lucky fire dragon on her first challenge

[lucky fire dragon]

Hi awesome rebels!

 

I am a newbie here, have enjoyed browsing through a lot of the blog posts, loving the various brilliantly creative workouts and finally discovered the forum, right on time for the next 6 week challenge, so I thought, I'll join right in, yay!

 

I am pole dancing since well over a year now - that one came as quite a surprise to me, but it turned out I absolutely love it and am literally hooked now - and I discovered this finally motivated me to start working out regularly to have the necessary strength. Even as a kid I was always mesmerized by acrobats and athletes in dancing (like ice skating dancers, or people on the trapeze in the circus) and marveled how great it must feel to have such strength and body control, to be flying through the air like that and be so graceful... well I am still marveling, and surprisingly found it is actually possible to learn, even for a slow learner like me. I'm bright on many things, but sports take a while with me.

 

So this might explain my goals for this 6 week challenge, here we go:

 

Main Goal:

 

Build more strength (especially upper body) and body control

 

measurable goals to that:

- do a headstand without aid or wall

- do 3 proper pull-ups without aid

- hold an inversion on pole without hands

 

Edit for S.M.A.R.T: I do think that is totally reasonable and doable, yes as

 

Current status on each goal:

- I can do a headstand against the pole

- I can nearly (aaaaaaaaargh) do one pull-up at the moment

- I can let go of one hand during the inversion, but not yet both

 

So, I would like to do this - with the arms like that, just upside down:

 

pretty basic I know, but for me it will be a Grand moment and I believe in celebrating all of those 

 

 

Quests:

- do Angry Bird Workout 3x a week

- train pole 3x a week (twice at home, once at class)

- do yoga on break days (even if it's just 15 minutes)

 

Grade for each quest: A = 17 to 18 workouts, B = 13 -16 workouts, C = 10 to 12 workouts, D = 7 to 9 workouts, E = 5 to 6 workouts, F = 4 workouts or less

 

Edit for S.M.A.R.T:

- the Angry Bird workout is such a no-brainer, even with warm-up and cool down it doesn't take long, yet trains especially my weaker parts (i.e. arm strength, upper body), so nooooooo excuses here

- I did now always train at least once a week on the pole at home and once at class, so fitting in that third time is possible and I KNOW it will make a huge difference in my progress - which is my ultimate motivation, more fun

- I used to do some yoga every day and got slacking now, this is meant to get me back into it without taking too much away from my pole training

 

 

Life quest:

- finish translation project (57 pages to go)

 

Grade: A = 50 - 57 pages, B = 40+ pages, C = 30+ pages, D = 20+ pages, E = 10+ pages, F = less than 10 pages

 

Edit for S.M.A.R.T:

doing two pages a day should fit in my schedule, if I take the discipline for it and once I am into it, I love it, so usually do more. Which helps buffer days, where I for some reason can't after all. Also this is really just my own goal here, I don't have any official deadline by which I must be done. No stress if I do fall sick or anything.

 

 

Motivation:

have great fun at Level 2 pole training starting in January,

enjoy the magic feeling of "flying" and being able to do stuff, I never thought I could

 

being able to share the awesome book I'm translating with those waiting for it already

 

Exciting stuff!

[Araene]

What a fun motivation! I have a friend that does pole dancing and she's always posting incredible pictures on Facebook. The control she has of her body is amazing. Best of luck on your challenge!

[Dantilla]

Can you tell us more about your translation project?

[lucky fire dragon]

Thank you, Araena! Yes, it is a fun motivation and I love browsing through people's amazing pictures and videos - such an inspiration! I am, as I said, still a slow learner, but rather slow and safe 

As soon as I have some hipphipphurray pictures myself (such as in inversion without hands, see challenge quest) I'll post them here.

