[branquinha]

Thanks Veena.
I think you are right – I am sort of wanting to rush back to it but it is probably a bit early and also my duty to ‘educate’ the physiotherapist as to what I’d do on the pole.
Thanks for the video link too.

[branquinha]

Thanks Rouge.
I have been treating my shoulder – I’ve seen a Dr and I am doing some physio, but now that I am getting better I am not sure if I can pole or what I can actually do on the pole right now. Pole dance is not big here in Brazil at all, so people can’t really advise me on pole matters. In any way, your tips were very helpful, so thanks again for writing!

[branquinha]

My Chrome X-pole is called Lancelot
He was named shortly after I got it when my flatmates organized a dinner party and someone started singing ‘His name is Lancelot’ from Monty Phyton’s Spamalot – with the gay Lancelot and the song "His name is Lancelot / He likes to dance a lot" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU98OlAjP2Y) – it wasn’t meant as a name for the pole, but it was just so perfect to have a gay pole who likes to dance a lot that it was declared then and there to be its name- it really gave the ‘knight in shiny armour’ a twist that worked for me!

[branquinha]

Fabulous news! You go lady!

[branquinha]

Hi,

I have something similar (the back of my thigh, though), but it’s because I had a bad injury – a massive tear on my hamstring that left me unable to do stuff for a while. Even though I treated it, did physio, and massaged the knot (that is scartissue formed in the healing process that is not as flexible as other soft tissue), some of it still remained.

So, have you pulled something? If it is a recent injury, by all means get it treated and massage it a lot because it will help to dissolve the knot and allow you to regain (most) of your flexibility!

best wishes.

[branquinha]

It does become easy with time, I believe Novadog is right, it is a matter of finding the right position and then you can hold it very comfortably. (I normally do it from a side climb and it just sort of puts my higher knee in the right position, the one which is dow is, as Novadog said, sort of to the side of the knee with much contact on the pole – she explained much better than I can, but I just wanted to say it does get much better).

[branquinha]

Great – Thanks for posting the links!

[branquinha]

I guess some people must get jealous of how classy, graceful and gorgeous you look in your videos – too bad they start attacking you rather than being inspired by you like most of us here.
You really did not deserve those comments, no one does, actually, but I hope you don’t let those things get to you.

[branquinha]

That’s great and your video shows a super strong cartwheel – Do you have any tips?

[branquinha]

I have a chrome x-pole and I would go for titanium now if I were to buy a second.
I have seen the titanium advertised with a silver finish as well, but I have never seen one in front of me.
I don’t think you would have problems spinning on a titanium pole, I have never used one, but I have used a brass pole – which is grippier than the chrome – and I liked it a lot and had no problem spinning.

[branquinha]

Welcome MonkeyPolDanz!
I am also sort of new here and have recently gotten back to dance/pole after a sequence of some bad injuries, so I know what you mean. Hope you enjoy getting back to dance and, more specifically, pole dancing and being part of this forum – I have been enjoying them.
Best wishe,
Branquinha

[branquinha]

I’m no expert, but I guess the fact that you are noticing your limbs is already the key to make you use them in a more deliberate way so they don’t look, as you said, ‘stupid’ – not that I have noticed anything stupid…

You could explore the fact that you are not using your arms to hold you to create a bigger effect on the move – so your arms work for you either because they are positioned in a way that makes the movement more dramatic or because of the way/speed they are stretched into a position. For example, in terms of position, when doing a hip hold or the gemini, you can keep your arms parallel to the floor (perpendicular to the pole) in a way that draws attention to the "no arms" holding situation / or you can get hold of your foot…

I’ve seen people using speed to increase the dramaticity of their moves – some move slowly and carefully as they extend their limbs, enhancing the sensuality of the move (so you could have your hands travel through your body before extending them fully, or just make the movement of ‘extending’ or curling anything slow and deliberate); others get in a position and sharply extend arms or move them (e.g. invert from a seated position and immediately do a sharp move extending their arms – as opposed to travelling slowly – and then keep them in a firm position (rather than forgetting about them) – think about how gymnasts always do a snappy extender arm move and hold this position purposefully as they land on the ground and finish a move.

I guess the secret is attention to the limbs, so you don’t ‘forget’ the arms, but do things in a way that look deliberate.

Hope this helps in some way.

[branquinha]

I’m well impressed! Well done, Lola!

[branquinha]

It was very encouraging to read your message and I am glad you are finding your way into persisting at pole.
I thought of giving it up sometimes and many moves have at some point seemed unsurmountable to me. Lots of them still seem to be impossible, actually, but I hope one day I’ll have accomplished them and will be pursuing new challenges… Anyway, after 2 years without poling, I know well what it is the frustration of wanting to do moves and not being able to accomplish them or to comparing myself to others – I guess it is important to enjoy the process of learning, and accept the frustration and the rewards we get from persisting.

As for self-image issues, I think most of us have been there some time or another and it is very hard, but we have to learn to be kind with ourselves and accept who we are, I guess. I had a very debilitating injury last August and I am still not fully recovered. Before that, I used to go to the gym, run, dance and do weights, so stopping everything – and not even being able to walk properly for a while – was really painful and also meant I put on a bit of weight and got weaker during this long rehabilitation process. It is hard to accept such defficiencies and not to compare my ‘now’ with the ‘before’ or what I want to be in the ‘future’, but I have to remind myself to stop beatting myself up too… Accepting our limitations but working for our development within our possibilities and without hurry is the key and a constant goal, I guess.

Good luck!

[branquinha]

Waxing is much much cheaper in Brazil than in the US or in the UK, so when I am in Brazil (like now!) I go to the parlor from time to time, which is great, but having lived in the UK for 5 and 1/2 years I’ve relied mostly on: 1) an epilator; 2) home waxing (water soluble ones – like veet – are the ones I find easiest to use). Epilators don’t do a job as good as waxing, as you have to do touch ups more often, but they are mess-free, cheaper in the long run and easy to use, so they became my best allies really.