Tag: Pole

The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole and Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Seven

Posted on by Joey

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a restful and relaxing Christmas and New Year’s break! Honestly, after the first few days of lay-ins and lazy brunches, I was getting restless and wanted to get back into the studio for some upside-down time.

Apologies for the belated post, it’s been all stations go here at X-POLE to bring you guys the best in pole and aerial, we’ve got some really exciting ideas for 2020, stay tuned to our blog and social media for updates throughout the year. If you aren’t already signed up to our emailing list, follow this link to register, we always share all the best news, offers and promotions via our newsletters.

Week Seven – Pole

After nearly mastering Hannah’s warm up in 2019 after six weeks, I felt confident I could easily slip back into it in the first session of 2020, until I realised she had changed it up a bit for 2020! Thanks for keeping me on my toes Hannah!

The first thing we worked on in this session was Outside Leg hang from Straddle Invert. I’d been fairly happy with the progress I’d made on Straddle Invert at the back end of last year, so I was looking forward to adding something to this. I practiced this on the ground a few times first of all on both sides, to make sure I was comfortable with it before trying it on the pole. Hannah then spotted me as I tried it out on the pole. As per usual, I had a preferred side (left in this case felt most comfortable, if such a word can be applied to this!). The squeeze on the backside of your knee to be able to hold in position was very uncomfortable, but after the first few times, you kind of forget about the discomfort. We did also look at the transition from Outside to Inside, but I didn’t feel 100% confident about this on the pole, so practiced a few more times on the floor.

We then revisited Forearm Climbs. Now, climbs in general for me aren’t my strongest suit, the initial lift is fairy smooth and strong (especially Forearm), it’s stringing together the co-ordinated movements to progress up the pole smoothly that stump me right now, however, I think the more I practice, muscle memory will eventually kick in.

Hannah then started showing us a flow sequence consisting of Step Around, Back Step and Step Around Pirouette.

The Step Around and Back Step flowed nicely pretty much from the get-go for me, the Step Around Pirouette was another matter! I think being conscious of myself and my hand placement will fix this up.

All in all, it felt amazing to be back in the studio and working again, I never thought at the beginning of this journey that I would crave it so much, but it really is part of my life now!

Week Seven – Aerial Hoop

I’d also been looking forward to Aerial Hoop over the break, so when Wednesday night rolled around, I was raring to go!

Ellie started us out with some ‘Skin The Cat’ shoulder conditioning to warm us up for Poisson.

We revisited Mermaid, but this time added a transition to split variation. This was fairly difficult for me, as my flexibility isn’t quite up there yet, but I got some semblance of the move, so it’s a base to move forwards with.

After that, a Top Bar Hox Hang was next on the agenda. This was a lot easier than I thought it would be, but after the Leg Hangs from Monday’s pole session, it was a little uncomfortable to start with.

Then came the Poisson. This was a hell of a lot of fun and felt amazing to nail! I was really pleased with this and below you can see a pic!

Before moving to a final warm down and stretch, we also had a go at Elbow Hangs and some variations (think tear drop shapes). This proved a little too much for me on either arm so I gave it up for a bad job, but I’m determined to get it in the next session.

It’s so good to be back in the Aerial Attic, I can’t wait for this week’s sessions and I’m keen to see how far I can progress in 2020.

<<< Previous Post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Six<<<

>>> Next Post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Eight>>>

The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole and Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Six

Posted on by Joey

Week Six – Pole

I was really looking forward to Pole this week, but I was also a little sad. The reasoning behind this was I felt like I was making great progress in Pole, but I was sad as this was going to be my last pole lesson of 2019.

Hannah took us through the usual warm up, increasing the quantity of everything (toe touches, push ups, etc.) a little to push us a bit harder.

We then revisited our inversions. Firstly, Inversion into Crucifix. This was a hell of a lot easier for me than the previous week and within a couple of tries I was able to do it and take off both hands for a full Crucifix! The key to success for me here was the placement of my knees on the pole, making my hold a lot stronger than previous attempts. My dismount still needs some work, but I am incredibly happy with my progress.

Hannah then suggested trying a Straddle. I’d been working on something similar in Aerial Hoop, but this didn’t seem to translate over to Pole. After adjusting my grip a little, I did manage a messy (read legs not straight and toes not pointed) straddle, but it’s something else to work on in the first session of 2020!