 

Dantilla, I am a spiritual teacher and translate the work of the woman I trained with (she is called Lola Jones and her work is called Divine Openings) into German for my people over here. I loved her first book so much, I contacted her, trained with her and translated it and now am selling it over here in Germany - it turned into a huge success and now that I have trained with her to do her work, too, I am so busy with coaching sessions, retreats, training new people, tending the German part of her website, and other things, that I hardly get to translating her second book! See, you have to be careful in your adventures, success might overwhelm you at times, haha.    I'm kidding of course, am loving every minute of it. Still I'd love to get that second book out and out of 200 pages there are only 57 to go - even with taking enough time out of my day for my kids still (have 3), my fitness and regular coaching sessions, I should be able to do it and I know holding it in my hand will feel sooooooooooooo fabulously, rocking great! That's why I included it here.

 

I love exploring new things in life and am having such fun to bust some cliches around spiritual teachers - hey my teacher is a real cowgirl and I'm aspiring pole dancer, how spiritual is that?!  

 

But, seriously I found, no matter how happy you can get spiritually, emotionally and otherwise, it is so much more fun when you include your physical body. And this is for me the most fun way ever.

 

What I love about the rebellion here is how it focuses on keeping things fresh, simple and yet creatively engaging - totally what I need for any workout. Thanks for being my first welcomers here!

[Blaidd]

i love pole dancing, and would like to eventually qualify as an instructor one day (not yet now though).

 

You might notice that someone has added tags onto your thread.  This is not to pigeonhole you into a specific guild, but rather to attract the attention of the guild ambassadors because of your lifestyle or a grouping of goals, so that they might be able to motivate, encourage and advise you of anything during your challenge with us.  You don't even need to wait for them, you're welcome to pop into the Assassins to say hi and introduce yourself and to see what they're about. Also you are more than welcome to drop me a line at any time if you need anything.

 

Good luck

AB xx

[Evermist]

Hello! I'm bananasheena, an Ambassador for the Assassins' Guild! Your goals for this challenge fit the spirit of our guild. Therefore, we'd like to welcome you to the challenge and extend our support!

 

More information about our guild can be found in our Guild Information and Announcements thread. If you have any questions about our guild, you can pop over to the Level 1 Assassin Initiates Chat/Q&A thread, where the Ambassadors and Guild Leaders will get back to you as soon as possible, or you can post in the Assassins' Den Guild Chat and hear from our members. Also, if you'd like to have a better idea of what the different members of the guild are working on in this challenge, you can take a look at the Assassin Phonebook. If you have any questions to ask our members regarding specific training categories/items, do drop them a PM!

 

All the best with the challenge! Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions or need anything at all.

[lucky fire dragon]

i love pole dancing, and would like to eventually qualify as an instructor one day (not yet now though).

 

 

Good luck

AB xx

Thank you, Blaidd, that is so cool that you pole dance, too! Where are you training? Hoping to find some more pole dancers on here, it adds so much excitement when there are others who can relate and inspire me so that I won't end up like this:

 

[lucky fire dragon]

Hello! I'm bananasheena, an Ambassador for the Assassins' Guild! Your goals for this challenge fit the spirit of our guild. Therefore, we'd like to welcome you to the challenge and extend our support!

 

More information about our guild can be found in our Guild Information and Announcements thread. If you have any questions about our guild, you can pop over to the Level 1 Assassin Initiates Chat/Q&A thread, where the Ambassadors and Guild Leaders will get back to you as soon as possible, or you can post in the Assassins' Den Guild Chat and hear from our members. Also, if you'd like to have a better idea of what the different members of the guild are working on in this challenge, you can take a look at the Assassin Phonebook. If you have any questions to ask our members regarding specific training categories/items, do drop them a PM!

 

All the best with the challenge! Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions or need anything at all.

 Yay, I will definitely check it out!! This is my first challenge here and I am still a total newbie -and sometimes wondering if I am "nerdy" enough for this Forum   but enjoying it all tremendously and yes, sounds like the Assassins would be my kind of tribe. Exciting new lands to explore 

 

will give my best in this challenge to go proudly on from there

[monk]

Your post is interesting. I wish you luck on your 6WC. I'd love to have the strength to do pole dancing but unless I can do it in a basement with no one around I never would lol.

