Express The Sensual

You and I love pole dancing.  We love building a strong body and sexy abs.  We love the sensual swirls and fabulous flying twirls around a smooth metal pole.  And if you want to be an awesome pole dancer, I already know that you practice, practice, practice.  But, if you are skipping your warm-up before your in home pole dancing session, you could be damaging your body and missing out on an amazing Sensual Ritual.

Playful Plans

A warm-up is defined as “the preparation period for a specific workout” and many people find the traditional fitness warm-up boring or monotonous.  (I certainly do.)  However, the purpose of the wamup, to “increase [the] core temperature as well as prepare the muscles & joints for movement,” is still critical for avoiding injury and staying healthy.  In short, you have to warm-up before every strenuous exercise training session.

The good news is that you are a pole dancer, (phew, dodged that bullet!) so you’ve got an endless source of sensual movements at your disposal.  Here’s how I structure a fun and easy warm-up that will make your body healthy and ready to pole dance.

Sexy Music

The first thing you need is a special playlist.  Don’t throw a bunch of random songs into a playlist and hope that you’ll automatically feel that sexy vibe.  Pick 3 or 4 songs to get the body moving for the 10-15 minutes required for your warm-up.

1. Start with a gentle song that grounds you like I Belong to You by Lenny Kravitz or Milk by Garbage.
2. Then buildup to some faster beats that make you want to move your hips like If Tha Mood by Esthero or The Naughty Song by Cory Lee.
3. Finally give yourself an easy transition into dancing by choosing one of your absolute favorite pole dancing songs.  For me, this is Sky by Sonique and Next Contestant by Nickelback.

Set The Mood

Once you’ve got your music ready, you need to make sure your body, mind, environment are ready to dance.
Set aside some time and a place where you won’t be interrupted. Simply ask your family and loved ones to give you this space.  You deserve it!

Choose something to workout in that makes you feel feminine and fit. I enjoy dancing in booty shorts and a bikini or wrap top simply because exposing all that extra skin helps me with advanced spins & inverts.  But when I warm-up, I also wear a pair of yoga or jazz pants.  This heats up my leg muscles, plus, I get the added benefit of removing (*wink*) my pants during my first dancing song (#3 above).

Begin with a Butterfly’s Breath

Turn on your music and start with a few easy breaths.  Simply close your eyes while standing and focus on the sensation of breathing. Then, notice how the music makes you feel.  This will center your body and your mind in just 30 seconds.

Keeping your knees relaxed, let your arms slowly float upwards as you inhale, and slowly float downwards as you exhale. Treat your arms like the delicate wings of a butterfly and bring your breath and your movement into sync.  Now add in a wrist rotation.  Simply turning your wrist in circles.  This movement is similar to some belly dancing arm movements and will warm-up the shoulders, biceps, triceps, and forearms.

Shift to the Hips

As your second song comes on, start to practice the mini-hurricane. Take your body through each of the four hip points, smooth out the circular motion, and finally add in the chest undulations.  Let your body play with this movement as you begin to feel warmer and warmer, allowing your hands to drift over your hips, thighs, and feminine curves.

When your really start to feel the music, transition into the Full Hurricane, lifting one heel at a time and shifting your weight back and forth.  If you need more details, please read my post about Luscious Abs and The Full Hurricane hip circles.  This movement sequence will ensure that your back, chest, hips, legs muscles and joints get warm and feel amazing.

Dance Honey, Dance!

Now, as your third song begins, use a playful and sensual walk to move over toward the pole.  (You can check out my other post about getting rid of shyness & learning the sensual walk here.) Now, let the beats of your favorite music give you the momentum to spin, play and fly. Use your favorite floor work, pole twirls, and one or two handed spins.  Just try to avoid inverting for this third song until you are absolutely sure that your upper body is limber and ready.

The more often your practice this Sensual Ritual the easier it will become.  Don’t forget to change your playlist every few weeks to keep things exciting and new.  Stay playful in the knowledge that you got a great warm-up and protected your body from injury. And stay confident that you have built a Sensual Ritual that you can use anytime you need to ground the body and relax the mind with movement and joy.

