I have a recurring dream, and it's of me doing the splits.
I remembered this the other day when I was practising - maybe I should work up to it, maybe the dream is saying I should do for it. Last night I dreamt of doing the splits - except in the dream I was remarking on how I have this recurring dream, and that I should try it, and lo and behold I did the splits effortlessly. Odd.
Back to real life, and I've done the splits once. I think I was about 13, I was in a dance class, practising, I remember it was towards the end of class and so my dad was waiting with the other parents. I went into the stretch too quickly, bounced right down into the splits which hurt. I remember saying, "shit," and hoping my dad hadn't heard me or read my lips. Haha!
Anyway, I have very short, tight hamstrings and I can't even touch my toes without serious warm up and even then it's very painful and I can only just do it.
I've got a Pole-da-cise class today, if I remember, I'll give it a go at the end of the class once I'm warmed up to see how far off I am (miles and miles I bet!) :)
Wednesday 30 July 2008
Sunday 27 July 2008
First video
Sisko woke me up at 5.30 this morning by jumping all over me. He's our kitten and he has no idea about letting us have a lie in... shall have the door closed tonight as I've work tomorrow.
But anyway, I got up, did the washing up, then took the dogs up the hill, which is always gorgeous in the early morning.
I then spent all the rest of the morning, which was about 3 hours, practising pole and taking lots of videos. It's really useful, I can see what I'm doing wrong and what I need to work on, currently posture and trying to smooth everything down, I'm not very graceful! That's in addition to the technical work , course. Copter is going better, reverse sundial is sort of half getting there and all in all it was a good workout.
I then spent about 5 hours working out how to covert .mov files from the camera to .avi/.mpeg and then edit them all into a half decent video. If I can be bothered and if I find enough time when I'm bothered and in the mood to laugh at myself and let the world laugh with me, I might make a 'bloopers' video, as I recorded a few of them! One was a proper falling off an invert, and at that moment I loved my foam sofa cushion more than anything in the world :)
But yeah, I'm achy but happy, I want to do some more now but I know that will wake me up and I really need to get to sleep at a decent hour tonight, I was buzzing til midnight last night.
But anyway, I got up, did the washing up, then took the dogs up the hill, which is always gorgeous in the early morning.
I then spent all the rest of the morning, which was about 3 hours, practising pole and taking lots of videos. It's really useful, I can see what I'm doing wrong and what I need to work on, currently posture and trying to smooth everything down, I'm not very graceful! That's in addition to the technical work , course. Copter is going better, reverse sundial is sort of half getting there and all in all it was a good workout.
I then spent about 5 hours working out how to covert .mov files from the camera to .avi/.mpeg and then edit them all into a half decent video. If I can be bothered and if I find enough time when I'm bothered and in the mood to laugh at myself and let the world laugh with me, I might make a 'bloopers' video, as I recorded a few of them! One was a proper falling off an invert, and at that moment I loved my foam sofa cushion more than anything in the world :)
But yeah, I'm achy but happy, I want to do some more now but I know that will wake me up and I really need to get to sleep at a decent hour tonight, I was buzzing til midnight last night.
Saturday 26 July 2008
Leftie!
Well, I did my pole practice left handed today.
This isn't so odd, given that I am in fact left handed, but I've learned pole right handed so far, as I do most sports right handed and it's so much easier. I'm so glad I didn't learn guitar left handed!
So, I found out something interesting: I'm much better doing it left handed! :)
Reason I swapped was because I've really hurt my right tricep (you only make the mistake of not warming up properly once) and it was giving me too much grief and I desperately wanted to practice.
I've made some silly videos but they are far too silly for public display, but were a giggle.
Picked up a new move, too, the Cradle, from the X-Pole DVD, which was surprisingly easy to get. Yay.
I plan to practice lots tomorrow, I did no inverts today (can't do that left handed, I tried) and I really need to get the Copter, it's my next target.
I'm winning on the shoes I'm bidding for on Ebay. I'm hoping I don't break my ankles...
This isn't so odd, given that I am in fact left handed, but I've learned pole right handed so far, as I do most sports right handed and it's so much easier. I'm so glad I didn't learn guitar left handed!
So, I found out something interesting: I'm much better doing it left handed! :)
Reason I swapped was because I've really hurt my right tricep (you only make the mistake of not warming up properly once) and it was giving me too much grief and I desperately wanted to practice.
I've made some silly videos but they are far too silly for public display, but were a giggle.
Picked up a new move, too, the Cradle, from the X-Pole DVD, which was surprisingly easy to get. Yay.
