Pole Dance Isn't Always Sexy, Aerial Isn't Always Graceful

Back in March, I signed up for pole dance classes (with two awesome friends, actually, one of whom also lives in the blog sphere and resides at The Invincible Blog).  My hopes are fairly simple – to transform my ungainly, clumsy self into a strong and sexy beast. About a month later, I also started aerial silks classes (also with the same two ladies – Kate and Tini, you are fabulous and should feel fabulous). Honestly, I’m just hoping that both classes will help make me harder to kill in case of the dreaded Zombie Apocalypse. Oh, and I’m also participating in a Tough Mudder competition this September, so if I can learn to do some pull-ups before then, that would be really great. Anyway, main motivation aside, my excitement at the prospect of swooping and spinning and generally looking really, really awesome pushed me through the first few classes even when I could barely do three push-ups in a row. I knew it would take a lot of hard work, and guess what – I’m still working really, really hard to look really awesome. Most of the time, actually, I’m working really, really hard to try to look even a little bit awesome. Many silks practices end up somewhere around here – 

I call this the Floppy Scorpion. Done correctly, I should be hanging by that raised leg and it should look something like this…

*Real Scorpion. Photo from stephaniefoundit's Flickr

…but I haven’t yet developed the core strength to throw my legs over my head while I’m hanging in mid-air (inversion, woo), so when I try this trick I have to stay close to the ground. Despite my wry look, though, getting into this was fun! Botched moves also help remind me not to take myself too seriously, which keeps me from getting super frustrated when I can’t immediately force my still-weak body into complicated poses.

One of the stranger things I’m noticing throughout all my pole & silks classes is that the left side of my body is decidedly weaker than its right side counterparts. It’s a little strange to have to strength train unevenly in order to bring my left side up to par with my right side, but it’s been catching up fairly nicely. Fortunately in the two and a half months I’ve been at this, I’ve only had one semi-major silks-and-pole related injury (I tore my left forearm muscle, which took almost two weeks to heal). I also had one other setback, but that came from a tumbling accident. I've learned that I am clumsy and shouldn’t be tumbling (yet). I have since broken up with gymnastics, at least until after Tough Mudder. I’d rather stay healthy and hale for silks and pole classes than learn to do a front tuck (even though front tucks are really, really cool).

As far as pole class goes, well – let’s just say that my inner sexy beast hasn’t made an appearance yet. I love pole class, and fortunately have a really amazing instructor, but I can’t help feeling a little off and self-conscious. It simultaneously helps and hinders me that the two gorgeous ladies I signed up with are naturals and are learning everything quickly. Watching them is definitely inspiring and gives me hope for my future in pole dance, though! I’m determined to stick with this because despite my current lack of sexy, I have a great time and generally leave class feeling bouncy and happy and pleasantly tired. Also my stubbornness won’t let me quit yet, but whatever it takes to keep me going, eh?

My most recent pole class exhausted me and I ended up dragging my wrist along the pole way more than I should have, which left me with this – 

For the past three days I’ve been walking around feeling very dramatic about my bandaged wrist (because it's definitely bandaged, except when I get creepy and take pictures of it). I also get a real kick out of the furtive looks my coworkers have been giving it.

All in all, I’m thrilled to be taking these classes with my two wonderful friends, and honestly can’t wait for the progress we make so I can continue taking pictures, and swooping, and falling, and giggling, and generally keep feeling awesome about life.