Splits Practice and Short Clip From the Day I Hurt My Shoulder

[dreloc45]

Creep LOL

[Poledancefan]

@dreloc45 Thank you for watching and enjoying the video! /Joel Lessing

[22meyermmm]

Look like a creeper

[Poledancefan]

@22meyermmm Thanks for watching and enjoying the video! /Joel Lessing

[TheMsMrmann]

what the fuck are u doin ewwwwwww  creep

[TheMsMrmann]

what teh fuck are you doing ewwww creep

[Poledancefan]

@TheMsMrmann Hi, Mrmann. Thanks for watching and enjoying my video. This is an old clip and I don't remember all of the specific moves. I can't re-watch it now...but please send me an e-mail or a PM of what parts were objectionable and I will consider re-editing those portions. As a general rule, i try to make all of my pole and gym work 100% non-sexual, so I'm not sure what was problematic. Anyway, drop me a PM...or friend me on Facebook. and message me there.../Joel Lessing.

[kozes]

@TheMsMrmann Lol!!!!!!

[inapole]

I' sure somebody's said it already, but since you're so far from splits it would be far more beneficial to just to individual stretches to all muscles in your hip / pelvis area rather than try the splits... You're more likely to just gain injury than flexibility especially with that achilles tendon, please be careful!

[Poledancefan]

Hi, Iina...yes, I am also doing the stretch segment of Jamilla's video pole course where she takes you through all of the muscle groups. I always have a full support whenever I try the splits...the railing or a formal "stretch cage" at the health club so I can totally rescue myself if I start to feel weak. Yeah, that Achilles thing is a 2-3 year old problem that heals during the winter...comes back in the summer. Probably the only real solution is an entire year off the bicycle!

[Bellec7]

Maybe you could start your own studio - surely there are women around ur area that would be interested? If they are poling already then they'd have to be open minded so as to not mind??? Im sure plenty of the other ladies we communicate with would be more than willing to help you establish something? Worth a thought perhaps?

[aretamarie]

Ooh! Excellent idea! I guess I'm going to start using that... I guess from the heel of my foot? I don't mind using the measuring tape crotch-to-floor, but I guess I'll get more info from doing it this way, sine after I get the maximum length, I have to shorten it a bit by squaring the hips.. I guess?! Heheh, splits are so confusing! Hope you feel better by now, Joel.

[Poledancefan]

Yeah, I have to do a few work arounds, too. My right achilles tendom is totally messed up--inflammation from bike riding, I think. I tried working on it very intensely and had gotten it to flatten, but it's always a little dicey. I also do that traditional cheerleader split practice....squatting with one leg back, leaning over the bent leg and hip up front. I have never been able to pull out that front leg a single MILLIMETER, ha ha!

[sexxyredhead]

I'm having such a hard time with my splits too. It's so aggravating to stretch every day and not see any progress. I find when I don't stretch everyday, though, that I end up being able to go lower. Weird. I guess it's because my muscles become more relaxed that way. We just have to keep trying :)

[Poledancefan]

I have the same problem...and I'm 49...so I haven't done anything like this since my 20's. I work with an Indian lady who is a yoga practitioner. She is near retirement age and she shocked me the other day by dropping into a full cheerleader split.!! She thinks I should take a yoga class to help with pole. At first she thought my pole thing was INSANE, lol--but we were looking at her magazines talking about how every Yoga pose has a Pole pose--Plank, Butterfly, Bow and Arrow and now she's cool!

[Ange70x]

Fantastic, love it Joel. Great tape idea too!

Sounds like you have a shoulder like my elbow!

Hope it's back to 100% soon hon, it's sooo annoying when you wanna do stuff but a joint feels like giving way on ya

[Poledancefan]

Shoulder is better...or at least it ws until my best friend decided he needed help moving a Full Sized mattress into his mini-van to sell on E-bay!! WTF...why don't they put HANDLES on box springs?????

[charleyisagirl]

I'm stealing the tape on the floor idea! Sounds easier than trying to get a measuring tape down there, lol! Although my bf doesn't mind helping ;)

I need to get back to hard core splits training - I always get to about 8'' and give up.

I seconf Bellec's comment about maybe looking at playing on a taller pole - the move is much easier with some height.

[Poledancefan]

Yes, the pole issue remains my biggest impediment to getting serious. Just when CRUNCH fitness put co-ed pole on the schedule, the whole chain went bankrupt and Bally's dropped pole entirely when they bought the property. I had just screwed up my courage to sign up. I think it's only a matter of time before an opportunity comes. Meanwhile, if the State of Illinios sends me my mileage (they owe me $3,000! DEADBEATS!!!) and hotel money I am seriously thinking of a stage pole. (cont'd)

[Poledancefan]

We probably get a good 6-7 months hot weather--even more, maybe. Prior owner was an Italian Grocer...he built a 14 foot garage for his produce truck...it even has a chimney for diesel fumes! So I could stick an XSTAGE in my parking place and park on my pad outside...or buy a permit from the village and put my car in a lot a block away all summer. LOL, but there are squirrels to contend with--kind of smelly in that garage!

[SimpllySweet]

That's the way to do it... slow and easy.  Listen to Fleur. Remember one day we are all going to be going to her for medical advice.

