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Whether it's Halloween, Samhain or any other variation on the ceremony - Happy Friday :D Halloween is my favourite day of the year - it's mid-autumn, the air smells fresh and clean and you're preparing for the cold darkness of winter. It's a perfect day to dress up, eat stuff you probably shouldn't and have a bit of fun. I spent the afternoon trick or treating with my nephews, dressed as super-girl gone bad...I only got three sweeties, but I had a ball. My sister was dressed as Spider-girl and together we escorted our nephew's into some spoooooky houses!
Originally I wanted to dress up as super woman, I couldn't find a red skirt anywhere and started to get quite frustrated. I was tempted to not bother going out trick or treating with my sisters, but then I realised that actually, I have the power to choose what I looked like. I could wear a black skirt and become a "bad" superwoman. We don't always need to fit the mould and sometimes, stepping outside those parameters means we can have a lot more fun. I enjoyed dressing up and I enjoyed the circuit - some people had VERY impressive Halloween displays! Plus, I got to wear a cape. I'd wear a cape every day if I could get away with it...
The moral of that story for me was simply: personalise, be yourself and allow yourself to get immersed in things. Important lesson there for me today!
Anyway, after all of the kids had gone to bed, it was time for the big girls to get dressed up. We had super-girl gone bad, Zombie Pirate Princess, Spider-girl and Marylin Monroe. In the car on the way to the pub it was like the start of a bad joke....
Originally I wanted to dress up as super woman, I couldn't find a red skirt anywhere and started to get quite frustrated. I was tempted to not bother going out trick or treating with my sisters, but then I realised that actually, I have the power to choose what I looked like. I could wear a black skirt and become a "bad" superwoman. We don't always need to fit the mould and sometimes, stepping outside those parameters means we can have a lot more fun. I enjoyed dressing up and I enjoyed the circuit - some people had VERY impressive Halloween displays! Plus, I got to wear a cape. I'd wear a cape every day if I could get away with it...
The moral of that story for me was simply: personalise, be yourself and allow yourself to get immersed in things. Important lesson there for me today!
Anyway, after all of the kids had gone to bed, it was time for the big girls to get dressed up. We had super-girl gone bad, Zombie Pirate Princess, Spider-girl and Marylin Monroe. In the car on the way to the pub it was like the start of a bad joke....
So, anyway, I said pole, I meant pole!
I've been quiet on the pole front lately, it's been slow going for me for a few weeks now - since my shoulder injury but this week, it picked up in style.
Last week Karen had us trying Caterpillar. I managed a half a caterpillar climb and then slid down the pole, feeling like I'd run about 10k. It's hard. Oooh, it might not look it, but you're upside down, pushing up, whilst trying to balance and hold on to the pole.
So, one caterpillar, with Karen holding my hips and pushing upwards whilst I pushed from my arms. Not dignified, not graceful, but it was functional.
This week, Tom decided it was time he tried a caterpillar, since it's such good strength work. He did it. Not only did he do one, he did three in a row.
"Have a go, oh go on".
Yah. I tried making an excuse, crying off of doing it - I felt so unbalanced last time I'd tried it I was loathe to do it again, but eventually, with the promise he'd catch me and not let me break my neck, Tom got me onto the pole to attempt a caterpillar climb. I did it. Not only did I do it, I did three in a row! I slid off the pole, more to surprise than actually being unable to do more - what an improvement from last week! Could I do it again?
Let me show you...
I've been quiet on the pole front lately, it's been slow going for me for a few weeks now - since my shoulder injury but this week, it picked up in style.
Last week Karen had us trying Caterpillar. I managed a half a caterpillar climb and then slid down the pole, feeling like I'd run about 10k. It's hard. Oooh, it might not look it, but you're upside down, pushing up, whilst trying to balance and hold on to the pole.
So, one caterpillar, with Karen holding my hips and pushing upwards whilst I pushed from my arms. Not dignified, not graceful, but it was functional.
This week, Tom decided it was time he tried a caterpillar, since it's such good strength work. He did it. Not only did he do one, he did three in a row.
"Have a go, oh go on".
Yah. I tried making an excuse, crying off of doing it - I felt so unbalanced last time I'd tried it I was loathe to do it again, but eventually, with the promise he'd catch me and not let me break my neck, Tom got me onto the pole to attempt a caterpillar climb. I did it. Not only did I do it, I did three in a row! I slid off the pole, more to surprise than actually being unable to do more - what an improvement from last week! Could I do it again?
Let me show you...
Ok, yes, you might be wondering at the start of that video what I'm doing. Luckily my lovely camera-woman moved round to actually capture the move in full, otherwise all we'd have had was me undulating against the pole for thirty seconds!
So, two sets of three (actually the second set had a bonus fourth!) and I'm SUPER chuffed!!
You might recall Karen drilling me on Butterfly last week. Well, she read the blog. Apparently, all I'm ever going to be doing again is Butterfly ;P (I'm joking.....please don't make that real xD). Warmed up and I looked at her to see what she'd like to do. First words "Butterfly". Ugh. Well. This week proves that constant practice completely pays off - I got up and did my Butterfly (so if you're reading this Karen, thank you and yes, you were right!). It was a straight one, my leg did not veer to the side and I actually felt fairly comfortable in it. Of course then I had to work out how to get into a flat-line from the Butterfly.....should look something like this:
So, two sets of three (actually the second set had a bonus fourth!) and I'm SUPER chuffed!!
