[michaelaarghh]

I love my 40mm xpole! (I keep raving on and on about it). We use 38mm at the studio I go to and I feel that 40 isn't a huge increase to make that much more of a difference. I think I prefer the 40mm just because I have skinny chicken legs and feel more secure with that extra 2mm. My thigh gap is bigger than the pole at the studio so I have to squeeze extra hard in some moves. 

 

I can't even imagine dancing on anything bigger. Oh, and I'm 176cm. So 5'9.5"

[michaelaarghh]

agree with sensual, I love that stretch for those upper back muscles. 

 

I'd also recommend getting a sports massage. Depending on how deep the muscle that you've angered is, it may or may not be of benefit (e.g. i hurt a muscle that was way under my shoulder blade so he couldn't physically get to it) but if you go to a proper physio they should be able to tell you what strengthening work to do and how to stretch it properly. There's so many muscles in your back, although it does sound like its your rhomboids…in which case a sports massage will be amazing.

 

(I'm not a qualified medical professional or anything. above recommendations are purely from my own personal experience) 

[michaelaarghh]

Pole actually helped me recover from my ED! 

I knew that if I wasn't healthy there was no way I'd be cleared to go upside down. Also, being severely malnourished obviously affects muscles… I love pole so much and that helped me to realise that strong is better than skinny! Of course there were other issues that I had to work through in therapy, but it really helped me to get over my BDD. 

I'm still "in recovery" though, and have relapsed recently, but was able to pull back out of it and I totally credit pole to helping me actually feel good about myself and my body and what it can achieve!

[michaelaarghh]

This is so interesting to read!! 

I'm a full time law student. I'm currently in my third year, doing a double degree – BA / LLB, and trying to complete my Diploma in Chinese (Mandarin) at the same time. I work part time in a law firm, doing clerkship stuff and I referee soccer on the weekends. 

If I only have games on in the afternoon I'll also help out and work in the local soccer club's canteen. 

So I'm pretty busy…. haha! 

[michaelaarghh]

I would advise to find a reputable piercer and speak to them about it. 

They would be able to give you the best advice. 

[michaelaarghh]

I've had mine for a few years so it's completely healed and I've never had a problem with it. 

I'd be cautious though about getting a brand new one. Bellybutton piercings are hard enough to heal on their own as they're at your body's main "hinge", but add dancing to the mix and it can really aggravate it. This could make it take longer to heal, or cause your body to reject the piercing and push it out. 

[michaelaarghh]

Of course bias is human nature. Even if we don't realise that's what we're being. 

But that being said – there's a massive difference between inadvertently scoring someone you know an extra point or two and allowing submissions after the cut off date. 

(I'm not too sure about what's happened with this whole thing so I won't elaborate on that point). 

As well, when it's a national competition and not just a local one, there needs to be guidelines and procedures in place to ensure that bias isn't playing a major role in deciding the outcome – especially when the prize is so big. Telling the organisers the problems you have is definitely a step in the right direction – it's the only way they'll know to change. 

Publicity is also amazing. Like what has already been said, you can research comps before you enter them. 

I don't think though that with thins on this scale that trying to organise a boycott would work…even if 20 excellent dancers said they wouldn't perform, there would still be 20 more to take their place. (even if they're at a different level). And then everyone misses out because it's not the best competing. 

Can someone quickly explain for me the process for USPDF? From what I gather from the comments – you submit a video and it gets uploaded to youtube? And from those someone? decides who should go into the "competition"? 

 

[michaelaarghh]

I think that in that instance, yes publicity is the way to go. 

Provided it's not badmouthing previous competitors or other indviduals who have not had anything to do with the ethical violation themselves. 

[michaelaarghh]

Wow, this was fascinating to read. 

I love Althea Austin – I loved that routine that was posted, and although there were a few minor slipups, she recovered brilliantly. Considering the dislocated knee thing as well – amazing. I don't know what the other competitors were like, I don't know who else was there, I don't know if she deserved to win  – just sayin' I loved that routine. 

This reminds me somewhat though of gymnastics competitions. Again, I don't have much knowledge in the field, having never been a gymnast myself, but I know that there are discrepancies with the marking system there. (There was also that movie – Stick It about this). 

I think it's important for people to voice their opinions because that's the only way things will ever change. But bad-mouthing competitors and organisers does nothing to achieve this. I feel that if you want to complain you need to have an alternative in mind. If you think the voting system is wrong, then maybe suggest to the organisers via mail different ways to change it? Like Annieloo said about ice skating, it's an artistic sport and there will always be bias, but getting on a soapbox and complaining about something does nothing except spread ill-feelings. 

And in pole, we need to stick together and support eachother. 

[michaelaarghh]

okay so i made a thread about this a while ago, and i bought the mount thing from xpole so i can screw it directly into the beam. 

but now my issue is that where the holes are already drilled into the mount is too wide to go on my beam. 

 

What do you think would be better – screwing just 2 of the 4 holes or finding somewhere that can drill extra holes into it for me? Only thing is I'm then not sure if I'll need to drill 4 more holes in or if I can just have 2 extra ones drilled in. 

 

Does this make any sense?

[michaelaarghh]

Thanks for the responses guys! My mums boyfriend came and checked out my roof yesterday and there aren’t even any joists in the ceiling!!!!! The ceiling is literally from the roof, which is why it slants and why that metal beam is there

But we reckon I could get the xpole part for slant roofs and drill it into the beam? That would work for straight beams too right?

[michaelaarghh]

Okay so the beam is flat and 8cm wide.
Is this wide.enough?

[michaelaarghh]

Yeah I know, I'm renting though so I'm trying to avoid that.

If that's my only option then I'll consider it, but I sort of want to ascertain if it's safe to put it up on an exposed beam regardless. 

[michaelaarghh]

The ceiling is slanted, sensualscimitar so if I'm going to put it up it will need to be on the beam. 

It definitely looks wide enough, but I'll measure it anyway when I get home. 

Thanks Sanbar, that's really helpful!

[michaelaarghh]

I'll measure it tomorrow (not at home tonight) – both the width and with a spirit level. It does look flat though, it doesn't til with the ceiling at all. 

Do you by any chance know the minimum width I could use? I think it is wider than my pole definitely, but I'm still concerned obviously because I don't want it to slip out from me!!