[Runemist34]

Hey there!
We’ve had a few threads about this previously, and a lot of people with some good (and bad) stories.
These are the first few that I found after doing a search, and seemed most relevant!
https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/2989
https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/4fcf5bdf-47f8-45ca-a2f8-665e0ac37250
https://www.studioveena.com/forums/view/Info_Post_implant_recovery_time_20120122083155

Hope that helps!

[Runemist34]

I think that looks gorgeous! Really well done! I love your super long back leg, and your easy, pointed toes. Nothing too formal, but still graceful and lengthening!
If you really, REALLY want some constructive ideas, I would say that arching your back a bit more (if you can! Depends on how comfortable you are, your bendiness, and such), and also bringing your arms closer to the floor a little more, trying to make them parallel with the ground, and really reaching through your hands.

BUT, I still seriously thing that this is amazing. You look great! Personally, I would just celebrate the achievement (you said you’ve been working your butt off on this move!) and work it into your dance, so that you can bring it into your regular repertoire! This move makes you look gorgeous, so remember that! Doesn’t matter how arched your back is, how straight your leg is, or what your arms are doing- you look beautiful!

[Runemist34]

Sorry, powder coat is a pole finish! It’s very grippy for me, though… sometimes a little too grippy! I’ve had times when I thought I may not be able to get off the pole with all my skin attached 😉
I think that some types of pole grip aid is better for humid climates. Have you tried Dew point? I’ve never used any grip aids, but I’ve heard that one is really good!

[Runemist34]

Hey Evjo!
Well, my immediate thought is that you could get a dehumidifier if you want to, and can afford it. They work fairly well!
Living where I do, it’s not uncommon to have rain for days or weeks on end. It’s very humid here, all the time, so I’m used to it, I suppose!
Warming up the pole is pretty key when it’s humid out. I’ve found that it takes at least 15-20 minutes of proper dancing with it to get some good grip- I’m also on powder coat, so it may be a bit different to what you’re dancing on.

[Runemist34]

Hah, I love how you say “I have to stop comparing myself to people…”
And then go on to talk about how this hot guy has dated so many women whom you consider to be more beautiful, more muscular, and more impressive than yourself!

Ever since getting together with my boyfriend, I’ve struggled with his long list of previous girlfriends. My other two lovers- one of them my Ex-Husband -had zero previous lovers, so my current boyfriend is quite a bit of a difference. Some of the women he’s been with I would consider more beautiful, smarter, more cunning… something better than me. And, I think he’s ridiculously sexy!

But, there’s a reason these people are “ex-girlfriends”! If their physique was so important to him, he probably would have found ways of making this work. And, if you consider their beauty an expression of their selves, then… well, their selves and his self didn’t really work out, did they? So, maybe he needs a woman who looks different, doesn’t spend hours in the gym, perhaps didn’t win the genetic jackpot (though, if I may say, you sure did in the face department! I haven’t seen the rest of you much though 😉 ) and act as if the world is made for them because of it.

On the 25-30lbs gain… the scale will lie to you very soon! Pole dancing builds muscle a lot, and that muscle takes up a lot less space than any fat you may be carrying. Good example: I am the heaviest I’ve ever been (200lbs), and I’m also one of the smallest sizes I’ve ever been! The only time I was smaller than this is when I was actually, seriously starving (bad living situation). So, don’t beat yourself up about some extra pounds, give yourself giant credit for building strength and doing things you love! Your body is an amazing thing.

You’ll get there 🙂 It’s a big step, and there’s a lot of social conditioning to get through. Women are often “trained” to compare themselves to others, to judge other people as either better or worse than them, to worry about whether they look “good enough,” often in relation to how a man would perceive them. The “conventional sexy” is something that works for some women, and not for others. If that’s what we’re looking for, then we might not be looking in the right places for OUR kind of sexy!

