[StrangeFox]

YAY! Thank you, Veena! I’m going to watch it tonight. Thanks so much for including the exits. 🙂 I didn’t know this could be done from butterfly as well!

[StrangeFox]

Good timing! I just learned this one – I can’t yet do a full middle split, and I’m not comfortable performing this (or extended butterfly) without a spot (yet!) but I’m also interested in a Veena lesson and will be watching for it. 🙂 I would love to know how to get out of this one because when I tried I got all twisted up like a pretzel. LOL! I do recall having to move my bottom hand up before I could get my bottom foot on the pole.

Veena – I hope you didn’t injure your foot! And broken refrigerators are a pain… lost half of my groceries last year when mine broke down! Best of luck! ❤

[StrangeFox]

That’s a good tip dlp5057. I think I might be sinking a bit, which will make it difficult for me to get my hips up. I know I need a ton more strength before I can do SM or lift into my chopper, but proper form will help and it’s always good to develop good muscle memory.

[StrangeFox]

Thanks Veena! I was tempted by the SM program because there are caterpillars in it (I have grown to love this move), but my invert could use a lot of work so I did day 1 of the invert program tonight. 🙂 I have also used your method of figuring out hand positioning for inverts, and it does help me keep my scaps neutral. I was able to invert perfectly fine with no scap twinges (not quite pain, but you can feel your rhomboid being stretched to its limit when you invert with poor form). I will keep you posted on my progress. 😀

[StrangeFox]

Yep! Controlled momentum… I’m not ready for deadlifting yet. 🙂 In the studio we lift into our SM position (with controlled momentum) for prep, but it might be that they’re having us do it just to get used to the timing and the feel of it. Plus, there are a couple of girls who can get parallel to the ground, hold the position, and lower with control, so this type of prep is a little more useful for them than it is for me. I checked out some of the conditioning in the SM program, and it actually looks not only doable but enjoyable! I thought it might be a bit advanced for me, but it’s looking like it might help me train other things I’m struggling with right now, too.

In the fall I have less sports, so more time to focus on pole. I checked my schedule and I’ll definitely be able to start a program this week. If I notice that one of the heavier days in the schedule falls right next to my pole class, or the conditioning class, is it OK to take a rest day and postpone the program by a few days or will that mess up my progress? If I don’t have my deadlift or aerial invert, would you recommend doing the invert program before the SM program? Sorry for all of the questions…I’m just excited to add more pole to my routine! 😀

[StrangeFox]

Veena – thanks so much for the clarification!! The rectus abdominis is what I’m talking about, and when you said it’s one muscle I thought “wait…is everything I know about abs a lie?” and I went and looked at an actual medical drawing and it looks like everything I thought I knew about abs *is* a lie – it IS one muscle. Sheesh! Everyone talks about upper vs lower abs so I never gave it any thought before. Heck, I even read an article about isolating each ab muscle in the rectus abdominus and moving them independantly of one another. *facepalm*

I’m very short and “bottom heavy” with wide hips, a booty, and muscular legs. So yeah, it might just be that I’m trying to lift a lot of weight and I need more conditioning. It’s crazy how our bodies make us good at different things. I’ve gone to a few other classes and met girls built like me and they’ve all got the same struggle – how do I get my hips to the pole? And they’re all pretty comfortable with the same moves I am. XD

I’ve seen the tips for SM and they helped me get the prep! 🙂 I’m just trying to lift from standing like I would in a regular SM. I know SM is pretty strength intensive so I’m not expecting to get it anytime soon. I’ve just been having a bad pole month and feel like I’m “stuck” with a lot of things, so I’ve just been trying different things to try and mix it up. I’ve also been having a blast dancing and I’ve seen great improvements in the way I move. Thanks for your words of encouragement – they are much appreciated! ❤ 🙂

I’m posting a pic here to show you the type of position I’m stuck in when I do SM prep. I’m stuck in a similar type of position in my tuck invert, too. I just can’t get those hips up so I’m parallel to the ground. I get the same result regardless of whether I’m standing or lower on the pole, and I’m doing the step and sweep method so I am using some controlled momentum. I’ve tried Veena grip, cup grip, and now princess grip and it doesn’t make much of a difference. It’s probably a strength issue. I’m debating whether to do the invert or the SM program first. I just need to figure out how to fit it into my schedule so I still have rest days between the program, pole class, and conditioning class.

[StrangeFox]

I’m going to record myself doing some preps today…cup grip vs princess grip. I’ll let you know if it makes a difference for me! I’m skeptical I’ll have any luck with it because my issues are all in the lower body.

[StrangeFox]

Haha, I’m not sure if it goes by different name but here’s a pic of princess grip I found on the internet.

I’ve tried Veena grip and cup grip so far and I’m OK with both. Cup grip is how we’re being taught in class. 🙂

[StrangeFox]

Thanks dustbunny! One of the girls at the conditioning class I go to was telling me to do shoulder mount prep from the floor too, as well as doing them from a squat type of position so I could get used to activating my core and curling upwards. I think I’ve seen that in Veena’s vids as well. I’m going to give that a try next time I train and see if it helps with getting my hips up for my invert. I made good progress this week and I’ve got a pretty controlled step and sweep invert with far less strain on my upper back (on both sides! Yay!)

On a somewhat related note, whenever I mention difficulties lifting my hips in SM preps everyone tells me they have great success using the princess grip. Yet, we’re not taught this in class and I don’t see that grip on here, either. Is it a bad grip to use?

