Don't Panic Just Pole - April 17 to May 20

[lucky fire dragon]

yay for joining us!!!!

 

you might have lost some of your strength but your moves look confident and one can see the ease from the routine you've built, it's great  

Grace is not important here at all, but if you'd like it to look graceful overall, it would not take much. All you'd have to do really is to make your steps in between more deliberate and possibly on tip toe - your spins are graceful already. But that's only if it's important to you.

 

Oooh, I didn't know the martini spin, only a slightly different variation that we called fireman spin (pole names, eh). It looks such fun! Excited to try it  

I'll politely leave @Mad Hatter the first go on it

 

[@mu]

5 hours ago, athousandwords said:

Ok, I finally got my pole up and I am super duper rusty (and weak  ) but I figured I'd jump in.  I can't do a cross knee release to save my life right now, so I just transitioned off the pole and into the easiest spin I know.  Thank goodness grace isn't being judged here!  

 

This is looking very lovely actually! Love the smile at the end!

[lucky fire dragon]

40 minutes ago, @mu said:

This is looking very lovely actually! Love the smile at the end!

 

That's what I meant  

[athousandwords]

5 hours ago, lucky fire dragon said:

yay for joining us!!!!

 

you might have lost some of your strength but your moves look confident and one can see the ease from the routine you've built, it's great  

Grace is not important here at all, but if you'd like it to look graceful overall, it would not take much. All you'd have to do really is to make your steps in between more deliberate and possibly on tip toe - your spins are graceful already. But that's only if it's important to you.

 

Oooh, I didn't know the martini spin, only a slightly different variation that we called fireman spin (pole names, eh). It looks such fun! Excited to try it  

I'll politely leave @Mad Hatter the first go on it

 

 

5 hours ago, @mu said:

 

This is looking very lovely actually! Love the smile at the end!

 

Awww thank you! 

 

Thank you for the tips @lucky fire dragon!  I used to practice in heels when I took classes, so I got lazy with footwork and tiptoeing - everything looks a little sexier in 6" heels, lol. Definitely something I can work on!  I need to get some mirrors up so I can actually see what I'm doing, too.   

[lucky fire dragon]

7 minutes ago, athousandwords said:

I used to practice in heels when I took classes, so I got lazy with footwork and tiptoeing - everything looks a little sexier in 6" heels, lol.

 

Of course, that would sort the sexy part by itself, you must have looked a bomb on those too! Me on the other hand, I'd look like bambi on ice as I can't even walk in those, not to mention dance

 

How long have you been dancing? You really look so at ease with every move, also you looked like having fun  - yay for getting that pole up so quickly!!

[athousandwords]

Just now, lucky fire dragon said:

 

Of course, that would sort the sexy part by itself, you must have looked a bomb on those too! Me on the other hand, I'd look like bambi on ice as I can't even walk in those, not to mention dance

 

How long have you been dancing? You really look so at ease with every move, also you looked like having fun  - yay for getting that pole up so quickly!!

 

I took classes for about 2 years or so, but it was ages ago - 2010-2012, I think!  Then I took a couple classes on spin pole just for fun a couple years ago.  I've had a pole since I was doing classes, but didn't have anywhere to put it up in most of the places I lived over the last few years.  We just moved to our new house and I was very excited to realize I had room again - I almost sold my pole during the last move because it had been so long since I'd done anything with it.

I'm looking forward to getting back into it, for sure! But I definitely need to work up the strength again. I haven't seriously worked out since I got pregnant a year and a half ago, so my abs and core strength are shot (but my arms are swole from baby-lifting!  ). I'd love to get back to where I was - able to pole climb and invert and do some strength holds.  I need to figure out how to approach training without the structure of a class though (I moved away from the only pole studio in the area).  Having this challenge for motivation is great!

[lucky fire dragon]

Double yay then  Yes, baby lifting would give you awesome arms  

My babies are all grown (youngest is 12) so my arms aren't as swell anymore, but I do my best to get them back there

Pole climb is a far way off still.

 

So cool to have you in the challenge  
Any chance you could pick up classes again where you live now? They do give nice structure, yes. Also a teacher spotting you is immensely helpful as well.

[athousandwords]

5 minutes ago, lucky fire dragon said:

Any chance you could pick up classes again where you live now? They do give nice structure, yes. Also a teacher spotting you is immensely helpful as well.

 

I wish, but I moved to a small town about an hour away from the closest pole studio.   

 

I wouldn't have thought pole climb was a far way off for you at all, your pole moves look so strong!!

[lucky fire dragon]

9 minutes ago, athousandwords said:

I wish, but I moved to a small town about an hour away from the closest pole studio.   

 

I also always travelled an hour when I went to classes still. It was absolutely worth it. If I wouldn't have to watch my budget at the moment, I'd still go.