[lucky fire dragon]

Your post is interesting. I wish you luck on your 6WC. I'd love to have the strength to do pole dancing but unless I can do it in a basement with no one around I never would lol.

   you got me!! That is exactly where I train - in a basement with no one around! Just that we made that basement really nice by now.

And I do go to class once a week. But there are no visitors allowed to watch, only fellow companions who try as hard as you do.

 

You know if you'd like to give it a shot, do that!! You'd be surprised how much can be done with the right technique and no strength at all to start with. Bruises, yes. Overcoming fears, yes!! But when I started I couldn't do a single sit up without aid, not to talk about push ups or anything like that.

 

Now I have developed a lot of strength and gotten a taste for it,  thus my frequent visits to NF and this challenge

It feels awesome! I was never a strong or sportive person, all my family is, just not me. Now that is changing slowly, how cool a surprise. Mind you, I still can't do these very crazy things that you see on youtube and the like, but I can do enough to have fun, play, grow and fly a bit more each time. And that's what counts for me 

But you don't have to have any strength to start with - that would be like saying you need to be able to balance on your toes before you even get to start Ballet lessons...

 

Give it a go - but be warned: it is addictive and you might end up with that pole in your basement 

[Priscillia]

Wooo more polers

 

What type of pole do you have (just curious, I'll be getting one when I move out next year)?

[lucky fire dragon]

Wooo more polers

 

What type of pole do you have (just curious, I'll be getting one when I move out next year)?

 

 

I got myself an x-pole xpert that can be set to either static or spinning and doesn't need any drilling - leaves no traces on floor and ceiling. You'd have to place it under a solid support beam, of course, to be safe or I just put mine up in the basement as that was the only room in our house with enough space around for me not to have to avoid furniture

They have them in different sizes and with extensions, but you will definitely have to measure the height of the room to make sure it will fit. Mine is 45mm strong, they do also have them in 40 or 50 mm. Just ask at the studio you train, what diameter they use there so that you end up with what works best for you.

 

Hurray to your own pole at home coming up!!  

[Priscillia]

I got myself an x-pole xpert that can be set to either static or spinning and doesn't need any drilling - leaves no traces on floor and ceiling. You'd have to place it under a solid support beam, of course, to be safe or I just put mine up in the basement as that was the only room in our house with enough space around for me not to have to avoid furniture

They have them in different sizes and with extensions, but you will definitely have to measure the height of the room to make sure it will fit. Mine is 45mm strong, they do also have them in 40 or 50 mm. Just ask at the studio you train, what diameter they use there so that you end up with what works best for you.

 

Hurray to your own pole at home coming up!!  

Sometime later next year I hope   I'll need to cancel classes and sub to Studio Veena at that point.

 

I know we have both 45 and 50's at the studio but they're all one long pole.  Do you find that the area near the x-joints annoy/disturb you (where the extensions meet)?  Do they pinch if you grip them wrong?  Sorry, if I'm bombarding you with questions, I just like to do my research well in advance before pulling the trigger (so to speak)!

 

BTW How was Day 1 & 2?

[lucky fire dragon]

Sometime later next year I hope   I'll need to cancel classes and sub to Studio Veena at that point.

 

I know we have both 45 and 50's at the studio but they're all one long pole.  Do you find that the area near the x-joints annoy/disturb you (where the extensions meet)?  Do they pinch if you grip them wrong?  Sorry, if I'm bombarding you with questions, I just like to do my research well in advance before pulling the trigger (so to speak)!

 

BTW How was Day 1 & 2?

 

DO ask questions!! Better to be prepared than unhappy with what you got and I am happy to help if I can (yay, makes me feel like an expert ) So far I've had no problems with the joint places, no. They are really tight together and totally smooth. I once felt a screw hole just a little, but that was with a new spin on the static that I still had to build the strength for - meaning I clung onto it for dear life   and as soon as I worked out how to really do it, no problem with the screw hole no more...

And no, never pinched at all.

