[Veena]

@ Lainey…unfortunately without knowing what the DRs have told you or really knowing what the injury was I can't tell you if its ok. The best thing you can do is listen to your body and be sure that your stretching the whole body and not just certain muscle groups. In order to be truly flexible we have to work the whole body. Sometimes issues with one part of the body are coming from some where else entirely. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

[Veena]

When you stop seeing progress or feel as though you have regressed, its time to either take a break (from whatever it is your doing).  Taking time off does not mean you will loose everything, it may be just what your bodies is asking you to do. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

Take a look at your stretching routine…

Are you always really warm before you start?

Have you been pushing too far? (I only do heavy flexibility training 2x's a week, sometimes only once)

Stretching too far or too often will not give most people good results.

Are you using your pole dance time as an opportunity to extend into the positions and movements as fully as you can? This will help you see improvement as well. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

[Veena]

Eagle..yes, use the top front of the thigh. it is rested against the pole….this is why I call it a thigh rest. A big mistake is jumping into it and not leaning back allowing the thigh to rest on the pole.  If your taking the lessons try watching it again and you'll see I totally rest my thigh on the pole and notice how I pull my legs up towards the pole bending at the hips/waist. There is not a straight line from torso to knees. Thigh and bottom hand are pushing against the pole, top arm is pulling, hips and body turn to face the pole.

[Veena]

Platinum stages does not have a chrome finish pole….their silver pole is Stainless steel…for some dancers SS is really slippery (like myself) HATE SS.

I have both Chrome and TG finish and they are pretty comparable once the pole is warm TG is still has a bit more grip for me anyway. I notice the TG has better grip right from the start though.

I don't think Titanium is great for beginning dancers, because it is so grippy you'll get calluses really fast. New dancers already tend to over grip the pole so it can be frustrating to learn new spins on a grippy pole.

 

[Veena]

OH GOOD GRIEF…*then as I begin the lift..Push with the bottom arm. Its placed as low as it can go! Ok now I will go tuck in my kids….I https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_heart1.gif typos

[Veena]

*Larger not lager https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[Veena]

For me…its easiest on a lager diameter pole.

I have to drop the head (like everyone says)

then as I begin the lift pushing with the top arm the is placed as low as It will go.

I turn my body toward the pole so the collarbone of my top arm is almost against the pole 

push hard through the top arm and hand.

Keep the knees tucked in until you become freakishly strong LOL I still have to tuck.

[Veena]

Glad you found it helpful https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[Veena]

You may find this vid helpful. https://www.studioveena.com/videos/view/d650d310-c3b4-11df-bc90-001b21721e0c

[Veena]

Oh no, no, fairy, I didn’t mean you personally shouldn’t be doing spins. I was simply pointing out again why its placed in beginner. As you said there are other moves that can be used to gadge strength.

[Veena]

I do show to lift the inside leg first 🙂

[Veena]

I Have placed some of these more difficult moves in beginner because they are strength builders….if you can't hold your own body weight you should not be doing spins! IF you can't get it from the ground its probably a technique issue….From the air my guess is your forced to use the bicep of the top arm and your not even realizing it, but with out seeing you do it I really can't say.

[Veena]

you may be standing too close to or too in front of the pole. There needs to be quite I bit of distance from the pole when doing this from standing…well more than you might think. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

[Veena]

guys…. this pic looks like more of a Cradle spin…for that… your not resting the bottom thigh on the pole. Just tucking the body in to the pole. I call it a "thigh rest" not Cradle hold because your literally resting the pole on the top of the bottom thigh. In my mind a cradle is different than a thigh rest. Here is the lesson

https://www.studioveena.com/lessons/view/18f06398-b91f-11df-856f-001b214581be

[Veena]

Runemist…are resting the bottom leg on the pole?

[Veena]

This is a strength building move….

When you say you can't bring the legs up what do you mean??

Are you trying to bring them up in to a V position?

Can you bring up the bottom leg but not the top?

Are you trying to bring them up in to a tuck?

Are you sure your using the bicep and not fully extending the top arm?

Is your thigh resting against the pole or are you only using your upper body?

Holding in a tuck position is the first step…opening into V is going to take time and is much for difficult. Remember you don't want all the pressure and weight on the bottom arm and…you need to engage the shoulders use the top bicep and your abs to hold as you lift your bottom leg into place against the pole. Shorter or lighter dancers will find this move easier than someone taller or heavier.

 

[Veena]

I don't feel your should be grabbing your feet in the Marley until you are strong enough and flexible enough to hold the position without grabbing. If you don't have the strength and flexibility and your grabbing the feet you can put too much stress on the knee.

[Veena]

I just use the term Bow and Arrow for all…..different hand placements are only variations of the Bow and Arrow to me.

[Veena]

Here is an OLD Tutorial I did for a friend. Its not very in depth but it will give you a few positions and tips for working on the splits. Once my foot is healed I'll be adding more stretches to the lessons. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZMEGqdgGRs
 

[Veena]

Welcome to the site. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[Veena]

Welcome to the site! We have a lot of great info for new dancers here, have fun https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

[Veena]

@ Shellectra Yes I do have a lesson on the Knee Hold, I break it down in to steps and also show 2 variations. 

https://www.studioveena.com/lessons/view/4d07835a-c7f4-46f1-87b1-630f0ac37250

[Veena]

Wow I hope everyone is ok!

[Veena]

good for you Shellectra!

[Veena]

Thank-you.  Just for future reference if anybody notices a problem on the site, please use the contact form that is linked at the bottom of every page, we recieve these emails immediately but don't see forum posts unless we are browsing the forum.