Practice Safe and Sensual Pole Dancing Ladies!

PS. if you need help with any of these movements or with a specific pole dancing move, you can contact me for a private pole dancing session in-studio or by webcam at my online pole dancing website www.BalanceElemental.com, 310-809-2910 or yannori(at)ExpressTheSensual(dot)com.

What are your favorite pole dancing warm-up moves? When do you use Sensual Rituals to spark your creativity? Share your ideas in the comment section!

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Do you want stronger, more controlled inverts? Do you hate doing boring ab crunches but want the healthy core necessary for advanced pole tricks?

I’ve got the answer.  The secret to sexy, powerful abs that WILL give you a beautiful, flowing, seamless invert is something called the Full Hurricane.  This awesome and deeply sensual movement shares its roots with every inherently feminine dancing style, whether its Belly Dancing, African Dance, or Exotic Stripping.  It is undeniably erotic, engaging, and has plenty of playful variations (which I’ll talk about in a minute).

“Todo, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore” – Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz

Before you can learn the Full Hurricane, you’ve got to start developing your abdominal and chest muscle control.  Put on some hot yoga pants and a sexy tank top, find a full length mirror, and practice the exercises below.  You’ll have an irresistible Full Hurricane & be well on your way to a fluid, strong invert in no time.

Pelvic Isolations & Circles

First, we need to mark out the four pelvic points.  Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, and your tush relaxed. We’ll call this the neutral position.   Avoid squeezing your ass.  Watch out for flying monkeys! Squeezing your ass doesn’t make it look pretty.  It actually accentuates the cellulite that every woman hates, so don’t do it when you dance.

Lets start with the Four Pelvic Isolations…

Dorothy: Lions? Scarecrow: And tigers? Tin Woodsman: And bears. Dorothy: Oh my!                – from the Wizard of Oz

• Point 1 (forward): Put your hands on your hips and tuck your pelvis under.  This means you contract your abs strongly and pretend you are scooping ice cream with your pelvis.
• Point 3 (back): Now, relax back to neutral, and then stick your tush out.  Keep your knees bent to protect your lower back. (PS, I’m not crazy.  I know point 2 comes after point 1, but it’ll all make sense to you in a minute)
• Point 2 (right hip): Again, relax back to neutral, and then straighten your right knee while bending the left knee.  You should feel your right side abdominals contracting.  This will lift the right hip higher than the left hip. (still not crazy, just remember that )
• Point 4 (left hip): One last time, relax back to neutral.  Straighten your left knee while bending your right knee.  Again, feel the strong contraction in your left side abominals.  Now your left hip is higher than your right hip.
• Create a circle: Simply connect the points in order. Point 1, tuck the pelvis.  Point 2, right hip up. Point 3, the booty lifts back.  Point 4, left hip up.

(hint, hit the play button to hear a preview)

• Throw on some slow dancing tunes like Orestes by A Perfect Circle , #1 Crush by Garbage , Think Twice by Groove Armada and Slept So Long off the Queen of the Dead soundtrack .  This is not the time for “Somewhere over the Rainbow”.
  
• Practice moving from one point to the next: Make the movement as smooth as possible. It’ll feel like your hips are rolling like a quarter or a hula hoop when it lands on the floor.  Remember to avoid those flying monkeys and keep your ass relaxed.

A Mini Hurricane

In that last step, you’ve already started a mini-Hurricane.  As you practice your pelvic circles let your chest undulate with your hips. When the right hip lifts up, let the left shoulder drop.  When the left hip lifts up, let the right shoulder drop.  Add in your hands, by placing them on your body and letting them roam over your curves.  Sliding across your hips or maybe tugging on your hair a little.  You’ll feel your spine become fluid, liquid, playful. I know you can feel it now!

Just to make sure you don’t get too one sided, practice the four points in the opposite order.  Point 4, left hip up. Point 3, the booty lifts back.  Point 2, right hip up.  Point 1, tuck the pelvis.  When you’ve got the hang of it, smooth out your circle. Now, practice circling one direction a few times, and then going back in the opposite way. Back and forth, around and around.  You’ve got it!

