More progress

It's been a while since I threw anything up on here!  I've been in class regularly!  Just  not thinking about recording anything!  Pulled another rib so I was totally sore for about three weeks and as I type this I am nursing a VERY pulled groin muscle.  But all that aside...still totally  LOVE my pole class and the amazing and fun things I am learning to do in that class!  Here's a couple of my latest1

This first video is an invert to an outside leg hang, then pull up into Superman.

And the second video is an invert to pike, then open to a Jade "split".  And I use the word split VERY very loosely there!  That's about all for today!

GREAT Monday!

I really hate it when a week goes by and I'm not able to nail down anything new.  We are always working on so much and I love to see progress being made.  But some weeks...it just doesn't happen.  Last week....it just didn't happen.  It wasn't that I wasn't working on it.  It just wasn't coming together for me.  Like...at all.  For example...I had my Superman.  Then I couldn't seem to do it again.  Then I did it...but only once here and once there.  Never consistent.  I was DETERMINED to figure it out last Friday.  And I DID finally do it.  Once.  GRrrr.  How can you have something...and then NOT have it???!!!  Several of my girlfriends are having the same problem, so it's not just me.  Thank goodness!  But today...I was feeling it!  I was on fire.  And I did it.  Again.  And again.  And again!  I even rewound it and pulled back into the jasmine instead of just falling off the pole!  It was great!  I didn't record it because I've already recorded that one and honestly, I was just too busy to stop and think about it!  HOWEVER...I did record two other new things I've been working on!  We learned shoulder mounts just last week.  Totally brand new to us.  And today, I did it ALL BY MYSELF!!!!!  I'll warn you...it's not super pretty yet....but I DID IT!!!!!!  The other thing, which is at the beginning of this video is a pike spin into an extended release.  Today I managed to get it all the way down to the floor AND grab the pole.  Next stop will be doing it while SPINNING!  Yikes!  Have I mentioned how very much I LOVE this class??!!!  Best thing I have ever done in my LIFE!!!!!  Okay...here's today's video progress!

I can't wait until Wednesday's class!  Bring it!

working on some things

Nothing too exciting since my last post.  I'm working on a couple of things.  Well...nailed one thing.  It won't seem too much different than what I've been doing...except for the fact that I am at the very top of the pole and it is a NO HANDS move.  It ended up being way easier than I thought it was going to be.  Lest you think I'm ready to go all hands off and be comfortable with letting go of the pole now after this...I assure you that is NOT the case!  There may be no hands, but I have a death grip with my legs and not dependent on my poor abs to save me from certain death...so I'm liking this one!  Keeps me firmly in my comfort zone!

The next thing I'm working on is stringing a series of spins together and transitioning between them.  This particular video is horrible.  And I did not even come close to getting the Superman move that's supposed to be the end.  But I'm posting it so that when I DO get this combo all nice and smooth, I will be able to look back and appreciate the  progress.  So...it's rough...but here it is.  Just learned it today.

Here's hoping this all starts to come together sooner, than later!  On the bright side...I can see EXACTLY what I need to work on.  Notice that as I release that hand for the first time, my whole body wants to hug the pole?  And the release is SHORT before I scramble to get hands back on?  Yeah.  That pose should be tall and proud and stretched nicely OFF the pole.  Not at all like what I'm doing there.  So there's that!  Lots of work to do!  But one day!  Here's hoping!!!

Another week...another accomplishment

I am ALL SMILES right about now!  It has been a great week in the aerial arts gym and I am beyond happy to report that with this great week brings another super huge accomplishment for this tired mama!  While it doesn't look like much at all, I have STRUGGLED mightily with this spin.  I have been dancing around it for WEEKS!  I simply could not find my balance point where I trusted the squeeze in my legs enough to let this spin happen.  As a matter of fact, forget the spin...I could not even make this happen from a total standstill on the pole.  Letting go of that top hand and going for the reach...Mission Impossible.  Total panic.  Abort Mission.  Over and over and over again!  NOTHING in my body would agree to go along with this.  It is safe to say that my self preservation streak runs VERY deep and VERY wide.  But I hate for the sun to go down another full week and there not be anything new and cool to show for it.  And I am not disappointed this week!  Behold!!!  I finally did it!  Did I mention I can't stop smiling?!!!

And on that note...I'll just be over here icing my poor inner thighs as they are ON FIRE after today's mighty, and terribly awesome efforts!!!  Woo hoo!!!  Feel that burn!

The Next Day

So...it's been two days actually since I nailed my Superman move.  And I'm barely moving since!  I am BEYOND sore!  The back of my right leg is bruised and feels like I've taken off a few hundred layers of skin.   The front of my left leg is bruised as well.  I tried reversing things and using my left leg as the lead, but that just didn't go well at all.  And so...tender, tender today.  LOVED getting that spin.  Hate the days that follow!  Ouchie!  Luckily, or maybe not so luckily, our instructor didn't make it to class today, so we had a kind of open pole, spin as you like session.  It was a blast playing with my girlfriends and seeing what everyone was trying to work on.  I accomplished nothing.  Just too sore and not wanting my legs touching that danged pole!  LOL!  Tomorrow is a new day.  Going to take in the dance fitness class and some open pole to play some more and see what the day holds!  Wish me luck!

THIS HAPPENED TODAY!!!!!

I'm pretty darned excited about this one!  I put
together a little video of SOME of the attempts.  There were WAY too many to include, but you can get an idea from what's here in this video.  Feeling SOOOO so proud of me tonight!  Seriously!  This is the hardest thing I've done yet. 

Update Time!

My big boy has been home for the past few days sick and needing some TLC...so my practice time has been nonexistent.  Not to mention that after taking a couple of weeks off from contstantly working on it and only doing a small workout here and there, my poor hands seemed to have lost their callousy goodness and I have been in pain grabbing that pole!  That's not the only thing that lost it's toughness.   My inner thighs have been super SUPER sensitive since going back as well.  I keep checking for bruises....but so far, so good.  Just hurts!  Anyway.  Worked out today and thought I'd post some of the highlights...and lowlights for you to enjoy!  Notice in the first video how HIGH up on the pole I'm able to do my angel spin now!  Woo Hoo!!!!  Being able to climb up to the top of that pole has taken things to a whole new level!  Literally!

Now, I had planned to just transition right into my fan kick and ride the pole down, but it got slippery and I was down before I could get all that in motion!  Oh well!

Next up...the fan kick and ride down the pole I TRIED to add on to the video above.  We just learned this one during Christmas break!

It's getting there...slowly but surely.  Honestly...I'm just happy to be able to climb that pole!

Next up...I'm working on an invert to handstand where I will EVENTUALLY hook my heel and use counterweight to do a lean off the pole...but I keep getting my hands too far out from the pole, thus fixing myself into a lean onto the pole instead of away from.  Got to work on that.  I've nailed it a couple of times, but my inner need to keep myself from falling keeps putting those hands out farther so the odds are stacked in favor of me going nowhere but ONTO the pole! I see myself walk them farther out in this video...which is killing the last half of the move!

And finally...lest you think practice always goes well, I thought you'd enjoy this doozy where my pole proved to be just too slippery to execute the move!  Oh well.  You win some and you lose some!!!

That's all for now!  We are working on some cool stuff so hopefully I will be back soon with more!