This guy is looking, more than likely, to see YOU without clothes on, not anything else, or anything more. 🙂

[Runemist34]

Hey Lazarenka!
I agree with Poleisnewtome: You seem to have a very distorted view of yourself!
Being able to get ANY spins within your first month, safely and consistently, is a big feat. When I was first starting, I did spins and I definitely should not have- my injured shoulder is testament to that! But, the other things I learned are a lot of other moves, things that you don’t necessarily need strength for, and things you don’t necessarily need any big dance background or anything for, either. They help get you used to moving around the pole, get you used to moving as a dancer, instead of just being athletic, or in my case, instead of not moving at all!
It’s taken me a LONG time to learn about being sexy, and the research and learning continues all the time. I’m still finding out what it is that makes things sexy to me, things that I love to see, and how to make them happen for myself. Getting past the beautiful, strong body types that are commonly shown in Pole dancing videos is also a big issue for me (I have many wobbly bits that I’m still a little insecure of showing off, which is why I post videos so infrequently).
So, what is sexy for one person is not sexy for another person. I really enjoy many Russian dancers for their flow and exotic nature: Eva Bembo is a big one for me! Some of her dances aren’t quite my style, but many of them push all the right buttons. And, while she is ridiculously strong and crazy flexible, I still feel like some of the moves and much of her style is accessible.

Alethea Austin is one of the big powerhouses of the Pole world. She has amazing DVD’s and a great sense of herself, she’s super strong, super flexible, and super sexy when she wants to be…
BUT, did you know it took her a few YEARS to achieve the splits? Have you thought about how long she’s been pole dancing in order to look as good as she is, and to do the moves that she does? These things take a long, long time.
A great way to look at is this: Most kids, when they learn to write, find it boring, cumbersome, and often, a little stupid. Some hate it. It’s a skill we all use as adults without thinking about it, whether we write by hand or on the computer, but when we first started out, it sucked!
Some of us learn to take it further than others. For me, I found writing very difficult at first… but, then I started writing and reading stories. It’s been over ten years of writing stories, and now I can say that I’m proud and comfortable with the work I do, of the stories I write. Sometimes I still struggle, I have a lot of “false starts” and issues, but… that’s human!
I wouldn’t be where I am with my writing today, though, without more than ten years of practice, almost nonstop, practice practice.

So, are you really going to look at yourself, and judge yourself against someone who eats, sleeps, and breathes Pole for YEARS next to your beginning?
Beginnings can be fun, you can learn a lot and you can grow and become strong! But, is it really going to be fun if you’re constantly pushing yourself, judging yourself, constantly looking at all the things you cannot do? Are you going to feel excited to touch your pole when all you get from your own self is “I suck because I can’t…”?

Sexiness, in it’s essence, is confidence. If you are confident with your pole, you can slink, slide, and slow down your movements. You can let that special someone see you- you can show off for them in ways that you may not be able to normally. You can wear the sexy pole wear and the heels and get into your flow, turn it on, and feel the music. I guarantee that confidence will make your special someone more turned on than a very-well-executed split, or a perfectly done spin.

Here’s a good example of something EVERYONE, even the very beginners, can do with some practice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtwMQPKF0BM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6t_kqFIvVI

Notice how they move slowly, how they allow people to look at them, to see what they look like, and to see that they are enjoying themselves. They touch their bodies. Much of the movement is simple, slow, and easy- nothing crazy.
You can always substitute spins you can’t do with spins you can do, and then work the floorwork into that.

At some point this week, I’m really wanting to get on the pole and just dance. I’m tempted to make a video for you of all the moves I know that are beginner level: there are nearly 50 of them. I have them all written down on an Excel spreadsheet!
If I do, I’ll post it up here and bug you to look at it! (It’s a busy week this week, so if I don’t get to do it this week, definitely next week!!)

[Runemist34]

Hey Macabre!
I think that it looks fine. In my case, I have very large hands (I could get my fingers completely around a 50mm) and it really never helped me at all! On my 45mm, the fact that my fingers are longer, and that my hands are large, hasn’t helped or hindered me in any way.
Mainly, what I’ve found, is strength to be an issue, rather than reach! My forearm strength has dwindled a bit since I stopped rock climbing, and without that, my grip strength has gone. I struggle sometimes, but I’ve been working hard to get the strength back.
You can purchase grip-strength, uh, strengtheners? They’re often at placed that sell climbing gear and such. Some look like rubber rings (that’s what I have) that you squeeze as hard as you can! Depending on where on your fingers you place it, the harder it gets- out toward your fingertips is hardest!
Also, for actually gripping the pole, I don’t find that I ever really try to grip it super hard all the way around. When I spin, most of the strength and grip comes from right around my main knuckles, and is created by the force I’m placing on my hands pressing outward away from the pole. No thumb required 😉 And, for anything split-grip, the “gun position” makes a lot of the finger wrap a moot point. Any kind of climbing or other things is more about what’s happening between thumb and other fingers, with your palm, instead of actual finger strength or grip.

