The Pole Dancing Diaries #1: The downside to pole dancing

I've been a pole dancer for almost two years now. I've had to take some time off every so often due to grad school sometimes so I haven't got the hang of everything just yet (my descending angel could use a lot of work, let me tell you) but there are things I've begun learning just about BEING a pole dancer that has nothing to do with spins and climbs and tricks on the pole.

The first and foremost is bruising. Oh god the bruising. My first instructor, Michelle, was amazing and wonderful at getting my class started in the wonderful ways of pole dancing. She explained that we would get bruises and often and that they would become like battle wounds. I didn't really know what she meant until a few weeks later and I had a dark purple bruise blossoming on my arm.

I found the longer I worked at something the sooner the bruise would leave as my skin grew tougher and more accustomed to the contact with the pole. Still. Two years in I still have my share of battle wounds.

The first two pictures are of the inside of my right arm. I've been working on my flying body spiral and wide leg splay, both of which use a lot of arm contact to the pole. The third picture is the top of my right foot, also bruising from climbing up and down the pole. 



My legs are also in protest due to my attempt at a bottle rocket that just won't go. I won't even bother with pictures of that one though. Eventually the skin will get used to it and the bruises will fade and my flying body spiral will be awesome and I will climb up the pole like no big deal and my bottle rocket will be gorgeous and flawfree. And then of course, I will learn something new and will have new battle wounds to contend with and explanations to give to other people but, that's another day.