[RoseMay]

Veena, new stretching lessons sound awesome https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

[RoseMay]

I had the beginner/intermediate DVDs for 3 weeks now. It's a package with 3 DVDs, one for front split and the spine, one for side split and the joints and another one that's called "general anti-stress". You can do every DVD once a week.

These programs are not only for advanced stretchers. There are easier variations for all stretches presented and they are really easy to follow along. I've been doing the programs regularly and I've already seen great improvement in my splits (Okay, I'm not that close to the ground yet, so it's still kinda easy to make progress https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif )

They also offer an advanced series of DVDs, maybe these are the ones that are too advanced for beginners? It's about oversplits and stuff like that …

[RoseMay]

Well it's hard to say what you should be doing. The question is, what do you want to achieve with it? You have to work out a way that suits your needs best.

In a fitness plan you write down what you plan to do, usually on a regular basis.

Like: Monday: strength, Tuesday: pole dance Wednesday: Flexibility

It can also include the specific exercises you want to work on and the sets and repetitions you plan to do.

And in a workout log you write down what you did. It can be a general one in a table, like:

Monday: 60 min pole dance, Tuesday 30 min flexibility

And it can also be a specific one.

I keep a log for pole dancing which is just a text file. After every practice I write down the date, the length of the session and which moves I worked on. And then I write some comments, like: "Today I couldn't do , maybe because I was too exhausted"

Additionally I keep a general workout log where I write down everything that I did (so not only pole related) but with fewer details. Usually just the date, length and what I did.

[RoseMay]

I have an xpert pole. The part between the base and the pole is a bit thinner … that's where my hair got caught.

[RoseMay]

Can you do a wrist sit from standing? Like, you stand in front of your pole and put the back of one tucked leg against the pole, while the other one stays on the ground. Then you grab the pole with the hands in the wrist sit position and if you feel comfortable, raise the other leg off the ground. In the beginning you should keep both legs tucked in. If that's easy you can spread them out.

This progression helped me get the wrist sit.

[RoseMay]

If you just want to replace the parts that don't work and would spend the money on them maybe you could just contact another x-pole seller in the UK?

I can think of: http://www.verticalfitness.co.uk/index.htm

That's where I bought my pole.

[RoseMay]

Usually I don't "fall" … I just bring my legs more or less elegant back to the ground https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

Just one time I was in free fall. I was attempting a butterfly from an outside leg hang. Though I didn't pay attention to how secure the leg was hooked … and while I turned my body around in the butterfly position hanging only from that leg I lost grip and was in a free fall headfirst https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_eek.gif

Luckily my hands were close to the ground, so I just caught myself in a handstand and didn't get injured … except for a pole burn on my leg.

Now I always double check my legs before letting go with the hands https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[RoseMay]

Ah I'm sure that would have been fun to watch! I never saw someone pole in person …

[RoseMay]

6 weeks 🙂

[RoseMay]

I bought mine a few weeks ago and used them a lot and so far there aren't any problems with the tack. I really like them, I didn't get a single bruise on my feet since I got them https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif (I used to get really bad bruises, that even wearing shoes was painful)

[RoseMay]

That's an amazing performance, thanks for sharing! 🙂

[RoseMay]

My knees are "bad" in the way that I can't knee while holding all my weight on my knees. This makes a lot of floor work moves impossible and it also proves challenging to get up from the floor in a graceful way.

One way I found to get up from the ground is to have both feet next to the pole, grab the pole with one or two arms and then pull the body up.

And I found that I can land on my knees after a back hook or front hook spin when I still carry my weight with the arms (so after finishing the spin I don't let go of the pole). Then I can change the position of the feet by bringing them to the front and step on them and then I can pull myself up with the arms.

I hope the descriptions are understandable https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif I'm still looking for other ways to get up, or do some graceful floorwork that doesn't only involve lying on my back..

Apart from that, I just cut the "ugly" parts out of my videos https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

[RoseMay]

I got the ones with tack like two weeks ago, and I wish I bought the ones without tack … I only used them a few times, so maybe it's a matter of getting used to it.

I found that the gloves really stick to the pole, so they are doing what they should. But I because of that stickiness I got caught several times on the pole where I couldn't move my hand anymore and had to jump off in a weird and painful way.

For example in a Hello Boys: the sit itself worked fine. But while getting out of it my bum was sliding down my hand … and usually I can just let the hand slide down to readjust it and take it off the pole. But this wasn't possible so I just couldn't remove my bottom hand, because I was sitting on it. Must have looked really stupid.

I got a similar effect in a split grip butterfly attempt where I couldn't turn my upper hand around to adjust the grip.

Maybe you don't get these kinda problems with the ones without tack? (or if you're not a beginner like me https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif ) It would be good to know whether others have this problem too..

And the gloves without tack are designed that you can also spin with them. With the tack ones you can't spin anymore on static mode.

[RoseMay]

Yay, tightening it a bit more worked https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif I still can't do a butterfly or caterpillar, but I can put my hands in the correct positions and work on it https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[RoseMay]

Thanks for your replies!

@Sarahb69: It's good to know that it's not supposed to move. Though in the video at 7:51 it doesn't look as if they are really tightening it with force.

I just tried to tighten it as much as I can and it feels a bit better … but I have to try it inverted in the next days during my next practice https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

Btw how do you take the pole down if the cover doesn't move at all?

@HollySatine: Of course it's possible that I'm not strong enough yet. I'm not sure how to find that out though …