 

Day 1 & 2 - you're so right! Time for my first update 

[lucky fire dragon]

Challenge update Day 1, 2 & 3:

 

Okay, so I've had a great start on this first week

 

Day 1 I did my Angry Bird workout and am so proud that I finally managed my 20 proper push-ups 

took me 4 sets, but I did it

 

Also the plank time I am very happy with. The Pull-Ups I call assisted as I start from standing (not hanging) and don't manage alllllll the way yet (more like 2/3)

 

10.11.2014 Goal # Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5 Total # Grade Squats 100+ reps 60 56       115 *** Push Ups 20 rep 7 6 6 1   20 * Back Exercise 10 assisted 3 3 3 1   10 * Planks 3 min 90sec 60sec 40sec     3min10 **

 

I also managed to squeeze in 2 pages of translation even though I had a lot of work, so there is some progress there, too. Not much, but a start.

 

Day 2 -  I trained some headstands, inversion and our current choreo on the pole, playing around with some pretty spins (just because I can and that feels so nice  ) and trying to stand free with the knee-hold as long as possible to train those muscles for holding in the inversion as well. I didn't time it, but noticed that holding for the rest of the song playing was still out of this world, so there is plenty of potential here still

 

We always do a powerful warm-up at class, so I try and do as much of that as I can remember at home, meaning I got to repeat some plank time, push-ups, standing in that wide low squat while warming up arms and wrists and other nice tortures 

Also include the cool-down each time as I just feel so much better the next day then and inspired by some other threads here I added split stretches as well. Wayyyyyy more potential here still (meaning I am really far off right now )

 

no translation done

 

Today is Day 3 and I will do a little yoga right now before bed-time, tomorrow the next Angry Bird Workout is scheduled with my hubby (he's joined me in those now and that makes it a lot more fun, plus we push each other to not chicken out) and a friend is coming by to train on the pole with me (same effect there)

 

will have to get to some translation though as I didn't do any today either...

 

Off to get some yummy yoga happy vibes and wishing everyone a great day 3 still. ROCK IT 

[starsapart]

Looks like you're doing really great so far!  Good job on your workouts, and fantastic attitude!  I'm just starting aerial now, which has some similarities to pole, I think, in the doing of inversions and the pull and core strength required.  It must be so awesome to have the ability to train at home!

 

Thank you, Blaidd, that is so cool that you pole dance, too! Where are you training? Hoping to find some more pole dancers on here, it adds so much excitement when there are others who can relate and inspire me so that I won't end up like this:

 

 

Off the top of my head, I think NicTheRugger over with the Assassins is into pole as well!  If you ever want a buddy to geek out with, I bet she'd be thrilled.

[lucky fire dragon]

Looks like you're doing really great so far!  Good job on your workouts, and fantastic attitude!  I'm just starting aerial now, which has some similarities to pole, I think, in the doing of inversions and the pull and core strength required.  It must be so awesome to have the ability to train at home!

 

 

Off the top of my head, I think NicTheRugger over with the Assassins is into pole as well!  If you ever want a buddy to geek out with, I bet she'd be thrilled.

 

Thank you! Yes, I think there are a lot of similarities with aerial, haven't tried it yet, but will love to one day. Pole still keeps me quite busy at the moment    Thanks for thinking of pole buddies for me, yay Will contact NicTheRugger to ask!

[lucky fire dragon]

Challenge Update Day 4 - 7

 

Whoohoo, this first week was going sooooooo well, intending to keep that momentum going as it feels rocking good.

 

 

Day 4

 

I had a friend over who wants to try out pole a bit and I've been showing her a few things now at home. This is fantastic for me as I have more motivation to train when in company, plus as much as I go "ooooh" and "aaaah" at the more advanced students at our studio, she thinks I'm doing amazing and gives me this look of adoration that is just super encouraging Well, this time she did amazing herself and managed to climb up the pole (whooohoo) and her spins looked real nice, too. So we had a lot of fun, I trained and trained and only noticed how much I had done when I started our Angry Bird Workout with my husband right afterwards. Maybe not the best combination...