“It’s a twister! It’s a twister!” -Zeke from The Wizard of Oz

Now, lets take your Hurricane and make it irresistible!  Starting in neutral position, lift your right heel off the ground, balancing on the ball of the right foot, and shift 2/3 of your weight toward the left foot.  You may have to bend your knees a little bit deeper to keep a stable center.  This requires strong core muscles too, so don’t cheat!  Now, practice your four points again, and whenever you are ready, start your mini-Hurricane.

Practice this on the other side.  Starting from neutral position, lift your left heel off the ground, balancing on the ball of the left foot, and shift 2/3 of your weight toward the right foot.  Then add in the mini-Hurricane.

The Full Hurricane

Okay, here’s the last part.  Once you are comfortable balancing your mini-Hurricane while on the ball of one foot, I want you to try shifting your weight slowly from one side to the other, while also switching your feet.  So, start on the ball of the right foot, drop that heel to the floor but keep doing the mini-Hurricane, and then come onto the ball of the left foot.

Take it slow. Slow is sexy, so there’s no need to rush. Listen to some kick ass tunes and keep your body undulating in The Full Hurricane movement. As The Wicked Witch of the West said “I’m melting!  I’m melting!”

“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain” -Wizard of Oz

Okay, I know that felt awesome, but you also want to invert right?  So, here’s how this helps!  Controlled inverting requires that you are capable of executing an abdominal contraction strong enough to curl your hips and knees upward toward your shoulders.  The Hurricane develops your core strength and the muscle memory to make inverting easier.

The cool thing, is that once your body starts to get the hang of contracting your abs strongly, you can set it on autopilot.  Your muscles actually have a memory for movements that you repeat over and over again. Muscle memory is why it’s easier to find the light switches in your house as compared to someone else’s house.  Your hands remember the movement from the countless times you’ve flipped on the switch.

The Hurricane and repeated pelvic tucks give your abs tons of practice by simulating an invert without ever leaving the floor.  And without over taxing the muscle so you can practice it every day.  Plus, the Hurricane feels phenomenal and just looks HOT!

Oh, Auntie Em – there’s no place like home! -Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz

If you need more assistance with the Hurricane movement you can contact me for Pole Dancing Classes in the Los Angeles/Long Beach area, Pole Dancing Private Session (local & by Skype), or check out my Online Classes.

What other playful ways to you use to build your core strength? How did your body feel after trying this exercise? Share your ideas in the comment section!

If you enjoyed the article, please subscribe to ExpressTheSensual.com and share it with your friends using the Share & Enjoy social bookmarking sites. Thank you for your support!

Is your dancing inhibited? Do you get anxious when performing in front of a group, even in your pole class? Are you afraid to dance for you lover?  Are you afraid to dance in front the mirror?

Make A Wish

You’re not alone.  Many of my beginner students are afraid to let go of their inhibitions and express their sensual nature through movement.  And one of my readers recently asked “I was wondering if you had any advise on getting over the whole embarrassing/shy thing.”

Happily, overcoming your performance anxiety is absolutely possible for everyone. And the best part is that, the confidence you gain while dancing will propagate into every aspect of your life. But, you will have to face a fear or two.  Don’t worry.  Keep reading and you’ll find plenty of tools to help you own the dance floor in almost any situation.

These Boots Were Made For Walking

The first thing I teach in every class is how to walk.   And the reason is because I want you to have the ability to feel like the sexy, powerful, woman that you are.  I want you to turn it on and off at will.  Literally.

I encourage my students to take their “sexy” out for a walk in a public place. Strolling along the sidewalk as they usually do, and then turning on the charm so to speak.  Try it and you’ll be amazed at the positive reactions you receive and how vibrant you feel.

To turn on your “sexy” walk you simply need to remember four little words…

SLOW SLINK SLIDE SMILE

1. Slow - Take your time.  Charismatic woman usually aren’t in a rush to get somewhere.  Let you body move with purpose and intention, staying conscious of each step along your inner and outer path.

