[skramamme]

Tamarinda- I just googled powder coating and my local area and got a couple of businesses that do it.
I was expecting the price to be around $100 or even more but it’s only going to cost $40 for a standard colour, although up to $80 if I want a fancy colour.
I rang around a few places and they all quoted me roughly the same price too 🙂
It works out to be a LOT cheaper than buying a brass pole insert, which is what I’ve been considering $210 for that).

[skramamme]

Thanks Veena, will do. I’m still debating getting a brass pole but I live in a coastal town and worry that the air might be too corrosive. But I do love brass

[skramamme]

haha, yes, I saw some pretty reckless things over the years, thankfully I only ever saw one bad accident and it was the fault of the club, not the girl;
The club had a flying fox type contraption that broke as she was riding on it to the stage and she landed on her feet wearing stripper heels 🙁
She broke her ankle really badly and had to fight tooth and nail to get any compensation because we’re viewed as sub contractors and therefore not covered by workers comp.
But, because the flying fox broke pretty much every health and safety law she won some sort of payout, but AFAIK she was never able to dance again. And she was an ex ballet dancer and gymnast, so it was a huge part of her life outside of the clubs.
I remember seeing her fall and just thinking “oh shit” while some douche-canoe turned to his mate and said “you can see her snatch!” as she lay on the floor. The management didn’t even want to call an ambulance at first until they realised she was really hurt. Happy to take the house fee but not look after us when shit gets real, you know?

Of course, I saw some amazing things too- there was one woman who was doing a feature show and the music was pumping and the crowd was cheering as she strutted up to the stage stairs.
Well, she didn’t see the little lip at the edge and she *full on* tripped onto the stage. She proceeded to turn it into this clever little shoulder roll and just killed it.
I think only me and a couple of other girls even noticed, she was so cool calm and collected. I remember thinking if that had been me IDK what I would have done, but I doubt I would have handled it with so much style (unless running away crying is considered stylish? lol).

I also saw my first ever suicide drop at work and was just amazed, it was such a great show (yet another gal who had a gymnastics background). IDK if they’re actually called suicide drops but it’s when you’re up high and inverted, facing the pole, and then you loosen the leg’s grip and drop down/free fall then stop at the last second.
It looks amazing, athletic and terrifying all at the same time… I love the idea but don’t know if I could ever have the courage to try that particular move haha

And I definitely try to take it (reasonably) easy at home, I’m just having to learn that my body doesn’t have the strength that it used to, and that expecting to be able to do what it could 12 years ago is unrealistic and potentially dangerous.
Ahh well, more strength exercises 😉

[skramamme]

I am looking at getting my pole powder coated and was just wondering if you know what the two step process is called so I can find out if they offer it at the place I’m looking at.
TIA
Emma

[skramamme]

Yes, I had 3 major surgeries between 2012 and last year. It was supposed to be one surgery but I had numerous complications. I ended up on crutches for a year and a half and I still use a cane some days.
I went from being 55kg doing crossfit 3-4 times a week to 65+kg and being completely and utterly sedentary, with so much weight around my belly, no stamina, no strength, nothing.
It has been incredibly hard for me to get back into pole work because I feel so down about how weak and out of shape I am.
but I find if I just put some music on and dance for a while my mood lifts and, even if I can’t do the moves I used to do (ie drop splits), I am seeing my strength improve almost daily.
I can climb the pole now many times over where as when I first got my pole last month I couldn’t even do one climb.
I know how frustrating and overwhelming it can be but you’ll be amazed at how the body remembers, but it will take time.
Em x

[skramamme]

I haven’t gone to a studio yet, all my experience comes from working in the industry when I was younger and I really haven’t worked properly for over 12 years, so I am well out of practice.
And when I was working in clubs there weren’t many girls who did full on tricks (those that did were ex gymnasts etc) so what I did learn was all by myself and I am sure my form is terrible as a result.
That said, these days I find myself doing things I probably shouldn’t when I’m dancing around on the pole at home because I feel like I *should* be able to pull them off- it’s hard realising my body can’t do the moves I have always taken for granted.
I am hoping to start training at a studio near me in a couple of months and I really hope they are switched on and have their lesson plans based on safe and structured progression rather than trying to butter up the students by allowing them to move forward faster than they should. And I do think that’s what a lot of it is about- trying to make the students feel special by allowing them to take on moves that they really aren’t ready for.

