I'm a guest blogger!

The Pole Dancing Shop posted on Facebook that they were looking for guest bloggers, so I jumped on board!  It's my story, so you probably know it, but I wanted to share anyway.  Enjoy!

http://www.thepoledancingshop.com/news/40/Powerful-bodies%2C-Even-more-powerful-minds-by-Lori-Myers.html 

Powerful bodies, Even more powerful minds by Lori Myers

Posted on 14th May 2010 @ 4:32 PM

While pole fitness is definitely my shiny new toy, I am not new to the fitness world. I have spent a lot of time and money trying to get myself into shape over the years. I am six feet tall, so regardless of my weight, I've always been a "big girl". I gained significant weight in my 20's while in college. My highest weight was almost 350 pounds. On March 17, 2004 (at age 27), I had RNY gastric bypass surgery at UCSF. I ended up losing 165 pounds.

I am now 33 years old and have put on about 40 pounds. So, I decided it was time to find a new, fun way to lose weight and get in shape. That is what brought me to Twirly Girls Pole Fitness in Pleasanton, California. Clearly, at over 200 pounds, I am not the "normal" vision of a pole dancer. Twirly Girls' owner, Bel, said that when she met me, she immediately thought of a viking warrior. I get an image of a strong woman with long flowing hair, carrying a bow and arrow or sword and wearing a fur-lined bikini. I can live with that image! Because of my height, I am often called Amazon, so it's not too far from something I've imagined before. I may never have the slim, dancer's body, or a super-toned, muscular body but I can always be me. So who am I in the pole dancing world? I am fun and silly. I like to dance crazy to loud, dirty rock songs. However, I think I've limited what I allow myself to do because I've always made the excuse, "I'm sure I'm too big to do that".

At my studio, there is a girl named Jen. She has the most amazing body, flexibility and strength. She can do all the things I want to do on the pole! She's also the size of one of my legs. So, then I started asking myself: Even if I was in the best shape of my life, would *I* be able to do what Jennifer does? I would guess her to be under 5 feet tall and under 100 pounds -- PURE muscle. I'm well over twice her size! Can a six foot tall body hang off a pole and do all the things that a five foot tall body can? Her toned muscles have to hold up a lot less than my flabby muscles do. I'm not taking away from the amazing things she can do! But am I setting myself up to fail by thinking or hoping that I too could hold the poses that Jennifer can?

Recently, I had a conversation with Amber Richard, who is also a tall pole dancer. She gave me a whole new respect for what taller bodies can acomplish. So I have a new mission to get myself into better shape so that I too can do all of the cool pole tricks that Bel, Jen and Amber (just to name a few...) can do. I don't want to hold myself back anymore.

Now I'd love to know... What is holding you back? Is it you? Leave me a comment below!

Until next time, keep twirling!

Lori Myers
Student at Twirly Girls Pole Fitness Studio in Pleasanton, California
http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/

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When worlds collide...

So last week my mom and seastars (sisters with an accent) came to Twirly Girls for a taster class.  I was off work to move into my new place and was living relatively pain free (so, ready to twirl).  However, I had also just left an appointment with Keith at Tri-Valley Bodyworks so I was greased up and unable to really pole. 

Why is this blog-worthy?  Well, why is anything in my life blog-worthy really?  This is where I come to rant or rave or celebrate or whatever.  You aren't exactly a captive audience.  You may leave at any time if you don't like what I'm saying.  :-)   But I digress.  The reason THIS is so blog-worthy is because my mom is a conservative Christian. Working out on a stripper pole is frowned upon in that community regardless of the reason behind it.  I could tell when I told my mom about my new fitness venture that she wasn't impressed.  So it was a big deal that she put her feelings aside and came to check it out. 

I thought the class went well.  My sister, Kati, is super strong so she was able to climb and invert and already do all of the tricks I'd love to do.  My youngest sister, Lindsey, did really well too.  She could do a cross-legged pole sit, which I am still working on (I can't get that damn leg to go straight) and a hand stand.  My mom was a good sport and was able to do all of the basic moves.  Bel was really good about feeling out the crowd and catering to what they could handle (mentally and physically). 

