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pole climb
hi! I’m a beginner and I can climb once on the pole.. but when I’m trying to climb second time in a row, I slip down..! Is it necessary learn the lesson of the basic pole climb or can I try other options like “Veena’s climb”?
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22 Replies
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The basic climb is very important. Our students have to climb to the top, slide down to just above the floor without touching, then climb back up again. This helps with strength and endurance, as well as gaining better control. Our students don’t learn other climbs like Veena’s climb until a later level. Veena’s climb is more advanced. It is best to get that basic down. If you can’t climb more than once, you really aren’t ready for a more advanced climb. Try challenging yourself by setting a short term goal, ex: I will climb 2 times in a row by the end of 3 weeks. Our students have made up charts just for fun, like when they were learning to sit, they would put a different colored star for each 30 secs or minute they could hold their sit! This was done on their own, and they used it during practice time. It was AWESOME!!! The basic fundamentals of pole are what build your solid foundation, so in MHO, keep working on your basic climb, you’ll be happy you did!! 🙂 Happy Poling!!
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I will second that the basic pole climb is really important. I also see it as a very fundamental thing for my students to learn and won’t teach any more advanced climbs until that one is mastered. There are so many basic skills that you need for other things wrapped up in the basic climb.
I will also say that Veena’s lessons are in a specific order for a reason. She’s done a great job of setting them up in a progressive fashion, so if something comes before something else there’s a reason and you should learn that first. -
darcit is right. I’ve had students that felt they were being held back because I wouldn’t let them move on if a basic move was not solid/mostly mastered. They quit class and tried on their own, 9 times out of 10 they not only got frustrated, but also ended up with issues like bicep tendonitis, pulled intercostal muscles, etc. Then they want to come back and start all over again. I end up spending allot of time working with them to get them to heal but also back on track. You need to decide if you are willing to risk those kind of setbacks. I have been teaching Veena’s method since I started my studio, we have been injury free because we adhere to the steps needed to condition our bodies to do more. I understand the frustration sometimes of wanting it “Yesterday”! lol, but in the long run it is best to do it right the 1st time so you can enjoy and excel!!
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thank you both! Is this the basic pole climb? http://youtu.be/Pz5pozHg1Ao
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Yes, the ladies are right! 🙂 The lessons are placed in a specific order. The Veena climb is even more difficult then a basic pole climb, so if you cannot do 2 of the basic then I think you would find the Veena frustrating.
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Jenka, that is not the way I teach the basic pole climb. I don’t have you fully extending the arms and then bringing the legs up like that. We use the Pole Hold as the grip for the climb (arms are not fully extended) By using a Pole Hold you are building strength in the biceps and also it’s a better way to get a feel for proper scapula placement. I find when students raise the hands high over head the tend to hang off the arms, this is NOT what you want. Here is my basic pole climb
https://www.studioveena.com/lessons/view/233115a0-b889-11df-856f-001b214581be
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I’m sure will get different opinions on that depending on how someone learned it. We do not teach it that way, as there isn’t enough POC (points of contact). That for my studio would be a more advanced climb which requires allot of upper body strength, which a beginner has not developed yet.
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The one in the youtube video, if you are not strong enough can pull muscles. I totally agree with Veena! We have the arms in the pole hold for climbing, we also us the opposite hand on the top (ex, if the left knee top of foot are in contact with the pole 1st we balance the center of gravity by raising the right hand to the top, with the left hand underneath). This helps to push the booty out enough to pull/lift the torso/chest up into the pole and helps to straighten the legs more. Basically it distributes the workload and forces you to engage your leg muscles and core.
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Pole climb is more leg than arms. I got my girls used to it by “mounting” the pole and then holding that leg position and practicing straightening the legs then going back to squatting several times in a row, never moving the foot position. It was not until they could demonstrate this that I move on with adding the pole hold and repositioning of the feet.
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That’s a great method Chem. The basic climb in the lessons here is focused on upper body with the goal being strength building, not efficiency. There are other climbs introduced later in the lessons that are more efficient, using mostly legs, taking less upper body effort. I like the squatting idea though, and may add that in to a revised lesson some day, if you don’t mind.
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I’m a huge fan of the squat stand method Chemmie mentioned! I have had many students say that they weren’t able to figure it out any other way… Another point- I make sure they can go back and forth in a squat stand without letting the pole slide into their upper thighs.
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Jenka, where is the slide originating from? Is it from slippery hands, slippery leg grip, or is it bent arms unable to hold the position and straightening out?
I’m also a fan of the squat and stand method, especially for a first climb to teach or learn, because it uses two legs for pushing into a stand on the pole. This is a clip of a two leg squat hold exercise (not an actual climb) http://youtu.be/JbiNRIPZohY but it can kind of give an idea of how this type of climb would work. Basically from the knees down your legs are gripping similar to crucifix hold, and from there you use the leg grip to push your body up rather than having to use mostly arms to pull up. I actually teach it with both arms in a straight arm pole hold starting out (which my students practice from day 1 with correct shoulder placement “shoulders engaged back and down into a neutral position” and I’m always queuing it and watching for bad form so they know the drill).
Veena’s basic climb will build more arm strength because there’s only one leg engaged on the pole for the push/pull up, and it is definitely important to have that benchmark arm strength once you start climbing and you have to hold yourself up with your arms or else… I find I like to build arm strength with pole ups or bent arm holds rather than a climb though because it’s more easily controlled and there’s less risk of injury.
Veena you should totally make a lesson on the two leg grip/squat up method! I know I would have loved to have had that resource when I was first learning climbs. I think I quickly moved on from your basic to other climbs I researched because I didn’t like the way it looked and I think I also had the sliding issue for a long time with it.
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Ok so I just re-checked cause it’s been a long time since I’ve checked Veena’s climb lessons, and her performance climb from the legs down is what I teach for first climb, but I teach to place both arms in an extended arm pole hold to start, place inside leg, then outside leg against the pole. Keep both hands on the pole for the climb/squat up.
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nilla when I’m trying Veena’s basic pole climb, I can climb once from the floor, but when I’m trying to climb second time in a row as I am on the pole, I slip down.. slippery hands and my arms are unable to hold the position because I feel like I have no other point of contact..
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Veena, I am not the first to come up with that method. Honestly I do not remember even where I learned that as it may have been in a forum eons ago or from some person online or possibly even Pantera…..I honestly cannot remember. But it works, at least it did for me! The studio I go to now goes one step farther (in a higher level) and incorporates the squat but without holding onto the pole. That teaches not only the leg control but proper body balancing. Needless to say, I still have not mastered that one!
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