Be strong, get strong battle log

[LouCarJo]

2 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

Whew, I'm caught up again.  I'm always impressed with how much work you put in.

I’m not sure how sensible it is, though, I do tend to crash and burn a lot!  Thanks for sticking with it!

[@mu]

8 hours ago, LouCarJo said:

I’m not sure how sensible it is, though, I do tend to crash and burn a lot!  Thanks for sticking with it!

It doesn't look like that way. I mean you have some deload here and there (and that's sensible), but it's mostly pretty full on with classes and personal training!
 

10 hours ago, LouCarJo said:

pole - attitude spin 

a spin with attitude? or is it a special move?
 

[LouCarJo]

4 hours ago, @mu said:

It doesn't look like that way. I mean you have some deload here and there (and that's sensible), but it's mostly pretty full on with classes and personal training!
 

a spin with attitude? or is it a special move?
 

I guess I feel I could use planning my deloads better but then again, it’s probably impossible with life getting in the way, never knowing exactly how you’re going to react etc.

 

Attitude legs are a thing so it’s a spin with attitude legs.  Basically your outside leg comes round to the pole and you hook it in the dip on the back of your ankle.  That leg is then bent and almost horizontal/parallel to the ground, whilst the other leg also bends and is parallel to the ground but with the knee out to the side and the foot behind you.

[@mu]

1 hour ago, LouCarJo said:

Attitude legs are a thing so it’s a spin with attitude legs.  Basically your outside leg comes round to the pole and you hook it in the dip on the back of your ankle.  That leg is then bent and almost horizontal/parallel to the ground, whilst the other leg also bends and is parallel to the ground but with the knee out to the side and the foot behind you.

It was a bit difficult to visualise, I did a Google Image search There were a few variations but I think I see the attitude legs now

 

1 hour ago, LouCarJo said:

I guess I feel I could use planning my deloads better but then again, it’s probably impossible with life getting in the way, never knowing exactly how you’re going to react etc.

True.  I'm not sure you need to deload very precisely unless you follow a strict programme. Recently I checked my training logs and found out that I was actually deloading every 3 weeks or so, without planning it really (sickness, little body niggles, things to do, challenge break, holiday...). I'm trying to integrate / plan with that cycle in mind now but it's not written in stone either.
It's just that when it's not known/planned, the controlling part of the brain might interpret the whole episode as crash & burn, but it is not necessarily the case.

[Mad Hatter]

10 hours ago, LouCarJo said:

I guess I feel I could use planning my deloads better but then again, it’s probably impossible with life getting in the way, never knowing exactly how you’re going to react etc.

 

Yeah I think it's always better to go by feel and listening to your body. The tricky thing for me is to know when it's a physical breakdown and when it's a mental breakdown, but I'm slowly (very slowly ) learning.

 

8 hours ago, @mu said:

Recently I checked my training logs and found out that I was actually deloading every 3 weeks or so, without planning it really (sickness, little body niggles, things to do, challenge break, holiday...).

Is it per chance related to your hormonal cycle?

[@mu]

8 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

Is it per chance related to your hormonal cycle?

 

Mhm I hadn't thought of it, and that's a good point indeed. I take the pill as well, so 3 weeks up / 1 week down sounds indeed very familiar. It currently looks like my down week starts 1 week  or so before my periods come. As a trend, they were exceptions.

[@mu]

Mhm no sorry that's more like 2 weeks before. Sorry, stats calendar is a bit different from the moon one

[LouCarJo]

21 hours ago, @mu said:

True.  I'm not sure you need to deload very precisely unless you follow a strict programme. Recently I checked my training logs and found out that I was actually deloading every 3 weeks or so, without planning it really (sickness, little body niggles, things to do, challenge break, holiday...). I'm trying to integrate / plan with that cycle in mind now but it's not written in stone either.
It's just that when it's not known/planned, the controlling part of the brain might interpret the whole episode as crash & burn, but it is not necessarily the case.

 

12 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

Yeah I think it's always better to go by feel and listening to your body. The tricky thing for me is to know when it's a physical breakdown and when it's a mental breakdown, but I'm slowly (very slowly ) learning.

I think the proliferance of cookie cutter type programmes makes you think that you should have a rigid programme and follow it without fail, but where else in our lives does something like that happen or work?  I mean, academic syllabuses follow that model, but I always learnt better when I had the latitude to go into some things in depth and skirt over others, and when I was obliged to follow a syllabus strictly, it often felt it was moving too fast.

 

I guess I mean I fairly frequently experience what I think is CNS fatigue - that kind of hit by a bus feeling that comes after a heavy series of sessions.  I think it might be because it’s hard with aerial classes to know in advance how hard the classes are going to be - something involving lots of spins doesn’t hit as hard as something that requires lots of pulls and holding of bodyweight.  I’m also guilty of using aerial classes as a means to get out of the house, so pack in more for that reason rather than applying a mindset of what will work best training wise.  But, hey, the aim is to have a happy and healthy life, so it probably doesn’t matter.

