In Hindsight....

Yesterday, I had a bad day. I spent about 4 hours in the studio. Not just any studio. Pole dancing class studio. I had to relieve stress and working out was my only option. I needed to get away from the daily chaos that I continually placed myself in. I did my routine to the same song I was planning to use for the competition that I have been training for the past 3 and a half months. The same competition that I dropped out of 2 weeks ago. Partly because of external problems, partly because I felt I wasn't ready. And the Virgo in me wants nothing less than perfection. But that's not what I came here to talk about. Excuse me while I play this as I write. It is just a beautifully crafted song that always gets me in the zone....





For almost two years now, I have been taking pole dancing classes. It has provided me with a platform of strength training, competition, alternative workout, fun after-work activity, etc. Now, before you say "Hey Christina you trying out to become a stripper?" I want you to hold your tongue and keep reading because that IS NOT what I aimed to do. As in previous blog posts, I explained that I used to run track in high school. I was also involved with ballet. My strength was in track. My heart was in ballet. Track gave me a release for my physical feelings of stress and anger. Ballet gave me a canvas for self-expression and art. It was like when I ran I converted my feelings into competition but when I danced I felt like I lost myself in the music and I drew stories in choreographed movements. How could two things totally unrelated relate to each other? Well... As high school progressed, I dropped out of ballet. I didn't have the body for it. No, I didn't give up. I just didn't have the body type that would allow me to compete on a more intense level. And that is just the reality of that craft. Puberty concluded and I had curves other than the smile on my face. Thanks to dad's black genes they trumped mom's asian ones which caused me to inherit thick thighs. I was tight because I remember how much I've wanted to dance ballet professionally when I was younger. But, hey, no worries. I loved my curvy self. I felt like it gave me an edge to my black-asian image. Like, how many black-asian girls you see with thick thighs? (Ok, let me turn down the volume of my conceit. **Wooossaaaahhhh**) So, in between the demi-plie's and releve's, I decided it was just one of those dreams that I had to let go. It happens. No sense in fighting genetics. That's like a battle you will not win. Lol.


Even though I wrapped that dream up, I decided to focus on track. It became my everything. I can even remember excerpts from my college application essay that talked about how running track changed my life and the parallels I made between the stages you go through in a race on the track and the stages you go through in life. I even compared morals to Gatorade. That's how serious I was. Anyways, three years ago I was told by my orthopaedic doctor that because of my long- and mid-distance training from high school and in college (We did an average of 30+ miles a week >_< ) I developed bad nerves in my lower back, twisted kneecaps, and chondromalacia patella. My heart dropped. It was as if my world just started to disintegrate. I looked at her with the "What the fuck are you trying to say" look on my face. And before you know it, she confirmed my biggest fear.... that I would never be able to compete in running again. It was me giving up my dream before I could even create a map to get there. It. Hurt. But what could I do? I can't correct all three problems and think that I was going to be able to run like I used to. That wasn't feasible. At All. I started gaining weight partly because I was depressed about my running condition, partly because I could never fulfill two of my dreams, and partly because I was confused as to what to do next. This story not as depressing as you think.


WHY THE HELL AM I TELLING THIS STORY? **shakes head** C'mon baby. Keep Reading. Two years ago, I decided to take a pole dancing class. I was bored. I seen an article in a magazine about it and it's what drove me to try pole dancing. I remember doing my first class like "I can do all those moves that those strippers do". And that's where I was wrong. Pole dancing and stripping are TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. In pole dancing, it took cardio training, a million different crunches, pull-ups, and endless push-ups to actually excel and be able to craft a routine. Pole dancing became exactly where I found the medium to fuse the two things that held my sanity together all these years. I had to use the leg, core, and arm strength that I used in track to execute the different moves. Plus, I have the opportunity to use my competitive mind in small competitions. Then, I had to put a STRONG emphasis on flexibility and elegance. Moves had to look fluid as if it was easy to execute. That's where my ballet training came in. 2 years and training at 3 studios (2 in Philly, 1 in NYC) later, I found something that I can compete in despite my irreversible injuires and physically express my feelings. It infuses me with the same euphoria I had when I balanced the two activities in the past. **Insert "Swish" sound here** I'll probably be doing this in the future and trying to elevate my level of flexibility and strength. One day I may even compete in the larger more intense competitions. Don't be surprised. I told you here first.


OK, CHRIS, REALLY. WHAT IS YOUR POINT IN TELLING THIS STORY? Well, I'm glad that you asked. I got three of them. So, listen up.

1. As you have seen through the progression of my story, things happen throughout life. The very things that make us happy and complete us may be obstructed by various challenges. Obstacles that appear before us may seem unconquerable. Permanent roadblocks may show their face and prevent us from achieving our original ideas. Right when you have a plan, fate laughs at you and says *In a Diddy voice* "This. Is. The. Remix. Remix". Although we may get discouraged at first, it is our responsibility to go out and an find alternative solution. Ok. So you think the dream died. But, guess what? Its not the end of the world. Fate might remix your whole situation but, in reality, things happen for a reason. Stop focusing on why it didn't go the way you wanted to initially. I want you to focus on discovering what fate has in store for you. Maybe you don't believe in fate. Well whatever it is, believe in it. Pursue it. Pursue happiness and peace of mind. The only person who can really make you happy is yourself.

2. I've said this before. I've watched women let themselves go (weight-wise). I know its hard. Some have kids, in school, too many jobs, relationships, getting hit by the failing economy, struggling to find yourself in whatever way, etc. Just remember your body needs attention too. Re-discover yourself through fitness. I know its easy to try to be the superhero. But before you save everyone else, remember to save yourself. I don't care if you stay home with those dusty Pilates tapes, P90x, Insanity, etc. Or if you want to be adventurous with Bikram Yoga, salsa, boxing, mixed martial arts, hip hop dance, zumba, or even pole dancing like me. Have some time to look good. You work hard. Why not look good while doing it?

3. Last on the agenda is something that gets on my nerves that I am guilty of doing when I first started. PLEASE DO NOT EQUATE POLE DANCING WITH STRIPPING. THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. Stripping is where you drop it like its hot on a pole for money to ratchet ass songs like Travis Porter's "Bring It Back". Pole dancing has a whole pole dancing federation with rules and competitions and such. It involves more strength and yoga principles than you will ever imagine to effectively duplicate the moves. I've had the honor to train under known dancers like Karol Helms and Bunni Luv. The women that I train with on a weekly basis are ordinary women. Young women eager to try a new activity, college students, wives, mothers, women in graduate school, women who work in corporate america, nurses, and other professionals. Its really not what you think until you try it. Still don't believe me? Well, here are two videos that I have for you from YouTube (Nuh uh, don't you DARE close out this post. Watch the videos. Trust me on this. You made it this far.)

This first one is my instructor, Bunni Luv's, APFC 2011 competition submission video. It is taken in the very studio I currently train in 3-4 days a week. And I train with her about 2 out of the 4 times I'm at the studio. (If you tryna come out for a class, its Master Jay Moves/Philly Pole Premier at 1520 Samsom Street in Philadelphia, PA. Its cheap and they have classes for men and women. I've conned some people to come with me already lol)



This second one is a video that one of my old instructors told me to look up. Rhiannan Nichole. She is also in the same competition Bunni Luv will be in October. This is her APFC 2011 competition submission video.



Yep. Don't tell me "Oh I can do that". If you don't have any training, chances are, you can't. Some of ya'll can't even do a push-up correctly. BUT, I hope you got a better outlook on things. Till next time....