[Poledancefan]

Yes, I have reconciled myself to being very realistic. It's got to be about the process and having fun with it...pushing it just a little bit--but being safe. At near 50, I'm a little more fragile...and tight...so I just have to take my time. Yesterday the sit-up from Brass Monkey just came to me out of the blue. It's been 3 months since I got a new move and I felt like a little kid again. It was worth the wait!

[jorshi212]

That is so funny that you posted this. I was thinking to my self last night how I could ever attempt to do them. This is an amazing way to keep up motivated and going. Seeing progress is such an amazing feeling. How long has it taken you since you started to do this? I love your videos.

[Poledancefan]

Thanks...I've been poling since Summer 08. Age weight and gender--and time really affect what you can do. I saw Alethea in an interview and I realised she started poling THE SAME WEEK I did...lol, and she is a world class champion..travelling the world doing expo's and shows! It's really about the process and enjoying it as you go along. If you post vids and hook up with people on YT and Facebook to share tips and advice, it's very social. It's a very positive thing!

[thatlarawoman]

you know what joel, you have inspired me to post a video response...i have a clip that i filmed about two weeks ago of me trying the splits. i have been trying them on and off for about a year and a half. i wish now i had started logging my progress from the beginning xx

[Poledancefan]

Excellent...yeah, I think the real problem in the Cupid is that I just can't get my legs far enough apart. I saw a poler do a Cupid by simply stepping up from the ground. It was clear the secret was her ability to get the knee hook high up on the pole. Other than doing it as an aerial move, strength doesn't seem all that important. The problem is that my hook turns flat...then I slide off. If I could open up the "V" more, the knee hook would stay planted correctly, I think.

[Bellec7]

You know Joel..the first thing that popped into my mind is you hurt ur arm cuz ur pole is too tiny. Is there a studio near you that you can practice more of the hardcore stuff at? Being up higher for those moves makes it so much easier than being right near the floor (u can still use crash mats) but for example, my girls dont learn butterfly correctly until they get height cuz if you do it at the bottom of the pole it increases the tension/weight on the muscles???? Dunno if that made sense??

[Poledancefan]

No, I absolutely agree with you. Right now, in Chicago, there is no co-ed pole situation available (except for private lessons). For a while, Crunch Fitness had a class...but that whole chain seems to have gone bankrupt. Bally's brought the property, but Pole hasn't come back on the schedule. It's very frustrating for me...but there are several studios on the coasts (like Lian's for example) that offer a co-ed class. Chicago is the Midwest, conservative--but it will get here one day or another!

[Poledancefan]

...continuing from my first REPLY--by the way..I am SERIOUSLY considering buying a stage pole. It could be used 6 months out of the year in the garage if I am willing to put up with the squirel pee (LOL, damn squirrels--I love animals and can't bring myself to hurt them!!). I could buy a village parking permit for a few dollars and put the pole up inside my parking space. But in winter it's below Zero out there and too big to heat. I'm thinking X-stage, maybe???

[mediaphobia]

It sounds like you just worked the muscle too hard. Are you RICEing it? (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) Hope you make a speedy recovery!

Good job with the splits. Keep working on it!

[Poledancefan]

Yes, Fleur and Veena told me to do the RICE thing...I've put a cold pack on it, taken it easy, kept it warm at other times...feels almost back to normal now... Thanks for complimenting me on the splits...lots of work for me to do on that one!!

[Hoddska]

ok, I had moderate injury to my left rotator cuff back when I was, umm, 29 or 30 years old. wow what a nightmare! I wish I had never let that happen as it still limits me to this day, at least in my mind I feel limted in what I can do on my left side. Be extra careful to rest and recuperate Joel!!! I enjoyed the splits progress vid! take care and we love when you post xo

Alex

[Poledancefan]

LOL, my splits are a joke. But it's definitely possible to make progress--even near 50 years old. Because when I started, I couldn't extend my legs past the width of the stair case. I also practice splits the proper gymnastic way as taught in Jamilla's vid--by putting one leg back behind me and leaning the body weight over the folded knee in front. I haven't been able to unfold that front knee at all. Not. One. Inch. !!!

[blueskye33]

be careful with that elbow grip aysha (is that what did the shoulder in???) i messed mine up over doing that when i first got aysha. now i only do the elbow once and while and only go deep into very once in while ha...

so splits!!!

yay... so we are about at the same level there

=P

[Poledancefan]

I think it was just too MANY inverts. I just kept tossing myself up there to the butterfly position..then trying to slide the legs down and off. I just. wore the bicep or the tricep down and the shoulde was popping a little. Better now...a few more days and I'll be working at killing myself some other way on the pole, ha ha!

[dustbunni2890]

was hurting your shoulder from the split grip?!?!

[Poledancefan]

Yes...umm top arm was left arm...lol, I had to think about that one for a second. Yes, so I think it was a pulling or a stretching/tearing type strain. It feels a lot better today. I'm being extra careful and not poling for a day or two more. And it really ticks me off because I spent a month at Bally's doing pull-ups and dead lifts of my body weight on the pull-up bar. I can do 3-7 reps depending upon the arm position. But the split grip just won't come! GRRRRR.