[PoleRules]

Dear jsheridan, Thanks so much for your, and everyone else’s reply’s. Now I have something more to go by:)

[PoleRules]

I also understand the principles of pulling with the top arm and pushing with the bottom arm. I’ve even watched Dr. Ken’s video tutorials on the subject too. I just wish there were more ‘progression’ exercises to achieving the split (or cup or TG) not just pull with the top arm and push with the bottom-God knows I’m trying to do that! ARRRgggggg!!!!

[PoleRules]

Hello jsheridan,
I’m at about a beginner-intermediate level. I can do for instance basic inverts,on both sides, choppers on both static/spinny pole. I can do the beginner butterfly, and just starting the more advanced version, but again it’s the strength issue with mostly the bottom, supporting arm that’s holding me back. I can shoulder mount, caterpillar, and do gemini and scorpio-though some days I still can’t completely let go of both hands, it all depe-nds on how ‘strong’ I feel. Superman I only struggle with because it feels like I’m ripping offl skin, not so much because of strength. Basically I’ve had my pole now for a year, though not always training on it religously. Though lately-for the last 4 months now have been on it almost daily. I guess because I’m self taught, I don’t know how fast I should be progressing. I want so badly to be able to hold my body away from the pole, either when I’m upright or inverted, and it doesn’t matter what my legs are doing either! I just need to know how to go about getting stronger, especially in the bottom arm, more so in the shoulder-lat area. At the moment I’m doing bodyweight pull-ups, lat pull-downs, one-arm, lying dumbbell pull-over for the outer lat area, and various dumbbell and band rotator cuff exercises, all variations of shoulder presses, arnold presses and shoulder flyes, push-ups and dumbbell/barbell chest presses and flyes. As you can see,I’m going alot of off the pole strength training, and have been for over 15 years now too! So I guess I expect my strength levels to be so much more than they are when it comes to doing split-cup-twisted grip Anything! It makes me so annoyed when I see those who don’t look like they have any muscle at all doing these moves and saying ‘oh I’ve only been poling for about 6-8 months! Is there some kind of a mind-muscle connection that I’m not aware of? I don’t know, but I do try to practice as much as I can, but just can’t seem to hold the position for even a nanosecond. Hope that helps you gain a better idea about my background. I’m good at learning new conditioning exercises and would appreciate any advice you can give me:)

[PoleRules]

I’ve fallen on my head trying to do the brass monkey-and I even managed to hit the floor in between where I had all these sofa cushions set up! Guess I just didn’t have a solid enough leg grip! Needless to say I haven’t tried it since and won’t unless I have a huge mat and a spotter!

[PoleRules]

I have recently discovered an interesting product for sweaty hands that actually is a hair-styling product.M I found it a Shopper’s Drug Mart, by a company called Got2b, it’s called POWDER’ful, and it’s a silica based gritty powder that your supposed to rub into your roots for instant volume, or you can rub between your palms then apply to your roots. I found this out quite by accident, having used the product and then using my pole (I have the studioveena-powder coated pole). I must say, I now buy the product, at around $5-6 just as a grip-aid. I tend to suffer from sweaty hands (and body too), and have foupnd the product even works great applied to knee and elbow pits-though watch out because it can actually give you too much grip on thinner skin. I have seen this type of instant hair-volumizing product by other companies, but got2b is by far the cheapest. Let me know if anyone decides to try it, or a similar product:)

[PoleRules]

I tried wrapping a heating pad around my pole with string, and putting it on high. Actually I used two, it worked better than expected.

[PoleRules]

Let us know how you like it:)

[PoleRules]

I can relate. For the longest time I could’nt get past a sticking point. But all that changed when I discovered the foam roller. I brushed-up on how to use it for the legs, then I would roll away, every day. The key thing is, it has to be uncomfortable at first. Foam rollers help to break-down the tough, dense fascia and/or scar tissue that can prevent you from achieving your splits.
I hope this helps, because I know it made a world of difference for me:)

[PoleRules]

Thanks everyone for expressing your opinions. I was just curious about the different view points out there.

[PoleRules]

Those ‘Bad Boys’ look like the same ones Karol Helms wore in a competition once. They don’t show her actualy walking in them-hmm, I wonder why:)

[PoleRules]

I just bought the studioveena pole. In my opinion it’s the best one. The grip is awesome, and there’s no warm-up needed. I can just start practice at any time!

[PoleRules]

Shoulder mount today, tomorrow Spatchcock;)

[PoleRules]

Aha, ankle weights, have plenty of those. I’ll give it a go:)

[PoleRules]

Blue Foundation-Eyes on Fire, Jenyne Butterfly danced to in the 2009 Worlds.

[PoleRules]

A word about grace. I for one am Not a graceful person. I think for people like myself, pole can be more about ‘strength’ and the like. We can’t all be like ballerinas! And about inverts, working the negative or lowering phase of the move is a great way to gain strength. It’s been proven that were stronger in the negative/lowering phase of a movement.