[michaelaarghh]

I think a ‘dress code’ is ridiculous. Maybe this is an American thing? But I feel it’s absolutely ridiculous for someone to get so offended as to what other people are wearing / doing that rules need to be imposed.
I tend to agree with what has been said insofar as students will tend to follow what the teacher is doing. So if the teachers are wearing pants for warmups, “fuller” shorts and a singlet then the students will tend to copy that. I guess another option is you could sell pole wear? That way students will also be likely to buy clothes directly from the studio, and since they’ve been “approved” as appropriate there’s no probs with anyone wearing them.

[michaelaarghh]

the studio i attend has classes for males, which I think is awesome. I don’t think we can discriminate against men doing pole, they should be able to take part as well.
I don’t think I’d be happy with co-ed classes though. Not because of any “inappropriateness” (I think men can be just as self conscious as women…I doubt that if they were taking a class they would be interested in checking anyone out)
But I think I would be intimidated. Boys are strong, and in the beginner men’s class at our studio, the boys are doing things the girls are doing in advanced levels. If that makes sense. I think if you were used to taking mixed-level classes, that would be fine but I hate that haha so I don’t think I’d like it too much.

That being said, I think a co-ed doubles class could be a lot of fun!

[michaelaarghh]

Yeah this move hurts like a mofo. I agree with Veena that if that top leg is snuggly into that knee there’s less pressure on the bottom foot. But it still hurts a little. I found with this one it’s more of a “just grin and bear it” kind of move. I found that rather than sitting in the move and freaking out about how owwie it was, if I just leant back in it, that also relieved some of the pressure. After doing that a few more times I eventually worked it out and can now get into it effortlessly 🙂

[michaelaarghh]

I’m not sure if you can or not actually, because I’ve only ever taken classes. I’m in level nine. Our levels are based on skill so usually I think what they do is have a look at what you can do and then put you in the appropriate class if you have poled before. its worth giving them a call and asking them they’re all super friendly 🙂

[michaelaarghh]

I prefer dancing barefoot too. I feel like once you get a move down it is nice to be able to focus on things like lines and pointed toes etc etc, which is kind of lost when you wear heels bc they do it for you. I took one a couple of years ago when I first started at the studio, but they were fantastic. The teachers are all amazing and so knowledgeable. The only reason I haven’t taken another lyrical class is I simply can’t afford it at the moment. But I have been taking a stretch class and an abs class as well as pole and I love it. You should come along!

[michaelaarghh]

Heya! I pole in Sydney! I’m at Studio Verve also in Surry Hills and I love it! It is a bit more “fitness based” than Bobbi’s and we dance in barefeet, but I also love it because there’s quite a lyrical style to a lot of our dancing. I had no background in dance before poling, so for me to feel graceful is a big thing haha!

[michaelaarghh]

Agree with AerialGypsy!! Don’t rush and push your body further than it’s capable of. xmas tree splits is just going to give us all something to work towards! For those of us that don’t make it by christmas (I will definitely be one of them!) we can still work towards getting as low as possible before that time…and then maybe New Years splits! Or Valentines splits!!
I’m splits training twice (sometimes three) times a week..so that’s intense stretching, and then every other day I’m just doing gentle stretches or foam rolling 🙂

[michaelaarghh]

well if it makes you guys feel better i haven’t made any amazing progress either. It’s hard because flexibility gains are so small…every mm is a mile! I’m thinking I might start asking the boy to measure how far away from the ground I am once a week, so I have a measurable number to go off. Otherwise I could actually be making progress but bc it’s so small I don’t think I am, if that makes sense?
What are everyone’s current routines like for stretching?

[michaelaarghh]

How is everyone going with their goals!? Just a reminder that it’s now only 5ish weeks to Christmas!!! SO MUCH progress can be made in that time!

x

[michaelaarghh]

This is a really good one for strengthening the lower abs:
Start laying with your back on the floor, just in front of your pole, so your head is just slightly away from the base, and your arms are overhead, gripping the base of the pole. Because you want to use your abs, you don’t want to be tightly gripping with your arms. I kind of cup my hands around it then loosen my grip substantially so i’m barely even touching.
Then bring your knees into your chest and slowly roll your hips up, going no higher off the ground than your bra strap. then slowly control the roll down. this one burns if you do it right 🙂

[michaelaarghh]

You will be fine with a 40mm pole 🙂 We pole on 38mm at the studio here in Australia! I have some photos of my hands wrapped around my 40mm on my profile, and it overlaps a bit. it’s a lot easier to grip with your hands on a skinnier pole. I personally find leg grips a little challenging sometimes on the 38mm (like CAR), because i have skinny legs, but would be totally secure on my 40mm or larger. But you will get used to it 🙂

Can you not use the ceiling mount for a stationary pole? Have you spoken to x pole about this? It seems kind of silly, and I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. I have the ceiling mount bc my old place was exactly like you mention; one single beam running across the ceiling which was way too narrow for the dome. But I have the x-pert.

[michaelaarghh]

Brass is quite a ‘dirty’ looking metal…tbh I think the photo looks normal, (based off what the poles at the studio I go to look like).
‘Red rot’ is the degradation of the alloy in the metal itself, and based on photos on google images, and from what i’ve seen from brass instruments at school, it doesn’t really look like red rot on your pole at all.
But if you’re concerned, send some photos to xpole, keep trying to get through them on the phone. They have excellent customer service. I had a few issues with my pole recently and they were more than helpful. Let us know how it goes!

[michaelaarghh]

I think tucking makes the most sense. I say this, of course when I still can't do it hahahaha. But I feel it's less daunting because it would be easier to balance. 

Okay so I think what I am doing is a 'cartwheel' because I am moving my head foward and down. How confusing. I will try to upload a video tomorrow! 

[michaelaarghh]

paying royalties is how you get around buying the rights. 

The actual methods may be slightly different, but I think for the most part copyright has the same legal principles regardless of jurisdiction. (A quick google search tells me Sweden is pretty similar to Australian copyright law)

So let's assume you own the copyright in a piece of music (and it gets complicated here, because there's a few different types of copyright in each music piece). You have the right to prevent people from copying your work (e.g. illegal downloading comes into play here). You also have the right to control how your music is broadcast and who gets to listen to it. 

The basic principle is that if you have worked hard on creating this great song, you should be able to have your rights protected so you can make some money off that song as a reward. So, in Australia there is an agency called APRA. If you plan to play music to the public (most common example is a retailer) then you pay APRA a fee every year and they give a portion of that fee to the musicians, or the copyright owners. So in this sense, you are "borrowing" the right to use that music. Because you don't actually own that right, does this make sense? If you did own the right, then you would be able to allow other people to play the music. 

So if you want to play songs that are on the radio, you would need to pay a licencing fee to do so. If you just want to play music and don't care what it is, then I would look into asking local bands if you can play their stuff. This is the same principle; they are  giving you the exclusive right themselves to play the music. 

So, the above principles will apply, it will just be a matter as to who the agency is that you pay the licencing fee will be. 

[michaelaarghh]

Nope, just standard split grip. Don't know if I have the ab strength to lift into the twisted grip, and our teacher will only show us that one once we've got the normal split grip down. 

I think I'm being told to tuck so that a) it's easier to balance and b) easier to get up and swivel those hips without worrying about what your legs are doing, until you have that balance and can then extend the legs. 

if that makes sense?