Pole Update

I really need to find a different platform other than Blogger. There have been multiple times I wanted to write a post but didn't because I just don't enjoy using this platform. The ritual of it all has been destroyed.

That said, I was reading a blog post about pole (this one here), and it occurred to me that I haven't checked my own pole progress/goals posts in a while. 

Now, I shattered and fractured my heel back in January, so that completely threw off my exercise routine and pole/aerial/combat/skating progress; but I recently started going back to pole classes and have even gone to two skating classes again. A quick side note about the skating classes: I was able to do the moves in that first class like I hadn't missed a second of training. In fact, I was wholly proud of myself. It was the first time ever that I had thought to myself, "Damn, I'm really good at this!" I was surpassing most of the other skaters there, even ones that had been taking the classes throughout winter. The second class last night, though, was a different story. My feet were in such excruciating pain from skating on the crappy streets earlier this week that I couldn't last more than a few minutes without having to sit down. 

Back to pole. I've gone to a few classes in the past few months, but they've been far and few between. And in between I'm not doing any exercise, either, not even my physical therapy. Mostly, I've just been in too much pain or too tired. One of those weeks I went to Orlando and did nothing, then I came back and felt like shit the entire next week. I'm hesitant to go to the aerial classes at Aerial Hippie, and Anna Belle doesn't have a lot of classes being offered right now, either. I still haven't gone back to my combat classes, either because I've been too tired on the weekends or in pain. 

But I have been able to do a few cool things in pole since I came back. Other things, I've lost (like my true grip Ayesha) or still can't do because of my heel (Extended Butterfly). I was able to get my cup grip Iron X back one class, so that's encouraging. So I think it's time to look at my last goals list and make a new one.

-- from December 2019's post --

In 2020, my primary goal is to get my shoulders back where they should be, to continue improving my flexibility, and take my strength to higher levels.


2019 goals check-in:
- Splits all three ways
- ✔️Get my hands flat onto the ground 

- Deadlift forearm stand
- Deadlift cup grip handspring on dominant side 
- Regular cup grip handspring on non-dominant side
- Cartwheel into Ayesha
- Brass monkey/flag deadlift... both ways!
- True grip Ayesha with dominant hand on top
- ✔️Bendier fang from true grip pencil

- Pencil from cup grip Ayesha
- ✔️Iron X 

- Janiero
- Knee breaker
- Icarus
- Phoenix on non-dominant side?
- Gargoyle
- Swimmer
- Titanic
- BETTER TRANSITIONS 

My 2020 pole goals is a lot more simple:

- Twisted grip handspring? --> Phoenix?
- Sideways, deadlift cup grip handspring- Iron X
- Handstand (clean kick-up / deadlift)
- ✔️Touch hands flat on ground

- 6 pull-ups, 14 chin-ups
- ✔️More consistent meathook

- Plank shoulder mount
- ✔️More spinning pole moves

--- END ---

So not a ton of progress, but I mean, it was COVID. I was able to get a few really important/cool things, though, like Iron X and touching my hands to the ground. Certain things like Phoenix and Janiero I just don't think I'll ever be able to do because of my body limitations. I've learned a lot of other cool moves, though, from CoCreate's online pole classes, moves I've never seen before. 

So for 2021, my goals are just to get myself back to where I was before I broke my heel. I've lost my shoulder mounts and aerial inverts, and my true grip Ayesha/Extended Butterfly look like shit now. My pull-ups have suffered horribly, too. I'm not sure I could do an invert on a trapeze or lyra now if I tried. 

My new goals list for 2021:

• Swimmer
• Deadlift into cup grip Ayesha (not sure I'll be able to do this in 6 months)
• Cup grip Ayesha to pencil
• Twisted Sister
• Plank shoulder mount (at least get my one-legged one back)
• Decent flag
• Get my hands-only climb back
• Get my aerial invert back
• Get my aerial shoulder mount back
• Layback to Ayesha
• Straight armed invert
• Full splits
• Pole handstand
• One handed spin into step up