[Dwiizie]

I can see where it might be read as harsh, but I didn't take it that way. I found it very informative, I didn't even think about those factors or take into account the metal properties.

So, the brushed steel, I know what it looks like, but what if they did a brushed steel texture, like the whole pole was steel, and they, say, brushed a checkerboard onto it. The little squares of plain steel wouldn't feel super grippy with the texture breaking it up?

[Dwiizie]

I think that sounds awesome, when I first saw the topic, I was thinking "Why not just put a brass replacement on an xpole piece or something to see…" then I saw you were talking designs. Checker board would be really cool too, especially if it was like chrome and titaniumgold. I don't know if it would really be "two poles in one" but rather, a texture to the metal which would improve grip, but I wonder how it would do on spins. On a candy cane one, if you spin in the direction of the spiral, would you just follow a perfect spiral around, or just slip right down? What about spinning the other way, would you screech to a stop? Cool idea though, I know I love when people do the "fade" powder coating, like pink at top to a deep sparkling purple at the bottom or vice versa. 😀

[Dwiizie]

Giiiirl, I had the same thing going on. Its like the pole was pulling on my flab and skin, and cared not about my (what I thought were) muscular thighs. Half of it was practice and placement, I can attest that once you get the placement where it was off before, you'll feel the "rightness" in it. I also realized that I used to think of squeezing the pole with my thighs. NOW, I envision squeezing my thighs TOGETHER, and there happens to be a pole preventing that. Its like followthrough or something lol. Just keep on practicing, strength training, move at your own pace, and examine some of the little things (like in a sit, that angle is what keeps you from sliding right down, if you have you legs parallel to the floor, your grip is decreased a LOT) In a climb, I use my foot/ankle and just above my knee. I do use thighs for sit and for the crucifix hold once I'm up there, but it feels so much more like squeezing my knees together like I have to pee than what I imagine a thigh master would feel like. Hope that makes sense, I'm sure you'll get lots of great advice around here, but this subject is near and dear to my thighs lol!

[Dwiizie]

People will judge. Just try to remember that they are so underinformed, you almost have to pity them. Chin up 🙂

[Dwiizie]

In highschool I was in the juggling club, so I already stilt walked and juggle. I did years of ballet, tap, and jazz, so dance has always been natural, and that what I turned to when I wanted to lose weight. After finding my groove again doing Latin style dance, I found hooping!! From then, I got involved with the "flow arts" community, and got into poi, multiple and mini hoops, fire hooping, fire eating and breathing, fans, etc. We had a play date once, and a girl hung her silks from a football post. I spent hours just trying to pull myself and hold my own body weight. By the end of the day, I could hold myself 6 inches off the ground lol. I asked her how to learn more, with no classes within 2 hrs of me (which has since changed a LOT) and she told me that a lot of pole moves would translate to silks, so to practice with pole for strength. Got my pole, fell in love with that, and everything I've been doing, strength and flexibility training, cardio, etc, is to get stronger and flexier to improve on pole and hooping. Silks and Lyra are things I want to get into when I have more strength and flexibility. Belly dancing is my next planned "dance" class because I think it will help with some muscle control. I also want to take a burlesque class, both for burlesquey stuff, and to help with the sensual and comedy sides of performance, as well as confidence. Now that I'm seeing people do Trapeze, I'm like "hrmmmm…….." I also want to set up a slackline in my back yard. I'm not very good at contact juggling, but my husband is. He is a very good hooper as well, but he doesn't do pole. We want to do acroyoga together, but he knows nothing about yoga, so we need to practice up on that. We're both musicians, and we both often do local plays. I always see my day job as A) Supporting these hobbies and passions and B) Taking 40 hrs a week of practice time away from me. Right now I really want to get STRONGER and BALANCED!!!!!!!! I want to do a hand stand!!

[Dwiizie]

Will do as soon as I am at home again 🙂

[Dwiizie]

Well, last night, I ended up tensioning it proper for static, but it still won't spin smoothly, I'll try a few more things. We just had the floors redone in August, its not on carpet, its hardwood flooring, real wood, not laminate or anything, and quite level. The whole house will shake before you will feel any give in the floor. The ceiling is level too lol. I will try the xpole recommendation and email them a photo of the dome. Appreciate everyone's help and suggestions.

[Dwiizie]

Its new style. We had so many problems with it in the beginning, I have a good knowledge of the pole’s workings from taking it apart and putting it together so many times. I’m about to go look at it again, I traced the dome where its centered underthe joist, so at least its easy to see where that is. Then I shall level and find that tension sweet spot. If worse comes to worse, I’ll just have to declare spin mode dead until I can afford a new pole. I’ve been wanting a 45 anyway.

