[Tine007]

Awesome, thanks Tigger!! I have to catch up on some of those, too 🙂

[Tine007]

Me too!!! It's giving me trouble in pole as well as in yoga (despite years of practice). Long torso and legs don't help either…

Wrist sit took me a while but I got it with the following modifications:

I grip the pole more from the side inserting my hand along the crease of my but. To do so, I bend towards the side of my bottom hand, as if I want to look at that butt cheek. I end up sitting on the outside part of my sitbone, almost on my thigh already, with my butt crease along the forearm. Leaning the torso slightly towards that side helps, too. There's no way I can reach and safely grab the pole from straight behind…

OK, I'm too stupid to insert the pics I took for clarification here, I put them in my album:

https://www.studioveena.com/photos/view_album/4e5b4732-7b40-4a8e-a500-68560ac37250

(pardon my strained face, camera was on timer and I had 10 sec to run over and hop into position, LOL!!)

 

Advanced plank and CAR from pole sit took me forever to figure out, too. Turned out I need to twist my shoulders to the side (rather than facing up to the ceiling like my hips are) and lower my bottom arm significantly, arching my back. This way I get a stable triangle. Once I figured out my advanced plank, I could walk myself down into CAR (still with torso twisted sideways while the hand is on the pole, I'll turn up when letting go) no problem and even do a bridge/crescent.

 

Superman from thigh rest, split grip threading the top leg through, seemed impossible because there wasn't enough space to get my long (and not exactly skinny) legs through the tiny hole my arms formed. My teacher gave me the tip to aim for just getting the knee through and then turn my hips down to the floor and the foot will slide through. Wasn't very smooth but it worked in the end. Still not my favorite though…

 

That spin where you start in a split grip V with the bottom hand under the butt and then thread the inside leg through so your legs are both in a V in front of the pole (sorry, I don't know the name of this spin) I don't know if there's a cheat for short arms, I haven't managed it yet….

 

Allegra – seemed a problem at first to reach around the leg, but I just learned it from flatline Scorpio. The trick was to bring the torso up as much as possible, it is very possible that it was an abs challenge and not the arms 😉

 

[Tine007]

Hi mrsbaybeegurl,

I started learning hooping from the Hoopnotica DVDs and I love them.

The moves are basic and not very many on each DVD (compared to the Hoopgirl DVD, for example), but they are very well broken down and include a very helpful troubleshooting section for each move.

I find them comparable to Veena's pole lessons in terms of explaining body positioning, points of contact (aka points where to push into the hoop) and progressions how to get to the full move – if you like Veena's, you'll like hoopnotica.

If you pick up moves quickly from just watching someone do it with not that much explanations, then you might like the Hoopgirl  DVD better.

And after learning from the DVDs for a while I took a hoop class and learned more in one session than on both DVDs together – but without the basics from the DVDs I think I would have been quite lost…

 

Here's the chapter list for the Hoopnotica DVDs:

Level 1:

– Before you start

– Intro

– Warmup

– waist hooping

– hip hooping

– halo (on the hand over head)

– passing (fromhand to hand around the body) and floating (basic bringin the hoop up and down from halo)

– corkscrews (bringing the hoop from the waist up over head and back down)

– Combos

– closing, interviews, performance

 

Level 2:

– Before you start

– Intro

– Warmup level 2

– more advanced  corkscrews (continuous, from passing to on-body)

– chest hooping (arms not in the hoop)

– Neck and shoulder (chest and arms inside the hoop) hooping

– waist angles

– thigh/knee hooping

– closing

– 20 min workout to put it all together

 

The Level 2 DVD clearly builds on the moves of Level 1, and some of the moves are quite challenging (chest/shoulder and knee hooping takes some practice – I could do a lot of level 3 before I could knee hoop).

I first rented the Hoopnotica DVDs from Netflix before buying, maybe that's an option for you?

Amazon has them a few $ cheaper than on the Hoopnotica site and if you decide to buy both at the same time you'll get the free shipping 🙂

 

Hope this helps 🙂

Happy hooping!!!

[Tine007]

I like the options here 🙂

When spinning into butterfly I'm usually so low that regular Scorpio doesn't work. My default is to V out tilting down really slowly, I end up sitting on the floor in a full straddle, or tuck one leg in on the way down.

Alternative exits from FS when I'm higher up, apart from the ones already mentioned, could also be switching legs and you are in Shooting Star. To hip holds I transition through regular scorpio, bringing my arm pit to the pole before I take my legs off that is. But now I'm wondering if you could go straight from FS to a Jade split… hmmmm. Or bring the thighs together and unpretzel into an inverted thigh hold (gotta check if that really works, it just popped into my brain)? Apprentice/Hero is another option, but that leaves a similar challenge what to do next 😉

[Tine007]

Oh, what a pretty spin!! Thanks for sharing, I've added it to my list of things to try 🙂

I like the second one too, boomerang to split heel, but that looks scary…

[Tine007]

How awesome!!! Bookmarked and facebooked. Will print some tomorrow. Much needed sometimes, especially at work… 🙂

[Tine007]

I'm sorry you hurt your shoulder!!

With anyhting joint-related I'd suggest checking in with a chiropractor. He might be able to get it back in place and if not will know who to refer you to.

I'm not sure if sports/deep tissue massage would be good, I'd ask a massage therapist who does therapeutic and/or trigger point massage.

I'm not an MD, so take my 2 cents as suggestions not advice, but it helped with my SI joint trouble.

Hope your shoulder will heal fast and you'll feel better soon!!

Take it easy! Hugs!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[Tine007]

Yogini is right, and the name of the pose is Eka Pada Kundinyasana II.

It's not a real split, the front leg points more sideways so it forms an 'X' with the upper arm it rests on. It's an optical illusion looking at it from between your legs, like a chopper looks flat when you look at it from the right angle 🙂 So if you can get your shoulder under your knee in the lunge as Yogini described you can do it even if you don't have the splits. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

[Tine007]

How awesome!!! Love the booty shaking hooping! That takes some serious skills 🙂

[Tine007]

https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gifhttps://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gifhttps://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_evil.gifhttps://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gifhttps://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif  Gotta skip this one, BOOOO (without -ty). My lower back is still hurting and the #1 thing it HATES is booty moves of any kind. Makes my SI joint pop straight out and that HURTS  https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_rambo.gif *going to hide and cry*…

But I'm looking forward to all your videos https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[Tine007]

How awesome, I love it!!!  https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

And even I can do it, despite recovering from an injured shoulder (from pole, but that's getting better, I started spins again but am still mainly on my left) and an achy back (from hooping)…  https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gifhttps://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gifhttps://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

[Tine007]

First of all, I think inverting after 3 weeks of practice is amazing!!! It took me months of invert preps to get a not very pretty basic invert. Another couple of months to get a descent chopper. And I just had to re-learn a good invert after being off the pole for not even that long.

Even though yoga is (almost)  a full body work out – you get a lot of pushing away from the floor (chataranga, arm balances, handstand…), and it made me stronger and more flexible on many levels –  there is really nothing about pulling yourself up or even "just" hang off of your arms with your whole weight, so that is completely new to your body… It does help me a lot with anything flexible (splits, backbends) and elbow/forearm/handstand type stuff though.

I also second everything said, but wanna chip in my story.

I am very much a brain person (that's why I'm good at science) and nothing physical ever came easy to me, but from belly dancing and yoga I know that I can "get it" and do things I never thought I could, putting in some effort and dedication.

Not to compare myself to others is harder than it sounds though. I can totally relate, actually have been there very recently. Even though in everyday life I usually stand above such things.

I started poling with my best friend, and it was not surprising she picked it up faster than I did. She's a tiny 5'2" and has been a competitive swimmer and this has incredible upper body strength. Somehow it hadn't bothered me that much back then, but  the thought that I might need to put in an extra bit of practice to keep up was one reason to get my own pole (apart from me being hooked even though I felt like a sack of potatoes most of the time 😉 ), and it was the best decision I ever made.

Anyhow, recently I was off the pole for a while (traveling and working long hours), so I lost a lot of strength and several moves I was able to do before. Coming back to class was frustrating. My class mates were my friend, the swimmer –  a former gymnast who poles for much shorter than me but picks up moves just like that – a crazy strong bikini model – a girl who only poles for a few months and just discovered TG handspring lift (!) as her favorite move – my very dedicated and fearless friend who progressed to be instructor and can do more tricks than the other instructors at my studio. And then there was I, slow learner by definition, big girl in all 3 dimensions, lost a good portion of strength while I was away, and was struggling  at doing a basic invert with good form while everybody else nailed some crazy new advanced tricks like shoulder mount to superman on their first attempt. As much as I love my pole friends, I was so jealous and felt ready to cry. For sure my brain knowing I used to be able to do some of these moves and my muscles just failing on me didn't make it any better.  I decided I needed to get on my own pole, to condition myself and come back how it made sense to my body and retreat to a lower level class for a while. And I'm getting back slowly but surely, and realizing my own improvement makes me feel so much better 🙂

