smalltownboy
Forum Replies Created
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You can add an old man to the list! I started at 47 and I am heading towards 51 this year. I’ve never really stuck at any type of “keep fit” although I would swim on a regular basis over the years which I think has helped me with flexibility.
I found poling very frustrating to start with as I just couldn’t seem to grip the pole and any attempt to climb the pole would result in me just sliding back to the floor. I knew it wasn’t a lack of strength but it took me nearly a year to learn the little nuances that made it possible to get a sturdy grip. Once I got that my confidence grew and so did my strength and flexibility.
Like the rest of you, I am completely hooked on poling. I realise I will not achieve the flexibility that younger polers have and that I am using joints and muscles that are 50 years old so I cannot expect them to do the same as 20 year old joints and muscles.
My posture and confidence has grown a hundred fold since starting to pole.
My golden rules for me are:
Do not compare yourself to other polers.
Little and often! It is better to pole for 15 minutes a day rather than 2 hours once a week.
Take at least one day off from poling each week.
Always warm up, always cool down – jumping straight into poling with out warming up is just asking for trouble.
If it hurts……Stop! You may not be doing it correctly – it is well worth paying to get some professional training with an experienced teacher. Injuries at our age do take longer to heal.
Remember it is pole DANCING – so don’t just concentrate on tricks after trick, use music you love and interpret the music through your movement. Try and have a full length mirror so you can see how it looks. Dance as if no one can see you.
My confidence and posture has grown so much since I started poling. I know I will never be a competition winner, I know I will never have the success, or the body of someone like Rodney James, but when I am poling, in my mind I am better than the lot of them put together!
Hooray for older polers!
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That’s a bummer!
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On occasion I put my pole up in a room that has this sort of flooring. Although the flooring is designed for everyday wear and tear I was concerned that:
1) I would damage the surface around the pole with the constant “traffic” around the pole especially if I was wearing footwear rather than barefoot.
2) The pressure of the pole on such a small area would damage the locking edges in the boards directly under the pole.
My solution may not be suitable for you (just saying that as a disclaimer in case it doesnt work for you and you want to sue me!). I bought a pack of click-lock boards that made a square meter and clicked them together. I placed a layer of underlay, the same as I had used under the permanent flooring – this was to protect the surface of the floor and to give some traction to prevent slipping. I put my “dance area boards” at 90 degrees to the permanent flooring – this ensure that the pressure of the pole is spread over large area.
This worked for me but I will be honest and say it wasn’t the most attractive solution which may have looked better if I had cut my overlay into a circle or chosen a different colour to the flooring it was sitting on. There was still some “spring” in the floor but not enough to cause any problem, just check your pole before you start and throughout your session as per normal.
One thing I would warn you of though……sand the edges of your boards, in particular the corners. They can be quite sharp and when you make contact with the edge, at speed, in bare feet…….well let’s just leave it that I lost a toenail and the neighbours found out how many swear words I knew!
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We all seem to have the similar problems and I am no different. I have tried all of the above with greater or lesser results but the two things that work the best for me are: 1. Make sure the pole is warmed up as well as myself and 2. (I haven’t seen this mentioned) I make sure that the towel I use to dry myself after a pre-pole shower and the one I use between moves to wipe my pole and myself has not had any fabric conditioner put in the final rinse. In fact the towels are quite hard. I don’t know if this is just my mind making me think that there is no conditioner residue in the towel so therefore it won’t be on me or my pole, or if it is a case of mind over matter. Try it, it won’t cost you a penny so you have nothing to lose.
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We also have this problem and, like others, use the pause-let it load-play solution, but it doesn’t work every time.
We have a fast connection and it doesn’t seem to make any difference what machine we are using, iPad, pc, Linux laptop or if it is wired or Wi-Fi. It is worth noting that it isn’t solely Studio Veena either, so we can’t lay blame there.
One thing that does seem to apparent is the time of day. We can only assume that the extra demand on the web at peak times slows down the traffic.
