[Serzi]

Chair is my vote. I’ve always wanted to do chair, but I’m a rather Amazonish gal and so finding a chair that’s comfortable and stable is a challenge in itself. Haha

[Serzi]

And the next question I would have is that those screws sitting on your stage are from your B-pole, right?

[Serzi]

Okay, good, we’re troubleshooting. The next question I have is that when you unscrewed the base did you do both sides? It’s possible you re-tightened it or stripped the hex screws by doing so.

[Serzi]

I think you’ve got the right mindset about this and are just nervous about seeming rude or that you may not progress if you refuse. Believe me all those moves are right there at your finger-tips when your body is ready to claim them. The initial fear is something we all struggle with, but when you know you’re not ready for something it’s entirely different than “being a scaredy-cat”. Pacing yourself is essential and I do believe that dance is the perfect mechanism for easing yourself into tricks naturally. It’s a beautiful feeling when you find yourself flawlessly transitioning into beautifully lined move completely free of nerves. Like stepping into a warm bath. haha

[Serzi]

Is it currently locked in static or is it in spin? It will not pull out if it is in spin, possibly as a safety precaution.

[Serzi]

Youtube is how I got started and I still frequently search videos of my favorites. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen the style I like being utilized so it’s hard to find new inspiration at times. I highly recommend Karol Helms, Nadia Sharif, Nicki Shaw, Anna Diana Serikova, Shadow, Trinity Sky, Casey Henson, Kitty Marie LaVeaux, idk…about a dozen others. Once in a great while I will envision a routine of particular song based on a dancer’s style and am pleasantly surprised when they eventually make a video to that song. haha

[Serzi]

I’m sure that my response is going to sound cliche’, but ONLY YOU know when you’re ready for a move. A vote of confidence is nice but, as with any aspect of life, if somebody seems to be pushing you towards something you do not feel comfortable w/ then you should apply the brakes. You probably are very strong and perhaps close to achieving some very elite moves in your practices. I would guess that your instructor sees that and is a little too giddy to get you there. Idk, I must say that I have never taken physical studio classes so I do not know the whole hands-on instructor scenario. In my experience, it’s more productive to have a buddy to consult (especially someone who is an advanced pole trainer), but rule number one is always that you’re number one and know what’s right for you. Sometimes the greatest moves happen naturally, do not rush greatness.

[Serzi]

There’s something about butterflies that I just can’t get the hang of…literally. Love the move, hate trying to execute one.

[Serzi]

I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve been considering for some time to purchase an X-Stage lite. Thinkin’ I’ll stick with my classic because I keep coming across reviews like this. Bummer. 🙁

[Serzi]

I thought Michelle Stanek was the last USPDF title holder in 2012. Been a long time, either way. USPDF has always kind of been shrouded in mystery to me, the competition videos were only available sparsely or in bootleg copies which makes the popularity of them that much more impressive. Wendy Traskos is one of the founders/organizers of USPDF (right?). She’s always been a very nice person to me, but I don’t know much about her or what’s up with this organization.

[Serzi]

Yeah, about that…wtf is going on?? lol

[Serzi]

Oh, yeah! Acetone works great for cleaning chrome. Btw, that reminds me, rubbing alcohol is a quick-dry solution for problem areas on skin. I sometimes blot it behind my knees and along my spine with a towel when I start getting sweaty. It may not work for everybody, but it does help remove natural oils from your skin when you sweat. A lot of the time it’s all I need to maintain my grip on chrome.

[Serzi]

Whaaaaa???!!! Why on Earth would anyone only want to teach the short version? To be honest, the short version I don’t even consider an actual Scorpio because it’s mainly used for transitioning into other moves and to me it seems like it lacks “the stinger” that makes it resemble a scorpion. Not sure if that makes sense, but I agree that students are being unnecessarily limited by only being taught the short version.

[Serzi]

Although I do not know the specific name or professional treatment for this injury, I can tell you that I have done the exact same thing with a figurehead. The nearest I could figure was that I pulled/strained the muscles at my point of contact in the move by possibly not executing it as well as I initially thought I was. Since all the muscles in that area are kinda connected, the pain wrapped around my hip at times to my glutes and inner thigh. Shooting, sudden pain is the best way to describe it and then a dull pulling ache when it settles down.

It took a very long time to go away (and I know you don’t want to hear that, lol.) It was about four months before I could even dare to practice any thigh grip moves, however, what you mentioned at the end of your post may actually help the healing process if you do it gently. Don’t land on your left leg but keep moving, especially slow hip rolls and light stretching. Lotta slow burn songs and take it very easy. If it gives you any shocks or feels inflamed you need to stop. Take lots of hot epsom salt baths, massage the area, lay off the heels, and be consistently aware of what you are doing with your muscles while poling. It may even take you less time to heal than it did for me because I stubbornly refused at first to except that I was injured and continued to force strenuous moves on that area for awhile (figurehead, apprentice, superman, etc. DON’T DO THEM!!).

Take it easy, I hope you heal in record time. ♥

[Serzi]

I feel so bad that your chrome pole is giving you so much difficulty. Yes, sweat and chrome is the absolute worst combination. It’s like a damn water-slide if it catches you off-guard and, although my hands and most of my body stays extremely dry, I have some areas that I have to be wary of when my workouts get intense. I can’t imagine dancing on chrome if I had this issue with my hands or the rest of my body. Perhaps brass is truly best for you. I’ve also heard rave reviews on powder-coated poles and titanium gold for better grip, but I don’t believe I’ve tried either of them (maybe TG once…?) so I couldn’t tell you firsthand.