[LouCarJo]

3 hours ago, @mu said:

Mhm no sorry that's more like 2 weeks before. Sorry, stats calendar is a bit different from the moon one

Yeah I know there’s meant to be a correlation, but it doesn’t particularly follow strictly for me.  When I was a teenager and really suffered though, there would have been a few days when I’d have been useless due to pain, discomfort, and lack of sleep.  Occasionally I think I feel the impact of hormonal changes, but definitely not consistently.

[LouCarJo]

SATURDAY, 5 MAY

Intermediate pole - all the handstands.  One where one hand is on the pole and the other on the ground - we paired up and our partners helped us to find the correct alignment.  I lucked out with an amazing partner and we both got this.  Then a crucifix into a handstand.  We were meant then to play with the leg position a bit, which I couldn’t really do at all on one side and could do but shakily on the other, but it was all good practice.  Then it was meant to be a cross knee release into handstand with different leg positions.  I moved to the Chinese pole and got my CKR proper (ie no hands) for the first time ever!  Partner was super helpful as she very kindly came over to the Chinese pole to spot me and that was enough mental reassurance to do it.  I didn’t get into the best handstand position from there (shoulders weren’t properly stacked) but as a first attempt I was pleased with it.

 

Stretchy class - mainly legs

 

Beginners pole - I was a bit tired by this stage.  Some cup grip spins, fireman and mermaid spins, swan seat, and hooded ornament.  By this stage my inner thighs were red raw.  It kind of deflated my elation about the intermediates class earlier but I think I was probably too tired to perform properly by this stage.

[Mad Hatter]

3 hours ago, @mu said:

Mhm no sorry that's more like 2 weeks before. Sorry, stats calendar is a bit different from the moon one

 

31 minutes ago, LouCarJo said:

Yeah I know there’s meant to be a correlation, but it doesn’t particularly follow strictly for me.  When I was a teenager and really suffered though, there would have been a few days when I’d have been useless due to pain, discomfort, and lack of sleep.  Occasionally I think I feel the impact of hormonal changes, but definitely not consistently.

Just curious.  I'm on an IUD and don't get periods anymore so for me it's impossible to tell what's going on, especially with a lack of program.

 

35 minutes ago, LouCarJo said:

I think the proliferance of cookie cutter type programmes makes you think that you should have a rigid programme and follow it without fail, but where else in our lives does something like that happen or work?  I mean, academic syllabuses follow that model, but I always learnt better when I had the latitude to go into some things in depth and skirt over others, and when I was obliged to follow a syllabus strictly, it often felt it was moving too fast.

Exactly. And even then the cookie cutter programs will only work for so long before you have to tweak or deload or switch altogether.

 

36 minutes ago, LouCarJo said:

I guess I mean I fairly frequently experience what I think is CNS fatigue - that kind of hit by a bus feeling that comes after a heavy series of sessions.  I think it might be because it’s hard with aerial classes to know in advance how hard the classes are going to be - something involving lots of spins doesn’t hit as hard as something that requires lots of pulls and holding of bodyweight.  I’m also guilty of using aerial classes as a means to get out of the house, so pack in more for that reason rather than applying a mindset of what will work best training wise.  But, hey, the aim is to have a happy and healthy life, so it probably doesn’t matter.

It would be nice if aerial instructor would use a progressive overload scheme to training. It's quite often that you just jump from skill to skill without repeating it for a few weeks and as you say sometimes it's very heavy and sometimes not. I also wonder how much learning new skills all the time affect mental fatigue, as opposed to just training and doing the same movements over and over. 

Yes to the bolded statement! As long as you don't feel guilty about deloads and rest days it's all good.  

 

Yay for the CKR!  

 

34 minutes ago, LouCarJo said:

By this stage my inner thighs were red raw.

Oh the joys of pole.  

 

[LouCarJo]

5 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

 

It would be nice if aerial instructor would use a progressive overload scheme to training. It's quite often that you just jump from skill to skill without repeating it for a few weeks and as you say sometimes it's very heavy and sometimes not. I also wonder how much learning new skills all the time affect mental fatigue, as opposed to just training and doing the same movements over and over. 

Yes to the bolded statement! As long as you don't feel guilty about deloads and rest days it's all good.  

 

Oh the joys of pole.  

 

Yeah I find routines really mentally draining.

 

Have you known of aerial studios that pay attention to progressive programming?  We tend to have a theme for a week, such as spins or handstands.  Conditioning at the beginning of class is vaguely pitched to the level of the class but really there’s a lot of trying stuff and if you can’t do it just either trying some more or regressing; no real troubleshooting in the sense of “work at x accessory exercise, which should ultimately help”.

 

Pole = such pain sometimes (most of the time).

[@mu]

19 hours ago, LouCarJo said:

 Then it was meant to be a cross knee release into handstand with different leg positions.  I moved to the Chinese pole and got my CKR proper (ie no hands) for the first time ever!  

 

Yo! Level up!