Maybe internetnet service providers should limit the access speeds that business and student accounts use and let the more worthy subscribers (Studio Veena members) have priority to band width. I feel the need for a petition to government………anyone else with me on this?
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Why, oh why, oh why didn’t I take the hint from the title, “Ladies Only”? There are some things us guys just don’t need to know about the feminine mystique!
Reminder to self…..the clue to the content is in the title!
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I am currently suffering with “Tennis Elbow”. It has been painful for at least 6 weeks and I think it was caused by a recent decorating project which involved painting the ceiling on my hall, stairs and landing with a brush.
I currently have to wear a double layer compression sleeve that extends from axilla to wrist and have been using topical anti inflammatory cream and at times taking oral analgesia and anti inflammatory medication.
Thankfully it is getting better but I am still reluctant to trust it when it comes to pole moves. A sudden pain could lead to loss of grip at the wrong time and fall from my pole could leave me with a greater injury than this.
What this has shown me is the importance of working both sides in pole work.
We all have a dominant side and I am sure I am not the only person guilty of favouring this side when it comes to learning pole moves. When I try moves using the other side and find I can’t do it easily I revert to using my dominant side. Now I am in the situation of having learn all my moves a second time…..it’s almost as if I have never poles before!
The moral of my story is…
Work both sides of the pole to make sure you develop your ability, flexibility and strength equally…..it will also double your choices when it comes to getting in and out of moves.
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I am currently suffering with “Tennis Elbow”. It has been painful for at least 6 weeks and I think it was caused by a recent decorating project which involved painting the ceiling on my hall, stairs and landing with a brush.
I currently have to wear a double layer compression sleeve that extends from axilla to wrist and have been using topical anti inflammatory cream and at times taking oral analgesia and anti inflammatory medication.
Thankfully it is getting better but I am still reluctant to trust it when it comes to pole moves. A sudden pain could lead to loss of grip at the wrong time and fall from my pole could leave me with a greater injury than this.
What this has shown me is the importance of working both sides in pole work.
We all have a dominant side and I am sure I am not the only person guilty of favouring this side when it comes to learning pole moves. When I try moves using the other side and find I can’t do it easily I revert to using my dominant side. Now I am in the situation of having learn all my moves a second time…..it’s almost as if I have never poles before!
The moral of my story is…
Work both sides of the pole to make sure you develop your ability, flexibility and strength equally…..it will also double your choices when it comes to getting in and out of moves.
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To spin or not to spin? There are some things that look best on a static pole, and some that look better on a spinning pole.
For anyone who is just starting out and reading this thread I would advise learning on a static pole before moving to a spinner.
In my experience I find it easier to do a lot of moves on a spinning pole. Somehow the momentum helps me move into position and the spinning of the pole can “hide” or mask a lot of errors to the untrained eye. Then you try the same move on a static pole and find you struggle to achieve the same moves.
Learning on a static pole, in my opinion, needs a lot more discipline and attention to detail.
The second reason to choose static over spinning for practice becomes apparent when you get the chance to dance in a club or class and find they only have static poles. I find it easier to move from static to spinning and not the other way around.
(seems that you are in the lucky position….I’m so jealous….of having two poles)
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Use it hot, use it cold, clean with this, don’t clean with that, take a shower, don’t shower before use, moisturise, don’t moisturise, choose brass, choose chrome, choose wood, two piece pole, single piece pole………one thing you can take heart from is most of us have had to consider all these different factors when it comes to using our own pole at home.
Things that are done with comparative ease in class or when others are around become next to impossible in the privacy of our own pole room.
I found it difficult, but once a friend joined me things got better quickly. I think it was to do with a subconscious fear that I would have an accident and there would be no one there to help. The other plus is you have someone who can spot for you and give feedback.
Stick with it, don’t beat yourself up it will get better……honest!
Hugs!
Andrew
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Hi there, welcome to the addictive world of pole!