We then moved on to putting together a short routine including a Threaded Reverse Pirouette, Chair Spin, Attitude Spin, Fan Kick and some floor work.

The Threaded Reverse Pirouette felt very weird to me, like my body didn’t want to follow it through, but I think I got there in the end with some further guidance from Hannah. Basically, I was having flashbacks of right-hand leading Cradle Spin from week five, when falling backwards into a move leading with my right, my brain seems to shut down!

Going into Chair Spin from this transition was completely different to me from doing it as a ‘standalone’ move. Connecting it smoothly to a preceding move and ensuring I finished in a position to go onto the next move forced me to think about everything I was doing.

I really feel like my Attitude Spin has come on leaps and bounds since I first learned how to do it. My left foot naturally hooks on to the pole now and my finishing position on the floor feels spot on (to me anyway).

Fan Kick is another matter. I think over the Christmas break I should practice the movement on the floor at least once a day until muscle memory really kicks in, so that it looks and feels natural. Straight legs and pointed toes are my only saving grace in this move, the nice, wide legs and smooth circular movements elude me, but I am determined to get it right!

The floor work elements of this routine felt really alien to me the first time I tried, but after realising that nobody cares what I look like while slinking about on the floor, I threw myself in to it wholeheartedly and had a lot of fun. I’m no Magic Mike (yet), but at least I tried!

Week Six – Aerial Hoop 

Due to the Christmas wind down, there was no Aerial Hoop class to attend at Aerial Attic this week, but I’ve been reading up on possible new moves to speak to Ellie about in the new year to expand my repertoire.

I’ll be taking a break from attending classes over the Christmas and New Year holiday while the Aerial Attic is closed, but you can be sure I will be practising everything I can while I’m off.

Here’s hoping you all have a brilliant break over Christmas and that Santa brings you everything you asked for, see you in 2020 for more adventures of a Pole and Aerial Hoop Beginner!

<<< Previous Post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Five<<<

>>> Next Post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Seven>>>

The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole and Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Five

Posted on by Joey

Week Five – Pole

I think I finally followed Hannah’s warm up correctly! It only took five weeks and an insane amount of concentration, but I feel comfortable now.

After a little conditioning, we started on our first new move of the session, Forearm Climb. After learning the basic Pole Climb the previous couple of weeks, this didn’t feel quite so intimidating at the start. The hand and arm placement felt quite natural. I can already feel that my upper body strength and overall stamina has improved since beginning these sessions and the Forearm Climb proved this to me. It looks so much more ‘professional’ than Pole Climb too (I see it in pretty much every performance at competitions and events). The initial lift off of the floor onto the pole was a lot smoother and personally felt easier than previous sessions.

Then we progressed to Cradle Spin. As I mentioned in my last blog, I feel like my right side dominates (read is stronger and easier for most moves), but my body was about to betray me; left side in Cradle Spin was super easy for me to grasp compared to right side! After a few more tries on both sides and some guidance from Hannah it clicked. The feeling of leaving the floor and being close into the pole was a little alien as most other moves we have learnt so far require the body to be off the pole with straight lines (pointed toes/extended legs for aesthetic purposes) and locked arms.

Hannah then showed us a Side Spin. This proved to be quite challenging for me, both with the leg placement and getting both feet of the floor smoothly. I’m not 100% happy with my current progress, but it’s something to work on until next week’s session.

Finally, we moved onto what I had been waiting all week for, inverting! Hannah showed us a Basic Invert from Strong Hold into Crucifix. I wasn’t too sure about being able to invert from the Strong Hold, but even my first try was a lot better than I thought it would be. After that, another issue I hadn’t anticipated came into play; coordinating my feet above my head while my hands were holding on to the pole. I guess it’s a muscle memory thing and will come with more practice. Check out the still images below kindly shot by Dion.

After the Bird’s Nest in Aerial Hoop last week, being upside down wasn’t nearly so intimidating as I thought it would be. I did also manage to remove one hand while in the invert so does that equal a half Crucifix? My dismount from this move was somewhat less than graceful. Watching most of the other students gliding down the pole to end up on the floor in a pretty pose has made me want to really nail this next time.

