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How Long Did It Take You to Invert?
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When I first started pole I was all alone with YouTube in my basement. I just wanted to get my buns in the air and never thought I would be able to do it. It was about 2 months before the magic happened but I didn’t know that I was seriously not inverting properly. Sure, people who are strog can just flip right up there and ” hahaha I can go upside down,” but to do it over and over that way can really cause some problems. So, fun for the nonpoler, and dangerous/damaging for the regular poler. It was about a month and a half later that I started to have some pain under my scapula. I didn’t know there was a proper way to train the muscles in order to not only prevent injury but make my inverts stronger and prettier. Found veenas old tutorials on YouTube and I felt like she was talking just to me. It’s for this reason that I feel that it is important to have instruction (online or in person) in the early stages. Doing the research and the seemingly monotonous and useless exercises help in such a surprising way. I also feel like inverting too soon can take away the spice of really working on spins. I think I rushed into inverting and it has taken more self discipline than I naturally have to just go back to basics. Good luck with your inverting and try to savor the journey, not just the trick-addiction many of us get hooked on. (;
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Huny it took me 7weeks! One day you will get it. Just remember when you do it focus on your arms more then your feet as u have to lift as well (and lots of people forget that while they r focusing on getting up) (:
you’ll get there!! -
First of all, do you have any type of gymnastics, dance, or other athletic background whatsoever? Did you do any type of poling before two months ago? Let me tell you the first thing to remember when learning all this mess… It ain't easy. I don't care who you are, what you do, unless you are or have done any of the above in the past it's going to be much harder for you than those that have. And let me also tell ya another thing, I had 12 years of gynastics and 6 years of dance under my belt (granted I hadn't done any of that in several years), and it still took me almost 6 months before I was able to invert properly. Not to say that it's going to take you that long, but still. Also, keep in mind that everyones body and learning curve is different. As a member-turned-instructor, here are a few tips to keep in mind when learning to invert:
1. Work on your muscle core and strengthening outside of your classes. I lift weights for an hour every day and then after work go to take and teach my classes. It makes all the difference. Even if you don't have a pole of your own at home to practice on, that doesn't mean you can't do other things in the mean time to improvise for building your strength.
2. Stretch well before and after every single workout you do, because believe me when I say flexability and mobility are essential for the progression of all of your pole moves especially inverting. If your muscles are very warm going into your harder tricks it will make things that much easier for your progression.
3. Never, never, never give up! Even when you're tired and worn down after a difficult practice, don't take that as your body's way of telling you to stop. You do need to listen to your body and what it's telling you, but you must know the difference in when it is just tired and giving up sooner than it's actually finished, and when it will actually break if you push any further. If you can't tell the difference, just remember this, it is when your muscles are simply fatigued that you must push them a little further, as this is the point when they actually grow. Stopping at the same point every time just because you're tired, they will stay the same and progressively deteriorate with time and age if not pushed.
I'm not a physical therapist or medical expert on the human body, but, I do know my own body and have grown to understand how it works very well. And, believe me when I say the body tends to play tricks on you especially when you're exhausted. Think about that and good luck in the future!
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First you need to ask yourself one thing? Can you lift the equivilant of your upper and lower body weight? The answer for most women is "No." Women who usually can do not have much junk in their truck to begin with. For us girls that have that little bit extra to carry around, it isn't every day that we actually lift our bodies up and down using whatever arm and stomach muscles we have. If you have a larger lower body, it makes things, unfortunately, that much harder to lift the body up and over. This little bit is just an add-on to the reply I just put out there under FitChix1 profile. Yep! Same girl!
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I'm another one who inverted too soon and ended up injuring myself. Don't rush it. I still have to be careful some two years later and over a year of silks or the old injury flares up.
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Inverting is a complete thorn in my side. I was able to nail things like Advanced Plank, Cross Ankle Release, Cross Knee Release, Reverse Grab Sping, etc before I could invert. And although I can invert now, it is so not pretty and it's quite inconsistent. I have been working at inverting for MONTHS…at least 5. I think every person truly is different. My body learns very slow at poling, and I think carrying extra weight makes it that much harder to pull myself around (although I'm 45 pounds down and counting since January!!!). I had to back away from inverting for a while to work on strength training. It really does help. But don't forget that the basic invert or invert to crucifix is not the end all be all to poling…there are mounds of things you can work on and achieve that others may struggle with. Be patient with your body, learn safely, and don't compare yourself to others. Your personal achievements are all that matters when it comes down to you and your pole! Good luck girl!!!https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif
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I've started inverting after 6 months (Though I had an over a month break from pole, so I guess it would took me 4,5-5 mnonths without the break), but I have never tried to invert sooner.
My frustration was the same after 2-3 months of poling, but then we learned some fun tricks and moves and I totally forgot abut inverting until we we started to practice it.
Be patient, it pays off 🙂
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Glitterqueen~ Thank you soooo much for posting this!!!
I received my own pole last Christmas as a gift & have been a little disappointed with my performance or lack there of recently. I practice probably 3/4 times a week for the last few months & am nowhere CLOSE to inverting. Thanks again for starting the thread & to all those who have commented. It's very incouraging to see so many varied answers!
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I just can't resist this one. The whole reason that I knew that pole was for me was that I inverted the very FIRST TIME I ever touched a pole.
My friend had a Sexy Party at a dance studio, it was fun, a dozen girls taking turns learning moves.
The instructor thought I'd poled before. I haven't really gotten very far since then, but I have a pole and I use it to dance, for excercise and fun. I have a bad knee so I can use the pole to balance.
Even if I am a beginner forever, I love to pole dance!
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What a fun topic! I inverted the very first time I tried pole.
I’m going to qualify this with the fact that I did gymnastics for 8 years, and also did Brazilian jiu Jitsu at the time. I believe that it’s more important knowing that you have built up to being able to invert correctly and with control than being able to invert soon after you begin pole.
A friend took me with her to a class, we learned the chair and fireman spins, did a cardio pole workout, and then the instructor gave us a free song. I asked her to teach me how to “go upside down” and she kindly told me that I needed to show her that I had the strength and control first. She walked me through the v lift hold and then taught me the basic invert.
That’s all it took, I was hooked on pole!
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It took me a year and a half to do a straddle invert, I NEVER thought I’d get it. And I practice hard four days a week. I started with no upper body strength . . so I guess I’m proud I can do it no matter how long it took. I look at people who inverted the very first time they tried pole . . . WHAT???!!! Nope, year and a half . . but I got it ; )
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