[Allgold78]

Thank you, I will do. I have just looked back and it wasn’t listed as an x pole, but it came with an x pole dvd so this in itself implies it I think. I’ll call tomorrow x

[Allgold78]

Oh nooooooo, now I could actually cry!!!! Guess what……… Yes, fake pole in my house 😥

[Allgold78]

I would suggest the arm strength too. The first push is always the easy bit, it’s dragging yourself the rest of the way that’s the hard bit. Work on your arm strength and then even if you lose your leg position you can still hang on to correct yourself. Also, check your leg position. My biggest hurdle when learning was that the pole would end up between my upper thighs and then I was too close to the pole to even try to push up again. I had to consciously push my backside back away from the pole and get my knees back around the pole before I could push up on to the next one. Now it’s ingrained in my brain but it was something I had to make a conscious effort to correct for quite a while.

[Allgold78]

And k8milly5299 I’m in Hereford. Where are you? (I’m nosey too 😉)

[Allgold78]

Right, I’m on it! The hold with just your legs (having taken hands off from the basic invert) is much more difficult and painful than it looks so I’ll practice that a bit and I’ll take a look at the lessons, including the combos, thanks Veena.

[Allgold78]

I love the thought of spinny pole but it scares me lol. I love Tropicalpole’s suggestion of never having the home pole on static. That way I’ll get the technical studio work 4 times a week on static and can practice spinny at home. Good thinking batman!!

[Allgold78]

Ooh exciting! Thank you

[Allgold78]

Ahhh it makes me pretty sad that you girls have had a horrible experience in a studio setting with other girls’ attitudes. I am very lucky – I go to a studio where the girls are amazing and totally accepting, the instructors are incredible, and I almost consider it my second home!! I’m 5′ 6″ and currently 205lbs. I’m nowhere near the smallest in group but I’m also nowhere near the biggest. My body image issues are my own, I know that, and I’m as entitled to take part and enjoy poling as much as the next person! Regardless of my weight I find myself getting stronger and stronger and nailing more and more spins and tricks. I’m not anywhere near experienced enough yet and I’ve only just got my first invert but I believe like the others said that it’s a personal journey and everyone’s achievements will be different regardless of their weight, size and shape. A classic example is climbing – I got my climb quite quickly but can I bloody side climb?? No! A girl in my thursday night group is stick thin and really struggles to climb yet she nailed the side climb on her first attempt!!! Each to their own battles. Weight and size mean nothing – get stuck in, enjoy your achievements and keep working on the things you can’t do…… yet!

[Allgold78]

Thanks for the comments everyone. I’d been thinking about poses but I hadn’t given too much thought to the angle, lighting etc because I assumed that the photographer would do that, but I’ll definitely have a look into it and go in with some ideas now that you’ve mentioned it.

[Allgold78]

You guys are frikkin awesome!!! So I’ve just come from class. I put everything you advised into action (before class and during) and BOOM there’s the cramp free invert!!!!! One after another……. Got it down on the 40, just need to get it on the 45 now. My home pole is a 45 so now I know I can practice. Thank you!

[Allgold78]

Oh yes, that’s pretty. We do a variation of that (with extended leg round the back – any idea what it’s called?) so I could certainly get that one nailed before then. I’ve not done the elbow stand yet but I could definitely have a go.

[Allgold78]

Thank you Veena, I’m going to incorporate that into my warm ups now and see if that helps to improve things.

Chemgoddess1 Well spotted, lol. Nothing gets past you lot does it 😉 Yes at the moment I’m just trying to get my legs up on to the pole and these first couple of attempts I got my feet there but not past the pole. Unfortunately this means I am tending to automatically try and pull myself the last bit with my foot, creating the tightness. It’s an automatic thing that I’m doing, not a conscious technique. My aim is to build up the strength to eventually deadlift up, I think I need to keep practicing!

[Allgold78]

Does anyone know if there is anything like this in the UK? I would love to go to one but can’t really hop on a plane and jet off half way round the world lol (as fab as that sounds!)

[Allgold78]

Aha, got it! Thank you x

[Allgold78]

I really want some pleasers but they’re just sooooooo expensive. I’m in the UK – is there any that I can get nice and cheap, even if they’re shipped in from a different country?