I plan to practice lots tomorrow, I did no inverts today (can't do that left handed, I tried) and I really need to get the Copter, it's my next target.
I'm winning on the shoes I'm bidding for on Ebay. I'm hoping I don't break my ankles...
Thursday 24 July 2008
Off topic
I lost my rook piercing yesterday.
I don't like retiring piercings, it's quite a sad affair, but this one just wasn't healing, and enough was enough. I had it done in April 2006, same time as my left nipple, so if it hadn't healed by now it wasn't going to. The lovely lass who took it out for me offered to put a titanium bar in it to see if that would heal it. I declined but now am wondering if I made the right decision! For the hassle factor, getting rid of it was pure win. And I'd rather lose the rook to give my nipple a better chance of healing (it's going through a whingy phase). Apparently bodies are happier only having to heal one piercing at a time, which makes sense. However, the rook is a cool piercing to have and I half wish I'd tried the bar. Ah well, my policy is to have no regrets and thus I've made my decision and am happy with it.
Yesterday's pole lesson was 1-to-1 again as Nicola was away, and the other lass due to join our class couldn't make it either. Lisa is wonderful, I must have had 3 1-to-1 sessions now due to absenteeism (is it me that scares the other folk away?!). She had me practising inverts for an hour - how exhausting!
Its odd how some stuff with pole seems to be 2 steps forward 1 step back: I've successfully done a Crucifix before, both static and spinning. Yet for the past few weeks I've lost my grip and can't take my hands off. Ah well, it will come.
The Copter is still giving me grief - I just can't get it right. I'm sure it's arm positioning. But again, practise makes perfect and all that!
On the plus side, Lisa said some of my other moves were looking really nice, so that's very encouraging.
Anyway, I'm at work and procrastinating. Enough for now.
I don't like retiring piercings, it's quite a sad affair, but this one just wasn't healing, and enough was enough. I had it done in April 2006, same time as my left nipple, so if it hadn't healed by now it wasn't going to. The lovely lass who took it out for me offered to put a titanium bar in it to see if that would heal it. I declined but now am wondering if I made the right decision! For the hassle factor, getting rid of it was pure win. And I'd rather lose the rook to give my nipple a better chance of healing (it's going through a whingy phase). Apparently bodies are happier only having to heal one piercing at a time, which makes sense. However, the rook is a cool piercing to have and I half wish I'd tried the bar. Ah well, my policy is to have no regrets and thus I've made my decision and am happy with it.
Yesterday's pole lesson was 1-to-1 again as Nicola was away, and the other lass due to join our class couldn't make it either. Lisa is wonderful, I must have had 3 1-to-1 sessions now due to absenteeism (is it me that scares the other folk away?!). She had me practising inverts for an hour - how exhausting!
Its odd how some stuff with pole seems to be 2 steps forward 1 step back: I've successfully done a Crucifix before, both static and spinning. Yet for the past few weeks I've lost my grip and can't take my hands off. Ah well, it will come.
The Copter is still giving me grief - I just can't get it right. I'm sure it's arm positioning. But again, practise makes perfect and all that!
On the plus side, Lisa said some of my other moves were looking really nice, so that's very encouraging.
Anyway, I'm at work and procrastinating. Enough for now.
Monday 21 July 2008
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
"So, what is the project you're using these for?"
This was asked by the chap who kindly donated the foam from an old sofa bed for my makeshift trixmat. This is the chap who's already had me collect a few things from him off freecycle, and last time I saw him, on finding out I'm an accountant, asked me to quote for his new business. Do I normall tell prospective clients I do pole?
"I've taken up pole exercise," I told him. "These are to make sure I don't hurt myself when I fall off."
He looked somewhat bemused.
Anyway, it arrived one day early! Took a bit to put it up, and my teeny living room is even teenier now. It's quite a slow spinning pole, not sure why. 4/5 of the ones at the studio are fairly quick, but one in the corner is quite slow, and mine's the same. It's kinda good, though, I'd rather have a slow spinner than one that spun too fast. I need to get some chalk or Gorilla Gold, too, it's mighty slippery as it is.
But.... Yaaay!
Enough typy, more spinny!
This was asked by the chap who kindly donated the foam from an old sofa bed for my makeshift trixmat. This is the chap who's already had me collect a few things from him off freecycle, and last time I saw him, on finding out I'm an accountant, asked me to quote for his new business. Do I normall tell prospective clients I do pole?
"I've taken up pole exercise," I told him. "These are to make sure I don't hurt myself when I fall off."