 

9 minutes ago, athousandwords said:

I wouldn't have thought pole climb was a far way off for you at all, your pole moves look so strong!!

 

That's why they are called "tricks" right  
Am just realizing you probably mean the regular knee hold climb right? For some reason talking about strong arms and me having tried to do a pull-up pole climb recently (with no chance whatsoever) that is what I had in mind, silly me
But see, I would have totally trusted you to be able to do that! 

 

Yes, I can still do a regular climb, but I do struggle for the first few attempts and I can't hold as easily as I used to. I went to classes from 2013 und 2016 more or less regularly and in 2017 only irregularly and stopped in summer 2017 for budget reasons. Thought I would continue at home, but didn't - meh - and now it's like starting from scratch again. But this challenge is really motivating me, too, now

 

[athousandwords]

2 minutes ago, lucky fire dragon said:

 

I also always travelled an hour when I went to classes still. It was absolutely worth it. If I wouldn't have to watch my budget at the moment, I'd still go.

 

That's why they are called "tricks" right  
Am just realizing you probably mean the regular knee hold climb right? For some reason talking about strong arms and me having tried to do a pull-up pole climb recently (with no chance whatsoever) that is what I had in mind, silly me
But see, I would have totally trusted you to be able to do that! 

 

Yes, I can still do a regular climb, but I do struggle for the first few attempts and I can't hold as easily as I used to. I went to classes from 2013 und 2016 more or less regularly and in 2017 only irregularly and stopped in summer 2017 for budget reasons. Thought I would continue at home, but didn't - meh - and now it's like starting from scratch again. But this challenge is really motivating me, too, now

 

 

Wow, an hour is impressive! I think I'm spoiled because I used to live about 20 min away.   Unfortunately, with the young un' being away from home for 3 hours isn't really doable right now. We just have too much going on!  Hopefully in the future, though!!

 

And yep, I just meant regular knee hold climb - nothing fancy!! I'm sure you'll get your strength back quickly now that you're practicing regularly again. But yeah, working from home is much more difficult than being in a class. I'm going to look for some youtube videos to follow along to, but it's really not the same as having the energy from a classroom setting and the instructor's help.    On the bright side, sharing with you all definitely made me practice a lot harder!!

[lucky fire dragon]

oh, of course! With the little one you can't go away for that long. But no worries, we'll keep each other on our toes until little one is older and you can go again

I think @Mad Hatter was mentioning some online pole classes that are quite good too, maybe she can recommend on that.

 

Otherwise there are many cool things on youtube and as you already know enough to pace yourself and stay safe there is a lot you can pick up again. The most important thing will be to just go and do stuff

So glad I'm not alone on this  

[Mad Hatter]

On 4/26/2018 at 4:30 AM, athousandwords said:

Ok, I finally got my pole up and I am super duper rusty (and weak  ) but I figured I'd jump in.  I can't do a cross knee release to save my life right now, so I just transitioned off the pole and into the easiest spin I know.  Thank goodness grace isn't being judged here!  

 

1. Back hook

2. Toe to toe dip

3. Reverse attitude

4. Frog legs 

5. Martini

 

 

 

Yay for joining!! I for one think your movements look great, especially after such a long break! And I love that haircut on you, you look adorable.  

[Mad Hatter]

On 4/26/2018 at 4:19 PM, lucky fire dragon said:

I think @Mad Hatter was mentioning some online pole classes that are quite good too, maybe she can recommend on that.

 

StudioVeena.com! She's awesome, the instructions are really high quality and she focuses a lot on doing thing correctly and safely.  

 

On 4/26/2018 at 3:09 PM, athousandwords said:

I used to practice in heels when I took classes, so I got lazy with footwork and tiptoeing - everything looks a little sexier in 6" heels, lol

Feel free to put on those heels! I used to be kind against heels and thought they were clunky but now I LOVE them!

 

On 4/26/2018 at 3:18 PM, lucky fire dragon said:

Me on the other hand, I'd look like bambi on ice as I can't even walk in those, not to mention dance

 

That's why you have a pole, so you don't have to walk on your own!  But for dancing they're actually awesome, stripper heels are made as work shoes, right, so they're actually really comfortable and much easier to deal with than regular heels. The hard part is the extra weight, especially when inverting.  

[Mad Hatter]

FINALLY I did a thing!  (Sorry I've been sucking so much at this. )

 

Btw why is it so hard to do a clean take where I 1) don't forget anything, 2) don't kick anything or mess anything up 3) don't tilt the camera. 2 out of 3 in this video.  

 

 

[lucky fire dragon]

wow!!

 

Such power and speed and confidence and.... wow 

Also very cool add on, gosh you guys this is so exciting to have all the different styles and contributions, sqeeeee

 

Will do my best to catch up soon and see where to go next. Or @LouCarJo would you like to add a floor element in between? From home even? Just an idea...

