[AllysonKendal]

Yay Veena 💕 my hips were super tight and cranky tonight…. But um… I think I spy some Lats in this picture. Yay! Thanks for all the strengthening tips!

[AllysonKendal]

I think I actually needed to hear that advice Chem right now. Thanks.

[AllysonKendal]

Yeah. Exactly what Veena said. Caterpillar is super important. This is a pic of me about to do a butterfly…. Being really stable here before you even go into the basic butterfly helps a ton, especially when you want to extend 🙂

[AllysonKendal]

Yes, exactly. You may just need to build up a bit more strength in the right muscles, or you might just need to get used to that position. You might find it helpful to try and get a feel for it in a split grip caterpillar type position, then maybe a split grip Inverted D.

[AllysonKendal]

The middle one to me looks the most stacked… but in that one you might be a bit too close to the pole. I always think that that looks super pretty!!! But you might not be able to shift back to extend from that position. I’d work on bringing the hands closer, but staying very vertical then trying to shift back without loosing the stack. It looks like youre off to a great start though… especially for 4 months in!

[AllysonKendal]

I should add that I also had issues when I first started doing this move and if you go back in my pictures and my videos you’ll see I asked for help. There may be some good tips there too.

[AllysonKendal]

Ok I’m sure some else can be more helpful than me, but this is a favorite move of mine so I’ll tell you what I I’m thinking…. And I hope it helps some!!! 🙂

I’d love to see your basic butterfly. In that picture you seem like maybe you’re too horizontal. You’d need to be more vertical. It’s possibly you’re not stacked enough in you’re basic butterfly… It’s also possible you’re very stacked and you lose it when you try and slide out into extended butterfly. I also think your leg is resting on you’re top arm. I’m not sure how to remedy that, but it may be holding you back.

Many people do this move differently, some people open up more, as if they were going to iron X, and others stay much more square. Veena has a quick lesson going over various leg and hip positions… It’s very helpful! For me personally if I was that sideways I wouldn’t be able to hold it. 🙂

[AllysonKendal]

Ugh! That’s awful! Hope you feel better!

[AllysonKendal]

Personally I find my stage pole almost unusable for the majority of the summer. Honestly it’s just too hot outside (I’m in NJ) to do anything active outside unless you start really early or really late. I hate even taking garbage out in the hear, so I’m certain not lugging my stage out in the blazing sun.

Not to mention the base gets HOT!

For me I the stage is mostly for fall and spring. There were 2 days this summer I took my stage to a park where there was plenty of shade and it worked out ok.

I actually love the grip on stainless steel, so I don’t use too much grip aid… maybe just some dry hands on my hands. I also keep a beach towel handy to wipe my body down if my stomach starts to perspire, and plenty of alcohol to clean the pole often with.

Mostly I treat outside poling as a novelty. Like its a fun thing to do but I’m not going to get any serious poling done. :/ It makes for some good quick photos, but long combos probably won’t happen.

[AllysonKendal]

Loving this challenge! Who is still playing along?

[AllysonKendal]

I feel bad I’ve kind of been MIA, but I’m on vacation… Still making sure I keep up with the challenge! Here I am: Instagram.com/akpoles

Keeping my fingers crossed for a shiny new Lyra or lolly!

[AllysonKendal]

You know I live in an old house too… And if you have plaster and lath walls then cracking is part of the territory….

Our house has a few of those here and there and has been inspected a few times in the last decade and everyone just said it was just fine. (The seller actually gave us a few inspection reports in addition to the one we had when we bought the house)

Not saying you shouldn’t investigate further but I’m sure it’s probably nothing. Plaster is temperamental. :/

[AllysonKendal]

Yay!!! I can’t wait! I’ll be traveling but I hope I can play along! I’d love a Lyra or lolly 😍😍

[AllysonKendal]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AQ49OYI/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1439520889&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&keywords=yoga+direct+crash+mat&dpPl=1&dpID=41o1c0YqIEL&ref=plSrch

[AllysonKendal]

Hi there….
I have a yogadirect mat. which I ordered from Amazon ….at the time it was Amazon Prime free shipping and I had a coupon too.

I chose the pink because if I use it outside on my stage pole black gets HOT! and I chose 4inches because I had exactly 8in clearance under the bed in the spare bedroom. HOWEVER Its slightly more than 4inches so it didn’t fit. when doubled… But I since got rid of that bed so it’s a non-issue.

I like it a lot though. I’m not sad I didn’t get the 5inch one. I’ve flopped onto it a bunch from pretty high and been just fine. 🙂