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Thank you for this tutorial Lina. You do the move so effortlessly. I'm working on the roundabout now but I don't find it as simple as it looks lol

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I started out in a studio and then switched to Veena's lessons around the intermediate advanced stage. If you are strong enough I think online only is fine. There are members here who started out online.  I began in a studio and I was very weak so my instructor had to tailor the first lesson to my capabilities since I couldn't even do the standard lesson at first. I think also you should make sure to start a stretch routine even though I find that not being too flexible in the beginning isn't a big deal you'll want it down the line and for me it sucks to know I could've been flexible enough to do advance moves my body is now ready for if I had focused on it when I started.

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It has given me SO much confidence. I don't even mean confidence in being sexy but confidence to accomplish anything in any aspect of my life. Growing up I've always been bad in sports so discovering that my body is capable of doing things I never imagined is such a high for me. Also the process it has taken to learn certain moves really showed me that if I work at something and regularly put my time into it (even outside of pole) I can accomplish it. 

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Must be said in a very star wars-ish obi wan voice with an acoustic echo if possible (at least that's how I hear it in my head when practising lol) : USE THE GUN GRIP!!!!

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I love this story on so many levels :

A woman helping out other women

Women stepping out of their comfort zone and trying something new

Husbands with genuine appreciation 

🙂

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I was thinking the same as Sair: If you are asking deep down maybe you still want to pole. Also the fact that you can drag yourself up when you really don't feel like it and try to get going again shows that you have motivation. For me having to start over from scratch even more than once wouldn't be a determining factor for stopping altogether – because in time you will get it back. Sair had some good advice for rebuilding strength. Personally I would have to decide based on if I love it while I'm doing it or if I'm hating every second of it. If you were to continue what would be your reasons to keep going? Do they outweigh your reasons to stop? 

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I'm with Chumpchkin, You should do whatever you like. This pole dancer in the link does a dance to Aladdin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9fv0CyesYQ

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Sometimes I think the only way for someone to get it is to see it. If you are close enough with these critics send them a video or a link of an athletic pole performance. If someone told me pole represents sexual slavery I would tell them what it represents to me which is physical achievement, fitness, and most important to me: expression – artistic, contemporary, athletic and sexual (when I feel like it). It also represents women of all shapes and sizes ages and nationalities from all types of backgrounds and professions coming together in a supportive community. There is no need to argue past that.  If they can't see it for what it is, it's their loss. Not everyone will understand so just feel fortunate that you are one of the ones who do and can reap all the benefits of this sport.

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Yay!!!

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for number 2 to avoid hitting my collar bone, when I flip upside down I try to get my butt over my head and bring my chest up to the pole then I feel like it's safe to start going down. At first I was stronger enough to do it that way on one side but on the other side I was a bit weaker and bruised my collar bone area because I wasn't going up high enough before going down. I also use the Veena grip for this

For legs I try to focus on keeping them together once they are both in the air with the inside leg grazing the pole and getting my legs over the lower arm. Then on the way down I open them to catch the pole. I used this girl's tutorial to learn it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84BIXIwXmMw 

 

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Hi Pole Fitness

No, Didem is a different dancer that the one in your link. The girl in your link is a Turkish dancer named Nuran. 

Here is another link for Didem http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjHTYO5plBI&feature=related

I don't follow too much belly dancing but she is the thinnest I've seen so far.

 

 

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You summed it up Sensualscimitar! and wow@Corby that dancer looks like she is underwater.

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I also don't really think size makes it or breaks it for either belly dance or pole if you've got the moves.

Didem the turkish belly dancer is model thin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlrPRmHF058 

She seems to have gained popularity – I don't know whose who of the belly dancing community and I've seen negative comments about her size but she has 5 million views for the link I posted. At the very least I like to watch her vids lol

  Although a certain size might be an advantage for some forms of dance, for me it just depends on how much time and dedication is put into developing your skill big or small 🙂

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For an intense moisturizer I use aquaphor (it has the texture of petroleum gel) and put vaseline intensive care lotion over it. It makes my skin very soft. You can try it over night. If I use it during the day also I take a hot shower right before I pole and I get a good stick.

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Thanks Madfelice. I will do this tip too. I was wondering if there was a name for that move – glad to know 🙂