Week Five – Aerial Hoop

Unfortunately, there was no Aerial Hoop session at the Aerial Attic this week that I could attend (maybe this will give the various bruises I have picked up during Aerial Hoop to heal a little), but I can’t wait to get back in the studio next week with Ellie, polish up my existing repertoire and add some new stuff before the Christmas shut down.

 Week Five – Aerial Yoga

After missing a few sessions of Aerial Yoga due to work and personal commitments, I was really excited to get back in the studio with Jess. Check out the video below to see what I got up to.

<<< Previous Post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Four<<<

>>>Next post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Six>>>

THE (NOT SO) SECRET DIARY OF A POLE AND AERIAL HOOP BEGINNER – WEEK FOUR

Posted on by Joey

Week Four – Pole

After our usual warm up with Hannah (I think I am 99% there now!), we launched into our lesson.

We revisited the Chair Spin from last week. Originally, I hadn’t found this too hard, but ‘polishing’ it up to ensure I had the correct hand placement, a good form and pointed toes was a little challenging.

Hannah then moved us on to a Carousel Spin, initially I was a little sceptical about being able to pull this one off, as it was my first time using a Split Grip (AKA Bracket Grip) and like most people, I guess I have a dominant/stronger side (right if you were wondering!). My inclination is always to hang from my right hand and push with my left for the spin. Trying it in the reverse with my left ‘leading’ was an interesting experience, but after the first couple of tries, it felt a lot better and I managed to get some nice clearance from the floor and finish in a good foot position, rather than just landing flat on my feet.

Another move we revisited during this session was the Fan Kick. My ‘coordination issues’ came back into play at this point. I think if I begin to practice these kinds of things at home off the pole on the floor (read Fan Kicks and Shoulder Rolls), it will eventually become more natural and less forced. After a few attempts I got there, not to the level that I would like, but passable.

Hannah then introduced us to the Pole Sit. I am so glad that I had purchased a pair of ‘short shorts’ for this week’s session, as trying to do this in my usual basketball shorts would have been pointless! Even my new shorts were a bit long for what I was trying to do (make skin to pole contact with my upper inner thighs)! The first time I attempted this move I also nearly crushed ‘the family jewels’ in my enthusiasm to get a decent way up the pole! Then the dreaded ‘pole kiss’ happened (my first I’d like to add)! My inner thighs were stinging for the rest of the night, but after that initial shock and the some ‘management of my assets’ I did manage to remove one hand from the pole and lean back to make a nice shape, so I consider it a win.

We went back to our Pole Climbs, after the Pole Sits, this felt like a blessing! I was determined to beat my own personal best of about three climbs from the previous weeks sessions, and with a little verbal encouragement from Dion (cheers for that mate!), I got within touching distance of the very top of the pole (it’s a 4.2m pole in the studio, so a big achievement in my mind) but after that, I was absolutely shattered! Next time I’ll definitely get to the top.

Tying all this together and making it smooth was the next task and I must admit, it’s nowhere near where I would like it to be, but it’s progressing.

Hannah mentioned that next week we will be trying our first attempt at inverting; I. Can. Not. WAIT!

Week Four – Aerial Hoop

I had been looking forward to Hoop all week. The pace is always a little slower than Pole on Mondays at Aerial Attic and generally less crowded, so you can really get into whatever you are doing. But the workout is just as challenging and satisfying, so I went into the studio feeling great and ready for a good session.

Ellie warmed us up as per usual and again, I think I followed it 99% accurately this time.

We then moved onto conditioning on the hoops, including shoulder shrugs, seat, pike and straddle lifts (good form straddle lifts still elude me, but it’s something to improve on at home).

After that, we revisited Man In The Moon transitioning to Amazon, which I really feel comfortable with now (even Ellie commented that it’s becoming very fluid now). I did manage to ‘upgrade’ my Amazon too, by taking my hand off the hoop and using my head/neck to stay in, which I am really pleased with.

It was time to then get back to really nailing Gazelle and Ellie also showed us a few variants for those who have been attending classes longer (Split and Twisted Gazelle). I focused on my basic Gazelle and felt 100% more comfortable this week.

