lyra – The Spin Diaries: Your Guide to Everything Pole and Aerial

I’ve been taking a break from pole to do THIS:

Posted on June 3, 2015July 28, 2016 by Cathy Vandewater

Y’all know I’ve been getting frustrated with pole. I feel like I’ve hit a wall–I’m bored with what I know, but I’m just not building the strength for the intermediate moves I keep encountering. Aerial inverts have been wrenching my already iffy lower back, while slipping and sliding and just trying to stay off the ground while learning stuff has just been overwhelming on top of the new skill.

Layer that with the additional constant pressure to “know this by now” because I’ve poled for a while and you get this face:

😐

So instead, I’ve been trying to build my strength and flexibility through other means–hoping to return back to pole with some new skills and a different outlook in a bit. Right now I’m doing flex, ballet, and my long lost friend…

….HOOP!

OMG HOOP.

Reasons I love hoop:

1. So much to hang on to. Are you kidding me? The best. You can also sit and rest between moves. Are. You. Serious.

2. Very similar moves and muscle groups as pole, but without the slipping/smashing/indian burn issues (I’ve bruised a little on the bum bum and behind the knees from the pressure but it’s really not the same as those screaming friction feels from pole).

3. I’m totally new at it so there’s no pressure to be amazing/no progress shaming

It’s also really refreshing to take a break from super sexy. I’m feeling the lyrical flow of hoop, and it’s the MOST satisfying pay off for my work in ballet and flex.

Ahhhhh, just thinking about it makes me feel relaxed and so much happier. Not that it’s not hard work–it’s just the work without all the emotional baggage that’s built up for me with pole. And it feels great!

Intro to Hoop “Flip”

Posted on January 29, 2015July 28, 2016 by Cathy Vandewater

Needed a break from pole so I tried an intro to hoop class at B&P. So much fun! We ran out of time for videos of the combo we learned, but our teacher Brenna was nice enough to let me get a clip of the flip we’d just learned!

From the depths of my draft folder…

Posted on December 3, 2013December 3, 2013 by Cathy Vandewater

Hey guys!

So, I know you think I haven’t been writing, but that is SO untrue.

Me and my niece on Thanksgiving. I keep telling her to point her toes but she doesn't listen. — Here’s an off-topic picture of me and my niece on Thanksgiving! I keep telling her to point her toes but she doesn’t listen.

I have a whole bucket o’drafts that I started and then got lazy and abandoned.

A few topics of interest that I then realized were not so interesting and gave up trying to write a whole blog about:

1. I went on a water drinking kick!

Like, 12 cups a day! Because I read this stupid Daily Mail article! This was a feeble attempt at tightening up a bit for a big bellydance show coming up. Fuck bellydance costumes, btw. It’s going well, actually, but I’m peeing a lot. Taking the train home to Bay Ridge late at night is like playing bladder russian roulette. It’s given me a lot more pole-durance somehow, though, so highly recommend!

2. I quit my day job!

Okay not really so dramatic–I got another offer and very respectfully put in my two weeks notice. I didn’t flip any tables or anything! Still, this is really exciting, but scary for a couple of reasons: 1. I’m not longer going to be a plain old writer, but a “content strategist.” AHHHHH RESPONSIBILITY IS SCARY. 2. I have worked at this company for 3 years! I love everyone! I am sad. Change. 3. I will finally have to let go of My Big Love. This… makes me tear up a little, but I know it’s for the best. He sits about 6 feet away from me. I’m listening to him eat potato chips right. now. He also (still, forever) has a girlfriend, which bothers me than it apparently bothers him. So, it’s for the best that we finally get some distance. Because even as I’ve been forcing myself to Move On (FOR MONTHS, IT IS STILL HARD MONTHS LATER… no seriously, are you getting the full extent of this??) and I’ve pushed myself to go on endless shitty dates, he still hears about all of them when we’re washing our respective Tupperware in the break room and has The Best Reactions of All Time to my awful stories. We still leave each other desk presents. We still make faces at each other in meetings. I like him so darn much, and I’m going to miss him. I don’t forgive him yet for saying “I love you” while not single and then taking it all back, but that’s okay (not really, whatever, THIS IS PAINFUL, moving on).

3. I have been scaring myself and my mom on the hoop!

It’s only my 3rd or 4th class but my fellow students have been giving me a lot of props on my “control” getting in and out of moves–which is translating to great pole gains (think slooooow shoulder mounts). I’ve recommended lyra as pole cross training before, but now I’m practically issuing this advice as mandatory.

Anyway, here’s me walking through a new (very high!!) trick. Sorry this video is so long and boring!