Also when I feel frustrated, I put on my favorite song and just dance, plain for fun, just me and the pole, move, flow, let it out, play with some floorwork, throw in some belly dance and yoga moves and don't worry about any tricks. That helped me getting over feeling like shit, comparing to my class mates. I'm back to where I see my own progress, relative to myself only, even if it takes me months or years to get there. Of course, there's still moments of jealousy in class and probably always will be. but being aware of this gives you the chance to conciously act on it and decide how to face it. I must say, my class mates at the same time are really encouraging which makes it easier to get over those jealous moments. And watching my very first pole video gave me the last fix, I think 😉

And yes, I have a few moves down solid that none of them has mastered yet.  So we are learning off of each other in class sharing our signature moves 🙂

 

I definitely recommend getting your own pole if you decide you like it, no matter how slow or fast you're learning. It gives you the opportunity to work at your own pace, figure out where you experiencing difficulties, but also to discover your own strengths and develop your own dance style.

 

I'd also suggest trying a different teacher and/or different class style – be it at your studio or even trying out a different place or get Veena's lessons here (highly recommend, she's great at breaking moves down). Everyone has a unique style of teaching, and someone else's explanations might make way more sense to your body. Another studio might teach at a different pace or emphasize a different side/style of pole dance. Not everything works for everybody. Maybe you prefer choreography over tricks? A strenght training class on the pole, or  add floor & chair dancing? Perfecting your dancing and transitionsis fun and are essential to make a dance into one beautiful performance.  Do what you like best and it will build strength, you will be surprised when you decide to give the other class styles another shot a while later 🙂

 

Sorry it got so long…

xoxo

[Tine007]

For me, elbow grip has been the revelation. after I figured how to caterpillar sideways off the pole I got my elbow grip aysha 🙂 My elbow feels secure, I get a good push-n-pull  that holds me in place, and my weight goes through my bones.  If I have a problem it's my lower hand slipping.

 

Split grip aysha I haven't mastered yet. I can do butterfly and extended butterfly and just started tucking the legs and slowly loosening them but haven't found the sweet spot for balance yet. Will try the looking up next time (I tend to look at my bottom hand).

 

Forearm grip is supposed to be the easiest because it has the most contact with the pole, but I've given up on it for now. I first tried when learning caterpillar, but it's just not working for me.

I'm suspecting inflexible wrists are part of the problem: I can't wrap my arm around the pole enough, to be able to get the hand on it kinda rolls out of my inside elbow. Result is trajectory straight to face plant… Even basic forearm grip butterfly is a pain, I can barely do it, but split grip is fine here.

And then my boobs are in the way 🙁  I swear, big boobs are an obstacle for this grip https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif .   Hugging the pole in it gets stuck on my top boob which results in pole burn (coming out of a caterpillar position), bruising and more OWWWWWW than I'm willing to endure – especially after I found that elbow grip gets around all those problems and just feels secure 🙂

So I think elbow grip will be the key to caterpillar climb and straight edge, I just need a taller pole – I'm petrified I'd break my toes hitting the ceiling, LOL!!!  To bad I'm tall and my ceiling is low…

[Tine007]

Hi Jenn,

acid (like vinegar, lemon juice) in combination with salt are widely used  to polish brass and remove tarnish 🙂

As long as it's solid brass it's fine but if it's brass plated steel (does a magnet stick? if n o it's plain brass) I wouldn't use it since it can promote corrosion (aka rusting) of the steel core much faster.

Here's a nice overview about different methods to polish brass  – but they didn't have poles in mind, anything paste-like you'd need to rinse off… 😉

http://www.mrscleanusa.com/en/cleaning-tips/tip/brass-cleaning.html

 

[Tine007]

Sounds interesting, will for sure try the vinegar 🙂

Chrome and vinegar is fine, BUT….

only the very thin  top layer of an X-pole is chrome, the body is steel. I think it should be fine on the outside of the pole, but I'd be worried to get it in the joints. There it won't dry off quickly and it might meet the steel and that can rust…. So maybe stay away an inch or two from the joints to prevent them from rusting together.

Just my chemist's 2 cents… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_ugeek.gif