[RoseMay]

To warm up for pole dance I do flexibility specific mobility exercises for the legs, a strength specific warmup for the upper body and some physical therapy exercises I need to do. I differentiate because I need strength for the upper body and my legs mostly need to be flexible.

The exercises I do for the legs are not stretching, but they move the joints and muscles through their range of motion. The exercises for the upper body include mobility exercises and easy strength exercises, like push-ups and planks.

Why would anyone want to stretch before being warmed up? This would feel so weird …

[RoseMay]

Yeah, if it hurt her that much your cousin wasn't flexible enough for the splits. Normally you're working towards a full split in baby steps. If it hurts too much you just stop and stay at that height. Developing flexiblity takes a lot of time.

I always use two chairs to help me stay up in the air, I find it more comfortable than supporting my weight on the ground with the hands. So to get into the splits I have two chairs standing opposed to each other and I put my hands/elbows down on them. Between the chairs I split the legs as far apart as I can. If it hurts too much I can just push myself up with my arms to get out.

You'll feel if you're flexible enough to go all the way down to the ground or not. If you're not ready then don't do it and it doesn't have to hurt that much https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

(And I could get out of my first split on my own and I didn't cry – I picked up my camera to do it again  to check if I did it right https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif )

[RoseMay]

Hi Ollie, which dvds of Bobbi do you have exactly? I got the pole grooves and advanced pole grooves and there is just one routine on each dvd. I do like the combos though and especially on the advanced pole grooves one are a lot of dance, split and floorwork moves.

[RoseMay]

Brumby, nothing happens if you use that button https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif  (or at least I didn't notice any changes …)

[RoseMay]

I have the Art of Pole Routine DVDs and can recommend them. There are four routines on each dvd from beginner to advanced.

What I really like about those dvds is that she breaks everything down. So you don't have to sit in front of the computer and stop every few seconds to write down what was done (at least that's what I do with normal dvds that only show the routine, but don't explain it). So you can really follow along. The explanations for one routine of around 2 minutes are usually 30 minutes long. But if you already know the routine you can skip the explanations of course and skip forward to the part where she leads you through the whole routine.

The routines are usually around 2 minutes. But I found that they are danced really quickly and if I dance them on my own to my own music I'm a lot slower – so yes, they can fill in a whole song. Also, you could put two routines together if you want one that is longer.

Yeah I think they helped me with the dancing part. Although I found that her style of dance is not really mine, I look really awkward when I try to imitate Jamilla https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif  But making the routines "your own" by changing parts of it is after all what helps to develop an own style 🙂

[RoseMay]

That looks really beautiful 🙂 I downloaded the video and can play it in slow motion so I can see what she's doing. This move is going on my "to learn"-list.

Thanks for the link and your patience with explaining the move https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[RoseMay]

Ah okay, so the upper body turns in the other direction, not the one it came from.

I found this video, it's a climb over in a crucifix position. Is it kind of what the climb over in the inverted thigh hold looks like?

http://poledancedictionary.com/moves/259/transition-up-pole/

[RoseMay]

Well, it almost makes sense now https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

To climb over, where would I grip? Behind the knee of the hooked leg? And do I twist the upper body in the direction it came from the inside leg hang? So in the picture you posted, I would twist to face the right? And then I guess, I have to pull myself upright to do a chopper again ..

[RoseMay]

A few points came to my mind while reading your post, maybe you already tried them:

– Try to use grip aid under the gloves. Mighty Grip recommends this to not slide around in them too much.

– Have you tried white vinegar? A lot of girls seem to get a good grip with that.

https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/Finally_The_answer_to_sweaty_hands_20110220023344

– Maybe try a different pole finish?

[RoseMay]

Hi chemgoddess, that's the outside leg hang climb – I was referring to the inside leg hang climb. It was described like this above:

"inside leg hang climbs: straight legged chopper, inside leg hang, tawny/inverted thigh hold, climb over your inside leg to have the pole on the same side, repeat. start over on the ground on your opposite side."

When I try it in my head I either break my back or my leg https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_eek.gif

[RoseMay]

Does anyone know a video with the inside leg hang climbs Amy mentioned in this thread? I'm having a hard time picturing this climb..

[RoseMay]

Oh by the way, another thing that helps me: instead of holding stretches longer it helps me more to do them more often. So I hold all stretches for 30 seconds but I do several sets of these 30 secs.

I find if I hold stretches for 1 minute I don't go any further down into the stretch, it just hurts more https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif But after a short break and doing another set of 30 sec I usually am further down.

[RoseMay]

Interesting topic 🙂 I can only answer these questions from my own experience though.

So I started flexibility training one year ago (23 years old), but took a three month break in between.  I started with my front splits around 16 inches off the floor and when lying on my back I could raise one leg up to a 90° angle.

By now I have a slight oversplit on my good side. I also can do a "hamstring split" (lying on the back and then one leg is next to the head) and when doing a front split on the side I can kinda put my upper leg behind my body.

To answer your questions:

– I never did the splits as a child. I don't think it matters. Maybe it takes a bit more work for people without a flexibility background. Though not everyone is physically able to do the middle splits, it has to do with the alignment of the hips (that's why I didn't mention the middle splits up there, I will never be able to do them)

– It took me 9 months in total for the front splits, but I didn't work on flexibility in 3 of them – so actually only 6 months 🙂

– Like I said, I took a 3 months break and afterwards I was worried I lost all progress I had made. But within one or two weeks I was at the point where I was before the break. So I think taking training breaks won't make you progress as quickly as you could, but you can be back to where you left off really quickly.

For the last 4 months I trained for flexibility an average of 4 hours per week. One session was usually 1 hour long, so that makes it 4 days a week. And I gained flexibility while doing that. From experience I think I could keep my level of flexibility with 2 hours per week.

– Well a little soreness will probably disappear when you start to move again. If they are really sore I would take a rest day. Usually after training for the splits my hamstrings get sore. So when I try to do the splits the day after a hard split training session I know it will be very painful and I might not be able to do splits at all. If the flexibility training concentrates on something else, like back flexibility it's okay.

DVDs I can recommend: Aletheas Stretching dvds. They got me down from being 4 inches off the ground to the splits within 2 weeks https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

If I don't have time for a long session I use this routine:

http://www.candy-chrome.co.uk/pole-dance-mag/splits-training-exercisesfor-pole-dance-felix-cane/

BTW I think it would be sooo cool to keep the flexibility I have without training, like Amy does https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_surprised.gif

But atm I want to become more flexibile so that I can do the splits with less warming up, so that I can actually use the flexiblity in my pole dancing *sigh*

[RoseMay]

Thanks, I had actually given up on this move, so happy I kinda got it https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

I will try to point the feet to the ground next time 🙂

[RoseMay]

Thanks for your tips ladies https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif How does this attempt look like?:

https://www.studioveena.com/photos/view_photo/4f0857ef-f644-48a5-a464-37cb0ac37250

First time I could release that top hand 🙂

I didn't do a full CAR before, as I didn't want to go that high on the pole. It was some kinda half CAR.

I think my legs need to be a bit lower, to make it prettier?