xKittyx

@xkittyx

I took my first pole lesson in April of 2025, a month after my 30th birthday and four months after I said goodbye to my mare and my equestrian life. I was low key looking for either a pilates or pole studio because I wanted to pursue fullbody fitness. One day I happened to look up at a stop sign I had been at hundreds of times and realized a pole studio was literally on the other side of the street. I scheduled a private lesson to see if I liked it. I did. I started regular classes in May and haven't looked back. I loved pole so much I entered in a virtual PSO competition that August and did the studio showcase that November. I learned a lot from both experiences, such as making sure I'm not asking too much of myself...I bled in my airway and threw up after showcase rehearsal because it was my first full run through. Oops. I prepared for PSO Chicago in May of 2026, but I pulled out of the competition after a minor shoulder injury scared me and I spiraled out of my routines in even my daily life. I used that setback to push into finding myself again. What is pole for me? How can I go back to being able to freestyle and just have fun, not being so focused on just hitting certain tricks or lifting the right amount of weights? I spent all summer struggling with this and only recently, including when I did the 7-day free trial with Studio Veena, did I find my joy again and feel okay doing a simple pole walk. My threshold for pole success made no sense. I had to realize that I can do "lower" level things and do them much better than I ever spent time to do them before. I need my foundation to be strong. I can't be skipping steps. I'm happy to be humbled, time and time again. I want my mistakes to force me to slow down and learn something inside and out, not just a surface level understanding. Thank you to my teacher, my friends, my classmates, and Veena. I could never have gotten to this point without all of your help, guidance, and encouragement.