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What is it Chemmie? My companies healthy challange is coming up soon – remember that LOL – I am planning on winning this year https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

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tripod -> http://www.amazon.com/Flip-Tripod-Ultra-Mino-Camcorders/dp/B000VJRUKS" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

instructions on how to make your flip usable with a wide lens -> http://www.jeremyflint.com/flip-minohd-wide-angle-lens-hack/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

wow so cool thanks for the lens link!

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https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif it was probably rolling up because you are losing weight!

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Hello,

This is an interesting topic…one I have been avoiding because it brings up many emotions but a lot has been said that I really feel the need to respond to…that being said these are of course just my own personal opinions and I do LOVE the fact that we can discus all of this but since some things have been stated I really feel the need to respond.

So to start on a light note I will say this Leading with the butt, in my opinion, is not the most endearing way to engage an audience, but that’s just my feeling.

um from a woman with a great ass I can fully state with all certainty..Leading with the butt is ALWAYS GOOD https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif

But really…I think it’s irrational for us to ignore that pole dancing came from Strip Clubs and even more so for us to expect pole dancing IN strip clubs to be less sexual. The whole point of pole dancing in these clubs is not to be performance art, or to fulfill some sort of pole dancer fantasy or to get in a *great work out* or to be some sort of dance competition or sporting event, it’s not for gay men or for that matter geared towards straight women, it is for the dancers at their work to make money for themselves and the club by enticing straight men to tip – buy drinks and lap dances – bring on the sexy I say!!! – it’s a strip club and that’s their environment https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

Last, I have to wonder sometimes, who are we trying to turn on? Most of the "whoos" you hear when a pole performer starts doing sexy floor dancing are straight females cheering for straight females.

Right – Um Is there something wrong with this???

I believe that the most common type of pole dance enthusiast is the suburban housewife. And from what I can tell, most formal pole dance performances and competitions are primarily attended by other straight female pole dancers. Does it really serve anyone to go before an audience of unsuited and probably unavailable persons and act like we want to excite them sexually? And are we, as an audience, really doing this art and its highest calibre vanguards any service by encouraging them to use the same sexual dance style they use all the time? It’s nice to encourage our friends, of course. But maybe we could encourage them to do something cool instead. Perhaps we can encourage them to break out of their comfort zones, which primarily contain average, common strip-club moves and facial expressions to match.

What’s wrong with encouraging them if they want to dance sexy…nobody is holding a gun to their head – that’s their choice – dance is an expression – gymnastics is a "sport" that has very regimented standards – this is dance. Also I can tell you that for lots of "suburban housewives" just actually starting to pole dance or taking a pole class is already WAY out of their comfort zone and for a good deal of women the whole reason they got into pole dancing was to break out of their comfort zone, to feel good about themselves and embrace their sexuality which many women "misplace" on a day to day basis. Their classes are safe environments to express those feelings without having to please others. It’s for themselves. Not everyone started pole dancing for sport or art.

Heterosexual women being sexy for each other and pretending to be excited about it makes me giggle a little.

funny I don’t think they are "pretending" and this actually makes me really proud!

Again I feel that people tend to think that pole dancing needs to be ONE thing. To some it’s more of a performance art. To thousands of women it is an escape valve. I respect all forms of pole dancing – athletic in sneakers, sexual in strip, erotic in a personal way, Chinese pole etc. but I think it’s when we try to label it is when we get in trouble. I think that people should just enjoy it and let it be. I got into pole dancing because a friend started class, got a pole and I thought it was HOT!!! Also as an ex gymnast I thought…oh wow what a cool way to incorporate gymnastics, dance and sexuality HOT https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif !

Everyone just dance the way YOU want to dance…dance the way YOU feel – be authentic to YOUR self – because I’m going to and……….I’m leading with the butt https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

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LOVE the sad girl drop!

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yay!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

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Hehe Chemie you know me https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

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God I soooo miss a good hair flip https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif cutting my hair short killed that https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif

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Sorry you are getting so much pain!
WIth sciatic pain you are getting compression of the nerve, usually via a dodgy disc or inflammation usually at the level where the nerve roots come out from your spinal column. What you need to do is do core stability work to increase the support around your lower back. Using an exercise ball and focussing particularly on transversus exercises often helps. Swimming is also excellent exercise for back pain, and if you can get into a warm swimming pool to do some exercises that is likely to help with the pain. I would avoid pole exercises that require you to use your core a lot (until you’ve strengthened it) as if its not stong and you overuse it you risk damaging your back.
Massage is great for pain relief but won’t get rid of the underlying problem.
Other usual advice is:
invest in a lumbar roll (or you can sustitute a rolled up towel but its maybe not as comfortable.
take regular breaks to get up and walk around.
Don’t avoid exercise, but do low impact core work instead
Never lift by bending in the middle, always bend your knees (but I would avoid any lifting anyway).
hope you feel better soon!

I have these exact back issues – disc crap at L4/5. One thing to I would add is that when it is acting up avoid any sort of spine circle or circular hip motion…it will aggravate it more even if it doesn’t seem to be. Pilates has been a life saver for me as well…not mat class but one on one with a good instructor and on a reformer. It’s great for stretching and working your core.

