And then the clouds opened up and God said, “Here’s that Intermediate teacher you mentioned earlier.”

Posted on by Cathy Vandewater

So as you guys remember, I have been bitching and moaning a lot about intermediate teachers.

Basically, my problem has been being stuck between “way too easy advanced-beginner” and “holy shit I can’t do any of that yet intermediate.”

This would not be a problem if the intermediate classes were friendly to newcomers (ie. breaking down new moves instead of just having students do combos including a string of them… as warm up).

But, yeah, the opposite.

So, my basic strategy has been to go to these scary intermediate classes prepared for failure and embarrassment. I’ve been sucking it up, checking my pride at the door, and giving every move my hardest and most ignorant attempts (which inevitably lead to total failure). I figure even if I’m not hitting any of the poses, at least I’m working the muscles trying to get into them, and maybe one day I’ll get there.

This approach still sucks though because 1. it’s pretty humiliating, 2. the teachers I’ve had so far seem repelled by my failingness and prefer to assist students who are instead 80% there, and 3. ouch. (I’m hitting the ground a lot).

So imagine my utter delight at ending up in this one fantastic teacher’s class. I almost don’t even want to give you a name because I don’t want to blow up my spot, but Rica at Body and Pole, you guys…. yessssss.

I just stalked her for you guys and found this video, which is her first place performance at Polesque (a show I HIGHLY recommend seeing this year if you can).

But let me be real: as bad ass as this performance is (and as much hair and flexibility envy as I am experiencing), I kind of could give a shit this point about dance or choreo skills from an instructor. I care about a person who can TEACH. And that’s why I love this chick.

First off, she’s hilarious. She describes the posture for pencil spins by having you “imagine rainbows are shooting out of your vagina through your feet.”

She’s also tough (pull-up climbs, uggggggggggggh), but reasonable. She breaks things down. She gives you different components to a move so that if you can only climb and get into the first position, that’s okay–just work on that. She doesn’t shame you. (I’ve noticed a lot of teachers throwing around the “by this level you should know this” line, WHICH IS REALLY OBNOXIOUS BECAUSE WHY DO YOU THINK I’M HERE? I AM TRYING TO LEARN AND YOU’RE JUST SHAMING ME FOR NOT ALREADY KNOWING ARGHHHHHH).

And here’s the best part: she comes around to everybody as you work on stuff.

Not just the people she’s friends with.

Not just the people who are doing well and want style suggestions.

Every. Body.

And again, she’s tough. I did a shitty chopper into a pose and she called me on it, but was also like, “I wouldn’t let you get away with that except I know you’re tired” (which I really appreciated because yeah, it was an hour and 10 minutes into the class, my 10th or 11th invert in a row, and I had been giving my literal all. My arms were throbbing hours after that class). But I like being pushed! Don’t let me get away with anything!! Yes. I’ll do better next time!

Oh oh oh, and then this happened: she called us to the middle of the room to cool down and she put this song on.

Like, I feel as though Jesus has directly guided me into this class. Seriously.

Anyway, thank you Rica!!!!!!! After such a rough patch, I’m remembering why I liked pole again (even when it’s challenging). I’m extremely grateful and more motivated than ever. Cheesy, but true 🙂

How’s everybody else doing with training?

Are we planning some poling for the blizzard?

I’ve honestly been too sore to freestyle with all the classes I’ve been forcing myself into but I’m hoping to sneak some time in tomorrow. Maybe some good stretching too!

Stay warm and dry!!

For Sharay: What Might Be Messing Up Your Invert (But I’m Just Guessing, Girl)

Posted on by Cathy Vandewater

I have been getting some awesome fan mail lately, which makes me wonder if I’ve been accidentally sending out “I feel like I don’t have anything to offer anyone now that I’m not teaching anymore, might as well just give up on this blog” vibes and y’all just happen to be lovely supportive people like that.

Old photo (and slightly lopsided chopper) but note the straight arms, dropped head/upper body, and lifted hips!
One of my first (and slightly lopsided) choppers! Note the straight arms, dropped head/upper body, and lifted hips.

But THIS ONE got me so excited, because it asked for my help.

(I am nothing if not DESPERATE TO HELP, especially when “helping” involves me being a know it all. Like, you all know me by now, right? This is my jam.)

So anyway here’s a question I got from Sharay:

“I am having so much trouble inverting and doing an open v spin. Am i too heavy? Do you have any tips? Thanks so much!”

