Claudia Gomez - Case Studies

VALENTINA

July 6, 2022

Valentina: 24 Dance/teacher. Long time managed scoliosis. No previous pole experience. Only goal/expectation was to learn.

Class 1 - (1 hour) Assessment: Good self awareness, good strength and flexibility. Methodical learner. Slower pace.

Warm up: She had just come from teaching a private class so had her jump on the rebounder to bring a little body warmth and springiness. Head rolls, arm out rotations horizontally with wrist rolls, shoulder rolls.

Pole introduction:

Started with a bit of pole dance background and its evolutionary trajectory to our current day. Explained how the industry has grown and with it technique and movement possibilities.

Explained how pole dance requires the recruitment of power by muscle contraction of many parts of the body at the same time leading her through the muscle irradiation exercise from hands to feet.

Located and explained the correct placement of the pole for the waist hold between lower rib and hip to find the pole cradle.

Explained the purpose and importance of lateral thoracic breathing for muscle and strength engagement and for resetting and settling the nervous system when needed.

Pole practice:

Started waist hold from floor lifting each foot to pole with good flexibility

Practiced pole rows moving to flat line waist hold bringing each foot up to pole

Explained similar motion and engagement to pole attempting chin up pull up to understand pole row movement.

Practiced bringing knees to chest then extending legs

Successful waist hold invert.

Initial problems: feet placement in relation to pole, hands high, elbows far from ribs. Being able to relax while staying connected.

Corrections: Bring legs to 90 degrees, elbows to side of ribs, hands down, breathing. Repeat.

July 13, 2022

Class 2: Warm up using pole. Spine waves leaning back against pole hinging forward supported by hands on knees, arm stretches, hip joint rotation warm up and stretching from standing, moving around pole to music of course.

Practiced 360 degree breathing.

Introduced visualization.

Practiced more waist hold invert focusing on elbow rib connection

Practiced full V invert

Introduced inside leg hook from waist hold

Moved on to inside leg hook from flatline waist hold

Worked on waist hold to flatline, inside leg hang

Worked on understanding and loosening the grip

Introduced strong hold inverting with little success

Combining invert to flatline inside leg hook to scorpion arm release with some success

Initial problems: tear dropping off the pole, moving too fast

Correction: visualization, positioning elbows by ribs, breathing, puffing chest, closing ribs, activating core as one

July 22, 2022.

Class 3: Worked on Mindset. Cleared mind chatter and moved on to the floor.

Warm up using pole. Spine waves leaning back against pole hinging forward supported by hands on knees, arm stretches, hip rotations and stretching from standing, movement around pole to music of course.

Practiced vertical rows on pole to understand upper body connection

Pull ups on pole with band

Refreshed invert mechanics focusing on elbow to rib connection.

Understanding path of legs during leg switches from floor.

Refreshed leg hook positioning from the floor

Visualized

Practiced invert into V

Practiced inside leg hook to outside leg hook switch without collapsing till success

Problems: slow and connected leg hook switch, loosing elbow to rib connection, tear dropping on pole

Corrections: visualization, 360 breathing, focus on keeping rib and elbows connected, maintaining straight back


HARA

July 6, 2022

Hara: 28 Yoga teacher, dancer/teacher. No injuries. No previous pole experience. Only goal/expectation was to learn.

Class 1 - (1 hour) Assessment: Great self awareness, strength, flexibility and openness to learn.

Warm up: She had just come from teaching a yoga class so had her jump on the rebounder to bring a little body warmth and springiness. Head rolls, arm out rotations horizontally with wrist rolls, shoulder rolls.

Pole introduction:

Started with a bit of pole dance background and its evolutionary trajectory to our current day. Explained how the industry has grown and with it technique and movement possibilities.

Explained how pole dance requires the recruitment of power by muscle contraction of many parts of the body at the same time leading her through the muscle irradiation exercise from hands to feet.

Located and explained the correct placement of the pole for the waist hold between lower rib and hip to find the pole cradle.

Explained the purpose and importance of lateral thoracic breathing for muscle and strength engagement and for resetting and settling the nervous system when needed.

Pole practice:

Started waist hold from floor lifting each foot to pole with lots of flexibility

Moved on to flat line waist hold bringing each foot up to pole.

Practiced bringing knees to chest.

Successful waist hold invert.

Initial problems: feet too far back closer to pole, open ribs, hands high, head looking at hands, elbows far from ribs.Corrections: Bring legs to 90 degrees, breath ribs down, elbows to side of ribs, place my hand behind head and push into it.

July 13, 2022

Class 2: Warm up using pole. Spine waves leaning back against pole hinging forward supported by hands on knees, arm stretches, hip joint rotation warm up and stretching from standing, moving around pole to music of course.

Practiced 360 degree breathing.

Introduced body positioning for strong hold invert which she preferred

Introduced visualization.

Worked on waist hold and strong hold invert

Introduced inside leg hook from floor waist hold

Moved on to inside leg hook from flatline waist hold

Worked on strong hold to flatline, inside leg hang

Worked on understanding and loosening the grip while still fully engaged for more mobility

Introduced basic climb

Worked on going slow

Combining invert to flatline inside leg hook to scorpion arm release

Initial problems: tear dropping off the pole, moving too fast

Correction: visualization, positioning elbows by ribs, breathing, puffing chest, closing ribs, activating all trunk as one

July 20, 2022

Class 3 Warm up: Pole arm stretching, spine waves, hip joint rotations from standing, shoulder Controlled Articulated Rotations, movement around the pole to music

Practiced more 360 breathing

Practiced getting into body with more focused visualization of intention

Practiced positioning keeping arms low, elbows to ribs and head back

Practiced strong hold invert

Introduced sliding into pole in circular motion for momentum

Practiced outside leg path for leg hook on floor rotating towards pole

Introduced leg hook switch pathway from floor

Introduced best way for OLH and ILH.

Practiced leg hook switch from top

Leg switching

Practiced slowing down

Note: very positive outlook, excitement, trust, playfulness, strong, aware and eager to learn more which makes her go very fast and miss some of the details.

Corrections: working on slowing down, breathing, visualizing and repeat