He looked somewhat bemused.
Anyway, it arrived one day early! Took a bit to put it up, and my teeny living room is even teenier now. It's quite a slow spinning pole, not sure why. 4/5 of the ones at the studio are fairly quick, but one in the corner is quite slow, and mine's the same. It's kinda good, though, I'd rather have a slow spinner than one that spun too fast. I need to get some chalk or Gorilla Gold, too, it's mighty slippery as it is.
But.... Yaaay!
Enough typy, more spinny!
Sunday 20 July 2008
Owch and stuff
Cor, I'm feeling it today! Its normal for my arms and leg muscles to ache, but my back and shoulders are giving me hell today. Serves me right for falling off onto my back really! Just as well I have to wait a couple of days for my pole to arrive, give my body a chance to recover. Yesterday was a valuable lesson in warming up too, I rushed it and pulled a few muscles as I was practising. Patience is a virtue! I paid a bit more attention to warming down, that's for sure. It's quite nice, though, to feel that my body's had a workout, and I do love the endorphins from exercising, helps keep my various energy levels up.
Today I'm decorating the house in my ancient army trousers and Pooh Bear T-shirt. How very glamorous ;-)
Today I'm decorating the house in my ancient army trousers and Pooh Bear T-shirt. How very glamorous ;-)
Saturday 19 July 2008
3 days to go!
I can't remember what made me think of it, but 3 months ago I decided to look up pole dancing. I found there was a dance studio near me, the fabulous Pole-da-cise in Trowbridge. 3 months later, I've had 11 lessons and I am addicted! So much so that I've ordered my own X-Pole for home. As you may have guessed, it arrives in 3 days. Very exciting!
I'm really chuffed to have found a really good form of exercise that is fun and enjoyable. I've never really been one for going to the gym, it's always felt like a chore, but this is brilliant! Pole dancing is far more than erotic dancing in clubs. It's a great fun way to keep fit, feel good about yourself and build your confidence. This is the first thing in many many years that I've felt passionate about, and absorbed enough to actually keep a blog about. Hopefully this will give me something to look back on to see how far I've come, and I'd be delighted if it inspires you to take up pole or any other form of exercise or activity that you feel good about.
As this blog is to chart my progress, I'll briefly note where I'm up to. Today I booked some time in the studio and managed at last to sit on the pole and do split-legs, which is an achievement. I'm still working on street spins (getting there) and copters are going badly but I'm making a little progress. I also tried a spin I've seen on YouTube - I really should learn the names of them all. It's the one with 2 hands on the pole, facing the pole, and split legs either side. The upper body and abdominal strength needed for this move is incredible! I can't get my legs very high nor sustain the spin for long, but it's nice to have new things to work on and aim for.
I'm searching my local freecycle for old cushions etc to use as a crash-mat at home. The Trixmats are wonderful but at £70 I fancy something a bit DIY, given that I've only just forked out on the pole itself. Will have to see how that pans out! At this stage, I'd be silly to try inverted moves without a mat - I've already been grateful for the mats at the studio and would be really bruised without them. I should say more bruised - pole dancing and leg bruises are good friends!
I'm really chuffed to have found a really good form of exercise that is fun and enjoyable. I've never really been one for going to the gym, it's always felt like a chore, but this is brilliant! Pole dancing is far more than erotic dancing in clubs. It's a great fun way to keep fit, feel good about yourself and build your confidence. This is the first thing in many many years that I've felt passionate about, and absorbed enough to actually keep a blog about. Hopefully this will give me something to look back on to see how far I've come, and I'd be delighted if it inspires you to take up pole or any other form of exercise or activity that you feel good about.
As this blog is to chart my progress, I'll briefly note where I'm up to. Today I booked some time in the studio and managed at last to sit on the pole and do split-legs, which is an achievement. I'm still working on street spins (getting there) and copters are going badly but I'm making a little progress. I also tried a spin I've seen on YouTube - I really should learn the names of them all. It's the one with 2 hands on the pole, facing the pole, and split legs either side. The upper body and abdominal strength needed for this move is incredible! I can't get my legs very high nor sustain the spin for long, but it's nice to have new things to work on and aim for.
I'm searching my local freecycle for old cushions etc to use as a crash-mat at home. The Trixmats are wonderful but at £70 I fancy something a bit DIY, given that I've only just forked out on the pole itself. Will have to see how that pans out! At this stage, I'd be silly to try inverted moves without a mat - I've already been grateful for the mats at the studio and would be really bruised without them. I should say more bruised - pole dancing and leg bruises are good friends!
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