[Rouge_LAmour]

sheesh, it took me 3 months to get the goddess / reverse hook, 9 months to get the princess / leg hook and I still don’t invert very well after nearly 2 years. (invertin’s for crazy folk!)

Do not compare yourself to anyone else on this site: we have all had issues with moves. The only person you want to better is yourself.

People learn at different speeds and sometimes what you see with people advancing is nothing more than "flinging" or throwing themselves into moves with no control. These versions of the moves have no control or grace and are often the cause of bad injuries.

So, my point is that you need to take it at your own pace. Not everyone progresses at the same speed…

take your time and get your strength up, pole is a lot harder than it looks but is worth the effort.

[Rouge_LAmour]

what loosened ours was to get a friend and 2 Stanley 2 point x 10 inch screwdrivers.

Take a hole each and twist against each other.

Nothing else works like these.

I made a post last weekend with the model numbers of the screwdrivers.
Stanley are a good brand and very strong. The length helps immensely, meaning you can have a hand on either side.

Absolutely works and treat and I wish I could remember who here first suggested this method so I could thank them.

[Rouge_LAmour]

Dermablend will cover anything.
It’s used by professional make up artists to cover tattoos, it will cover bruises.
Get it from somewhere reputable, or ask your local MAC or Bobby Brown counter

I’d be taking arnica drops in water, along with arnica pillules on top of the cream, this should work well.

[Rouge_LAmour]

cheaper than quick release tools are two long screwdrivers.

Finally, we’ve put up our x-poles at the studio and had to shorten our xpoles.
Shock method did not work, our tightening rods now have really cool angles (well the one’s we didn’t snap).

SO, my suggestion if you have problems, is to go to a hardware shop, get 2 x Stanley screwdrivers, the model in NZ is 0-65-171.

The size is 250mm x 2pt. 250mm is 10" for those non-metric people.
Put the screwdrivers through and get help: one twists one way, the other twists against them.

This really works, so whomever first suggested it on here: thank you!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_salut.gif

we would have got the quick release tools, but they’re $90 freight from the place closest to us.
2 screwdrivers set us back $25.

[Rouge_LAmour]

This is utterly and totally about the abs.

and to reiterate what everyone has said, we learn to invert by springing / kicking from the floor.

Jamilla has a great video and I’m sure Veena will have one…

But as Jamilla has said in a class, inverting is about using the abs.
I teach girls to get the strength first, then bring their legs up, it is the only way to invert.

[Rouge_LAmour]

stick with iMovie for the moment.
The only other video editing software I know of for Mac is Final Cut.
and the last time I checked, it was $ mumble thousand etc.
A bit less for Express, which may be worthwhile, we have Studio which is great!

iMovie is completely fine to use. It’s a really great product.
Google editing tips for iMovie, the community is big enough that you should get the info you need.

[Rouge_LAmour]

Azriel, you say the sweetest things…

the only way to beat pole burn is to build up "calluses" on the inner thighs.
Don’t try lay backs for quite a while: inverting may seem really cool, but if you don’t have the basics you’re more likely to injure yourself and feel frustrated. It’s a later beginner move at our studio, we work on strength first and getting muscle memory working.

The trick with pole sits is to pull yourself up, sit on the pole for 15 seconds (15"), jump off, fan your thighs to cool then get back up for 30". When 15" is nothing, then start with 30". keep working this way until you can do 5 minutes (5′) with no problems and can easily hold this with legs only. Days will vary so don’t think you’ve failed if some days you seem to go backwards, it’s only natural.

That’s pretty much it on pole sits, takes some time, but works.

[Rouge_LAmour]

walking in heels is all about walking on tip toe (or demi-point for ballet dancers). use the heel for balance, that’s it. nothing special there.

My biggies are pointed toes, "flingers" (using momentum and flinging / throwing yourself into a move), beachiness to others who aren’t so good and defeatism.

As for competitiveness, the only person to beat is yourself and as we used to say in a top restaurant I cooked in, you’re only as good as your last plate (read pole move). Try to beat your best and realise some days won’t be so good.

[Rouge_LAmour]

Golly, as someone who can spend a lot of time teaching I can only recommend taking a day off in between.
In fact it’s a necessity. I’m completely shagged after teaching about 5 or so hours this week, in addition to working on my own stuff. My body aches. Having long bath type aching. OK, so I’m nearing 40….

Anyway, take days off in between at this point, it is important. Your body will thank you later.
Take the downtime to stretch and work on strength work rather than pole. Your body will thank you later.
Especially if you’re over 30, it’s a lot harder at this age than for an early 20’s woman.

So, take your time, enjoy some down time in between. Be very careful of your shoulders (in particular) and ensure you’re not going above your ability. Everyone goes through the "flinging" stage in the first 3 – 4 months, this is the most dangerous as you think you can do so much more than you really can. By flinging, you can incur awful injuries and badly damage important joints, like shoulders, wrists and elbows. I know I sound like a mother / teacher, but I am and I see this every week. take you time and you’ll enjoy pole for far longer.

[Rouge_LAmour]

we toyed with changing to pole position.

loads of reasons, poles for 1 and Mr Rouge is a Formula1 fan so it had loads of meaning… but it didn’t work out.

[Rouge_LAmour]

I nearly ripped out my navel piercing by catching it.
It grew out about a month later.

You can cover it with a wound dressing to protect it, but I’d give it a few weeks of rest before doing any inverts etc.

Talk with your prospective piercer about it: if they’re good, they’ll tell you the risks etc.
Also double check the placing of the piercing, mine was placed in a spot that was likely to catch.

Check out http://www.fleshwound.co.nz (has some "explcit" shots of less well known piercings, so if you are squeamish about looking at girl and boy bits, then be careful which gallery you go to.)
ask them loads about the piercing, it’s whom I’m going to for my next lot and they are the best in Welly.

[Rouge_LAmour]

Poor baby!
e-cuddles, loads of them. I really hope it gets better.

The "older" women need to realise that it’s not ok to not pitch in when the going gets rough.
Maybe it’s time to gently remind them that the job market is pretty sucky out there and if they lost their jobs from not being helpful, then they could be in a far worse position.

[Rouge_LAmour]

you decide to purchase a pole studio.

you tell the real estate agent that the ceilings must be at least 3m high or you’re not interested.

You find yourself doing a sexy get up from a squat after stacking the dishwasher – at work and in front of several electrical engineers who proceed to laugh at you.

you go out for drinks and look at the ceiling of the bar to see if they can get a pole in for dancing.

you ask your beauty therapist not use oil on your recently waxed "bits" so you can go pole straight after the appointment and you know how a pole feels on newly waxed skin…

you find yourself lovingly caressing scaffolding to see the diameter and if it’s worth having a spin on

footwear retail assistants get THAT look on their face when you ask the stickability / karitane factor of the upper of the shoe and are thinking about how it will stick when climbing.

exfoliation of your hands is to reduce the slippy factor of the calluses – to take off the hard old skin later, rather than making them smooth and pretty.

you talk incessantly about nothing else,

did I mention that you purchase a pole studio????? https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif

and you drag your husband into it… (he requested I added that one)

[Rouge_LAmour]

OK, as promised photos.

these are from an agents listing, so think of them as before shots.
The afters will come later.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Property/Commercial-Property/Commercial-Property-For-Lease/auction-185662329.htm

We also now have a dishwasher and the door in the corner is a lift!!

[Rouge_LAmour]

The cradle is an evil move. I hate it too.
Jamilla has a trick which has made it easier: think about bringing your knees up to your shoulders, rather than anything else.
At the same time, think about bringing your torso level to the ground.

Hope this helps.