[skramamme]

Ahh yes, rest days 😉
I just get so excited and want to do everything all at once. I’m thinking doing the 30 day take off and the 30 days to flexy at the same time, just do the stretching after the workouts so I’m nice and warm and limber.
I think the hardest part will be learning how not to overextend my arm/shoulder when doing spins, holds and climbs (it’s a bad habit of mine) and learning how to do stuff on my weak side.
I can do a hook spin using my right leg so easily, it’s one of those “don’t even need to think about it” type moves, but when I try to use my left leg I can hardly move around the pole, let alone sit into the spin and look nice doing it :p
It will be interesting to see how the hell I do these things using my weaker side 0_o

[skramamme]

I love them even though I feel safer without shoes on. There’s just something about my heels that gets me into a certain headspace- I feel sexy and fierce and my legs look so much longer.
Plus I cheat and use the top of the shoe to help me grip the pole when climbing- I am investing in some boots in July and will be able to stick a lot more easily to the pole with them than without 😉
But I definitely flow easier without them.

[skramamme]

We don’t have spaghetti squash here in Australia, which is a shame as I would like to try it.

[skramamme]

Again, personally speaking, I’m a recovered anorexic (binge/purge subtype) with pretty shitty body dysmorphia, so things like tracking my food quickly becomes obsessive and incredibly unhealthy for me. That’s why I no longer have a scale either.
I know I eat too much sugar, it’s my main vice after quitting smoking 6 years ago (I started smoking when I was 12, so I although I wasn’t a heavy smoker I had been doing so for over 20 years) and I should cut back but I have so many different medications and other health stuff atm it’s just not at the top of my list priority-wise.
I ate paleo for a while and loved it, after the initial low carb blues, but it’s simply too cost prohibitive for me as I’m a single mum currently living on disability.
That’s why I do buy protein powder when I can afford it because I don’t get enough protein in my diet, but if you can afford whole foods then they’re definitely the better option.

[skramamme]

Personally speaking I know I don’t eat enough protein- I am not a big fan of eggs and only use dairy in my cups of tea (I don’t eat cereal) and the odd bit of grated parmesan on my pasta.
I rarely eat chicken, let alone fish or read meat because it’s too expensive- I make dahl sometimes, which is a good source of protein, but my daughter doesn’t like it so I don’t make it that often.
The other way I get protein is by using (free range) chicken mince for pasta sauces, but I have to make it stretch over a lot of meals, so the amount of mince is far outweighed by the tins of diced tomatoes I use to bulk it up with.
Generally speaking all of our meals are stretched with bulking foods like rice or pasta simply to try and reduce the cost.

[skramamme]

I often use whey protein because I can’t afford to eat the amount of protein I really need. I especially use it when I’m doing a lot of weight lifting or crossfit- I have even competed in powerlifting before (deadlifted 102.5kg when I weighed 50kg).
But even body weight exercises can promote muscle growth and require protein and, if for whatever reason you don’t get enough protein in your diet, it can be helpful but I find a simple whey protein isolate to be sufficient.

[skramamme]

So what happened when you lined things up?

[skramamme]

Yep, they say it’s totally removable like the x-poles are, but there’s nowhere near the surface area of the dome or even the microbase that my x-pole has for stability.
And I mean it when I say that base is around the size of the bottom of my crutches (I really should pack my crutches away now that I think about it haha)…I just don’t see how that could possibly hold up under the sorts of force that spinning and inverts put on a pole, and it is advertised as being both static and spinning.
It’s also being sold for $295 AUD so it’s not cheap either! And yep, the way it narrows so much is really concerning… I would hate to see someone buy this and try to do any moves that include spinning or force of any kind.
On the video they link to the girl dancing is pretty good, and she does some good moves too, but the pole just seems inherently unsafe imho.

[skramamme]

jsheridan no worries 🙂 I’m glad you know what to suggest about the screws, all I know is it looks painful the way it is 0_o

[skramamme]

Baby Dragon exactly! Pole work is a lot harder than most people realise, it takes enormous strength, coordination, skill and flexibility to do most moves and, unless you do work in a club or have some sort of gymnastic/dance background most of the moves are going to be completely alien to you.
You have to give yourself time because trying to rush ahead often leads to injury, especially things like elbows and shoulders and they are the sort of niggling injury that may never fully heal.
Take it easy, remember it’s not a race, it’s about slowing things down and enjoying each step of the journey 🙂

[skramamme]

The splits take a long time to get for most people, sometimes even years, so a few weeks just isn’t enough time for people who don’t have that extra flexibility.
Try holding your stretches for at least 30 seconds, tense up all your muscles for a bit then relax deeper into the stretch.
I try to stretch while watching telly so I don’t focus on counting down the seconds as I find I tense up trying to wait it out, whereas watching telly takes my mind off any discomfort.
Also, listen to your body discomfort is normal, sharp pain is not.

[skramamme]

LOL when I put my pole up I didn’t realise I could wind it up to the ceiling without having to turn the base, so I was trying to lift the pole up and adjust it omg I was swearing and sweating and almost destroying my arms trying to hold the weight AND balance the pole… smdh
Then I realised what they mean my bottom loading hahaha
But yeah, I definitely had trouble and wouldn’t want to have to do it again 😉

[skramamme]

@Phoenix yep, I put one screw in back to front and it didn’t go in properly either and sat just flush with the pole.
I was very lucky to get it out using superglue and a toothpick to help me turn it to get it back out again.
Thank god I didn’t tighten it any further or I would never have been able to get it out.
Hopefully these ones won’t need to be drilled out but they *definitely* need to be fixed.