 

13 hours ago, LouCarJo said:

Have you known of aerial studios that pay attention to progressive programming?
no real troubleshooting in the sense of “work at x accessory exercise, which should ultimately help”

It can be difficult in class settings. Back in Scotland, classes would be over 6 weeks and there was definitely some programming going into each block. Starting light and slow, and progressively loading either the skill level or the intensity/length of the sequence. There used to be a week off between each block as well. And there was a clear progression over the year. Every so often we would have checks on the fundamentals. It was more obvious in one classes where we were a fairly homogeneous group and always the same (she really knew everybody's little weaknesses). In other classes with more turn-over or a mixed-level group, it was more difficult for teachers to do these sorts of things.
Does you studio also have open sessions where you can go and work on your own?
 

[Mad Hatter]

In Sweden classes would be a bit more like @@mu was describing, at least sometimes, but only per course. If you take a lot of classes per week it all falls apart. I think it's really hard to do with pole though as there are so many components to pole dancing, even more than aerial. You've got tricks and spins, choreo and floorwork, and handstands, and flips and flexy and they all need to somehow come together. Unless you're working one on one with a coach trying to structure that is a bit of a nightmare so I think it becomes a lot more about pushing yourself in class while listening to your body and, if possible, work on specific weaknesses and repeating tricks in open sessions. 

 

Here in Finland I feel my studio was a lot more haphazard and there was no head teacher that really knew everyone. In Sweden the head teacher was absolutely fantastic and knew everyone and their level and strengths and weaknesses. 

 

The one on one sessions you have are a goldmine though! Such a great addition to your package.

[LouCarJo]

On 07/05/2018 at 4:49 AM, @mu said:

 

Yo! Level up!

 

It can be difficult in class settings. Back in Scotland, classes would be over 6 weeks and there was definitely some programming going into each block. Starting light and slow, and progressively loading either the skill level or the intensity/length of the sequence. There used to be a week off between each block as well. And there was a clear progression over the year. Every so often we would have checks on the fundamentals. It was more obvious in one classes where we were a fairly homogeneous group and always the same (she really knew everybody's little weaknesses). In other classes with more turn-over or a mixed-level group, it was more difficult for teachers to do these sorts of things.
Does you studio also have open sessions where you can go and work on your own?
 

Agree it’s difficult with classes.  This sounds like a good attempt though.

 

There are open sessions but they’re not convenient - early afternoons on Wednesdays and Thursdays.  As it’s a good half hour each way, I can’t do that during a lunchtime break, say.

[LouCarJo]

On 07/05/2018 at 11:18 AM, Mad Hatter said:

In Sweden classes would be a bit more like @@mu was describing, at least sometimes, but only per course. If you take a lot of classes per week it all falls apart. I think it's really hard to do with pole though as there are so many components to pole dancing, even more than aerial. You've got tricks and spins, choreo and floorwork, and handstands, and flips and flexy and they all need to somehow come together. Unless you're working one on one with a coach trying to structure that is a bit of a nightmare so I think it becomes a lot more about pushing yourself in class while listening to your body and, if possible, work on specific weaknesses and repeating tricks in open sessions. 

 

Here in Finland I feel my studio was a lot more haphazard and there was no head teacher that really knew everyone. In Sweden the head teacher was absolutely fantastic and knew everyone and their level and strengths and weaknesses. 

 

The one on one sessions you have are a goldmine though! Such a great addition to your package.

Interesting.  Yes, the teachers I have tend to be very good in knowing people.  There is more obvious grading in pole skills.  In aerial it’s less obvious what the progression is, ie what skills you should have before moving up to other ones.  It would clearly be better if I could repeat skills etc on my own, but as mentioned above, open sessions are really limited.  The one to one sessions are very effective though, even though it’s getting to a point now where they get booked up months in advance.

[LouCarJo]

TUESDAY, 8 MAY

Jump squats 3 sets of 5 - same speed as last week despite having slept incredibly badly

 

Segmented deadlifts (pause below knee, above knee, below hip) 

5 with 60kg, 3x5 with 65kg

 

Block deadlifts (bar just below knee)

3 with 75kg, 3x3 with 80kg

 

3 x 30 second hold planks with hands in rings

 

3 x 12/12 pallof press

 

3 x 30 second hold paralette tuck holds 

 

[@mu]

10 hours ago, LouCarJo said:

3 x 30 second hold paralette tuck holds 

 

Woot woot, what do I see, parallettes? Got a pair?

[LouCarJo]

17 hours ago, @mu said:

Woot woot, what do I see, parallettes? Got a pair?

Ha ha, I was going to tag you but clearly didn’t need to!  Not mine, they’re in the gym.  I need my husband to sell his broken car to free up space in the garage so I can make it a home gym I actually enjoy working out in before I buy myself any more toys!

[LouCarJo]

WEDNESDAY, 9 MAY

All the aerial:

- pole silks - chair spin type thing and plank with feet up the pole and leaning back

- trapeze - two arm and one arm hangs

- silks - foot lock to stand and hold with wrists wrapped and pushing arms out to bring feet off the floor (I could do this from the ground but not from a stand as it was so sore on the wrists)

- Chinese pole - climb and angel hangs

 

Intermediate pole - my god this was a terrible class for me - I couldn’t do anything.  We were meant to be doing a crucifix and then lots of different handstands and I managed an invert and that was it (couldn’t take my hands off or move them at all)

[@mu]

What have you been up to? Tout va bien?