First things first (I’m the rilllllest): you are not too heavy.

Why do we always assume that something is mortally wrong with us when we can’t do something right away? This reminds me of being an 11 year old in 1997 when every piece of clothing was cropped and made of lycra and I remember thinking “I AM JUST SO FAT AND WRONG, I SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO GET DRESSED.” Now I’m all LOL, it’s because I was going to turn out all curvy and bangin’, and high-waisted side-zip clam diggers look good on no one.

But that was a tangent.

Sharay, you are not too heavy. Just saying.

OKAY, so from there, please know that inverts are fucking hard. It took me about a year to get mine, and even then, it was sporadic (could do it one day, not the next) for a few months. I still can’t aerial invert, but a large part of that is simply not attempting to.

Assuming you ARE attempting (which please, keep doing that, you’re getting stronger every time you try and fail, trust), here’s some stuff that might be messing you up:

1. You are not allowing your upper body to tip back

This one gets a LOT of people. It’s like you want to keep your head up so you can see yourself chopper, but duh, no one can anatomically get their legs over their heads unless their heads drop. Once you crunch your legs to your chest, let your arms straighten and TIP YOUR UPPER BODY BACK so that your head is lower than your hips. Scary? Fuck yes, this is terrifying, which is probably why your body may not be letting you do it. Get a patient, ballsy spotter who’s not afraid to position you correctly and get used to this position. You’re gonna spend a lot of time here when you get your invert!

2. Your arms are too high

You should be grabbing the pole about chest level, maybe a tad higher, while you’re standing (before attempting an invert). But if you let your hands creep up to eye level or worse, your arms will already be straight, and it will be impossible for you to drop your upper body once you crunch your legs in (see above).

3. You’re not pushing your hips up like your life depends on it

Do me a favor. Next time you’re near a pole, lay down next to it with the pole tucked into one of your armpits. Grab it with both hands as you would for any invert, then slowly draw your knees to your chest. THEN, push up from your hips/butt and open into a V as your booty lifts off the ground. Try it a few times slowly, both in and out. (This is conditioning by the way, so feel good about that!). Is inverting 80% abs? Yes. But that little hip/booty bump is what gets you up and over. And I have a feeling that’s where you might be stuck. So practice this exercise to get comfortable with the movement before you’re all OMG I’M TRYING TO INVERT AND THIS IS HARD AND TOTALLY DISORIENTING.

I’m too lazy now, but let me see if I can shoot a quick vid to visually illustrate these issues. Anybody else want to weigh in? Community effort!!

The Great Invert Debate: Can You Kick?

Posted on by Cathy Vandewater

Full disclosure: I have always been anti-kick in my inverts.

Even before I could chopper, I remember looking at girls pushing off the floor to invert with a kind of disdain. CHEATERS, I thought.

I just feel like this is what tends to happen…

But like many beliefs we hold dear in life, my feelings to this effect have less to do with personal experience and more to do with “well, that’s what I was taught when I first started!”

Reasons Why Kicking Is Bad (I always thought)

1. It’s CHEATING, you cheating cheaters!

2. You’re developing a false sense of your own strength

3. …which you’ll become devastatingly aware of when you try an aerial invert.

4. You’re reinforcing bad habits.

But then I watched Leigh Ann’s video offering tips for the most recent flow challenge (involving inverts, natch), and her nonchalance about kicking… well… it kind of won me over.

1. Better to get comfortable inverting as quickly as possible (and lord knows a deadlift chopper can take frickin’ forever)

2. Inverting, even through kicking, helps build muscles that will enable you to invert better! IE. kicking inverts are better prep for deadlift ones than, well, not inverting at all.

3. She didn’t explicitly say this, but, generally her opinion seemed to be that there’s no reason to set up such a tough barrier to inverting for yourself as it just leads to frustration and cuts off your access to a variety of tricks/poses you could be battling your way through.

Now, as a form stickler… I’m conflicted here. I definitely feel part of the “If you can’t do it right, don’t do it” camp, especially when inverting and, it follows, safety is involved.

But I also wonder how much time I lost working on difficult tricks because I just couldn’t deadlift-chopper yet (and lord knows I tried all the time, and did ALL the reverse crunches).

What do you guys think? Do you HAVE your deadlift chopper or do you kick into inverts?

Here’s that Week 5 Combo, in case you’re interested. Pretty slick!

XOXOXO