Pole 3.Everything

Exciting news: Amanda at Champagne & Sunshine is letting me cover Monday's posting while she's on vacation! Make sure to check it out and take a look around her blog!

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As I'm pretty sure I mentioned, I had to drop out of pole.

Great news! My back is working again so Honey volunteered to meet up and attempt to catch me up.

I was absolutely nervous because I hadn't done this in about a month. Plus I hadn't been able to work my lower back or abs in about two months.

Yeah, it's not quite like getting back on a bike. Probably didn't help that I went to BodyPump that morning, so my body was a little tired (that and the BodyJam & running).

Honey said that we hadn't really learned that many new skills, and called Jay to verify.

• Twizzler: or corkscrew. You basically walk around, grab and lift while keeping your legs together and your body facing out, try to slightly snake your body around the pole (your back is to the pole) and spin once your inside foot hits the ground. (YouTube it). This is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I got it to the left a few times, but my right side isn't having it...yet. Once I get this mastered there are a lot of cool things you can do with it when you mix and match with a few other skills like the fairy lift (which I haven't learned yet).
• Superwoman: Basically like the K layout. Climb the pole, extend your legs parallel with the floor, cross at the ankles, grip with your hand close to your legs, lay your upper body to be parallel with the floor and arch your back. This would have gone better if I didn't keep slipping down Honey's pole. My legs were not wanting to grip.
• Fire Ball - 3 ways
• Regular - wrap your inside leg around the pole (get kinda low), grip the pole with your hand so that your arm is parallel to the ground (if you were standing straight up, about hip height or lower), then fall to the front and bend your other leg so it's not just laying out all funny. Spin until you land on the ground in a fetal like position.
• Straight leg: same thing, but straighten your lower leg (maybe, I can't remember)
• Backwards: Basically the same thing, but you fall backwards instead. I can't do this one yet. It just feels really weird.
• Marry Me: Not really sure how to do this one yet. You start out with your inside foot facing the pole, kind of lunged out so your thigh is parallel to the ground and hand is gripping straight at shoulder heights. Your outside foot drags the floor as your swing it around the pole while keeping the other foot planted (it might rotate, but otherwise doesn't move much), then end up in a kneeling position with your arm wrapped around your outside leg...kinda like you are hugging yourself. I didn't have my shoes so I didn't want to drag my food and rip off my skin, and Honey's pole is kinda close to the wall so it was hard to get the whole motion going.

And we practiced the invert some more. It gets harder each time I throw it. How does that even happen? At this point I look like a little monkey reverse climbing while I'm upside down. Not exactly what I'm going for.

After I had given up and was pretty beat (literally...the bruises are back!) we watched pole YouTube video's. These were the two faves.

In my weeks off from pole I attempted to maintain my upper strength by doing some additional upper body (non lower back) lifting. Yeah, that did nothing. It was so hard to life myself and my back was sore (in the best way) and knotted the next day.

I stopped by the studio the next day to practice and work on the skills I already have. It was basically a disaster zone. My arms were not lifting me the way they had before my pole time out. To say I was frustrated would be an understatement. On the upside I didn't cry, but I had my bitch face on the whole time. When I got home I took an Epsom salt bath and made plans to increase my ab and upper body workouts because I don't have time or patience for failure.

I can't think Honey enough for taking the time to help me out! It's nice to know that my pole sistas love me as much as I love them! There is a chance that I will be ready for the next level!