Best of 2013: My Dog is Okay - PDBA December Blog Hop

The best of 2013

This blog post is written in separate segments, is very disjointed, starts out sad, and is not pole-related,

so be forewarned. This is just a compilation of my thoughts through this entire ordeal.

Around Thanksgiving 2013:
This year is turning out to be terrible. I hate being negative, I truly do. Honestly, I wish things were different so much. I tried being strong, and managed for 2 weeks. Something is wrong with my dog, and I still don't know what. It started with him yelping when I pet him, a few days before Thanksgiving. That lasted for a few days, so we had him checked. Vet figured it was a bruised rib and gave him some pain medication. Within days of the visit, small masses began appearing on his torso. He has at least 10 that sprouted within days. One of them is the size of a ping pong ball. They are tender we you feel them. At this time he also developed a fever. The fever goes up and down everyday. Part of the day he's normal temperature, other parts he's got a fever. This has been going on for 2 weeks. Doctor did an needle aspiration and found nothing. Most of the slides didn't even take, which fat can do, but why would fatty tumors appear so suddenly and give him a fever. I don't think they would. My fear is he has an aggressive cancer. Right now he is acting happy. He eats, plays, goes potty normally. He's just very lumpy and has a fever. He's on two different antibiotics.

Jazzing up your heels!

One day, while I was perusing pinterest, I came across Heel Condoms.

Of course, my girly side emerged and I got so excited, but I am on a budget and cannot justify the expense at the moment. One day I will invest in a pair, because they are just so darn cute, but in the meantime I have a cheap option to get a similar effect. This would be a great way to jazz up your pole shoes, or even your everyday heels.

For about $3, you can buy a roll of ribbon from JoAnn's, or any other fabric/ crafts store. Cut a long length, and wrap around your shoe. There are many variations on how you can wrap. You can also do this with hem tape. I found a cute black lace hem tape and nabbed a pack for about $2. If you have shoes with a broken strap, or no strap, this can work as a cheap alternative to clear straps. Below are a few examples of what I came up with (pardon my dog, he wouldn't go away):.

Pole levels: are we disouraging?

Poling levels seem to be varied depending on the studio one is at. There doesn't seem to be a consistent definition of what the levels are in pole. Some studios consider most basic spins to be level 1, while others consider them level 2. I have a DVD that considers and handstand on the pole a basic move. Some studios use the terms beginning, intermediate and advance. These discrepancies can cause confusion to the students, and can be rather discouraging.

I've gotten to the point where I dislike the terms "beginner," "intermediate," and "advanced." They do not seem to be descriptive of the challenge that pole poses, and they can be discouraging to individuals who are stuck in the "beginner" or "intermediate" phase. I know I got frustrated when I had been poling for 2 years and was still considered a "beginner."

Why do you hate me 2012?

So 2012 has been interesting for me. It did have it's good side, but boy did it have it's bad side!

Lets start with the bad...

This year I have injured myself more times than I have EVER injured myself in my lifetime. Some of it was pole related, some not. Almost all of them have hindered my progress in pole though.


This summer I did something stupid, and it taught me to ALWAYS USE MY CRASH MAT! I always use my crash mat, but the ONE time I didn't, I fell out of a bow and arrow, landing on the side of my head and shoulder. That move is now on my NEVER AGAIN list..

This is what my shoulder looked like after the fall...I hate to think what my head looked like...

"Stripping" the sexy: October pole blog hop

We all know pole has a stigma. Many of us hide our poler side from others in order to protect ourselves from job discrimination, family drama, being shunned, etc. Due to this stigma, there is a "sanitization" movement occurring in pole. I do not mean rubbing alcohol on the poles to get off our grip aid residue. No, the goal of this movement is to make pole more accepted in the mainstream world, by stripping out any element that ties pole to the exotic dance industry. But is this "sanitization" really necessary?

X Stage Lite

I give you, the x stage light. This stage pole has almost 10 feet of usable pole, is portable, sturdy and safe. It differs from the original X stage in that it has a shorter platform and a bit more usable pole. My X stage lite is my baby. I am very protective of my baby!

 Stage poles are mainly for poling outdoors or doing public performances, at a venue that does not have poles. Though they can be used as a home pole, it is not recommended, as that is not their intended use. It can be used as a home pole if there are no other options for the individual. Keep in mind that the bearing may need to be periodically replaced due to heavy use. 

Stage poles have a lot of flex. That is because they are not secured at the top. Though the dancer probably won't notice the flex, it can be seen by bystanders. The first time I used my stage, in front of my fiancee, his eyes got huge and he said "sooo much flex." It's okay honey, it wont break!

September pole blog hop - Au Naturale!

