[Solya]

Hi Lucy, really nice to see you here, York Uni Pole Exercise Club says hi https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_razz.gif Welcome to SV! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[Solya]

I haven’t used any PS poles yet, but I started learning on stainless and then later switched to chrome X-pole. As I remember, we had much less sweaty hands/slipperiness issues with the stainless in the summer. I’ve just been to class today and the chrome X-stages disintegrated into a greasy mess, we couldn’t even sit on them because we’d just slide down. I also remember barely wiping my hands on stainless even though I was a beginner back then. I developed horrible sweaty hands after we switched to chrome, it might not be a coincidence.

I’m not sure about X-pole US, but in the UK they have a horrible customer service. We’ve ordered X-stage carry cases 5 months ago and they still haven’t come. Another friend of mine waited for more than 4 months for a tiny piece of extension. So I guess you’ll have to deal with either bad anyways https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

Have you looked into the TG X-poles? They have better grip than chrome and stainless.

[Solya]

Thanks so much for the input guys https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif I might have found a joist (there’s a line on the ceiling lol) so I’ll just put my pole up and pray that it doesn’t demolish the house https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_razz.gif It’s not an X-pole btw so God knows what the top dome will do to the ceiling.

Considering that I’ve been craving for my own pole for more than a year, I don’t even care.

[Solya]

I have very sweaty hands and Mighty Grip didn’t do anything. It just disintegrates after like 2 spins and leaves a mess on the pole. I’m using liquid chalk now (Beal Pure Grip) and it works well, it makes my hands sticky like Spiderman https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

I think if you have sweaty hands I’d use liquid chalk – mind you, it’s awful for dry hands as the sweat on your hands turns the chalk into a tacky film. If you have dry hands Mighty Grip might work, or one of the wax-based grip aids.

Has anyone with sweaty hands used iTac2 by the way?

[Solya]

It is early here I need to get my kids to school so I haven’t read the whole thread, sorry if I am repeating! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_redface.gif

The Pole Angels are fab, watched them on youtube, any more news?? when is the final?

Here in the UK our poley got to the semi and was beaten essentially by a boy drummer who (according to my music teacher and guitarist b/f) was ok/good not the most fantastic but his appeal was he was a youngster. My b/f wanted the poley to get through cause a) she was really good and b) he has tried on my pole and now realises even a fireman spin is really hard when you’re starting https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

Just wanted to add that it was Alesia Vazmitsel (Miss Pole Dance UK 2008) on Britain’s Got Talent and she was awesome! She performed on an extended X-stage really really high and she got really positive comments as well. I was really sad she didn’t make it into the final, she should have.

Here’s the vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsDby9uG4J0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Solya]

I think it’s definitely the death grip and maybe you’re pushing yourself too hard on some spins/moves? I had serious tendonitis for like half a year because I was obsessed about the reverse grab and just did it over and over again. Generally it’s the moves that twist your arm and wrist that cause pain and tendonitis, so I’d avoid those for a while.

Try to loosen up your grip a bit as well, death gripping strains your arms a lot. Just keep poling and don’t push it if it hurts, you’ll gain the muscle strength to do tricks without hurting your arms. Just be patient https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[Solya]

Welcome to SV https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif I live in York, nice to meet another UKer https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif Hope you’ll have lots of fun with your new pole!

[Solya]

There’s not much to motivate you apart from the distant prospect of being really flexible https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif There are ways to make it less boring though. I usually time myself, like I say I’ll be in a stretching position for a minute even if I die of pain. Setting a time limit motivates me to stay stretching longer because if I stop before time is over I feel like a total failure lol.

I also listen to music while I stretch, it diverts your attention from the pain. Sometimes I take down a large mirror from the wall and put it in front of me so I can see myself becoming more and more flexible, it’s strangely satisfying and decreases the boredom https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif Oh and when I stretch into the centre splits I just put my laptop in front of me and watch series.

If you have someone around you could do assisted stretching which is really useful! There’s lots of literature on it on the internet. When I’m home I have my mum help me stretch my legs and my back while we watch telly or something. Having someone help you is also motivating because you can relax all your muscles and don’t get tired of holding a position for too long.

[Solya]

I just got my gloves and they’re nice and grippy and all, BUT. If I do split grip stuff (extended butterfly, aysha etc), my top hand gets pulled out of the glove and off the pole, it feels really dangerous. Like the gloves are sticking to the pole more than to my skin so they stay on the pole and my hand slides out https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif Anyone with the same problem?

Apart from this they’re so useful (even though you can’t spin in them), I made lots of progress on the elbow grip aysha https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[Solya]

I’m learning the elbow grip now too https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif Someone told me you need to make use of your skin sticking to the pole too. So basically stand in front of the pole (not in the aysha, just to practise the grip), get your non-dominant hand on the top and grip with your other hand on the bottom. Make sure you get your body away from the pole and grip very very low with the bottom hand. Then clench the muscles in your bottom arm and start pulling it up the pole and roll it inwards. Your skin’s resistance will give you lots of extra grip. You’re just going to have to do the same when you’re upside down. This got me a little more stable in the elbow grip https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[Solya]

I don’t think there’s a set order to learn grips in the aysha https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif I got the split grip aysha months ago and I’m just about to get the elbow grip, I just found it so much harder. And there’s absolutely no hope that I’ll get the forearm grip anytime soon https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_razz.gif

If you already got the split grip butterfly I’d work from that. Try the extended butterfly first just to get used to the position, and then move on to the split grip aysha. By the time you can do the extended butterfly you’re ready for the aysha, you just need to find your balance https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[Solya]

I ordered my gloves a couple days ago, they should be here soon https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif I’m getting the black non-tack ones, wonder if they’re the right size… Do let us know how they work for you!
I’ve used the Mighty Grip powder before and it didn’t really work for me. Apparently it’s good for dancers with dry hands who just want some extra stickiness. Maybe you could put it under the gloves and on your fingertips https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[Solya]

I haven’t tried the PS free standing pole yet but I wouldn’t recommend the X-stage. We teach on 3 X-stages and there are so many problems with them it’s insane. The whole thing is incredibly heavy so if you need to carry your pole around the X-stage will be a PITA, you can’t lift the base alone. All our carry cases fell apart after only weeks of use. The old screw joint version poles keep getting stuck literally all the time so we got a new X-joint one. First the X-joint just went awry and we had to hammer the whole pole in place everytime we put the two parts together. Now the pole has been stuck for 2 weeks and we can’t take it apart. The plates of the new version are impossible to get into place so we have to kick and jump on them to get them to fit.

Bottom line is, the X-pole is not very user-friendly. It’s also taller than the PS pole so you can’t use it with lower ceilings. Perhaps you could look into the R-pole, its base is even shorter than the PS’s and it seems very easy to put up.

[Solya]

Thanks for the info https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif
And lol, we use X-stages in class and one practically disintegrated when I did the aggressive back hook, two plates snapped off and the pole got unscrewed https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif So much for safety.

[Solya]

Ahh how could I forget this, I used to love Safri Duo https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif I knew this song as Played-A-Live though. I partied hard to it in primary school aged 12 https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif