[Dwiizie]

And just to elaborate, xpole has youtube videos online for putting the pole up, and a lot have abandoned the manual in favor of those 😉

[Dwiizie]

Well, its something I think you have to get the hang of. Read the manual online (some people say don't but I like to have that with the youtube videos) Don't overtighten your pole but make sure its tight enough. Make sure if you clamp down screws they are going onto flat parts of the pole and not onto threading. Also, you can't get the base in without taking out the spin/static screws. I had a blonde moment with that one. Line up the spin/lock screws with the x's on the base to make sure it clamps down on the flat spot inside. Alternate screws, when one is tight, tighten the other some more, then go back and forth till they're both good. Same with the 3 screws that lock your pole into its tension place, and DEFINITELY do this with x joints. Do a top and a bottom, then redo the top, and redo the bottom. If you don't go back and forth, it won't spread out right, possibly damaging the x joint, and possibly not making enough contact which will leave it able to twist possibly. Don't be scared, just read the directions, use your noggin, and you'll be fine. Make sure the pole is level all ways by checking a few points around the pole. Sometimes it can be level "side to side" but its tilted slightly toward or away from you. Those are all I can think of that I had to kind of work out and figure out when I first got my pole and didn't want to screw up setting it up. 

[Dwiizie]

I know that I got one with the springy trapeze bar, it actually says to take out the middle spring for small kids to bounce in it. Kids love the swing. Supervised, wouldn't want anyone face planting or anything. Keep cats away from it, they claw lol. One of mine decided he likes to lounge in the "sky chair" we bought a regular hammock chair for under 30 bucks to keep him satisfied when the swing isn't hanging up. 

[Dwiizie]

I am in love with my Omni Gym. It came with a stand, it swivels, its awesome, I LOVE hanging up sidedown, stretching or strength training or just relaxing. It is definitely the best investment I have made since my pole.

[Dwiizie]

Yeah no need to feed into the cattyness with a revenge post (my husband would probably have said the same thing) I'm glad that you seem to get that and you seem to be able to handle yourself just fine. You just needed to get it out there and shake it off. Do you have video of the routine you had baked up?  

[Dwiizie]

I had some lingering side effects, but I think they had more to do with the onset of depression as I was quitting smoking rather than the lack of nicotine itself. I was soooo depressed, and of course you want a smoke when you're crying your eyes out and nothing makes it better and you're just getting fatter and who cares that you smoke anyway because all your friends smoke you are suddenly "healthy helen" and you thought you would get rewarded by "not having to stand out in the cold to smoke anymore" but really you just have a smoke free home and the whole party moves outside every hour. It was really hard socially. I don't think nicotine kept me any more regular than caffeine but I have a friend who has unsuccessfully tried to quit and she will smoke to be able to poop. I think pot does a better job of that. I really hope that everyone who wants to quit can overcome the BS that comes along with it. <3 

[Dwiizie]

I feel you on the whole cattyness and feeling betrayed by this person's actions, but I really don't have any advice to offer. Just try your best not to let it get you down, distance yourself from this person, and find a competition that will better suit your needs. You are fabulous, own that, and just try to forgive the byotches in the world. *hug*

[Dwiizie]

I tried to quit seven times before I succeeded. I tried patches, gum, replacement bubblegum cigarettes, everything. In the end I just got tired enough of it all, which made me angry, which made me determined, and I quit and have never looked back (It helped that they raised prices on cigarettes in my state the week after I quit). The money I save is amazing. I did gain some initial weight right after, and yes it put me into sweatpants/teeshirts mode for a minute, but I lost whatever I gained about a month or 6 weeks or so after I quit. It just took a bit for my body to adjust. Good luck to everyone working on this, and congrats to those who have kicked the habit. 

[Dwiizie]

I see your point, I mean, they don't sell dildos at the ballet or weight lifting competitions…but then again pole IS still a sensual thing and at this time, taboo for some. Not that ballet can't be sensual 😉 I just don't really see anything wrong with it. I like what AerialGypsy said. What do they sell at weight lifting competitions? Protein powders and whatnot?