 

BUT that too went okay and I actually managed quite well. My pull-ups are now improving and the hope is up that the first "proper" pull-up might be nigh 

 

Day 5

 

we had our weekly class at the pole dance studio and that is something I am excited for all week. Warm-up kills me every week, but it is totally worth it as my strength is growing by now and how do a nice, graceful inversion without that, right?! Well the graceful part is still in baby-shoes with me - let's say we're aiming there

 

We trained a lot of headstand and inversion (did they sense my goals for this challenge???) and by the end I was completely flattened. Therefore

 

Day 6

 

was complete and utter rest day

I did squat

as in zero, nada, nothing, niente, null 

 

and it was Heaven 

 

Day 7 

 

started straight in the morning with some sun salutations ( I had promised myself some yoga on my rest days and hadn't done any yesterday, and it felt sooooo yummy for those stiff muscles   , much better afterwards) and a few other yogi things.

Later we did our Angry Bird Workout again and this time my nose touched the pull-up bar!!!! Yay, so proud of getting there.

 

The squats feel ridiculously easy in this workout compared to all the other things (push-ups, pull-ups and planking.) Is it just me or is there a real gap in difficulty there? Might attempt one-legged squats next time, have never done them before so that might be a new challenge.

 

Added some headstand practice afterwards and realized my problem is that without the pole to hold on to I have to lean quite for back before I can raise my feet from the floor and at that angle my arms aren't strong enough to hold me up yet. Might be more flexibility in the shoulders needed and/or more strength, not sure about that. And then it hit me that if I practice the wheel position more often again (the one in my profile pic) that should train my arms for exactly that, right? So that's my plan for now.

 

So it's all going smooth so far, no injuries, lots of fun 

 

 

Life Quest:

did a total of ten pages this week, which is exactly what I wanted

plus they were a lot of fun, too.

 

 

Thank you to everyone who dropped by so far, your encouragement is greatly appreciated!! You rock 

[lucky fire dragon]

Challenge Update Days 8, 9 and 10

 

There is little to say about days 8 and 9 as I worked straight through both days, which got a lot of work done (good), meant fun sessions with shining people (great), but no workout whatsoever (not great at all)

 

I can really relate to Steve's rule of never skipping two days in a row as it was so tough to get back on yesterday!

 

Still I did and trained for an hour for my pole dance, main focus on improving that swing mount inversion. It looks so beautiful and easy when my teacher lifts off the floor, so I'm sooooooo motivated every time and then I try to do the same and it's like "Bwahahaha, nice try!" I am MILES away from lifting off without kicking off!!! It feels like "Where on Earth will I find those muscles?"

 

But I am a stubborn person, so I just repeated the effort on both sides  - lifting myself up for a second and then gravity taking over again - lifting myself up for a second, gravity winning again, lifting myself up for an even shorter stretch.... taking a little break and going back on it again. This stubbornness might be the thing that will get me up there without momentum eventually and I know it is going to feel so, so awesome. Right now it just feels sore between my ribs

 

I often repeat other little things then in between that I saw no chance of doing when I started a year ago. Like holding on with my arms behind me and just lifting my feet off the floor. Something that other people do with ease in their first lesson. For me there was just "NO way!" to start with. Those toes just would not come off the floor at all. And now they do easily and about knee height    and I love it every time!! So that's my booster for times like these.

 

Today I have my friend over to train together again, plus it will be time for the Angry Bird Workout again, so no slacking no more.

 

Which is great as I love how awake and alive my body feels after a workout. Knackered, but vibrant. YES!

[Dantilla]

 

Which is great as I love how awake and alive my body feels after a workout. Knackered, but vibrant. YES!

 

Yes.  That is the feeling.  Hold onto that when the Blerch tries to get you.

[lucky fire dragon]

oooh, Dantilla that Blerch is a brilliant imagine! Haha, I will see it as that from now on and that will make temptation a lot weaker - thank you

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

Just keep pushing to do the movements, and the muscles will get there. 

 

If you can break down the movements and work on some of the weaker muscles, it might help you progress faster ... but a lot is also the mind learning what it needs to do to coordinate the muscles for the whole movement.  And it will feel SO GOOD when you nail it!!

[lucky fire dragon]

Just keep pushing to do the movements, and the muscles will get there. 

