thanks!
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The dairy farm across the street from my in-laws house (in rural NJ) is certified organic. They paid the fees that were necessary to be certified so they could truck their products into New York City and other urban areas and sell them at farmers' markets, co-ops, etc. that demanded a certification for retail space. You know what they had to change about their farm before they could qualify for the certification? Nothing. Not a thing. They were already using responsible farming practices and just paid for the process so they could get the sticker and charge higher prices.
As chem said, if you care about your meats and animal products, do your research and try to shop locally whenever possible. You can always tour the farm or ask questions to the people who can actually answer them. Don't automatically assume that all farms operate like big factory operations – most have a long history of caring for their land and animals responsibly. If they didn't how would the farms survive for more than a generation?
A rather interesting guy I knew would have animal roasts at his house (cow, pig, lamb, ostrich, pheasant, etc) and would always choose a local farm and go pick the animal out personally. It was a pretty neat idea.
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I’ve never used any DVDs, but I second the recommendation for Veena’s lessons. I used to attend a studio and sadly had to give it up. This website is really the best of both worlds. You can pause, rewind, and replay lessons to your heart’s content, but you still have the opportunity to ask questions to the instructor. I have never had to wait longer than a day for Veena to respond to a lesson-related question. Try getting that kind of service from a pole celeb. I’m sure they are awesome teachers in person, but Veena is a great long distance teacher!
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I found that once I got my crash mat, I got really lazy about this. Not about safety, mind you… But it was so nice to just slide down and go splat on my comfy mat after practicing a tough or painful move. Then I go to freestyle and think oh wait… I’d better do something a little prettier than splat…
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I used grip aids a lot on my chrome pole, and used them occasionally while working on steel. I would only ever use them on my hands, not my body. It gave me the extra confidence to try something for the first time without having to worry about my hands getting sweaty from nervousness. Once I got the hang of the move, I stopped using the grip aid.
Ever since I got my TG 45 I have not been using any grip aids. That doesn't mean I don't slip… it just means when I do, usually all I have to do is get off the pole, clean it, dry myself off and I'm back in business. I am glad I have the grip aids though, because I bring them to studio classes when I take them.
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Yeah… looking at your video, I would agree with SensualRain. Kind of an odd combo to try in a first class. But your form doesn't look bad, and you look reasonably fit. I might give it one more class, especially if you can take one with more people in it. Maybe the instructor felt weird teaching a "full" class with only one student and did it more like a private.
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That sounds about right actually. If the instructor made you feel uncomfortable at any point, then of course you can try another studio. But that sounds like what I would expect to be taught in a first class. The finer points of mechanics come with time.
An instructor can also see if you're getting something or not and adjust accordingly. Some people pick things up quickly and others do not. So the pace really depends on the students. With SV lessons, a person may be performing exercises without supervision, so of course there is lots of extra safety information included.
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Physical:
1. I love my eyes! I have been asked before if they are "real." Yes, the contacts are just for nearsightedness. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif
2. I love the definition in my shoulders, and that is all thanks to pole!
3. I love my overall hourglass shape.
Pole:
1. I can hold certain tricks for a long time.
2. I have a lot of freedom in my hips, which makes it easy to move my booty!
3. I have pretty good flow when I freestyle.
And to go along with PoleFitMom… I think my butt looks better in yoga pants than naked! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif
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The prevailing wisdom that I've heard is to do a gentle, easy version of your activity as a warm up. So like… walk as a warm up for running. Swim a few slow laps before going for distance. Start with light weights before lifting heavy ones. For pole I can see it going two ways – some light dancing for a dance focused class, or some easy pole moves before working on more advanced moves. I don't have any exercise background, this is just what I've heard from friends and using my own common sense.
I can see how it might worry a student if they hear a big list of warnings or "don'ts" before the class even starts. Safety is obviously very important, but maybe the instructor just wants to get people moving to start.
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I think there’s something to be said about smiling during a performance, or at least having some emotional connection to the story being told (whether it’s happy, sad, passionate, etc.) But that’s stage presence for a performance versus your natural expressions during a practice session. I look pretty stone faced during practice videos, but if I was prepping a performance, I would work on my facial expressions the same way I practiced the rest of the choreography. Many videos you see online are of performances, not practices. Hope this helps. 🙂
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I innocently used a similar term (grammar Nazi) while I was studying abroad in Japan. I had no idea there was a German student at the table. Everyone tried to explain to him that it was just a common American figure of speech, but he was already offended. I felt terrible, especially since
I studied German all through school.Since this is an international community, I can imagine many people may not be familiar with the slang use of “Nazi” in America and may also be upset by it.
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You could always use vinyl fingerless gloves. In some ways I think they look even sexier.
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Doesn't Veena call it the booty scoot? It's a pretty adorable name for an otherwise dirty move!
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There is also excellent pole in New York City, and a nearly endless supply of things to do there whenever you need a rest day. Summers in NYC can be rough if it's really hot, but there's also plenty of outdoor events going on and it's prime season for the beaches. It's also not terribly far from Toronto… only a 90 minute flight to JFK or an 8 hour drive.
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I think Veena's basic warmup is pretty easy to follow, even for a total beginner. I think many people have done lunges, squats, etc. in gym class so the moves are familiar, or at least those moves are easy to explain in real world terms and adapt around personal limitations. You might try using her warmup as a jumping off point and add some additional moves as you see fit.
I personally like doing some basic yoga as a warmup (cat/cow, sun salutations) and some beginner pilates moves, as that warms my body up nicely and gets my core active. But that requires some knowledge of yoga or pilates. Depending on where you teach, your students might already know some aspects of those disciplines!
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Yup, Veena uses a 45 TG in many lesson videos and I thought that was a good enough endorsement. 🙂 In another thread Veena recommended the steam cleaning method for TG as well. I clean mine with either glass cleaner or alcohol.
The top is the Lynn from Mika Yoga Wear. I got it on their website. I'm 32DD/E and it works for me, but only just barely. It's cute, but I feel a bit stuffed into it, and sometimes I am afraid of falling out when I'm upside down. I only wear it for low impact exercise like pole and once to a yoga class. If I was going to perform in front of people while wearing it, I would probably add a bit of sticky tape. I wish there were more choices for higher neckline pole fitness wear (and fitness clothing in general). I know some girls want to show off some sexy cleavage but I have more than enough as it is!