2.  Slink – Allow your hips to sway and your body to curve slightly while you walk.  According to “The Definitive Book of Body Language,” men love a 67-80% hip-to-waist ratio.  But you don’t actually have to have that ratio to be alluring.  By tilting your pelvis as you walk, you automatically create the perfect hip-to-waist ratio.  Plus, if you sway your torso, you will give the impression of flexibility.  And both sexes find flexibility attractive in a mate.

3. Slide - As you take each step, slightly drag the big toe or inside of your shoe along the ground.  This forces you to slow down, and makes your legs look longer.  Extending your legs is a powerful nonverbal signal that indicates you are a mature passionate woman .

4.  Smile – A small, tight lipped smile is a submissive gesture that says “I have a secret.”  If you pair this with a slight down tilt to the head as you look up, it makes men want to protect you and woman want to be you.

To practice these steps, turn on some stimulating music and strut your stuff in front of a mirror.  It’s important to be able to look yourself in the eye and feel the seductive energy coming off your body. If you feel it, so will everyone else. Once you’ve mastered the sexy walk both in the mirror and in public, then you’re ready to begin shedding your performance anxiety.

Here are two major milestones required to help you dance with self confidence.

All Mine

The first milestone is to remember that you own the stage. At this moment, anyone watching has come here to see you.  Not the girl before you.  Not the girl after you.  Not the pole or the chair or any other props you might be using.  You.

That means you are in control.  Don’t downplay this control and don’t ignore it. Pick music, sexy shoes, clothes, and any other props that make you feel empowered… and by that I mean HOT.

Maintain that control.  Don’t let the attention of your audience wander.  Keep it focused on you for your entire dance.  If you’re wearing shoes, stamp your feet to make a loud noise.  Add in some twirls to automatically cause their eyes to trace your movements.  Go extra slow to drag out anything scintillating and force them to feel antic………….pation.

If Tha Mood

The second milestone is a little bit tricky.  And by that, I mean you have to make a choice.  Do you want to notice your audience or do you want to ignore them? Each choice will cause your audience to react in a different manner.

If you ignore your audience, they will feel like they are spying.  They may feel guilty while watching you but unable to stop as you lead them through an exhilarating secret moment. This is the easiest method, but can sometimes backfire if you don’t allow some playfulness to show through.  The audience must believe that you are giving them this glimpse of your own free will.  If they believe you don’t want to be there, they will notice this negative emotion instead of your beautiful movement.

Alternatively, if you pay attention to your audience, they will feel as if they are participating in the dance. As if you are playing with their emotions.  This method requires that you use the SMILE you learned in the previous exercise and make eye contact.  Even if it’s only for a moment.  As you catch someone’s eye think “this is my stage”, “I am beautiful”, or “I feel amazing.”  Besides being the absolute truth, these thoughts will send a strong vibration throughout your audience and fill you with courage.

What the Fuck is LadyLike

With each performance, whether its for your class or at a pole showcase, you’ll feel the anxiety fade.  By facing this fear, you will actually know more about your inner self and learn to express that feminine fire in your everyday life. You’ll discover that it is better to laugh at your small mistakes and simply stretch through them playfully.  85% of the time your audience won’t notice the mistake anyway, and 10% of the time they’ll think you did it on purpose.

The Power is yours already, you simply have to accept it.

Little Johnny & Jane are playing in the garden when they begin having an argument over whether girls are better than boys.  Johnny pulls down his pants and says “Boys are better than girls ‘cos you don’t have one of these!” Jane bursts out crying because she knows she doesn’t have one of those. She rushes inside to her mother and a little while later comes back outside with a huge grin on her face.  “My mom says girls are better than boys,” she says with confidence. “Are not” says the boy, “You haven’t got one of these.” Jane looks at him, raises her skirt and pulls down her panties.  “My mom says that as long as I have one of these, I can have one of those anytime I want.”

How do you eliminate shyness? Do you enjoy performing for your class or for groups? Share your ideas in the comment section!

If you enjoyed the article, please subscribe to ExpressTheSensual.com and share it with your friends using the Share & Enjoy social bookmarking sites. Thank you for your support!