Finally, Ellie showed us the Birds Nest. Watching this filled me with a cold dread! The thought of balancing all my body weight in the small of my back was not appealing, but I was soon to find out that wasn’t event too bad (it stung a little afterwards and I can still feel it a bit today, but nothing to write home about). It was the transition into inversion that really put the fear in me for a moment! Being upside down, with your legs spread wide holding you in the hoop along with all your weight on your hands behind you and then moving your body to a folded position to be able to get into a Double Knee Hang was the scariest moment of hoop I have had so far, I was so sure I was going to fall, but with some spotting and guidance from Ellie I managed it (very untidily in my opinion, but hey, it’s something).

It has been one month since I started this journey. I didn’t know if I’d make it this far to be honest. But I am incredibly glad that I started and have stuck with it. It has been so much fun and I can already see progression in both Pole and Hoop. I know I’ve recommended beginning either pole or hoop if you haven’t already tried it before, but I’m going to say it again, the feeling during and after class for days afterwards is amazing and I already feel stronger and more confident in what my body can achieve if I really put my mind to it. It’s also driven me to get back into training at home, whether it’s practicing what I have learnt in class or more conditioning/bodyweight stuff, which is a huge positive. I’m eating healthier, feeling stronger and really enjoying being active.

Bottom line, don’t wait for the ‘new year, new me’ guilt to kick in, get yourself to your local pole and aerial studio and enrol in a class or two, even if you are a seasoned gym goer, the variety of the classes will make you work in ways you hadn’t thought about before, while having an amazing time supported by great people. I can’t wait for next week’s sessions with Hannah and Ellie!

<<< Previous Post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Three<<<

>>>Next post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Five>>>

The (not so) secret diary of a pole and aerial hoop beginner – Week Three

Posted on by Joey

Week Three – Pole

After sustaining a little muscle pull in my last pole class, I couldn’t wait to get back in the studio and try again. This time around, everything went much better!

Hannah checked with all attendees for new injuries that she should be aware of then warmed as all up as usual. Honestly, I’m getting better at following the warm-up, but I’m still not perfect (maybe week four is my lucky week?).

We launched into a short routine, which included a Step Around, into Falling Lady/Man/Person (however you identify, that’s cool!), into Shoulder Roll, then Chair Spin and finally a Pole Climb.

Step Around was familiar to me from week one, so that felt pretty easy. Falling Lady/Man/Person was a little bit trickier (it kind of felt like a reverse Attitude Spin?), but I think I got there in the end.

The Shoulder Roll was not my friend! I think because I’ve been so inactive for a long time (see the inaugural blog in this series), I found it hard to roll over myself and land gracefully without banging hard onto the floor. After a quick assessment from Hannah, I realised I wasn’t spreading my legs wide enough and I wasn’t “pushing through” with my hand to make the roll a bit more graceful.

The Chair Spin element of the routine was incredibly fun, it’s another thing I have seen so many times at shows and competitions, so actually getting to do it and nail it after just a couple of tries was really satisfying.

I had been dreading the final part of the routine, the Pole Climb. This is what had caused my little injury the previous week, but I was determined that this time around I was going to nail it.

Hannah first had me do a single lift, then try removing a hand at a time. After a few tries I got it! The key I think is trusting in yourself and breathing correctly. Hannah makes it look absolutely effortless and I have an even greater respect for all the volunteer pole cleaners at shows and competitions, they deserve a medal/trophy all of their own! I then tried to climb further up the pole and get my rhythm down, so it was smooth (I was trying to do this in basketball shorts, pole shorts are on order!). I managed three climbs before I had to give up, but I was surprised at how far off the floor I was.

Tying this all together and then running through it made me feel like I’d really learned something in the short time that I have been attending classes at Aerial Attic. I can see why people get so into pole, there’s an instant validation of what you’ve been working on when you nail a move, plus the support and encouragement of both the instructor and other class attendees is a huge boost to your confidence.

No Aerial Yoga this week, as I was a little bit behind on writing up this post, but hopefully I manage my time a little better next week and get back into my “zen space.”

Week Three – Aerial Hoop

After having a great session in Aerial Hoop the week before, I was keen to get back in the studio and push harder to get some new moves in the bag.

We started off with our usual warm up, moving onto some conditioning on the hoops, shoulder shrugs, seat, pike and straddle lifts (week one I hated these and have weirdly grown to love them now!).