So, I think you’ll be just fine working with the 45! Remember that, as a beginner, your grip strength will simply grow and get better! Be good to your forearms, and they’ll be good to you 🙂

[Runemist34]

Hey there!
It sounds to me like probably a tendon or very small muscle being pulled the wrong way, or strained somehow. Best thing to do is to ask your doctor- explain that you’re wishing to achieve the splits, and that you want to know about the pain and how to help it out.
You could also potentially see a physiotherapist.
Difficult to “diagnose” issues like these, and I would say that a health professional would be much more accurate and have fewer speculations as to what you could do.

[Runemist34]

I agree with Haloanne! Have never heard of a move called the “Guitar,” and because of that, I don’t know how advanced it is, or if it’s a spin, a pose, aerial or grounded, floorwork or inverted.
Maybe you could give us a description, and we could give you some pictures of what it might be? We can adjust from there 🙂

[Runemist34]

Ahh, I’m really sorry to hear that! I know how horrible it feels to have a strained hamstring!
My best advice is rest. DO NOT stretch that hamstring! Do your best to keep it relaxed, to be gentle with it, and just take it easy.
I know it’s really frustrating, but a hamstring injury can take a long time to heal. These are muscles we use every day, just to walk and to bend! Sitting used to be very aggravating for my hamstring- sometimes, it would ache no matter what I did! But, over time it settled down, and I can stretch them again.
Listen to your body- if it hurts, don’t do it! Your hamstring needs care, and giving it awesome care will help it heal a lot quicker!

[Runemist34]

Hey Mor Tom!
It sounds like you got into inverts very early into pole dancing- they require a lot of strength and skill to pull off properly without hurting yourself, and while some people can do it at 3 months, most don’t even start working on them till 6 months in.
That said, you mentioned you had them alright (hopefully with absolutely no jumping!), so I think this is a case of “lost move syndrome”!
If you search a bit around on the site, you’ll see that very many ladies, and guys, here have lost moves that they had solidly, even had them for YEARS, and then suddenly lost them! I even had that for a long time (sort of still do) with my cradle spin.
It sucks that the Basic Invert is the lost move, but… rest assured, it will come back!
Strength training the BI is usually a lot (and I mean a LOT) of core work! The side pole crunches in particular, but lots of other stuff can be used to help out. Planks I find really great for my core, and I also look up a lot of other core moves online, so you can see about those and find out which ones work best for you!
Also, for arm strength, just holding yourself up on the pole, doing pole climbs or other similar things.

Just be patient. It’s not a race! There’s no need to compare yourself 🙂

[Runemist34]

Hey there!
Welcome to the forums, I hope you have lots of fun here!
I think increasing strength and flexibility is the goal for pretty much every pole dancer: there are always bigger and stronger moves to do, there’s always the oversplits and a fabulous back bend to achieve, always something!
But it’s one of the things we love to do. Our journey in Pole dance keeps pushing us farther and higher, and we all love it here 😉

As for your popping hip, have you seen a doctor about it at all? Do you know why it pops? I would be wary to give any specific advice in case it’s something particularly bad, or something that may become more aggravated by more flexibility or strength training, too quickly. Always good to see your doctor if something is happening that you aren’t sure of, like bad pain or joints that don’t do what they should.

The 30 days Flexy is awesome, and Veena also has proper flexibility lessons for areas such as the lower body that you could try out, too!

Also, when it comes to tight hips (I’ve noticed a lot of women, myself included, have this issue) the trick is to be consistent, but also to go slowly. Pushing your hamstrings or other muscles too far can result in some very painful injury. I have done this, and it took me well over six months to heal it properly! I also lost a significant amount of flexibility- worse than I’d ever had.
Only recently have I really seen any results, and it’s because I’ve been super gentle, very consistent, and very careful. I only ever stretch when I’m warm (which is definitely something I had hammered home from Veena and the others here!) and often, I only do my flexibility training after a good workout.