You might recall Karen drilling me on Butterfly last week. Well, she read the blog. Apparently, all I'm ever going to be doing again is Butterfly ;P (I'm joking.....please don't make that real xD). Warmed up and I looked at her to see what she'd like to do. First words "Butterfly". Ugh. Well. This week proves that constant practice completely pays off - I got up and did my Butterfly (so if you're reading this Karen, thank you and yes, you were right!). It was a straight one, my leg did not veer to the side and I actually felt fairly comfortable in it. Of course then I had to work out how to get into a flat-line from the Butterfly.....should look something like this:
 |  Taken from http://www.poleexercise.co.uk/?attachment_id=1280 |
Well, for once my body knew what I wanted and actually did it. First time. Leg came round, other leg came off and voila.
Some weeks, my brain and body refuse to communicate. It's like they're at war. Brain says "leg UP", body hears "bend leg down, towards the ground. No, actually you know what, stop functioning altogether - just let go" but this week we seem to have reached some treaty whereby they'll actually co-operate. I'll enjoy the peace whilst it lasts ;)
Anyway, there was a bit of spinning and an "oh crap" moment, but it worked. I needed to be a lot straighter and my wrists didn't fancy co-operating so much, but after a couple of tries I started to get the feel for it. I'll have to keep working on it to try and get my lower arm up and into a better position to hold my weight!
As if getting a flat-line AND a caterpillar in one session wasn't enough, I felt really greedy last week and also attempted a "Shark" (not sure what it's called elsewhere, but that's what we call it). I'll get a picture of it. When I've lost about 20Ibs - there was a lot of flab on display for this one since my stomach was all over the pole, but it looks like this (of course, this guy makes it all look so easy :D)
Some weeks, my brain and body refuse to communicate. It's like they're at war. Brain says "leg UP", body hears "bend leg down, towards the ground. No, actually you know what, stop functioning altogether - just let go" but this week we seem to have reached some treaty whereby they'll actually co-operate. I'll enjoy the peace whilst it lasts ;)
Anyway, there was a bit of spinning and an "oh crap" moment, but it worked. I needed to be a lot straighter and my wrists didn't fancy co-operating so much, but after a couple of tries I started to get the feel for it. I'll have to keep working on it to try and get my lower arm up and into a better position to hold my weight!
As if getting a flat-line AND a caterpillar in one session wasn't enough, I felt really greedy last week and also attempted a "Shark" (not sure what it's called elsewhere, but that's what we call it). I'll get a picture of it. When I've lost about 20Ibs - there was a lot of flab on display for this one since my stomach was all over the pole, but it looks like this (of course, this guy makes it all look so easy :D)
Screenshot from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPKR2SZOxKA - Evgeny Greshilov
I also continued working on my half-flag. It's not perfect, but I'm proud of it - when I first started I couldn't even lift my legs off of the ground, so it's all progress!!
 |  What it's supposed to look like (from poleexercise.co.uk) |
It goes to show that with consistent practice and a good instructor (no, I'm not just trying to butter Karen up so I don't have to do a million more Butterfly's in my lifetime) progress comes. You just have to wait to see it sometimes.
Lots of people can get discouraged when things don't move as quickly as they'd like - the countless number of MFP friends who have disappeared after getting frustrated at results after a week. The people who come and go in my training sessions (for both pole and martial arts) are examples of this, people who have had a try but didn't get to do advanced stuff in their first sessions and got fed up with the basics; but you get what you work for - if you're willing to work, the results WILL come to you.
I feel good this Friday. This week has bought me a lot. I've had a chance to rest, to get back to the gym, to eat some yummy food (not everyone agrees the food I prepare looks great, but I think it tastes awesome - it's functional, what more does it need to be!?) AND I had an awesome practice. I also bumped into my Sensei (who I may have been not-quite avoiding for fear of being known as a slacker) and he was not mad at me. Bonus. Now I just need to get my ass back into training!
This week has been good for me - what has it bought you? What makes you feel good this Friday?
Lots of people can get discouraged when things don't move as quickly as they'd like - the countless number of MFP friends who have disappeared after getting frustrated at results after a week. The people who come and go in my training sessions (for both pole and martial arts) are examples of this, people who have had a try but didn't get to do advanced stuff in their first sessions and got fed up with the basics; but you get what you work for - if you're willing to work, the results WILL come to you.
I feel good this Friday. This week has bought me a lot. I've had a chance to rest, to get back to the gym, to eat some yummy food (not everyone agrees the food I prepare looks great, but I think it tastes awesome - it's functional, what more does it need to be!?) AND I had an awesome practice. I also bumped into my Sensei (who I may have been not-quite avoiding for fear of being known as a slacker) and he was not mad at me. Bonus. Now I just need to get my ass back into training!
This week has been good for me - what has it bought you? What makes you feel good this Friday?
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