newbie, where do i begin ?!

Greetings Feline started this discussion · 4/14/2014

I recently purchased a pole because I want to tone up and be strong and flexible. I've been watching tons of videos online with beautiful dance routines and i love the art that it is. the only problem is: I'm severely out of shape :( and I'm constantly on my feet at my job which makes me super stiff. also I've terrible blood circulation and get numbness in the arms, hands, and feet. what I'm trying to get at is: WHERE DO I BEGIN?? how does someone as weak as me build up to finally begin to use a pole for more than a spin ?

6 replies

JoleneBell · 4/14/2014
Hey, Feline! First of all, take heart. Right now, pole may seem this grandiose, complicated, and intimidating thing. I can assure you that it's not. Really. We can make it complicated, though, and that's when things become overwhelming and discouraging. I have a short list of advice for you. Ready? 1. If you have any extreme health issues, of course clear vigorous exercise with your doc. I would also recommend going to a good chiropractor to stimulate your circulation. The numbness sounds like it could be tied to your spine.Get on some supplements to encourage circulation also. If you don't know where to start, I can recommend some for you. 2. Keep it simple. I cannot stress this enough. I'm preaching to myself, as well. 3. Subscribe to the lessons on here. Truly. They are all listed in order, and Veena walks you through each and every step. It's like having a trainer next to you, talking you through as you learn. 4. DON'T look at advanced dancers and believe that is what you must accomplish in short order. Those ladies (and gents) have been poling for years. There is no comparison. 5. Recognize this is your own journey. YOURS. NEVER compare yourself to others. Do YOUR thing. 6. Utilize the discussions and support of this site!!! You will find everyone on here encouraging, supportive, and kind. 7. Start with the Beginner's lesson section and TAKE IT AT YOUR OWN PACE. Sorry for the dramatic caps, but I can promise you, if you stick with it, you will improve. 8. Remember that pole is about having fun!!! It will be whatever you make it. I hope this is encouraging and helpful to you! We're all here for you.
iheartpole · 4/14/2014
Wow Jolene that was awesome. all of it is spot on especially # "7. Start with the Beginner's lesson section and TAKE IT AT YOUR OWN PACE. Sorry for the dramatic caps, but I can promise you, if you stick with it, you will improve." I really felt the basic lessons and work outs in the beginners lessons helped me the most in gaining strength to do some of the other things I wanted to try.
Greetings Feline · 4/14/2014
thank you sooo much ! it was very uplifting :)and i never thought to try a chiropractor for the circulation issues good idea
Anzia · 4/14/2014
Hi GF! I've just started as well, and I've been pleasantly surprised by how just trying the moves builds up my strength. In my very first class I could hardly do any of the moves :o In the second class, even though I hadn't done any practise in between, I could do two of the moves that I hadn't been able to do in the first class. I think Jolene Bell is right about checking with your GP and then subscribing to the lessons on here. They're fantastic, and they start with some conditioning work to build strength, and then really gentle beginner movements like a sexy pole walk, or doing some hip circles. As you get stronger, the lessons build up so that you try basic spins with two hands and then progress from there. It's a really logical progression and Veena is totally focused on safety and correct body usage which is reassuring. I think you'd find the '30 day take off lessons' fantastic. I'm on Day 5 and loving it! Good luck :)
Goddess KK · 4/14/2014
I'm not a big fan of chiropractic practices, so I would recommend going to an acupuncturist instead for circulation. In alternative medicine, numbness and circulation issues arise from an energy meridian being blocked. Acupuncture and even massage on the regular will help break up those energy blockages. But, I agree with everything else. It is always important to balance your urge to learn new things with taking care of your body and allowing rest and rejuvenation in between. I know whenever I am learning something new, I always want to hit it then move on to the next bigger and better thing. The only problem with trying to move too quickly is, when you work on things slower and repeat moves over, you begin to build muscle memory, which in other cases that I have experience in with flow arts, muscle memory is a huge asset in order to build strength, but also really building a great foundation for future moves. The thing I like about dancing and other flow arts such as hooping/poi/staff, you really don't need to be in shape or even healthy necessarily in order to create a good foundation. To move on to more advanced things, yes, you want to make sure you are in a situation in which what you're doing will contribute to your health and not diminish it. All I can say is stick with it and focus on your own journey, allowing others to only be your inspiration, not your comparison!! Much love sister and good luck!!
Veena · 4/14/2014
Hi welcome to the site, you've come to the right place for guidance! Here is the video with a short explanation of the 30 day take off. This program is included in the lessons when you purchase them, in addition to the program everything is placed in order as other mentioned before. :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4KzMIIbZH0