[portableninja]

If you don't already have Veena's lessons, get them. A lot of her conditioning lessons can be done without a pole, or with something else to hold onto like a chair.

I pole at home without a studio, and I do lots of things off the pole. Pushups, core work, squats and leg lifts, yoga sun salutations, resistance band and free weight exercises, and pullups on a bar that attaches to a doorway. I also have a foam roller for stretching and flexibility training (Veena also has lessons for that.) I am working injured right now and can't really dance, but I'm using this as an opportunity to do strength training off the pole.

Another good tip would be to take related fitness classes like yoga or pilates, which work muscles in a similar way. You can also do these things at home with nothing but a mat and maybe a computer to watch videos, although taking a few classes in the beginning is essential for learning good form.

[portableninja]

I've found that walking is great on my sore days. It gets the blood moving and my heart rate slightly elevated, which I think speeds the recovery of the soreness. And once you've gone for a walk, your muscles will be warm enough for flexibility training or some easy pole work (like transitions).

[portableninja]

Yes, I agree that partners (and anyone really) are impressed by beginner stuff, so just have fun with it. Work on your floorwork and transitions, and smile! I think it's mostly pole dancers who are impressed by things like handsprings and flat jade splits. In my experience, my audience likes hair flips, booty wiggles and a nice smile. 🙂

[portableninja]

Welcome!

Karol Helms sells a cute pole heart shirt in both a tank and t-shirt variety (I have the tank). I like it because it's subtle.

http://polepraxis.com/buystuff.html

Your studio may sell branded merchandise, or you can always buy a Studio Veena shirt! You may also find some nice designs on Etsy. Good luck!

[portableninja]

Sadly, I have to agree with you too MemphisKitten… I wasn't going to mention it, but I began to develop a very negative and unhealthy relationship with food as well. I'm wary of going down that road again. The middle path is the one that works for me – treat my body with respect and honor, but let myself live a little too.

[portableninja]

This is really interesting because I can see the differences between the scientific, data driven approach to diet and exercise, in conjunction with the idea to keep things realistic and achievable for the widest variety of people.

I think it's important to consider the emotional consequences of making changes in your diet. So much of our daily lives revolves around food, and more importantly the sharing of food. Although it is possible to control your food and activity choices in your own daily routine, life has a way of throwing curve balls and not always in a negative way. We attend weddings, go to dinner with old friends, and derive pleasure from trying new and exotic cuisines and engaging in activities that are not strictly exercise. To deny ourselves these experiences on account of health is counterproductive, in my opinion. But we can make smart choices to minimize the damage, so to speak.

I feel like it takes a certain type of person to derive satisfaction from religiously counting calories and eating optimally for maximum health benefits. Some people are really into data-driven fitness. My husband is one of them – he wears a Fitbit, tracks his calorie consumption, wears a heart rate monitor, counts his reps and times his rests and keeps a big spreadsheet of personal fitness data. For him his progress is very measurable and real and most importantly the reasons for his progress can be pinpointed with hard data. He's a scientist by profession, so it makes sense.

For me, it's really draining to spend all this time and effort on having a 100% optimal eating and exercising experience. It also leads to me getting very down on myself when I make one small mistake (like going out for coffee with a friend after I've already had my calories for the day, having to refuse offers of home cooked food, having a day when I feel tired or ill and don't finish my workout, etc.). Living in such a regimented fashion would lead to emotional consequences for me that I think would outweigh the benefits.

That doesn't mean my approach is more scientifically sound with regard to health and fitness… I know it's a lot less effective than doing everything "right." But it works for me, and it's better than nothing. I try to look at my diet and exercise plan as a set of guidelines rather than hard fast rules. For me, it leads to greater success and full body health in the long run (meaning for the rest of my life).

[portableninja]

I think what Lucille meant is not that there are opposing approaches to the scientific study of weight loss and metabolism, but that there are different philosophies to the same basic layman's approach – eat less (but well) and do more.

