[bebeduckie]

i’m pretty sure i can make it! can’t wait to meet you ladies!

[bebeduckie]

ebay user feetishheels has REALLY cheap shoes! i got some for $15 ($25 after shipping). her selection is decent for the price!

[bebeduckie]

whoops A.D.D. got the best of me and i posted a reply before i read the rest of the msg =b

[bebeduckie]

i love how you named your pole! where were you? =/

[bebeduckie]

congrats!! that is the first time i did mine too–in front of an audience! just take it slow and dont injure yourself if youre still hurting!

[bebeduckie]

ohhhh okay! thanks =). it looked totally unfamiliar to me because i usually have that fake portion of the pole (that covers the top inner screw thing) down at the bottom, but i finally just taped it to the top. i wish someone had told me not to put that piece on!! it always falls down!

[bebeduckie]

can you please add me?? thanks =)

[bebeduckie]

i invert on my right side and get pain in my mid back on that side all the time, especially when I do chopper, and when I try to reverse out of the invert. i think it’s because of misalignment in the body. I tend to lean back before my legs are nearly as high up so i put a lot of weight on that portion of my back while gravity is pulling my legs down.

i found that concentrating on putting my waist on the pole and trying to keep it in the same place as I go up helps a lot!! I think it all comes down to timing of when to tip your body over as your legs go up.

[bebeduckie]

you may want to try caterpillar from the floor first to strengthen your back and triceps.

1.get into an inverted crucifix and have your hands on the floor like a handstand.
2.you’re going to do a mini push up. bend your elbows, stick your chest out away from the pole and push your butt up into that catepillar position like you’re sitting in a chair while you’re still gripping with your legs.
3. straighten your arms and move your legs up on the pole so that you’re back in straight handstand position.
4. do this a couple times until you’re tired. i was able to do it on the pole after about 2-3 days of doing it this way first. you’ll get the feel for it so your body will know how to move!

[bebeduckie]

i started using grip aids for a couple weeks and i find i am getting rashes where my skin is a little more sensitive (between my thighs, on the one side of my armpit, and on my bicep–basically every where that touches the pole!). i love using them too, and found that i think my skin is getting a little more used to them the more i use them, but having itchy, spotty rashes isn’t so much fun either =/.

if you look on the bright side, at least you will be building more strength without it!! i find that putting a little bit of windex/alcohol on my hands helps.

[bebeduckie]

heat def helps stretching! that’s what bikram yoga is all about..and man is it hot in there!

i just bought this dvd and i’m super excited to try it, but i never knew people were so hardcore about stretching like 30-40 min a day! i think i would get bored even tho i know it’s good for me =/. anyhow i will let you girls know what i think about it!

[bebeduckie]

i hate the annoying piece on top of the xpole where it covers the inside screw! it keeps falling down and i’ve resorted to taping it on top, but when i put it on spinny i can’t have it taped there =(. i wish i knew before i put it up to not even put that piece on!! now my pole is locked tight and i can’t get it down, nor do i want to try to get it straight again…took forever!

kinda discourages me from trying spinny again =/. how are you girls progressing on it?

[bebeduckie]

i’ll experiment tonight hopefully! i’ve been putting a folded towel with tape over my collarbone! hahaha..classy!

[bebeduckie]

so if the pole is behind your right shoulder bone then your legs would be slightly left? i will try it!

thanks!

[bebeduckie]

these two moves are so hard for me too!

i’m getting so frustrated with the chopper because i cannot seem to pull my pelvis high enough with my long torso and short arms!it looks like a saggy v and i have to adjust myself and pull myself higher to the pole before i can get into gemini/scorpio because my hands get in the way when i try to invert in the chopper position. i can pull my knees to my chest and do shoulder stands pretty easily, but it’s the leaning back part that is hard and hurts my back (the middle section of my back that is closer to the pole). anyone else have that issue?

shoulder mount i was able to do once on cue with my friends around, but haven’t been able to since!

just wanted to let you know you’re not the only one struggling with these!