I'm a chronic migraine sufferer, so I've spent years trying to figure out ways to prevent them. One of the things I tried is eliminating as many synthetic chemicals I am exposed to as possible. Though they did not change my migraine frequency or intensity, I do like the products I have found and like the peace of mind that they give me.  As polers we strive to take care of our bodies. Pole starts out as toning and shaping our bodies, which leads into healthy eating. Naturally, it would make sense for this to transition to other aspects of how we treat our bodies.

Another aspect of product purchasing I like to look for is environmentally friendly, not tested on animals,  and fair trade. I also like to support small businesses. The following list is of items I have found that fit my requirements, and that I have found to be good products. I had some DIY's that didn't quite work out, so I will save you the trouble by not including them here.

Note: If you want to see ingredients lists of various grip aides, I did blog posts on sticky & antiperspirant grip aides, to help you decide is right for you.

A Day in the Life of a Pole Dancer (July pole blog hop)

Per the July pole blog hop, this is my IDEAL day, though it doesn't always follow this pattern. I give you, the day in the life of a pole dancer, fur baby mama!

In the morning I wake up to wiggly pups. Sometimes they start trying to wake me up earlier than my alarm clock, but lately they have been good boys and let me sleep until my alarm clock goes off. After that, KISSES!

Meet Gryphon(dor)

Favorite items for sore muscles

This entry will be simple. I just want to tell you guys what I do for my soreness and tight muscles.

Meet my torture devices!

Divine Dancewear: Anthony's Shoes by Tony's Shoes

Anthony heels - glitter painted

I recently received my pair of heels made by Anthony's Heels, which is a sub-section of Tony's Shoes. I had never heard of Tony's Shoes before and wanted to give them a try. I ordered a pair of their red 7" heels with clear strap. They arrived in a timely manner. I tried them on and they fit me perfectly. They are very comfortable and the strap isn't too tight like some heels are, on me. I truly love them. The tread on the heels is a finer tread, much like Ellie, so they glide on the floor really easy. I can do pirouettes with ease in them. I do not get skid marks on my floor just by walking, which happens with some of my other heels. They will mark the floor in heels slides, but that would be the case for most heels.

I truly love these heels. They have become my go to heels for pole practice.

My experience: Reflections Heels

*Disclaimer: This is my experience and may not be the experience of others!

In the spirit of reviewing dancewear, I feel I should pass on my experiences, both good and unpleasant. Keep in mind, this is just my experience and there is no guarantee the same experience would occur for others who purchase from this manufacturer.

There are several heel companies out there that I hear very little about and want to try their product, so on March 25th, I ordered a pair of  6 3/4" sparkle heels in light pink, from Reflection Shoes. What I received was the same pair of heels, in purple, on May 20th. The 3rd party vendor was extremely helpful in this order delay. I expected a 1-4 week time frame for the shoes to ship, per the 3rd party vendors website. When 4 weeks came and went I inquired about my order. They let me know that the heels would be on their next shipment. It took another several weeks for the heels to arrive at my home.

Rhinestone heels

You know the saying "diamonds are a girls best friend?" Well, how about rhinestones, glitter, or anything sparkly? I am a bit like a raccoon. I love shiny objects. I can't help it! It's engrained in my DNA or something. 

That being said, it shouldn't be surprising that I would want a few pairs of crystal-covered heels. I found these beautiful heels by PleaserUSA. They are part of their Bejeweled and Day and Night collections. They are not really for dancing so much as for a night out. The straps are a soft suede material, which would not be good for pole. I cannot express how much I love these heels. People ask me "what would you wear them for?" My response is "I'll make a reason!" They are so unbelievable sparkly! They are also very comfortable. A must have!

BEJEWELED-609DM

Should I use a grip aid?

This topic comes up A LOT, and it always brings up mixed feelings, depending on the person expressing the feelings. I used to advocate on the side of not using grip aids, as a beginner, with the idea that they could become a crutch. I have now had a change in my feelings, due to my constant fluctuations in body chemistry.

No grip? But Why?

Everyone will have grip issues at some point in their pole journey. Some more than others, but here are a few things you should consider when you are having grip issues.

Are you properly warmed up?
The body sticks better when it is warm. Your body should start to produce a little bit of sweat as you start to warm up. That little bit of sweat actually adds grip to your body. Do at least a 10 minute warm up when you pole. In addition to helping you stick, it redistributes blood flow, slowly, to working muscles and your skin. This helps you body gradually adjust to the workout and decrease your chance of injury.

Divine Dancewear: Highest Heel

So most of us are familiar with Pleaser and Ellie heels, for our pole shoes, but did you know that there are other brands? I didn't until about a year ago. Today I want to introduce you to:

The Highest Heel: 

I have their Amber-201, in red. They are ADORABLE! We all know about clear platform heels, but colored? My favorite color is red, so when I saw red clear platforms I had to have them!