[Dwiizie]

Thanks for the thoughts Amy, but I’ve been in the attic so many times its riddiculous. Its the house I grew up in. We just remodeled it over the summer. I ran a stud finder where I knew the thinner beams were and outlined it with pencil. Then I went cross ways to find the thicker horizntal beams. I literally mapped out the grid because one was too close to the wall, the other puts my pole right next to the outer sweep of the ceiling fan. You can technically turn the fan on, but no need to play with fate lmao!

[Dwiizie]

yup, yup, and yup. X pole has given me all the help they can. I'm sure I am under a joist, at a cross point, I am sure I am level from different sides and parts of the pole, I've rolled the pole to make sure it isn't warped itself, everything is tightened and in working order, the dome just keeps slipping if I loosen it enough for a smooth spin mode (at which point you can't use the spin anyway). The only difference between the old house and the new is that the old was carpet, the new is hardwood, but its not like the base slips at all. The dome, as far as I can tell, does not appear to have a warp or wobble.

[Dwiizie]

I’m with you Debs… haven’t been doing any of my routines with any consistency. There’s still a month though…. 😀

[Dwiizie]

Chem, I relate to that one, but I don't consider it useless, so I didn't include it here. I definitely notice you as "reference guide" around here. I used to do a lot of that on other forums, but then one day, I just decided I'd rather just read and see where it flows. I used to really love "directing traffic" for newbies, just modding forums really. I don't love it as much these days, but I still love my research. <3

[Dwiizie]

I have the "weird details thing" going on too. And I research things when I get curious, and end up with a bunch of worthless info (unless I ever get on Cash Cab or something lol) I didn't know that Hasbro bought Milton Bradley and Parker Brothers prior to 1987. Thats the year my husband was born, he was going off about Hasbro "when I was growing up this, and when I was growing up that" So, I had to go find out what actually went on with all these toy companies. They were all Hasbro before he was even born lol!! They own EVERYTHING. They even have their own studios where they make the cartoons that go along with their toys (My Little Pony, GI Joe, Transformers, ETC) I had no idea, and now, I will know fooooreeeeverrrr lol.

[Dwiizie]

I do this same type of stretch (pretty sure I know the one you mean) only while standing and putting the front of my thigh on my balance ball, then bend the other (standing) leg. I find I feel it gets my leg out more, with no pressure on my knee, and because the ball has a little give, I can slowly dip in as much as I need to. Use desk or pole to help with balance on this one. I really tried to get a foam roller routine in place with my workout, but I haven't quite gotten to incorporating it regularly. I also like to stretch my flexor standing by pulling my foot up behind me, much like you see in classic yoga poses. Once you've got that foot, you can just lean forward a little to get the effect of being in a split on the floor with your back knee bent, only you don't have to be flat to get a good stretch and prep for floor flatness. I also like to lie on my belly, grab both my feet behind me, and lift as high as i can. Its stretchy when using more arm than leg, strengthy when using more leg than arm, and strengthening and stretching for back flexibility all at the same time. I started really focusing on flexors when I realized the only time I was in a full split, I was practically kissing my front knee. Slowly sitting up wasn't helping because I wasnt interested in pulling anything, and its easy to let your back leg cheat out when going this way. I hope that helps, I'm sure there are tons of other things people do for this. I even like the one where you pull your foot to your butt while standing, but I love to sit on my feet, lie down backwards, and just SLIGHTLY lift my hips. Its like the same stretch, only more intense, and getting both legs at once. Just make sure not to turn your knees in or out or do anything funky with your joints and things. If you have a strong buddy, you can lay on your tummy, have them stand over you facing your feet, they grab your feet, and slooooowly walk backwards. Just make sure the stretch is in the front of your legs, and they're not stacking your weight on the small of your back all curled over. You have to be able to let them know when to stop, and you have to be able to use your back muscles to protect your back while allowing a stretch in the legs. Talk about a rubbish explanation LOL!!!! I hope you can picture most of what I've said.

[Dwiizie]

I use my palms too. (I went through the motions to see lol) I go right arm back, left arm up from the bottom. Switch. Then hug myself to make sure I didn't miss anything or leave streaks lol. I'm one of those that lotions before hitting the sun, so I don't burn, so I've never gotten stares for it. I get warnings from everyone "Oh you're going to have a big red triangle or a white handprint if you try to do that yourself" Psht please lol!!!

It used to be the flexibility test in PE when I was in 3rd grade or so, to try and lock your fingers (bottom hand palm out for that) I can actually reach further twisted palm in… hrm.