Ellie started off by showing us a combo that involved Double/Single Knee Hang, Peter Pan, transitioning to Mermaid and then Bottom Bar Mermaid.

Getting in and out of the hoop felt even easier than last week and Ellie commented that I looked a lot more comfortable and at ease in the hoop.

Double Knee Hang actually felt fairly comfortable compared to when I first tried it. Taking my left leg off to go into Single Knee Hang was a bit of a challenge and I did feel like I might fall, but it was great to up the ante a little. I did try it with removing my right leg instead of the left too, but this didn’t feel quite as secure and I couldn’t straighten my free leg (something to work on next week).

The Peter Pan seemed to click in my head very quickly and within a few tries I think I had got it down pat.

Mermaid on the other hand felt very uncomfortable on both sides (rolling on to my left felt a bit easier than the right). The end result of this move felt really unstable to me (maybe it’s a mental thing), like I was going to fall right out of the hoop, but I did get there in the end.

I only got the chance to try Bottom Bar Mermaid once during the session, as there was a lot to get through this week, but again, I think it something to pick up next week to make sure I really get it.

I did want to revisit Man in the Moon to Amazon transition, to really make sure I had understood it from last week and this week it felt a lot smoother. Ellie did make me raise my legs too, as you can see from the photos, I’m a bit taller than most of the students so it did look like I had my feet on the floor in the Amazon (I promise I didn’t!), see the picture below as proof.

I have literally been raving about my classes to anyone that will listen, telling them all about what I have been doing and how good I feel for days afterwards! I cannot recommend pole and aerial hoop enough to my friends, it’s so different to any work out or class I have ever done before, so much more interesting and satisfying. If you already do pole or hoop, I strongly recommend you take up the whichever one you’re not already doing.

<<< Previous Post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Two<<<

>>>Next post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Four>>>

X-POLE Last Shipping dates and Office Opening Hours Christmas 2019

Posted on by Joey

To make sure you can get all your X-POLE goodies in time for the festive season, we want to share our last shipping dates for Christmas.

Pallets

Single Parcels

All orders being collected from Potters Bar Warehouse must be paid for in advance. The sales team will advise when your items are ready to collect.

X-POLE Office Hours Christmas 2019

The X-POLE offices will be closed for Christmas from 23rd December at Midday and will reopen in 2020 on January 2nd at 9:00am.

No orders will be processed during this time however please continue to place orders via the website or e-mail any orders or enquiries and these will be dealt with on our return.

As always, technical support can be found on our YouTube Channel.

The (not so) secret diary of a pole and aerial hoop beginner – Week Two

Posted on by Joey

Week Two – Pole

After my first pole class, I couldn’t wait to get back to the studio and start training with Hannah again! All through the weekend before I had been thinking about it and making sure I remembered everything I had learnt from week one.

19:30 rolled around on Monday and I was ready to get back to it! As usual, we warmed up (after week one, I was able to follow Hannah a little better, but my coordination still needs some work!) and then began to do some conditioning on the pole.

After being shown how to do a simple pull up on to the pole for conditioning, I attempted it myself, I suddenly felt an awful stabbing pain in my upper abdomen! I took a few minutes to get my breath back, had a sip or two of water and was ready to try again. But the pain came back! Hannah spoke to me and asked how I was doing, and I explained the problem. With concern she suggested I take an extended break before giving it another try. After the break, I tried one more time, but it was no good. Unfortunately, I had to cut week two of my pole adventure short. Hannah suggested I get myself home and do some gentle stretches to make sure I work out the issue. I also picked up some heat pads and a box of ibuprofen before heading home and calling it a night. I was absolutely gutted I couldn’t participate, as I’d been looking forward to class the whole week before, but as a lot of people have said to me since; “you have to listen to your body,” and mine was telling me to slow down for the meantime.

Bonus lesson: Aerial Yoga

After taking it easy for the rest of Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday loomed and my Aerial Hoop lesson with Ellie was getting closer. I was a bit worried that I might not have given myself enough time to recover from whatever I had done to myself in Pole two nights before.

A few colleagues suggested I try the aerial yoga class that takes place at Aerial Attic before my regular Hoop class, as its very relaxing and good for stretching. Aerial Yoga is something I have been intrigued by for quite some time, so I didn’t need much convincing!