Photo used with permission from The Highest Heel

June Pole Blog Hop: Wish I knew...

Things I wish I knew before I started pole dancing.

This is such a huge topic for me. It seems that a huge portion of this blog is dedicated to informing others on things I wish I had known when I started poling.

The first thing I wish I had known is, that the 50mm pole I learned on was not for me. I struggled on that thing for 2 years before I realized I didn't HAVE to use a 50mm. I knew there were other diameters, but for some reason I went with what I knew. I will avoid 50s at all
costs now! LOL

#2: I'm not the only one with sweaty hands! I remember having sweaty hand issues in high school, when I was paranoid my flag would fly out of my hands in a performance. None of the others girl seemed to have this problem and I didn't get it. I now know I'm not alone, and that there are products made specifically for that problem.

#3: Not everyone will react to a pole in the same way. I had to try every finish out there before finally settling on one that worked for me. What worked for others, didn't work for me.

#4: Use grip aids if necessary. I didn't even know about grip aids when I first started. It wasn't until I found StudioVeena that I found out what grip aids were and what they could do.

#5: Pole shoes are addicting...

#6: so are pole clothes...

My goal with this blog is to save you as much frustration as I possibly can, in your pole journey.

Want more June blog hop posts? Here you go!

Pole Sleeve

My pole sleeve is here! I am here to tell you guys about my pole sleeve experience. I placed my order, in February, for a pink pole sleeve. Victor let me know that the pink would be ready in March, which I agreed to. He did answer my questions when I would call him for updates, and he gave me an email and tracking number, when my sleeve shipped. It arrived quickly after shipment. In the package was: the pole sleeve, a carrying bag, and an adapter for your air source.

Pole Gloves to the rescue!

I have had sweaty hands for as long as I can remember. In high school I was on color guard and the short flag/pep flag team. I remember ALWAYS being paranoid about the flags slipping out of my hands because my palms were always sweaty. I couldn't understand why the other girls didn't share my grief. Now that I have joined the pole community I have discovered that I am not the only sweaty hands sufferer!

When I first started poling, I again ran into the issue of not being able to hold on to the pole well. I was constantly wiping my hands and drying them with the fan. Over the years I have tried literally EVERYTHING to stop my sweaty hands. I was always terrified of going into a spin, losing my grip, and whirling on my butt into the wall.

I've tried:

• Tite Grip
• Dry Hands
• Dirty Girl Poletice
• Certain-Dri 
• Drysol - prescription strength antiperspirant

I even tried adding tack with:

• Camers Firm Grip 
• Mighty Grip 

Shifting X Pert - troubleshooting

So, this problem comes up often. You're practicing a spin on your pole and all of a sudden, you feel it shift. You look at the pole like, WTF?! I could have SWORN I had it in stationary mode. You check the screws and they all seem tight. Not everyone knows that there is another set of screws that could be the culprit, right under the adjuster cover. I did a video on troubleshooting this issue. Hopefully it can help you, if you ever run across this problem!

Discoveries Dance Instructor Training

Photo used with permission from Discoveries Dance

After spending the last 2 years slowly prepping for my ACE Group Fitness Certification exam, I finally took the test and passed. I cannot express how good it feels to be done with that exam! Now that that is complete, I can move onto other fitness endeavors. Part of the reason I got my ACE fitness cert first was that several pole teacher trainings count as continuing education credits for ACE. My main goal was to do a pole teacher training, but insurance companies sometimes require fitness certifications for coverage, so I decided to get the ACE certification, then move onto the pole teacher training.

Grip Aids: Sticky

There are tons of grip aids out there for pole. They come in two categories: antiperspirants and sticky (for added grip). Below are some of the different sticky grip aids, most of which I've used. Not every grip aid is for everyone. Hopefully this guide will help you decide which one is for you. Note: I will be posting a separate post on the antiperspirant grip aids.

Mighty Grip:

Grip Aids: Antiperspirant

There are tons of grip aids out there for pole. They come in two categories: antiperspirants and sticky (for added grip). Below are some of the different antiperspirant grip aids, most of which I've used. Not every grip aid is for everyone. Hopefully this guide will help you decide which one is for you. Note: I will be posting a separate post on the sticky grip aids.

Tite Grip I:

Divine Dancewear: Bella Shorts

I did a Divine Dancewear post recently on Dragonfly Yoga Wear, highlighting their unique fitness wear. Dragonly yogawear kindly sent me a pair of  their Bella Shorts for review!

Photo used with permission from Dragonfly Yoga Wear

I have to say, these shorts are just as adorable as the appear. I love the front ruching. So far, I've had several girls compliment me on them, during pole jam sessions.

Divine Dancewear: Dragonfly Yoga Wear

We all know that pole shorts are an essential for any pole workout. Finding cute shorts that are short enough, yet provide full coverage can be difficult. I happened across these adorable Bella shorts on Dragonfly Yoga Wear's facebook. I want them so much!!!!