[Dwiizie]

I would love to try it out sometime!

[Dwiizie]

I personally started trying to do pole holds, tucks, squats, plies, and the "row" style movements with the pole. I also started working towards flexibility right away. I would make sure I DANCE every time I am with my pole. Even if you are just hopping around and not doing any "pole moves" it will be fun and equate your poling with dance and fun rather than "working out". And don't just squat, make it sexy lol. You can slow a squat down, it works your muscles, and it can be very sensual. I DO like doing latin dance, and before I was poling, I was hooping, and doing small things like pushups on my knees (I can do full plank pushups now!) putting my hands on the floor behind me and doing little presses, leg lifts, mainly things I got from 80's exercise videos. I definitely found that POLING is what works the muscles I need to develop for pole. It was really hard at first to know "When I started I could barely do a pushup, now they're a breeze! And I can't even hold my own body weight with the pole…" HAND strength is something I have had to gain. Stress ball, hand squeezy things, whatever just to make sure you can grip the way you want. I did feel like I had to get in shape to get in shape.  I feel that way about some other things too, like I have to be fit already to do some things that are supposed to "get you in shape". To do a side plank on the floor was IMPOSSIBLE in the beginning. Its still very difficult. Find variations of things that work for you if you can't do a full move. I love the knee hook side crunch, I feel so cool doing it, even if it isn't a "pole move" exactly. Stick with it, you will be amazed with yourself if you just give it a few more weeks. 6 weeks at least just to SEE and FEEL definite changes. If you already are fit and take up poling, or have a background in dance or gymnastics, I think it is easier to progress faster. Its so important to be proud of what you CAN do. If you focus on what you CAN'T do (yet I might add) it will always be discouraging. I spent the last few months viewing my pole as the enemy because I was in a bit of a rut, but I just kept practicing what I can do, going back to basic climb, and that in itself builds muscles. I could not do a climb for the longest time when I started poling, it was at least 2 months probably more. I JUST had my first invert the other day, and I've been working on this for 2 years. 

[Dwiizie]

Well you are already small, so I assume you will not be losing weight, but building muscle as you pole. I don't think its possible you will lose your boobs. I think, if anything, you will build pecs, making the boobs perkier, but it won't "burn fat" off them. I think you will find your arms stronger, your core stronger. You will not need to have surgery on them. I think a lot of professional dancers have the "dancer's body" of being tall, lean, long, and not a lot of body fat including in the boobie area. I know plenty PLENTY of professional grade dancers sporting Cs Ds and above. 

[Dwiizie]

I was going to say the same thing, ask x pole if they are a authorized vendor.

[Dwiizie]

I really like taking cues from music. Like with my hoop routines, a lot has to be freestyle because the hoop has a mind of its own. But as long as I get into vertical plane when the cowbell comes in its cool, bust out when the band kicks in full swing. Usually I'm listening to that cowbell or the building vocals right before I know the band is coming in. I do NOT like when teachers count out the song when actually doing the whole routine. When learning its fine, but if someone is just "one and two and three and four fiiiive six seven and eiiiight!! One two three four hooooold six seven hold eight" Oh I want to choke them. 

[Dwiizie]

I CAN dance to counts, its kind of required for most group choreography, but with pole dance, I feel expression is more important. If you were making a perfectly uniform dance for every girl to look identical and to land on this beat and flex a hand on that beat, its so hard to try and use, say, the words of the song to try and convey that to dancers. If you're in a class setting, however, I think that each student putting their own style on the basic structure is awesome. If you really want to you can dance a song your way, then just watch it and map out what you did to teach it in counts. I definitely feel you. There was recently a dance and you had to slide up on a four count and it was sooo much prettier to slide up and increase speed because the music heightened, but impossible to make it uniform, so counts it was.