 

If you can break down the movements and work on some of the weaker muscles, it might help you progress faster ... but a lot is also the mind learning what it needs to do to coordinate the muscles for the whole movement.  And it will feel SO GOOD when you nail it!!

 

Thank you, yes, it will!! Am very excited for that part and will keep at it.

[lucky fire dragon]

Challenge Update Days 11 to 14

 

okay, so I picked it up again and did better again than in the first half of week 2...

 

Day 11 was Angry Bird Workout day again with my hubby and it's so cool to see our progress over this short time already. We now did 3 minutes of planking over just 2 sets ( that meant doing 4 minutes in total the next workout  ) and I do remember so well when it was just 1 minute that felt like death! So great progress there, not always the same, but on the whole good momentum:

 

Squats (with arms overhead) 50/20

Push Ups 7/7/7

Assisted Pull-Ups 3/3/4

Plank 2min/1min15

 

Day 12 I went to Pole class and we trained a lot of nice little moves, with lots of time focusing on the controlled entry and exit of the swing mount - still killing me, but at least I don't totally splat on the floor anymore with my feet coming down. It's calling for patience and I know I will profit from the effort in so many ways for so many moves. Lots of fun in general as always and I am very excited for next week, when some of our group will perform a little choreo as part of our school's Christmas party. Last year I still sat large eyed, watching and this year I am a part of it, wheeeeeeeeeeee 

Plus the more advanced students will perform, too, so there will be lots of inspiration to kick more ass to come 

 

Day 13 was a rest day and I "only" did a 15 minute workout for my butt (bridges, lunges and hip extensions with the knee bent), but BOY did I feel that today....!!!

Oh yes, and I fitted in one minute plank from the wall for handstand preparation, with my hands about 1 meter away from the wall still (I am a little scary cat and need to feel VERY confident and strong before moving closer)

 

Day 14 was time for the Angry Bird Workout again

 

Squats (with arms overhead) 70/30 (could have been a few more, I lost count there)

Push Ups 9/7/5

Assisted Pull-Ups 4/4/3 (getting stronger YAY)

Plank 90sec/90sec/75sec

 

I added my headstand training and another 30 sec of wall plank (with the hands again about 1 meter away from the wall)

 

My headstand feels like so close and yet so far. I filmed myself today and saw that I am pretty straight up already and I can feel that I could nearly lift my feet up, but as soon as I lean back those 1 or 2 centimeters more, it's like my arms can't hold anything anymore and my shoulders sag towards the floor. It's funny, it feels so frustrating, yet watching on the video how close I am feels totally encouraging no idea how long that last little bit will take me, only one way to find out

 

So to recap week 2

 

Angry Bird Workouts: 2 out of 3

Pole Training:  2 out of 3

Life Goal: 7 pages translated (out of 10 planned ones) and a LOT of work caught up besides that.

 

That's okay. It's not great, but it's okay and tomorrow starts week three for a whole new fresh momentum to kick into it.

 

Let's rock it again! Will have to go read your posts now as that is so much fun and inspiration - thank you :*

[Priscillia]

Still I did and trained for an hour for my pole dance, main focus on improving that swing mount inversion. It looks so beautiful and easy when my teacher lifts off the floor, so I'm sooooooo motivated every time and then I try to do the same and it's like "Bwahahaha, nice try!" I am MILES away from lifting off without kicking off!!! It feels like "Where on Earth will I find those muscles?"

 

But I am a stubborn person, so I just repeated the effort on both sides  - lifting myself up for a second and then gravity taking over again - lifting myself up for a second, gravity winning again, lifting myself up for an even shorter stretch.... taking a little break and going back on it again. This stubbornness might be the thing that will get me up there without momentum eventually and I know it is going to feel so, so awesome. Right now it just feels sore between my ribs

 

Have you tried doing negatives of the movement (or even inverted V)?  Kinda like negative chin-ups, you do the full movement but when you come down you go as slowly as you can to help with your core work.  That should help gain strength

 

Keep on Keeping on   And have fun at your Christmas party!