[portableninja]

Yes, be sure that you’re actually slipping because of sweat and not from your skin being too dry. That was hard for me to understand. With chrome (and steel, to a lesser extent) I needed a layer of moisture on my skin in order to stick. Too much was a problem, but so was not enough. Use water based lotions on your non pole days, or try poling immediately after a shower to see if that helps.

[portableninja]

Think of it like the stock market. You care about the long term trend line, not the daily fluctuations. 🙂

[portableninja]

Agreed that you should not focus as hard on the number on the scale. It is good to track, but don't let it be your only indication of your fitness level and body image. Hydration level has so much to do with your weight on any given date, as does your hormonal cycle. As long as you are seeing a downward trend over the long term, then you are on the right track. 

Personally, I'm 5-10 lbs heavier than my "ideal" weight, but I also have more shoulder and back muscles than I've ever had in my life. I could easily have put 5 lbs on back there over the time I've been poling. If you are new to exercise, you will be building muscles too, and you want to make sure you eat enough protein to support that.

I've gone through periods of counting calories and tracking everything that goes in and out of my body with precision, usually followed by holidays and emotional pig out sessions which make me feel like a hopeless failure. At least for me, the overly scientific approach to diet and fitness is too rigid. I can be a perfectionist and if I don't get something exactly right, it is really disheartening. It works for some personality types though, so I still recommend it to people if they can handle the discipline aspect. 

When I go grocery shopping, I always make sure to fill my cart up with whole foods. Not the store, but the concept. 🙂 I stick to the outer corners (produce, dairy, meat, fish) and avoid the center aisles as much as I can. It's honestly difficult to get too heavy when you're mostly eating vegetables, lean protein, low fat dairy and small portions of whole grains. I sometimes count calories for a few days at a time just to re-acquaint myself with proper portion sizes, but that's it. This also supports the idea of eating healthy as a lifestyle decision as opposed to a short term project for weight loss. I was very pleased to see you made that distinction as well.  I'm happy for you and you should be too! 🙂

[portableninja]

Agreed. If you were concerned enough to ask for health advice, and then you get an answer to go see a doctor about it because it could be a sign of something serious… just go. If you hate your doctor, get a different one. Persistent muscle twitches could be a sign of a serious neurological condition. Or it could just be a quirk. But you probably shouldn't make that decision yourself.

[portableninja]

Oh and this goes for more than just pole. I have a "Restricted" list that doesn't see anything I post on FB that might be salacious, contain curse words, or be in any way objectionable (or less than G-rated). This is a list that includes say… my husband's grandma. She sees occasional photos of family events and that's about it, lol.

[portableninja]

I generally keep pole related stuff off my public FB for this reason. My friends don't care and most think it's awesome, but I know enough trolls and conservative family members where it's not worth it to engage them. When I do post pole related stuff, I use my privacy settings so anyone who would be offended or mean about it won't see it. You can set up a list of pole-friendly people on FB and broadcast pole stuff only to those supportive friends. Or, alternatively, just unfriend the jerks. I have a pretty low tolerance for intolerant people, so I'm not afraid to do that. I understand that not everyone is.

[portableninja]

I've had eyelid twitching before, but never for so long. Usually only lasted for like an hour or so, and it seems to be connected to being either fatigued or anxious.

Anything that lasts for a month or more is worth seeing a doctor about.

[portableninja]

Thank you so much for the tips everyone! I appreciate it. I like the idea of working my way up to inversions on my left side the same way I did on my right – by progressing through spins, holds, and climbs first. I didn’t invert on day one of pole and shouldn’t expect that on my left side either. I first realized how important it was when I watched the lesson for falling star and the prerequisite was a strong Gemini on both sides. I clearly don’t have that yet.

Stiletto, I know what you mean about left side actually having better form. When I do spins on my left side I am thinking much harder and focusing on using proper form, and I haven’t had time to develop bad habits like on my right side. Doing things on my bad side has actually improved them on my good side.

I stupidly injured my foot last night (PSA: always rack your free weights, even at home, especially at night!) So I might be doing a lot of off pole conditioning for the next couple of weeks. Then I will keep working on my left side skills. Thanks!