[Saeth]

You aren’t kidding about it being a workout lol First few times that I done it I just flopped on the floor after and wondered whose bright idea was to inflict this torture upon myself!

Twingy just means not a constant ache but short slightly sharp pangs of pain that pass in seconds. My wrists and shoulders feel quite sore around the joints. I think what it is my upper body strength is so poor that I’m not supporting myself fully so my shoulders, arms and hands are experiencing a lot of pressure. I do watch my posture, my shoulders, core and spine and I don’t see any sinking or scrunching etc. I suspect also the muscles and tendons are very tight from a lot of PC work so the angle at the wrist is also acting as a stretch. I did try the fist thing but it didn’t make much difference. I’m just a weakling! I’m going to half the amount of rolls I’m doing and try to do more resting in the positions. Regardless anyway I think my arms had been feeling a little sore the last few weeks. It could be the cold that has kicked in and it takes a lot more for those muscles to be limber. I had problems with the muscles in my forearm going tight the last few lessons.

[Saeth]

I’m so sorry to hear of this news. There isn’t much one can say other than to enjoy the time remaining with your mother. Be kind to yourself also. You are starting a new chapter in your life and it’s important to show yourself some kindness to help you through it. Wishing you and your mother as much quality time together as possible, strength and peace.

[Saeth]

Yay! Glad to hear you’re feeling better within yourself. I bet you’re super excited to get back to it again. I started the 30 day challenge too, just done the 3rd day. It’ll be a challenge maintaining it through Christmas but I really want it done by the time I join another studio which starts on the 8th of Jan. Hopefully this will keep me on schedule. I hope it goes well for you!

[Saeth]

Thanks everyone for the feedback, it’s helped me realise that yes, as I suspected, I was over extending. I have gone over the videos a lot and I understand it in my head as well as when I’m doing the exercises against the wall. I think the challenge for me is feeling this while “in action”. I’m ok preparing for a move, invert for example, but I’m not sure if I’m actually applying it while doing something. With no mirrors in the studio it is hard to see and I can’t count on my teacher to help me with it. We haven’t been told that over extending is bad, quite the opposite, I’ve heard “reach up high as you can” so many times! Now I’m having to break that habit. I’m making changes and it’s funny because now my back and shoulder muscles ache after poling. It’s that good “I’ve used these muscles” ache. Before I was “dead hanging” in class and had a different type of pain and my upper back rarely ached.

With the combination of everyone’s suggestions I’m a bit wiser and I understand it clearly. I just need to try and ensure I’m applying it while actively poling. It could be worse, I could have learnt about this 5 years down my pole journey instead of nearly 6 months.

Now, I’m going to lie on the floor and say hello to my scapulars again!

[Saeth]

Just to clarify, I’m not asking specifically for the performance climb but for general poling 🙂

[Saeth]

I’ve found with poling that any drop in my food intake, especially if on the lower end of the carb spectrum that it will bite my butt. Same for water. I always cramp if my water intake isn’t very near to two litres. If my food has been low then I just don’t have as much power and endurance in the lesson, I feel disconnected and not as efficient and/or I come out shaky. Poling is very demanding on your body, it needs good high quality fuel and plenty of liquid. I was coming out of classes starving hungry and attacking the chip shop (Something I just don’t do!). Increasing my carbs without going mad solved this along with ensuring I ate plenty of food that day in the run up to lessons and ate well the day after. It taught me to ensure I support my body through correct feeding so it can pole well. Of course sometimes your appetite does drop (sickness, stress, meds) and I really believe it’s important to ease off a bit when this happens. No harm will come from being gentle and kind to our bodies, being mean and pushing through things could do the opposite though!

[Saeth]

Yes Veena, it was when I was looking at your climb lessons that I realised, “Hang on, the comp climb is what I started to do originally.” It might also explain why I was one of the last ones to reach the ceiling! Took me eight weeks while others were getting it at 3-6 weeks using another method (one foot behind the other at the back of the pole). I might try and post a video this weekend but I’ll see how I feel tomorrow, I’m not sure if I’m going down with a cold. I really hope the comp climb or a technique correction will solve this foot issue. I’ll soon find out I guess. At least I have full access to the fantastic lessons now so thanks for those and the sale, Veena!

[Saeth]

I haven’t personally used one but my instructor said they are great for those who are held back by fear of slipping, for those trying new and tricky moves for the first time, those who have low poling confidence or those who turn up to class with fully covered legs 😛 She said something about spins, I think it was negative but I’m not entirely sure, sorry.

[Saeth]

I’ve no idea, Phoenix. I have some concerns about how things are being taught but there isn’t a lot of choice for me regarding studios due to my budget and lack of transport. I’m signing up for Veena’s lessons around Christmas so I can have some good guidance. If Michelle Stanek is doing it wrong, that’ll be the day I quit pole dance lol!

Lola, bracing the forearm made things much easier for me and I didn’t drain as fast. Also it felt more natural and didn’t look bad. I was disappointed when I felt I had to stop it because of the pretty feet it enabled you to have but now it seems it could also prevent my injury, but we’ll see, it may not even do that.

[Saeth]

It’s funny, reading through all the replies I realised this problem of getting bleeding cuts on my foot only started when I used the “flex to lock” method, I think. Before that I done what seems to be the competition climb as a result of watching a lot of Michelle Stanek on youtube! My teacher used to say, “It looks very pretty but it’s not correct.” So, I switched. I recall shin pain from that and this may have motivated the change also. I will try changing back to my other method. I will also post a video on the weekend on both the methods for feedback. I do know sometimes I don’t bring my leg around in front of the pole enough which I suspect could be responsible for some of the slip. If none of that works I’ll have to invest in ankle protectors. It may be a body conformation thing too, I have a vein that puffs up a lot on that area so it sticks out quite a bit!

Pole dancing feels like detective work at times lol

[Saeth]

I had thought of getting them but I think, being relatively new to pole, that maybe it’s a technique problem and I’m wary of using something that could cover up a technique fault. I did switch feet but then cut that one too, though not as badly so it was far more manageable. It was more like a graze while the other one was bleeding :/