Good class, but I noticed that the six week break from pole a few weeks ago combined with a week of no exercise last week had really affected my core strength. Moves that I previously found easy (reverse grabs and upside down stuff) were much more difficult.
Started with body rolls and a few slide drops which was fun just to get going, then played around with reverse swings and grabs (and i have huge yellow bruises under both arms this week thanks to these ones).
Moved on to the caterpillar - which, after several attempts to get high enough up the pole when kicking to upside down, I eventually managed (mental note - ensure that your t-shirt has not shifted to below the boobage before standing up after this move).
Played around with the phoenix - finally managed to get both hands off - yayyy, but not able to reach behind to grab heel of shoe - booo.
Finished with climbing, and one handed slides down with legs in various poses - owww.
Didn’t have time to work on a routine, but we aren’t going to get away with it - we all have to think of our favourite moves to put together into one routine for next week…
Tomorrow is the Dunwich Dynamo, an annual overnight bike ride from London Fields (just around the corner from where I live), to Dunwich (120 miles away on the suffolk coast).
I just want to wish all those doing this ride good luck, hope the weather and your legs hold out for the ride and to send a big shout out to Karl, Tall Friend, and Karl’s doctor friend who are all taking part.
I’ll come and pick you up from the beach on Sunday morning where you’ll all be collapsed in a heap
I had plenty of time to meet friends on Friday night so rather than go two stops on the tube I decided to walk to our destination - despite the wonderful summer weather we are currently suffering. Thankfully my umbrella is huge so I stayed dry.
I know it’s not much but every little bit is better than none at all.
Lovely class - spent running through just a few moves and trying to get them right rather than just rushing through everything we know.
Mainly covered upside down eagle (Arghhh - but it is a little bit loser) and things that follow on from it such as gemini, reverse gemini etc, reverse grabs, a spin from static and a couple of other moves (memory not working I can’t remember which ones).
No bruises - but my knee did ache at the end of class so I need to keep an eye on it if I don’t want to end back up in physio.
Good class - spent working on conditioning, and practicing lifting my feet off the bar.
Still got the superglue syndrome. Why I can’t take my feet off I don’t know as I know that I can hold my weight with my arms as I do that for beats and other moves. Just a silly phobia.
On the positive though I finally managed some sit pull ups, and my bum actually left the bar - so some progress.
We also all picked a move and then had to put all six moves together into a routine (Can’t remember what they were).
After taking a six week break it was really good to go back to pole dance class. Was nice to catch up with all the lovely girlies and the teacher.
Realised my strength wasn’t what it had been - despite all of the trapeze classes, and I went home with an enormous bruise on my armpit (yep - lovely). I thought I’d gotten away from the bruising stage but clearly the breal meant that they were all back again.
Still practicing my nemesis - the Eagle (An upside down straddle that just eludes me), and also worked on the PHoenix. A move that I’ve never really tried to do before. Close but not quite there in terms of letting go with hands.
I was pretty exhausted for this class as it was straight after flying trapeze. Mostly it was the arm strength that just wasn’t there - so I had the same old problem of not being able to reach the trapeze bar (finger tips catching it, but not able to grab).
Instead of getting to frustrated by it, I just practiced improving my technique for my backward somersaults. To improve my technique I was told that at the bottom of the bounce, I should stick my chest out and pull my stomach in - now this I can do - being blessed with a generous cleavage - this has always been my speciality - if only I’d been told this sooner - I noticed the difference immediately. My backwards somersaults were cleaner and faster. Such good fun.
Just been linking around looking for bungee trapeze blogs, and found that Celebrity Circus is being shown in the US at the moment. In Episode 3, a guy called Christopher Knight performed on the bungee trapeze. What I noticed is that he can’t quite make it up to the trapeze on his own either (Watch carefully and when he is at the bottom of the bounce someone catches his feet and then lets go - this gives him the extra pull to bounce him up high enough to catch the trapeze). He does a lot of somersaults off the back of the trapeze, and is also good at forward somersaults too (another of my scaredy cat phobias) - but doesn’t really do much else off the trapeze. I think the girls in my class are much better -but to give him his dues - he’s not bad.
Here’s his vid.
Updated - also found vid of Stacey Dash (Clueless fame) - she does some nice hocks catches (catching the bar with her knee) - and I like the way she starts with an upside down split. She was pretty good - and was performing with a broken rib as well - I think I need to stop complaining about my callouses.
So tonight was my first attempt at flying trapeze at the hangar. I’ve tried flying trapeze once before over at circus space, but it was over a year ago. The rig at the hangar is incredible - huge net to catch you (not crash mats). And the ability to do catching (but not on my first attempt - teeny baby steps reqd…)
MY first attempt was pretty poor. When you step off the post at the top, you need to keep your arms straight. I stepped off with bent arms, so the trapeze just took me to the end and then threw me off. Very funny but pretty silly of me.
Second and third attempts were pretty good. I had a nice straight arms and a good beat going and really enjoyed it. I just had the one problem to overcome and that was stepping off the bar at the top to go into the swing. For me, it’s the cariest part, and I did hesitate a couple of times beore going for it.
Vids below of my third attempt, and also my hilarious forward roll off the net at the end. Watch it all the way through for the classic Smallwood stumble.
My fourth attempt was the best effort yet. I got to the top and suddenly the old superglue feet took hold. I got petrified and was too scared to go. First time, i took my hands off the bar and stood back on the platform. Next three times, I bent knees, and then didn’t dare go. My feet were not leaving that platform.
Then the trapeze decided to take control, and lower itself, forcing me off the platform. But because it was lowering itself down, there was no was of keeping my arms straight or of holding on - it literally threw me off it so i ended up just going splat onto the net.
Thankfully - the falling part doesn’t hurt, and Nick was holding the harness levers, so it was as controlled as it could be. So I just looked silly and was laughing at myself. I did end up with a blood blister and rip the skin off the top of my toes though where they caught on the net - so most of today is going to be spent barefoot at my desk…vid below although the splat bit is missing as my videoer wasn’t expecting that to happen.
To finish off the class though, one of the girls from my bungee class was on hand to give me a lovely Thai massage and stretch me out to help me get through bungee which was straight after. It was so wonderful, and although I am aching all over otday, it definitely helped to ease that pain by a million percent.
Not one of my best classes, but not one of my worst either.
Usual strength training followed by ankles, and forward roll in the rope practice.
Getting better, but still have the superglue syndrome. As soon as my feet have to leave the bar, the fear kicks in, I bottle it and my feet miraculously glue themselves to the bar. I got to within centimetres of the point of no return this time, but just couldn’t quite do it. I know it’s all in my head and it will be fine eventually, but it’s just getting there thats the problem.
Practiced a bit of front balance but without help as I want to be able to eventually just do it on my own. So needless to say, didn’t even manage to rach the ropes, but it’s just practice and time and I will get there in my own time.
My goals are: To actually get fit this year and lose some of those excess pounds that have crept up on me and kept on creeping My other favorite activities include: pole dancing, static trapeze.
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July 22nd, 2008
Von SmallHaussen
- I noticed the difference immediately. My backwards somersaults were cleaner and faster. Such good fun.
