An easy way to make a MILLION dollars
Are you hoping to quit your job and become a megamillionaire?
If so, I have the PERFECT opportunity for you.
I have come up with, bar none, the biggest idea that will ever hit pole dancing. Let me explain.
I am a big fan of drops and tumbles (oh my!) so I am often trying to figure out how to work on new combos without beaning myself in the head with the pole or the floor, or slamming my body into the pole accidentally as I’m perfecting something. Recently, I realized that the one thing that pole dancing is missing, is something that has been accessible to secret agents and rock climbers for YEARS.
The picture up there should have given you a hint: we need someone to build an anti-gravity floating harness! We could mount it to the ceiling and figure out a way to rig the belt so that you can twist in it without getting tangled on the wires.
Imagine the possibilities: Remember how hard it was to invert in the beginning? This harness would be able to take varied amounts of weight off your poor arms and core, so that you can work on strengthening in stages. Working on your shoulder mount? Let this help you by taking some of the load! Working on the knee hold? You no longer need to bruise the knees over and over again, let this help you get used to the pressure! That crazy new combo that you’ve figured out in your head? See if you can make it a reality! No longer do you need to wait for that special spotter that you trust to be available. You can just use this rig!
Genius, right? The other option is to figure out a fluid that you can breathe in, and that will support just enough of your weight to make you floatier, and then figure out a way to get people in the fluid to pole and make sure that it doesn’t make the pole too slippery. Maybe a special catsuit would add friction so you could be immersed and still pole. But that idea seems slightly more complicated. Just a little.
Any takers?
Well, it was worth a try. And because it’s too cute NOT to include, I must end the entry now with a little mouse who I found when I was searching for Mission Impossible pictures.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Monday’s post: Sweaty Hands, Part 2…
Sign me up! Fist full of $$ for you, if you figure that one out!
Ha… I’m on it!
I laughed when I saw a video on SV of luvlee having her DH hold her hips up in a harness.
We totally need that. It’s too damn hard otherwise!
ahah, I missed that video! I guess DHs can technically be considered spotting harnesses but in my experience they get distracted/bored very easily….
I have an idea that might work. We need to get a brainstorming session together.
And investors!
Love this idea. A poling harness is just what me, my sore muscles and my many (and varied) bruises need.
Sounds like you could do with a massage too
That harness already exists! – it’s called aerial silks!
When I first tried it I was amazed how much easier it was in comparison to pole to invert and do other tricks which looked quite similar to what you do on the pole. The main difference is that at least half of your body weight is always supported by the silks so you don’t have to use your muscles that much. Not to mention how easy it seemed to do the splits, your legs are basically pulled apart by the silks and gravity does all the work
If someone could combine pole and silks that would be great.
However, the thing I love most about pole dancing is the challenge: being able to overcome my fears and physical boundaries. Gradually building my strenght and stamina. I wouldn’t like pole dancing to become too easy. I want to be able to be proud of what I can achieve, even if the progress is slow.
Woah, I would totally disagree that silks isn’t as hard as the pole. Splits might be easier but strength tricks are definitely not– the foundation move for silks is a straddle and in pole it takes most people a LONG time to get to be able to do that! And your forearms are activated most of the time so doing combos gets really tiring much faster on silk then on pole. Unless you’re a beastly strong dancer, which it sounds like you are!
Someone please bring this great idea to fruition!
I agree
Ahhh, I do silks and think THAT is dang hard, too. It’s only somewhat easier if you’re doing stuff ‘on the knot.’ still, you’re hoisting up your entire body weight!
I do love the challenge, too though.
Silks ain’t meant to be easy, that’s for sure!
i do this with my students! we have aerial yoga hammocks and straps that i use for training and strengthening their stabilizer muscles. the hammock gives them support (hands are in the seperate straps) while they are learning to use the correct muscles to pull them up without having to focus on not sliding on the pole. then we translate it to the pole, and BAM they got it! i should make a video on it huh? it’s an extremely helpful training aid. i was able to get people that couldn’t do handsprings cause they were focusing on their hands sliding/grip and couldn’t ever focus on holding it…put them in the hammock for 5 minutes so their muscles could learn, then went over to the pole and BAM landed it! BAM! lol
That’s pretty awesome, and some seriously inventive teaching! Kudos to you
Great idea! I’m setting the mechanical engineer hubby on it! Love the new website set up, btw!
Thanks Cara
Let me know how that goes with the hubs!
I have had another idea in my head forever – pole warmers! It’s always so cold and uncomfortable getting on a freezing cold pole, especially in the winter!!!!!!!!
Absolutely! I think manufacturers should ship them already installed, don’t you?
they actually have these spotting harnesses. They’ve been used in gymnastics for years. xoxo
And circus (especially flying trapeze) but they look like huge diapers and the rigging points won’t work with pole!
I think you also need to add into the design some kind of retraction mechanism (I don’t know if harnesses already have them or not) so that as soon as any sudden amount of weight hits them they pull you back and up. I suggest this because probably my worst pole fail involved my hand slipping when I was pressing from a pole split to a butterfly and face met pole first then body met ground – would be ideal if neither of those things had happened!
I also think some kind of anti-gravity boots could do the job – there are any number of times where I get my body into position and then say “go go magic legs!” and nothing happens;(
I was sort of thinking that it would have a belay system on it so that you spotter could pull you up or lower you down as needed. That sounds like a horrible fall!! Or yse, anti gravity boots. Maybe with little balloons tied to them.
Lol. This would make doing Fonji a lot easier!
Or less scary, at any rate…
I just had the opportunity to work on something just like this. The double point harnesses, that look very much like a diaper, are being used for any type of theatrical flying activities. Halls Flying Effects out of Chicago makes these, but unfortunately they’re like 1000 – 2500 for the harness alone. It’s too bad because I think I would have one rigged in my house right now if I could afford one.
Most circus schools will have that kind of rig, usually used for flying trapeze but those won’t work for pole at all! You can’t wear a diaper on the pole, how on earth will you do hip holds? haha.
http://instagr.am/p/JIUST2N0K8/ — Sierra in a harness like you are describing.
http://instagr.am/p/JH_2X7t0Cs/ — another image of the same.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150716037074190 — a video of movement in these harnesses.
The only problem for pole would be 1) the swivels on the side of the hips and the constriction (to some degree) of the harness, 2) the airline cable that’s attached. Most likely the single point back harness would allow for greater freedom of movement on the pole for learning but it would still be somewhat restrictive.. IDK, I like the thought and that would be fun to play with.
I do circus and we use those kinds of rigs for spotting in circus, but as you said the attachment points are a problem! But that one is a lot sexier than the diapers we wear for flying trapeze… haha.
We have it!! Our aerial fitness swing was designed by pole dancers (me) and Pam Carter, former owner of icandy pole studio in Rohnert Park. We use a stretchy fabric sling attached with carabiners to “daisy chain” web ladders, which help you easily adjust the swing height.
About three years ago, I hung my yoga swing by my pole and then pulled on it in the coolest craziest ways ever and voila, the idea was born!!! 1 + 1 apparatus created a whole new way to have fun and get strong.
Pam and I teamed up and used the swing as “training wheels,” to strengthen students and bring a new life (and revenue stream) to idle poles… :>. We’ve been 2 years in development and are ready to fly.
We have the sling plus long loops which can be used independently–and use some wristy handles, too for silks-like aerial play. The swing is also cool by itself or integrated with other “fixed points” of pull, like playground monkey bars or a ballet barre, when you don’t have a pole… Portable and fun to take on trips. My life is about looking for rigging opportunities…. :>
We have a little feature coming out in the new Vertical Magazine and will be at the June Pole Convention in LA, Maryellen’s August event and the September Big X-Pole Aerial Arts Convention in London.
If you have any questions about rigging needs, trainings, etc. send them my way. Love to hear from you. Aruna Karen Andes