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I swear, everyone I talk to has a different idea of which is slicker – chrome or TG, although everyone seems to agree that SS is the worst and brass is the grippiest. I just ordered a PS brass, multi-piece (the new Extreme pole) and they have been very helpful, although it’s been a bit delayed. I asked them about the ill-fitting pieces that people had been mentioning and they said that was a bad batch from some machining problems that are now resolved. (Hope that’s the case!)

It’s weird, though, for every bad PS story I hear, I also hear one about X-Pole, although I get the impression that lovers of X-Pole are more devoted customers than those of any other brand.

Currently, I have a Lil Mynx stainless, which, second to a street covered in glare ice, is the slipperiest thing in the universe. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif The bottom of those poles is also really awful – a guaranteed way to break your toes.

uggg my SS Lil Mynx is killing me LOL

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I have found that for lots of women some of the releases work better than others…for example my thighs are kinda large https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif so for me the CAR is much easier and feels much safer than the CKR. I never feel secure with the CKR – my thighs make that knee cross trickier and less secure – but with the CAR my larger thighs are more than strong enough to hold me on the pole https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif …and then the added security of the ankles really works for me.

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I’m going to have to be the odd ball! I don’t know how I feel about it moving to that point…this kinda goes back to the sensuality thread. If pole dancing where to hit the olympics you can kiss hip rolls and crawling around the floor goodbye….and no more stilettos! *sobs uncontrolably* lol I love the strength and endurance that it takes for us to pole and the huge amount of artistry that goes with it. However, if it were to make it to the olympics it would be treated the same as gymnastics…and personally the thought of 14 year olds being the "ideal" pole olympian kinda creeps me out! When I think pole I picture Jamilla, Felix etc…not some young kid. Of course I would support it if it ever got that far but honestly I don’t think I want it too! I like having that sensual and intimate bond with my pole, heels and booty shorts! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif As of right now we have a choice if we want to do pole dance or pole fitness (big difference in my eyes) but if it became a legit olymipic sport than any and all governing bodies (ie USPDF, IPDF etc…) would taylor their requirements and teachings per olympic standards…which would eliminate the "choice". For example Gymnasts and figure skaters train per standards that could potentially get them to the olympics…they test through different organizations that layout requirments that ultimately are passed down from higher organizations. For the most part they don’t just do their own thing…know what I mean?

Anyways sorry if I strike a nerve… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

Yup I am with you on this…I have a lot to say about the subject but I need to really think about how to word it without offending lol…so it’s going to have to wait a bit….

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I HAVE ROCKIN TITS…seriously I do https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

***Not mad at my ass either LOL

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Don’t mean to be the party pooper, but I HATED the Divacup!!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumbdown.gif
I bought one about a year ago for all the reasons listed here, and I was so excited! I’ve had 2 kids, so I bought the one that’s a little larger (made for women over 30 and women who’ve had children). It absolutely would NOT stay in place. I tried over and over again for months to try and make the stinkin’ thing work for me, but my body rejected it every single time. I read the directions a million times, tried inserting it all kinds of different ways when the direction way repeatedly did not work, and it still would slip out after about 45 minutes EVERY time, making a mess in the process! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_redface.gif
It’s obviously one of those products that works great for some bodies and not for others, me being one of the unfortunate "others". Don’t know if it has anything to do with me having kids. It does say something about doing Kegal exercises if you find it’s slipping, but after years of doing those religiously after I had children, if it won’t stay now, it ain’t ever gonna stay. So really the question is, are you willing to spend the $$ (ranges from $25-$35) to find out which of those 2 women you are?
In theory it’s GREAT, don’t get me wrong! I really wish it had of worked for me.

Sooooooooo with you on this – used this years ago and hated it! REALLY hated it…so messy and wouldn’t stay in place and then when I finally got it to I would have to fight to get the damned thing out…seriously pissed me off and a waste of money for me – but hey https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_scratch.gif it might work for others lol

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Another thing that was kinda cool about S Factor was the no mirrors aspect. While I think mirrors and videos are great tools to see how certain moves are progressing and if you are doing them correctly – I LOVE them for that – they aren’t the best…at least for me… for dance.

Try this as an exorcise just for fun. Dance to just dance…no video, no mirrors, no spectators, just you and your favorite music…dance for the fun of it…don’t think about the wobbly parts you *think* you may have…just dance with no judgment… have fun. Don’t even do any crazy pole tricks or things that you aren’t secure with – then take that feeling of enjoying yourself and the dance and apply it to when you are in front of the mirror or in a video.

Why is it that we can feel sexy and hot at one moment and then when we get in front of a mirror it changes…nothings changed about your body – you are the same sexy chica – the only thing that’s changed is the need to *fit* into some category of sexiness that society has put on us.

And on the whole butt thing – keep this in mind I have found most (not all) people with small butts tend to want more junk…people with MUCH junk seem to want less…but in general guys are just happy to actually get to see ANY junk https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif