If you follow me on Instagram, you know I am quite the pole, yoga, and handstand enthusiast. Well this March will mark my THREE YEAR POLE-IVERSARY! I can NOT believe it's been that long since I started working out at Bella Forza. The relationships I've made with my fellow Bella Beasts are such an important part of my life now, it's hard to imagine a time without them. BFF has given me so many great opportunities like writing for the site Strong Is Our Sexy, as well as kicking off my career as a pole-fitness instructor! I honestly can't say thank you enough. *cue giant smiley face!* :) OK, enough talk, on with the pictures!!! The first few videos are from the Beginner Pole class archives.
I shared these in my 2 Year Pole-iversary post, and love looking back at how excited I was to do these simple moves. Cracks me up! Moving from Beginner to Advanced, these combos are a bit more my speed.
I've also made leaps and bounds with my Iron-X. Below is the first video I took when I began working on it.
I held it for maybe a second....and now I'm up to almost 8 seconds!
Here are a few more pole pics, as well as a video of a sweet ninja-flip I've been working on.
Lastly, I've really been focusing on hand balancing and yoga this year. I absolutely LOVE handstands, and am determined to continue building my skills!
FIND THREE HOBBIES
YOU LOVE:
ONE TO MAKE YOU MONEY,
ONE TO KEEP YOU IN SHAPE,
AND ONE TO BE CREATIVE
-Unknown
I have loved this quote for a while now, and can truly say that Bella Forza provides me with all THREE of those hobbies. I am so grateful to get a chance to be an instructor, the workouts constantly challenge me, and pole dancing feeds my creative soul with opportunities to perform and express.
All and all it's been another INCREDIBLE year, and I can't wait for the next!
Two years ago, I found a Groupon to Bella Forza Fitness and took my first Pole Foundations class. From the moment I took my first spin, I was completely hooked! Since then I've been taking 2 to 3 classes a week, and also started taking as many fitness classes I could fit into my schedule. At first I started pole to get stronger, now I'm focused on getting stronger so I can do more pole! Never have I ever had this much strength, and I can't even explain how great of a feeling it is. Pole has completely changed my life :)
Here are a couple videos from my Beginner Pole classes:
These just make ma giggle now, I love how excited I was to spin by pushing myself off of the floor while doing a Table.
Once I was moved up into Intermediate I was taught how to invert. Here is a picture of one of my first Butterfly tricks.
Not long after I was moved to Intermediate, we had our annual BFF showcase. I thought "What the heck!" and signed up. Here is the video of my routine to Sweet Transvestite from the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Now I laugh at how shaky the inverts are, but this was an absolute rush to perform in front of people. Videos like this really help me see how much progress I've made. If you ever start a new hobby, document everything. There is nothing like seeing your talents improve that gives you the confidence to keep doing what you love!
After around a year in Intermediate, I was finally moved up to Advanced!
One of my absolute favorite tricks I have learned in Advanced is an Aysha. Below is a video of when I finally nailed a Handspring into a Split-Grip Aysha.
We've had another showcase at Bella Forza Fitness, and of course I said "Sign me up!". This showcase I did an advanced routine with two other of my peers. We had a medley of Disney songs we meshed together to create and adorable performance. :)
My latest trick I've really been working on is called an Iron-X. It is literally holding your body away from the pole so you are in the shape of an "X". It requires control, strength, and takes a lot of practice.
Here is one of my first attempts I recorded a couple weeks ago:
And here is another video taken last weekend at the Arnold Sports Festival:
Held it a few seconds longer and I am pumped!
This last one is a Cartwheel into a Split-Grip Aysha that I just nailed yesterday! Need to keep that one leg straight, but I'm still very happy with it!
Bella Forza has also let me meet two absolutely insane pole athletes, Estee Zakar and Natasha Wang! Click their names to see videos of their incredible skill!
Bottom line, Pole Fitness has become a MAJOR part of my life. I can't begin to explain how thankful I am to have found this form of exercise, or how important is has become to me. The support and love that flows through the ladies in my classes is indescribable. Everyone is rooting for you, and they are just as happy when you succeed as you are about yourself!
If you've ever thought about giving pole dancing a spin, GO AND TRY IT!
You'll never know what you're missing until you give it a shot!
A really good friend of mine sent me this quote a while back when I was having a rough day, and I wanted to share it with all of you.
I have read and re-read this over and over again these past few weeks because I seem to be on the struggle bus when it comes to my weight loss journey. Before Thanksgiving I told myself that I wanted to be under a certain weight before the holidays. I weighed in the week before Thanksgiving, made my goal, and was pumped! Since then though I have not been able to get past this plateau. Every week it's +0.5, - 1.2, +0.6, -0.8, +1, - 0.7 I am just up and down, up and down, circling this same weight and not making any progress.
I have only lost 2 pounds the last 24 weeks. So since September there has only been a 2 lb difference.
I FIND THIS AGGRAVATING!
After expressing my frustration on twitter (lame I know, but whatever...), my amazing friend came to the rescue.
"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength."
Everyone needs to chant this to themselves when they think they're failing. I have no plan to give up, I have come a long way, and the goal of my journey is to be healthy.
It is not a race.
I know that I need to make changes to knock myself out of this funk, and every week I've been trying a new strategy. (P.S. anyone out there have something that's worked for them when they get stuck?? I'd love to hear about it!)
So the next time you think you've failed, don't give up! What doesn't kill you really does make you stronger. Make that choice to keep going, and know that because of this setback, your victory will be that much sweeter.
