I have found that there comes a point in the pole journey (actually, several) when one reaches a plateau - it kinda feels like one is flat-lining. It's that point where you realise you haven't learnt anything new in a couple of weeks, and you're not going to learn anything new unless you somehow become stronger/more flexible/develop super-human grip overnight. This tends to happen to me quite regularly. Somehow, I've noticed that my body needs to come to terms with what it needs to do, and my brain needs to have it figured out from every-which angle, before I even attempt something. And while I'm lucky that this happens fairly quickly, I've again reached a plateau. I can't split (yet), and the shin-splints in my forearms (I mean - what's with that? must be the stupidest pole injury ever... >:( lol) means that my handspring-practising is limited. Which means I'm left with mastering new and random combinations for the time being. Until my body and brain work out the next trick.
I remember back in my early pole days (OK, that was barely over a year ago, but still...) it was sooo much fun, showing my friends what new tricks I had learnt on a weekly basis. Now, they're lucky if they get 2 photo's a month... :/ Which is why it was so unbelievably great fun when my bestie India and I went to a duet workshop a couple of weeks ago... For once, I learnt a whole lot of NEW tricks, and for the first time in months, I was actually struggling to walk for two days due to absolute stiffness! Lol.
What India and I one day hope to be able to look like, courtesy of Mindipics (Liye & Naomi (JPN) - © copyright 2012 Mindipics) - go to
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.344290518959028.91346.107601375961278&type=1 (or go like the page https://www.facebook.com/mindipicsofficial)
for some more AMAZING photo's!
I've been poling for three and a half years and I can tell you, plateauing happens all the time...or, at least, you tell yourself that you are plateauing all the time.
ReplyDeleteI have some nemesis moves that have been plagueing me for years (yes, as in more than 24 months), like the handspring, the air shoulder mount...and anything with a splits in it... But the funny thing is, there's always some new move that you can do despite the plateau.
Often, these are moves that are from a lower level, but why should that matter? I love learning new moves regardless of how easy or difficult they are. I want pictures of me doing all of them.
It all really comes down to the way you approach it all. If you keep bashing at a move that just doesn't seem to want to happen, you'll just get frustrated. If you take a look around and go explore the Net or even just work on variations, you'll find a whole new plethora of moves to try out.