[Rachel12345]

Hi, are the two pole sections aligned with the joint properly?
I only ask because in the picture, it looks like the little bump on the X-joint isn’t in the right place. It normally fits into a slot directly above/underneath the hole.

[Rachel12345]

You should contact Xpole, they will be able to tell you.
The screws are very important. They screw into the flat part of the height adjuster, keeping the pole in place and not tightening/loosening during use.

[Rachel12345]

I ordered an xpert extension for my xstage lite.

[Rachel12345]

https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/StudioVeena_App_20160419073103

Is that what you were looking for?

[Rachel12345]

Hi, I haven’t tried the rpole but I did research it before I got my xstage lite.

If you have Instagram there are a few videos under the rpole tag that show the pole stability and even a few from studios that use both the rpole and xstage lites.

From what I found in the UK the rpole is more expensive than the xstage lite but from comparison videos the rpole isn’t as stable, it wobbles a lot more and seems to lift slightly if someone does a spin with a lot of momentum.

The advantage though is that one person could carry the rpole quite easily as its so much lighter than the Xstage.

[Rachel12345]

I have tried the AA DVDs, a couple of Cleo DVDs, random youtube videos and the lessons on this site.

Veena’s lessons are by far the most in depth and easy to follow. The stretches are well explained in their own lessons and then there are full routines that you can follow. The lessons tell you exactly which muscles you’re stretching and gives tips on what not to do. Veena also shows alternatives if you need to reduce the intensity and you can leave comments on the video if you have questions about what you should be doing.

As Allyson said the AA DVDs aren’t the best. I have all her DVDs from years ago because I love her style but I wouldn’t use them to learn from or practice along with. The missing count down is a huge issue for me, the amount of times I missed cues or stretches because I wasn’t staring at the screen the whole time. Also a few years ago I injured myself with the straddle leg drops and high kicks.

Cleos Rockin’ Legs and Abs DVD is a good workout and I really enjoy them for that and you get a pretty good stretch at the end. The music in this one is my favourite and it’s a really fun lower body routine for when squats get boring but the stretching section is only short. It’s very high energy though so I can’t do it on days that I pole.

[Rachel12345]

Hi, have you checked out the beginners pole hold lesson on here rather than using the pole hold strength lesson.

https://www.studioveena.com/lessons/view/54921dfb-d4f0-474e-b098-238d0a9aa0eb

It has easier variations so you can build yourself up to the full pole hold. I’m currently working on the second easiest variation in that lesson.

Another thing I’ve been doing, because I’m very weak right now, is sitting on the floor with my legs either side of the pole and doing a pole hold from there. It means I’m not lifting my full body weight and I can’t hang from my arms with my shoulders by my ears.

[Rachel12345]

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the help and I’m glad to be back 🙂

I think I’m going to go ahead and get the x-stage light. I called xpole earlier today and asked about the max weight and apparently there isn’t one so that’s good to hear. Hopefully I’ll get used to it pretty quickly, I’ll just make sure not to look at the sway in the mirror while I’m spinning.

[Rachel12345]

I've had an xpole for over a year now and not had any problems. The cracked ceiling is the same for any pole, not just a pressure mounted one. They all need to be underneath a joist. 

I picked xpole because I'm in rented accommodation so I can't make any alterations to the house. If that's not a problem for you then decide what size and finish you want first, then decide on which company to go with. 

[Rachel12345]

Happy Birthday 🙂 

[Rachel12345]

It will become grippy when you break it in. I bought the exact same pole my studio used but it was nothing like the studio poles grip-wise. After a few months of use the grip improved enough for me to feel secure but it will be a while before it's like the studio poles. You have to remember that they're used all day, every day so are broken in a lot faster. 

[Rachel12345]

If you like your studios poles then I think you should go with the brass pole. Do you know anyone with a Titanium Gold that you could try out?

[Rachel12345]

For me it worked out at £13 which compared to the price of other DVDs is amazing. It also meant I didn't have to wait for shipping to the UK, which usually takes a long time.

[Rachel12345]

I just downloaded the Live Once DVD, I'm watching it as I type this 🙂

Compared to the Alethea Austin DVDs (which I love) the Live Once ones are more instructional and less "Look what I can do". 

As someone just starting to dance I think the Live Once will help me with the foundations of dancing sexy, which I will then build on using Aletheas DVDs once I have a basic idea what I'm doing.

[Rachel12345]

Recently I've been dreaming of it a lot more, probably because I'm not allowed to do it.

I'm always ridiculously flexible in my dreams, maybe that means I should stretch during this down time. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

My boyfriend helped me put my pole back up last week, it's upsetting because I want to spin on it. Though at the same time it's making me more determined to heal well and practice more seriously than I did before.