Good luck!

[Runemist34]

Hey Lazarenka!
I agree with Phoenix Hunter- building strength for pole dancing, as well as becoming flexible, takes time. Lots of time!

But, I also want to ask… are you focused on the goal, or the journey?

One thing I’ve noticed with a lot of your posts is that you’re jumping in, all in, and while that is wonderful and I’m super glad you’re excited to really put your whole self into something you obviously love, it also seems like you aren’t really enjoying the time it takes, you’re not seeing this as a journey, but as a set of goals to be achieved. Once you have X number or certain moves under your belt, does that make you a great pole dancer? Once you can do the splits, does that make you sexy?
It’s similar to me with running. I look at my split times (how fast I’ve run for each kilometre), I look at my total time, and I think “I could have pushed harder.” I compare myself to my two runner friends (one of whom is my cousin) who have been running for AGES, and neither of them have any kind of knee issues… and I feel inadequate. I try to push harder, more, do more things, see what I’m missing and why I can’t get that 6 minute kilometre?!
But, the truth is, that this is a JOURNEY, and I need to relax and stop all this nonsense. Those two have been running for years longer than I have, and I DO have knee problems. That’s one of the big reasons why I run, in fact! If I settled in an enjoyed it, maybe I wouldn’t be where I am right now: Haven’t run more than twice in two weeks, my knees are getting worse (again), and I’ve plateaued at the place I am now. I feel awful, and I’m frustrated… but, I wouldn’t be so frustrated if I wasn’t focused only on the goals, only on the belief that I “should” be better.

You’ve “never met a physical challenge you couldn’t master,” which is very interesting to me! I’ve met thousands of physical challenges I couldn’t even start! Yet, you’re frustrated, you’re getting upset. You’re pushing so hard on this… are you enjoying it?
Maybe checking in with yourself and your expectations would be really good. I mean, pole dancing is extremely physical, seriously needing in strength, and flexibility training takes huge amounts of time. The splits do not come easily for most of us- even after years of stretching.
So, what are your goals? Where are your expectations? Are they reasonable? Like, honestly reasonable, considering the fact that building muscle takes time and effort, consistency, and that the same thing goes for flexibility? And, I’m talking all of that over YEARS, not months. Years.
Good time to check in with yourself. This may be one challenge that you may just have to buckle down and enjoy the road, instead of that sweet rush of nailing a move.

[Runemist34]

A studio can generally charge whatever it wants- I’ve seen prices as low as $60 for a half-hour, or as high as $150 for an hour. They generally sit around those ranges, though. Most studios I’ve seen like to give about an hour for a class, but will sometimes do shorter or longer classes, too.
So, I would say it very much depends on your local studios, and whether you would like to go to them.

If you mean lessons on SV, then… well, there is no “studio” specifically, as we all learn from the videos and practice at home! Our homes are our studios, and our poles are placed all over the world.
The lessons here are about $100 per year.
You can try them out for three days to see if you like them by using the code GET3FREE in your account.

Good luck! And hope the beginning of your pole journey is awesome!

[Runemist34]

Hey Jenn1989!
I had chronic knee pain since I was 14- I only recently stopped being in chronic pain this year, since starting my running.
However, this is not necessarily the course I would suggest for you.
Knee pain can be caused by so many issues. For me, it was a muscle imbalance that resulted in my kneecap not being able to sit correctly. For others, it can be issues with tendons or ligaments, with fluid, with bones.
I would suggest going to the doctor and getting a proper diagnosis (if you don’t have one already). It’s always very important to be careful with joints, and to find out if pushing them more will hurt or hinder their health.
For me, because I had a muscle imbalance, strengthening the muscles was most important. I saw a physiotherapist for a while, and did a lot of exercises.
However, with other issues, putting more weight and strain on the muscles may actually cause greater damage to your knees. More movement might aggravate the issue.

With a proper diagnosis, you’ll know what to do, and hopefully, your doctor will be able to give you proper treatment information.