[skramamme]

Yeah I’d try taking them out and turning them around and seeing if they go in properly then.
I also don’t have that small section on my pole either, the extension sections I have go at the top of the pole… but I have the pre 2014 model with the microbase (xx model I think?) so maybe yours is different?
And yep, don’t force the screws or you could strip them which would be a real problem.
If the screws won’t go in then you’ll have to call xpole and maybe take it down and reassemble it. That might be a hassle but you seriously cannot pole safely the way it is at the moment.

[skramamme]

Oh honey no! The pole might be painful in terms of bruising and pole burns but it should always be smooth and have no parts sticking out, that’s just so dangerous and I can imagine it would be unbelievably painful too!
I accidentally popped one screw in backwards and, while it didn’t stick out, it did look more like your pics than when they are the right way in.
Xpole’s customer service is really good and they will help you they don’t want customers with scars on their legs from cuts as it doesn’t do you or their brand any good either, you know?
But that is definitely wrong, the screws are always either flush or sunken specifically to give you a smooth, uniform surface area.
As for training with the spinning, you really will get a much better feel for the moves if you learn on static and your grip will improve a lot more too as you’re having to work harder to maintain momentum.
Please let us know how you go wrt fixing the pole, I hope it isn’t too tricky.
Em
(btw I use leftie loosey and rightie tighty too! haha)

[skramamme]

You’ve got the screws put in wrong they don’t look like that at all when the pole is put together correctly.
Sorry, but you really should take it down and fix it because that’s just dangerous 🙁
Here’s a pic of mine;

[skramamme]

Thanks Tamarinda. My back is ok, just ouchy sometimes.
The hips are congenital, I have hip dysplasia.
I had a pelvic osteotomy on my left hip in 2012 where they break the pelvis in a few places and change the angle of the hip socket, then put in some screws to hold everything in place while the bones knit.
Unfortunately I didn’t heal properly so I had a second surgery in 2013 for bone grafts and extensive plating. Then a third surgery last year. And I will eventually need a hip replacement (probably on both sides) but I’m hoping to postpone that for at least the next 10 years.
So I am coming out of 3 years of very limited movement (spent a year and a half using crutches).
I’m just trying to get my strength back.
I worked in the clubs for many years (mainly before I had my daughter) so I’m comfortable with the pole, it’s about getting back into it and learning some new stuff… we didn’t have spinning poles when I worked and a lot of the really intense moves are new to me (lol I sound so old “back in my day poles didn’t spin!).
I could only do basic inverts, spins, helicopters, wrist sits etc when I did work, non of these shoulder mounts and handsprings, which all look amazing.
I am lucky to be 43 and still able to put my palms on the floor when touching my toes etc so I have managed to retain some flexibility, but my back is probably my most resistant area.
I am actually too flexible in other ways, my fingers etc are very bendy and I love to sit in a deep squat so I have to get that strength back so I can use my flexibility safely rather than accidentally going to hard if you kwim.
I’m hoping to be able to purchase the years subscription later this week, so I’m very excited to start the 30 days to flexi etc 🙂
Emma x

[skramamme]

Thanks Tamarinda, that’s a great stretch!
I like the instructions- I defintiely need to remember to tuck my pelvis in because I tend to walk and stand with the top of my pelvis tilted forward which pushes my lower tummy forward and arches my lower back.
It’s just one of those shitty posture things I have from having bad hips and I am working really hard at trying to walk with my back straight and my belly in and tucking my pelvis under my body… bloody hard work after a life time of walking/standing/sitting a certain way.
I also use a proper corset for tightlacing which is helping me to be much more aware of my back and how it feels to sit and walk properly.
Thanks so much for the link
Em x

[skramamme]

You shouldn’t have any bolts sticking out- that sounds like a real problem. The way x-poles are designed is to give you as smooth and uniform pole as possible.
There are 3 screws at around calf level to adjust the height of the pole but they must be tightened to stop the pole from unwinding. When they are tightened they go into the pole so there is nothing sticking out.
Could you maybe upload a pic? Because honestly it sounds dangerous 🙁
WRT grip, I also have a chrome pole and I sweat easily so I use dry hands on my palms which makes the biggest difference.
But you also need a strong grip- I find working with the pole in static mode to be the better option when I train because it makes me slow everything down to be more precise and also forces me to work harder to spin, which in turn will make me stronger and more stable when I do use it on spinning mode.
Hope that helps.
And honestly, it may look easy but holding onto the pole and spinning is actually much harder than most people think… so much of it simply comes down to practice practice practice. After a while you will start to hold your body weight on the pole for longer periods of time and it *will* get easier 🙂