At the end of class, Bel suggested I perform my Darling Nikki dance.  If you aren't familiar with the song, one of the first lines talks about masturbating in a hotel lobby (and there was an audible gasp from my mom when that part of the song hit).   I wasn't going to be busting out in my busty cop outfit but the words to the song and some of the moves alone probably weren't going to be my mom's cup of tea.  I was really nervous and I messed up half the moves (not to mention, I was still oiled up from my appointment with Keith and was slippery like a greased pig), but I was glad I did it. 

Regardless of how loud I yell about the fitness aspect of pole, the morality issues surrounding stripping and the stigma attached to pole dancing are still there.  For the most part, I don't care what an adult does to make their money (or get in shape) but a small part of me still wants my mommy to approve of what I'm doing. 

After my dance, my mom did mention that she wouldn't be getting a pole for the house and she didn't like my song, but she still seemed to have a decent time.  And I appreciated her for making the effort. 

Lindsey

My mom

Kati

Bel

The Lovely Rita's National Kidney Walk in San Francisco

So the day we have been gearing up for finally arrived!  The 5k walk for the National Kidney Foundation -- which is the reason Twirly Girls hosted the fundraiser -- was on Saturday, May 8th.  It was a beautiful clear day in the city (although fairly windy and cold)! 

I joined Rita, her husband (Dave), her daughter (Kate), her mom (Marge), and our friend (Robert), along with other friends (ran into Jim and Mike...hi guys!!!) to walk along the Embarcadero.  We questioned whether it was a full 5k (when we first saw the 2k sign, we thought out loud...no way). 

I'm sure Rita was proud to hand over her large donation of, what I believe was, close to $3,000.  I am touched that so many people came together to make that possible.  We love the Twirly Girls!  Here are some photos of our fun trip to the city!

It's been awhile

I haven't posted anything in two weeks!  I guess I did promise that I may post all the time or never!  In my defense, I moved into a new place last weekend, so I was busy packing and moving.  Now I am supposed to be busy unpacking and arranging furniture, but I'm feeling unmotivated.  I'm in a very weird place.  I'm excited about the new place, about living with Rob, about losing [part of] my commute.  But I'm vaguely aggravated with a few irritating people and situations right now.  So, it's taking some of the excitement out of my new life.

Why can't I go back to the simpler times?  When I was a baby.  I didn't have to work or even go to school.  My parents might have hated each other but I didn't know (or maybe they didn't hate each other yet).  I got to hang out in my dad's boat naked (still love being naked, by the way).  Wind in my hair.  Sun on my face.  I didn't have to worry about a job.  Paying the bills.  Maintaining relationships.  PMS.  Being a fat ass and out of shape.  

I'm grumpy and upset because I think I've finally realized what is causing my hip to hurt.  And, it's pole dancing.  :-(  Between moving Rob (he lives on the third floor with no elevator) and dealing with my own move (although slightly less physically intense since I hired movers for most of it), I expected to be almost unable to move this week.  But I felt great.  In fact, I had four straight days of almost NO pain whatsoever (this hasn't happened since I started having pain last November!).  Then on Tuesday I went to Twirly Girls.  I literally did about five minutes worth of moves -- maybe two spins (I had gone to Keith at Tri-Valley Bodyworks for a body re-alignment and he used some massage oil on me so I was too slippery to do much pole).  But by Tuesday night, I was already in pain.  I could feel the stiffness and soreness setting in. 

So what is causing it?!  The transitions?  Maybe if I wear those little dance footies on the balls of my feet, it will make transitions smoother (and less painful for my hips)?  The twirls?  I can't imagine since I did maybe TWO.  (I have noticed that it also doesn't help that I have a desk job...sitting still for hours on end is KILLING my body.)  I can't invert.  I can't climb.  So, it's not like I'm doing crazy moves that are so hard on my body.  I just don't know.  I am hoping that as I lose weight and get into shape, it won't matter and I'll be able to do whatever I want without pain or worry.  But, as for now, I'm sad, frustrated, grumpy, whiny, bitchy, and just generally feeling like being an asshole so that everyone else can feel my pain.  :-)  Oh yeah, and my eyes itch.  I'm severely allergic to something close to where I work.  So I get allergy shots and yet my eyes still feel like they're on fire.  Maybe I shouldn't have written this while I had itchy eyes.  :-D 

So, that's it for now.  Next time, I promise to come back with something more fun and/or exciting to report.  Until then, keep twir....  Nevermind.  Just hope I don't kill anyone.