I arrived to find my instructor for the lesson was the awesome Jessica Ashby, another X-POLE show/exhibition alum! Of course, I let Jessica know exactly what I had done in pole class two nights previous re my little injury.

I can’t even begin to describe how relaxing but fun the session was. Afterwards, I felt completely zen, thanks Jess! Also, thanks for the tip on proper breathing (i.e. exhaling when about to attempt a lift or exerting effort, this helped massively!).

Week Two – Aerial Hoop

I had about an hour to wait between my Aerial Yoga and Hoop class, so made sure I drank plenty of water and had a bit of a nibble on some fruit before heading back upstairs from the office to the studio. Being mindful of what I had done in my pole class, I did talk to Ellie and we decided to take it slow this week.

Ellie ran us through the warmup and stretching before getting us to do some conditioning on the hoops. Taking Jess’ breathing tip to heart, the pain was absolutely minimal, I could feel a slight pull still, but that was to be expected, I think.

We worked on what I had done last week, specifically Gazelle and Man In The Moon, but added transitioning into Amazon and also Double Knee Hang  

I must admit, this week, getting into the hoop and manoeuvring inside it felt a lot smoother for me. I think this was a combination of being used to the movement of the hoop (it still swings a fair bit when I get in, not got that nailed just yet, but I’m getting better) and the fear of falling is getting less and less the more I’m in the hoop. Getting out of the hoop without simply hopping down is something I still need to work on, but I am incredibly happy with my progress so far in both pole and hoop!

To sum up: always make sure you warm up properly, be mindful of your breathing, listen to your body and point those toes!

<<< Previous Post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week One<<<

>>>Next post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Three>>>

THE (NOT SO) SECRET DIARY OF A POLE AND AERIAL HOOP BEGINNER – WEEK ONE

Posted on by Joey

Week One – Pole

Ok, so I was super excited and nervous to attend my first pole class, but as soon as I stepped into the studio, that all melted away, everyone made me feel incredibly welcome (I was the only guy attending the class and felt a bit intimidated, everyone else looked very confident and like they’d been doing pole for a while).

We started off with some stretching to warm up and I am not the most co-ordinated or spatially aware person you’ll meet (I walk into door frames in my own house on the regular and anyone who has seen me dance will tell you I move like a baby giraffe!), but by following my instructor, the absolutely brilliant Hannah Rose Kaynes, I was soon feeling comfortable and suitably warmed up.

We were split into two groups, absolute newbies and people who had already attended two to three classes. There were six of us in my newbie group and we all paired off to share a pole.

Hannah started by showing us a Step Around, with the proper form and hand positioning. The first time I stepped around the pole I laughed out loud at myself, it felt incredibly weird, but also a hell of a lot of fun! Everyone was very encouraging and friendly, giving me pointers on what I was doing and congratulating me on getting it after just a few tries.

After training both sides for about 15 minutes, Hannah moved us on to an Attitude spin. Now, I had been critiqued for taking my feet off the floor earlier when learning the step around but told it would serve me well later, well with the Attitude spin I now understood! The positioning of the leg that doesn’t contact with the pole in this move felt very weird to me (read cramps), but after a few tries off the pole with everyone else in the group and then a couple more on the pole on both sides, it felt pretty natural.

We moved on to the Fan Kick as the last thing to be learned that night. Again, we practised the leg movements on the floor as a group before trying it out on the pole. This didn’t come naturally to me, but after a few tries and then thinking “screw it, just go for it” I got it! The inevitable “point your toes Joey” was raised at this point in the lesson by Hannah and again I laughed out loud! But once I did it, I was complimented on what a lovely point I have (major confidence booster there, thanks Hannah!).

Finally, we tied all three things we had learnt together, which was immensely satisfying. The progression you can make in just one lesson and see the results of what you have learned straight away is very gratifying, a completely different experience to any gym workout I have tried before.

A few more stretches before the class finished and we were done! I must admit, I ached for a day or so afterwards, but I totally expected this after not having done anything in the gym or at home for so long, but honestly, the aches reminded me that I had actually gotten off my butt and left the Netflix binging to do something.

All in all, it was so much fun and such a welcoming and friendly space, I cannot wait for the next class, we’re going to be learning climbing!

Also, big thanks to Dion for such a warm welcome and a lovely chat post class about this project!