Yes, pole dancing is highly addictive! Just be careful when you start not to overdo it. I have been poling for four years. When I first got my pole I was on it every spare moment.
The result was sore muscles and frustration!
You need to take time to build up your strength as you will be lifting and holding the equivalent of your own body weight (for some of us that is considerably more than we would try to lift in the gym). You also need to strengthen your core muscles as it is these that really do a lot of the work. If you cannot locate your core muscles at the moment don’t worry, you will know exactly which ones we are talking about once your start poling!
The frustration however can stay with you. You can see the move you want to do, you have the required strength and flexibility, but you just can’t nail it! This is where it is important to have a teacher, be that one in class or Veena’s video lessons. They can show you exactly what bits of you go where and what point of contact your body needs to have with the pole to allow you to complete the move.
All that said, some moves come very easily and others that look so much easier, prove to be the most tricky…..then of course the is the whole other challenge of linking one move to another move.
Once you start though you will find yourself constantly thinking about how to do *this* move or make *that* transition and before you know it you are an addict! Every time you walk down the street and see a traffic sign or a building with scaffolding you will have to fight the urge not to run up to it and just try *that* move one more time!
As for getting a pole…..have a couple of lessons first, just to make sure you like it (as if you won’t!) and ask your teacher. They may have contacts or contracts that can get you some discount. But whatever you do make sure you get a “proper” pole. There are some cheap poles on the market that are positively dangerous both to you and your property. I have an X-Pole which I think is fab. It can switch between static and spinning in seconds and it feels solid and dependable when I use it.
One last thing. If possible, video your efforts. I have only just invested in a camera (not anything expensive) and it really helps to watch yourself back. It helps you pick up on what you are doing correctly and what you need to work on. Don’t wipe your recordings, keep them on your hard drive. Then you can really see your progress.
Gotta go now……I need a “fix”!
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It’s easy to forget how much you use the pole when it is in place full time. I thought I hadn’t used mine for several weeks, but my partner pointed out I used it each time I went past it! It wouldn’t be a full on session maybe just gripping it stretching while on the phone or trying to work out what I was going to do next.
Yes it will cost money to ship, but as others have said you will probably then say to yourself, “this cost a lot to ship, better make it worth it!”
I would put money on it that if you didn’t take it with you, you will end up missing it and buying another one very quickly…….which will cost more than you are likely to get for this one if you sell it!
Go on! Take it!
X
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My pole is on carpet and as far as stability goes, never had a problem. Just ensure that you check before you star and periodically throughout the session. My only gripe about being on carpet is, because I leave my pole up 24/7/52 that when I took it down recently to decorate I notice it has left a very visible footprint in the carpet which would appear to be permanent……but as I need a new carpet I am not too concerned. But it does make me think about where I am going to put it when I have a new carpet.
Stages are great, but they would leave a bigger footprint, and yes I agree with you, they may not be high, but they are high enough to fall off!
DK
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You may be a pole dancer if….. you’re looking at every stop sign, lamp post, children’s playground thinking I wonder if I can do a chopper on that? https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif
I thought it was just me!
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Excuse me for jumping on this thread….as a guy this isn’t really an issue for me. But I would like to warn you of the experience of a friend of mine.
Although she doesn’t pole or wear bikinis or similar attire that "requires" attention, she does like to be "tidy" down there. She dutifully applied Nair and set her alarm clock for the required time and sat on a towel to watch her favourite soap opera while it did it’s work. Unfortunately it was a dramatic story line and she became so absorbed in it that she forgot about the job in hand.
When the credits rolled at the end of the programme she jumped in the shower to rinse the hair away…..along with a couple of layers of skin!
She ended up having to go to Accident & Emergency for treatment and spent a week wearing loose skirts with no underwear and applying regular medication and ice packs to the affected area.
She has now opted for using a razor.
So when it specifys a time on the product….beware….they put it there for a reason. As she put it herself…..her, "Noo-Noo became a No-No".