[StrangeFox]

My ceiling is about 6’9″ so a little shorter than yours and I bought the 500mm extension to replace my B pole. With shipping and taxes the extension wound up being around $74 USD for a brass pole. I combined the 500mm extension with my A pole, and the 250mm extension that comes with the pole. I guess I could have gotten away with the 750mm extension…lol! I can see the red indicator line below the adjuster which means the adjuster at the bottom of the pole is at 100mm. X-Pole will be able to advise you which extension is right for you – their customer service is amazing, and I worked with them to find a solution that was right for my pole room! 🙂

If you want a teensy bit of extra space, replacing the dome with a permanent mount might help, however, this involves a bit more installation as you have to screw the mount into a joist. It might also be helpful if there’s a temporary pole space in your house with a higher ceiling – a room where you could pole sometimes if you wanted the extra height, but maybe can’t keep your pole up there full time. Using a permanent mount will take the hassle out of installing your pole so you’re free to put it up and take it down easily. I bought a permanent mount but my fiance won’t let me install it, so maybe others can chime in with more insight.

My ceiling is a few inches shorter than yours and I’m still able to spin, dance and invert (I’m 5’1″, by the way). Although it’s workable, I do find my low ceiling a hindrance when it comes to some moves, and basic climbs are not something I can do at home. Another thing to consider is if you’re getting a crash mat or using heels, you’re going to lose a couple of inches, too. If I had the option I would have my pole set up in a room with higher ceilings, but you do kind of get used to it, and it does force you to be a little more aware of your surroundings, and a little closer to the ground. 😉

Lots of ladies on here have poles set up in rooms with low ceilings, and they’re all able to make it work. I’m sure they have much better tips than I do!

[StrangeFox]

Thanks so much everyone! I’m going to take some real rest days and hold off on doing any tricks until my next pole class this Wed. Hopefully my invert will be stronger.

LatinPoler – I am training for a half marathon in October, but I might take things a little slower and do the 10K instead. 🙂

dustbunny – I’m guessing a rest day doesn’t include flexibility training? 🙂 I try to do flexibility and strength every other day, but it doesn’t always work out. I need to get better at planning my schedule so I can make sure I get those rest days!

MdawWat – I’m doing splits training, but for some reason my back bend is getting deeper, and I can now fully forward fold which I couldn’t do before, so it’s possible I’m fatiguing some of my invert muscles in my core.

[StrangeFox]

Thanks ladies!! I have incresed my activity level quite a bit, and come to think of it it’s not only the cardio I’ve added but the flexibility training, too, which involves some more cardio for warm up as well. Since I increased my activity level I have lost 5lbs, which sounds like the opposite of a problem, but it’s probably a sign that I’m not eating enough. Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been stressed over a family member’s health, and I know I wasn’t eating properly or listening to my body the way I should. Fortunately, everything is OK and things are returning to normal.

Also, about a week ago I did attend a bunch of workshops at the studio with zero rest days between them from Wednesday to Friday, and on Saturday I did an aerials class (silk and hoop, it was free so I couldn’t say no) followed by a 14K bike ride. Usually for my cardio I run about 5K a day. For the past few days I’ve been much gentler on my body and I’ve put a few more rest days between my pole sessions. I’m also eating more protein (I’m a pasta person to polegramma!) so I’ll see how that goes. I hope it is just over-training, because I’d hate to have lost so much strength in such a short period of time. I worked really hard to get my invert controlled and it would suck to have lost it.

[StrangeFox]

Welcome to the wonderful world of pole! I just discovered it myself in April of this year and I’m hooked. I bought my own pole shortly after finishing my intro level pole course and I don’t regret it. My progress has been much quicker now that I have my own pole to practice on at home and the lessons here are wonderful. The moves you’re doing in your pics aren’t basic. Looks like you’re doing awesome. Can’t wait to see more pics of your progress! 🙂

[StrangeFox]

I’m so sorry to hear about other lovely polers having issues with family and work. 🙁 Makes me realize how blessed I am to work for a company with a very progressive attitude towards pole. I haven’t set up an IG or facebook yet (I’m so lazy!) so I can’t provide much help with the IG specific questions. I’m not sure what you do for a living, where you live, or what your work environment is like, which are likely going to determine how “free” you can be online.

Everyone else has given you good advice so far to try and keep your IG as private as possible. If you do manage to create an IG that isn’t linked to any other social media you could blur out/distort your face when you post pics/vids. Also, you could try contacting IG support and see if they have any pointers for you, too. My mother tends to be a worry wart so I’m very selective about what I tell her about my poling. She knows I dance and spin but she doesn’t know that I invert or climb…yet. You could treat your IG in a similar manner and only post things you’d feel comfortable showing your coworkers, however, that only works if you’re OK with censoring yourself, and if the people you work with aren’t dead set against pole.

If you decided the risk was too great and you didn’t sign up for IG, would you feel resentful towards your work? If so, that resentment may end up being far more damaging to your career than photos/vids of you on a pole. 🙂

[StrangeFox]

Thanks hmarshall! Last week in class we did a review of this move and I was able to get into it much easier on both my good side and my dork side. My instructor teaches this move with the “gun grip” and I found that was the only way I was able to get my arm stable without hyper-extension. 🙂 I’m feeling much, much better about the butterfly after getting comfy in the caterpillar.