Photo used with permission from Dragonfly Yoga Wear

Pole Brands - a comprehensive look

People often ask the differences between the pole companies, and have trouble deciding which one they should go with. This list will highlight the key features of the poles from each of the pole companies. I am only going to cover the removable poles, although some companies offer permanent options as well.



Lil' Mynx: 

Lil 'Mynx is the most affordable removable pole. They come is stainless steel and powder coated, and in 50mm (2in) and 45mm (1.75in) diameters. They come in stationary and stationary/spinning. They come in sizes for 8-9 foot ceilings and 9-10 foot ceilings, but can be made in custom heights. The poles require a permanent mount to be drilled into a joist with one screw. The mount can be disguised as a plant hook.

Pole Materials - the differences

Oh that dreaded decision. Every person considering purchasing a pole will have to make this difficult decision.  Unfortunately, there is no one answer. Everyone is different. Not everyone wants the same traits in a material, nor does everyone react the same to a given pole material.

Being such a major decision  I'd like to give you some of the information I have collected over the years, and my own personal experiences with each finish.

Stainless Steel: It has come in two forms.

Mirror finish:

Pole Finishes

So there has been a lot of debate about the different pole finishes out there, i.e. high shine polish versus matte finish. When X Pole originally released their stainless steel and brass X Perts, they came in a dulled shine, matte finish. This is in contrast to Platinum Stages and Pole Danzer's high shine finish. Both finishes have their pros and cons, which I will get into more.

Omni-gym, aerial yoga, and lyra (oh my!)

Omni Gym - Rock it Stand and Omni Swing:

So we all know about yoga, but aerial yoga? When I first heard about this new fitness form, I was skeptical, but the more I looked into it, the more fun and relaxing it looked. Of course, there were no classes offered any closer than 2 hours away, so I was stuck pining over my aerial yoga need, with no way to practice it. That's when I heard about the at home yoga swings. Most people know about the FlyGym, that has been advertised by fellow polers. Unfortunately, I live in an apartment, so the rigging needed to put up a yoga swing, into the ceiling, is not something I can do. I went back to being bummed...until I found out about the omni gym setup. It's a freestanding rig that is easy to set up and take down. It takes me just a few minutes to do both. It was PERFECT for my needs! I have a large living room, so I knew I could make it work. The base is about 8' in diameter and the shortest height the omni gym goes is 7'11" (luckily I have vaulted ceilings.) I purchased my set when they ran a mega-sale over the holidays. I couldn't be happier with this rig. The design is unique and durable. It hooks together by metal poles with snap buttons on each end, making putting the tubes together and taking them apart a snap (pun intended.) It comes with a yoga swing that is padded, for comfort, and several handles to aid in your stretches, and to do TRX style exercises. It's like having a TRX and yoga hammock in one! It also comes with a spring loaded trapeze that functions as a pull-up bar (for us bad-ass poler girls to strength train) and to soften the hang of the swing. The ring, where the swing clips to the rig, swivels so you rotate in the poses! The rig itself has handles on one arm, to aid in stretching and exercises. Below are some photos of the rig in action.

Omni-gym in my living room

Pole Diameters - comparison

When purchasing a pole, choosing a diameter is a big decision (poles are expensive!) Everyone goes back and forth on what they want. When pole first started in the U.S., the only diameter available was the 50mm (2".) Companies eventually realized that the smaller-handed population needed a different sized pole, so the 45mm (1.75") came out. When I bought my first pole, the only options were 50mm and 45mm. Now, several years later, the 40mm and 38mm (1.5") have come out, making the decision on diameters that much harder! What diameter is for you? Well, that depends on the individual and several factors, which I will discuss.

The 50mm, which I believe is actually 50.8mm OD, is the largest of the diameters. It used to be the standard pole size in the U.S., until recently. A lot of studios have them because they are the strongest of the diameters, therefore they are safer for taller ceilings. They do not have as much flex as the other diameters. This diameter is really good for thigh holds and large hands. Knee holds can be a little harder on this diameter as are tricks in which you wrap your body. I find the inside and outside leg hangs awkward on this diameter since I have a short torso, so wrapping my leg around this pole while avoiding my lowest rib is awkward. I know that girls with very thin legs like 50mm poles for thigh holds. I am short and have meaty thighs. I find thigh holds to be fine, but any other movement to be awkward. Tall girls, with large hands, and males should do just fine on a 50mm.

50mm poles are sold by Platinum Stages, X Pole, Lil' Mynx, and Pole Danzer. They come in stainless steel, chrome, titanium gold, brass, and powder coated.

 

My hand fully wrapped on a 50mm                     Gun grip on a 50mm