[Mad Hatter]

8 hours ago, lucky fire dragon said:

wow!!

 

Such power and speed and confidence and.... wow 

Also very cool add on, gosh you guys this is so exciting to have all the different styles and contributions, sqeeeee

 

Will do my best to catch up soon and see where to go next. Or @LouCarJo would you like to add a floor element in between? From home even? Just an idea...

Oh wow what a sweet thing to say!!! <3  I mostly felt like I was screwing up a lot, but it WAS a lot of fun trying to do it fast and swooshy.

 

Glad you like the add on, I've never done that glide before straight out of a spin before but it worked better than I expected! Highly recommend slidey socks though.

[athousandwords]

22 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

Glad you like the add on, I've never done that glide before straight out of a spin before but it worked better than I expected! Highly recommend slidey socks though.

 

Hahahah this is not going to go well on carpet, is it....

 

Seriously great take though!  You're so fast and sassy!  

[Mad Hatter]

5 minutes ago, athousandwords said:

 

Hahahah this is not going to go well on carpet, is it....

 

Seriously great take though!  You're so fast and sassy!  

Ouch I can see that being rather unpleasant haha.  Feel free to sub as much as you want.  

 

Thanks! 

[lucky fire dragon]

On 4/29/2018 at 8:06 PM, Mad Hatter said:

Oh wow what a sweet thing to say!!! <3  I mostly felt like I was screwing up a lot, but it WAS a lot of fun trying to do it fast and swooshy.

 

Well, we tend to like what we don't have, isn't it  Both athousandwords and you have such sassy speed and all the oomph like you can see you're having fun, with me it's usually all slow and serious, oh wait you called it "serene" so I'll go with that rather  

 

On 4/29/2018 at 8:06 PM, Mad Hatter said:

 

Glad you like the add on, I've never done that glide before straight out of a spin before but it worked better than I expected! Highly recommend slidey socks though.

 

Ooops read the socks too late  but it worked anyhow (more or less) I fortunatelly have a smooth wooden parkett floor, but yes

 

2 hours ago, athousandwords said:

Hahahah this is not going to go well on carpet, is it....

 

ooooooouch - you better do some other version of it for sure!!

 

So, here, I built on and had great fun as well - you might even see it in my face at times  Seriously though I am LOVING this PvP, it provides huge motivation for me and feels like playing a fun game while getting some strength back at the same time

[lucky fire dragon]

 

1. Back hook

2. Toe to toe dip

3. Reverse attitude

4. Frog legs 

5. Martini

6. Slide

7. Headstand

[lucky fire dragon]

@athousandwords you're up  

[Mad Hatter]

Well your last video felt neither slow or serious and you already look more confident on the pole.  And everyone’s going to have their own style anyway. Like I’m never going to have the pretty ballerina grace however much I practice, and that’s fine because that’s not the way I move. But why not take the opportunity to experiment during this PvP? I find different music for example leads to very different movement style.

 

That headstand looks SO nice and solid btw. The transitions are so crisp, very nice!

(I hope I can even remember how to do one haha ) 

[lucky fire dragon]

awww, thanks for all those compliments 

 

See, you guys are rubbing off on me  Yes, I realized the music would make a big difference and I had a much more up-beat track today (Franz Ferdinand - take me out) and - really - seeing the videos of the two of you made me want to really go try for more ooomph

ALL THE EXPERIMENTS, yes!!

 

Lol of course you'll know how to do a headstand!! You could do it in any version whatsoever

I'm not sure, I could do it against the wall at the moment (not to talk about free) but there is something about holding the pole that activates my shoulders better and then I can do it. Also the lean on really helps of course. 

Gosh now I realize this might not be so great for your shoulder  Stupid me!! In this case just sub something else in there, ok.

[Mad Hatter]

16 minutes ago, lucky fire dragon said:

ALL THE EXPERIMENTS, yes!!

YESSS! It definitely worked too! If you want to experiment with even more oomph you can try to reduce the pause between moves or go straight from one move into the next. Which is obviously harder when you're thinking about what to do next, but it could be something to play with.  

 

16 minutes ago, lucky fire dragon said:

Lol of course you'll know how to do a headstand!! You could do it in any version whatsoever

I just tried some and I do feel preeeetty shaky, especially on the presses. It's all there, I'm simply rusty as I don't think I've done a headstand for 6 months or so and now I have to remember how to use my non-climbing muscles.  

 

But this kind of movement is absolutely fine for the shoulder, it's even good for it to do some pushing. I can definitely tell it's not as strong and it's complaining a bit extra after the headstands, but that just mean it has been working which is a good thing. The only thing I don't want to do is very aggressive dynamic movements when hanging off of it. So some spins I might have to do on the other side, besides that it's all good.