orngesodalampst

I haven't updated in a while. Lots has happened since then, at least in terms of fitness. I injured my shoulder doing pole. Specifically, it was from a few rigorous elbow grip Ayesha and Iguana sessions. I probably just did the two moves too much, which is very probable, because I was working on each for at least 20 minutes straight. At any rate, it was so painful that I finally went and saw a physical therapist. I've never seen a PT before, so that indicates how bad it was. It's not a terrible injury, but a full month later and it's still causing pain and I can't do most of the things I could before. I can't do any striking with that side, anything that causes my shoulder to jut forward - which means I can't do any combat training. Krav and UC are completely out for a while, but I've been able to go to boxing and work on my non-dominant side. Actually, that's been helpful because I was starting to notice a huge difference in strength and speed on ...

Last week I joined level 7 in pole, but it's technically an aerials class meant for people who have already taken that level. I asked the instructor if it would still be okay for me to join, given that I haven't yet taken 7, and she said it was fine. Well, it really wasn't. We zoomed through every move in Pole 6 in about 10 minutes and then every move in Pole 7 in the next 10 minutes. There wasn't ever a chance for me to actually learn any of the moves, and I'm very lucky that I already knew how to do many of them from when I was in Pole 7 last time. But some of them I had never tried before and 30 seconds isn't enough time for me to learn them. I wasn't given a spotter and was expected to have them mastered by the time we moved onto the next move. It was so stressful. The two moves I struggled with the most, though, were Allegra and elbow grip Ayesha. Allegra is so advanced that I hadn't even fathomed we'd learn it at any point in the studio, bu...

I was in the changing room at Goodwill today when I looked down and was surprised by how insanely buff my legs looked! Hells to the yeah! I could scare someone off with these babies!

My battle wounds from combat conditioning class. May have hit the bag a little too hard.

I've been working on my arms-only climb for a month now and I'm finally making some progress. At first I literally couldn't pull myself up at all; I just hung there. But I've been working on it at home, even if I do nothing else on the pole. I'll just walk up to it, do a few pulls, and then go on my merry way. Yesterday I dropped in on Kate's level 3 class after going to Power Yoga at the Monkey Bar Gym and a really boring, pointless weapons class at karate; and despite having very tired arms, I managed 3 solid pulls up the pole. The most I've gotten is 3 pulls in the past, but these were the first time that they've felt totally controlled with my arms bent almost the entire time. I've felt envious at the other girls in my level 6 class because they've been able to do this climb since Day 1, but the more I watch them the more I realize they're actually using their legs like a straddle climb. So they're not actually doing the move, alt...

Hey! Another life goal was achieved recently and I forgot to mention it. It's not a huge goal, but it's been one for a while nonetheless. I can finally drink coffee straight (i.e. black). I've been actively working towards this goal for about 2 years now, and I finally made it about 3 months ago. I figure since it's been 3 solid months without cream or sugar, I can confidently cross it off my life goals list.

I forgot to post last week about finally learning Iguana in pole class and about getting it on the first try! It super jacked up my right shoulder, though; although I suspect it was already jacked up, because neither shoulder hurt at all when I started with it on the bottom instead of on top. I really had no idea that there was a problem with it until then. I briefly wondered if twisted grip handspring messed it up; but I doubt that's the case since I haven't done it all that much, and I'm pretty sure it's always hurt whenever I've tried to do Iguana with it on the top. It's the biggest reason I've never gotten past just holding onto the pole. I'm glad I tried switching it up and putting my non-dominant hand on top, because that doesn't hurt at all. But what's wrong?  Anyway, I was able to get up each time I tried, holding it in a pencil and then bending over. Getting out of it isn't that graceful at this point, but that will come wit...