Week One – Aerial Hoop

So after ‘breaking my cherry’ and attending my first pole class on Monday, I didn’t feel nearly so intimidated walking into the Aerial Attic for my first aerial hoop class!

Again, everyone was super friendly and easy going. My instructor for this class was the lovely Ellie Pickersgill, who I have worked with on quite a few events and exhibitions, so I felt at ease as soon as we started.

That was until we started our conditioning, but I’ll get to that in a moment! Ellie warmed us up with plenty of stretches to make sure we were nice and limber for the lesson. I must admit, I did break a bit of a sweat, but found it easier to follow after having done Hannah’s warm up on Monday.

Then we started our conditioning; honestly, after pole on Monday, I was absolutely buzzing all Monday night and most of Tuesday, until the aches started. Coughing or sneezing from Tuesday night to Wednesday evening was a game of Russian Roulette with the result being a painful twinge in my abdominal area! Once we had gone through one or two conditioning sets, I instantly felt better (the pole aches died down and were replaced with some new aches!).

I could really feel the work I was putting in with the hoop conditioning, especially around my shoulders, chest, back and core.

After that, we moved on to our first move in the hoop; Splits Away. To me, this instantly felt like I had achieved something in the class, a great feeling!

The next move was Man In The Moon, which I have to say was my favourite thing I learned in the lesson so far. I’ve seen this move so many times on social media and even though I found it relatively simple to achieve, it always looks fairly impressive to me, because when someone is doing it, they really “look at home” in the hoop.

Lastly, Ellie took me through the Gazelle, which was my least favourite, for two reasons; it felt a little uncomfortable for me (maybe when my flexibility improves, I’ll like it more!) and secondly because I didn’t feel like I truly ‘nailed’ it as a move (there’s always next week!).

After that, a quick warm down for injury prevention and that was the end of my first Aerial Hoop class. I enjoyed it immensely, just like the pole class, but for different reasons.

The slower pace of the hoop class was very different to me and the focus on the upper body strength really appealed as I could feel my muscles being worked there and then, whereas with the pole class, I definitely broke a sweat but didn’t feel it until the next day.

The one thing they both had in common for me was a great feeling afterwards and a real sense of achieving something.

I’m incredibly glad I signed myself up to this project and cannot wait to get to week two!

<<<Previous post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Introduction<<<

>>>Next post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Two>>>

The (Not So) Secret Diary of A Pole and Aerial Hoop Beginner

Posted on by Joey

I visit a lot of studios, competitions and showcases for my job here at X-POLE. After initially meeting people, the inevitable question comes up every single time: “So do you do pole or aerial?” My answer for over three years has always been the same; “No, but if I wasn’t so busy, I’d love to give it a try!”

Another comment is usually something along the lines of: “You must love having the X-POLE studio right above your office, I bet you’re in there every day!” Again, I’d love to respond with a resounding yes, but truthfully, I haven’t stepped foot in the studio in my entire time at X-POLE, except for work purposes.

Recently, I’ve had a lot of conversations with people about the low level of men participating in Pole and Aerial too (both in terms of class attendance and competition entrants). Nobody is quite sure why there are so few, but it’s a recurring theme of conversations I have with people on my travels.

I’ve always been in awe of the physical prowess, confidence and bravery of all the competitors and performers I see at the events I attend. Add in to that the creativity of some of the pieces people bring to the stage and I can’t help but admire every single person who has the determination and discipline to train and bring their vision to the stage.

Having thought long and hard about the above points, I’ve decided to put my money where my mouth is and put myself forward for beginners pole and beginners aerial hoop classes at The Aerial Attic studio.

Full disclosure, I haven’t been to a gym or done exercise with any regularity in over two years, I have never attended a pole or aerial hoop class (I’ve had a little play at trade shows, video shoots and exhibitions) so I am starting from the beginning in every sense of the phrase.

I’m super excited about it and will be sharing my experiences (and muscle pains/pole kisses) and progress via a weekly blog post on x-pole.co.uk and via my social media (check the bottom of this post for links to my Facebook and Instagram profiles), so if you want an insight into what it’s like for someone starting pole and aerial hoop from absolute scratch (and a good laugh), keep an eye on the blog section of the X-POLE website.

>>>Next Post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week One>>>