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JeannieGOLD Member
member
18 posts
Location: Miami, Florida, USA


Posted:
First off, a big hello to everybody, since I've never posted here before. Ello! smileSo here's what's what. I have just started spinning, like, two days ago. I made a set of practice chain poi (with tennis balls on the ends to bop myself with- I'm not touching fire till I stop banging myself with the poi), and I'm trying to teach myself how to spin. I can't find anyone in my area who spins, and I was wondering if anyone else was ever in my situation. Instead of asking a bunch of stupid questions, I'm going to ask one really important one: What do YOU wish someone had told you when you first began spinning? (Or, if you had a spinning Jedi Master, what did they tell you that you are grateful for?)I just figured out the butterfly last night, and the weave tonight... and I know I'm going to be black and blue and sore as all get-out in the morning. :PJeannie*SoBe*

É preciso amar as pessoas como se
Não houvesse amanhã.
We must love as if there was no tomorrow.


Shibakienthusiast
309 posts
Location: Tampa, Fl


Posted:
Welcome the HOP Jeannie! smileThis place is great, as you no doubt know already. Just curious, since you arent officially registered yet, where are you from? Then we can hunt you down, young Jedi! wink Seriously though, check the Meet Others category for anyone else in your area. If youre in Florida,... ?Hmmm... what do I wish someone had told me... Im not sure on that one actually. I learned all of the moves off of this site alone. I made many mistakes, learned the lesson I was supposed to from each one of them. I learned how to begin to move and flow after I learned the moves. Everything is a progression, coming naturally when it is supposed to for me. Ill tell you what the vibe of the site told me when I first joined: Do it becuase you love it, because it inspires you and makes you greater than you were before. The mechanics of the moves will come as long as you want them to. All the rest, you have to ~feel~. Take care and happy swinging!------------------We are not physical beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a physical experience.~Edgar Cayce

Wow


AnonymousPLATINUM Member


Posted:
top question Jeannie, no bullshit smile1) Relax.2) Move around your poi, rather than force them to move around you.3) when you are practicing, focus on your whole body, not just your hands.4) try things out, dont be afraid to innovate.5) visualise your goal, visualise the poi moving around your body in slow motion.I could go on and on, but theres 5 I thought of off the top of my head smileand of course, everybody is different, these perhaps might not be for you.Josh

JeannieGOLD Member
member
18 posts
Location: Miami, Florida, USA


Posted:
Thanks for the help, guys... and I am a South Beach chic- Miami Beach, Florida! (go SoBe!) ------------------There's a requiem, a new congregation; and it's telling me: "Go forward and walk under a brighter sky, every move glowing like a firefly." ~*Delerium*~

É preciso amar as pessoas como se
Não houvesse amanhã.
We must love as if there was no tomorrow.


SupermanBRONZE Member
member
829 posts
Location: Houston, Texas, USA


Posted:
Hey Jeannie...actually, that is a good question.Josh always has the best advice, and what makes him great is that he never gets tired of dropping the top 5 tips on the newbies. [josh], i now we could spin together and id pick up some great karma.mine:1) Slow down, but keep a rythum. 2) You are allowed to move around..hee hee3) When i realized that almost every movement i did was essentially a variation of another, it became easier for me to see how they tied together. Sounds complicated i knowEX: A windmill, weave, and acorkscrew are all the same movement, just in diferent planes around your body...it was like the clouds parted, and a dove decended upon me and i was enlightened. BAM 4 new moves by the end of the week, when it took me 2 months to learn 3 when i started.5) here comes the mushy psychological stuff...let your movements be an extention of your personality. And everything will come together.we are all happy to help. And i love explaining moves..Super'------------------"Only the warrior that hears the call will know when to leave, Where to go" -unknown"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of the dreams"- Willy Wonka

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear--not absence of fear.


- Mark Twain


Lamarmember
53 posts
Location: Dacula, GA, USA


Posted:
Welcome! Props on picking up the butterfly and the weave in a few days! I have had to learn everything on my own as well, but it took me a lot longer to pick the weave up. smile Anyway, I can totally relate to not having anyone around to point me in the right direction, so prepare for a novel:As to your question, I wish someone had told me in the beginning how addicting it was! I have been known to sit at work and not be able to get a thing done because I'm thinking about different motions and movements in my head! Flow is also very important. Don't force the poi around, instead let the poi (spin) direct your movements. It is all about Zen and the Art of Twirling. smile Oh... something else that I think is really important is to not stick with practicing just one move for a really long time. Learn something and then move on. I finally got a friend of mine to get the weave going, but he practiced it for so long 'cause he thought it was so cool that no matter what I try to show him he always ends up back in the weave. So he is basically going to have to un-learn before he can learn anything new.I'm also surprised no one has mentioned transitions. I personally don't think a move is worth knowing unless I am capable of finding a way to transition from it to other moves. Transitions are crucial to flow. Try going from a weave to a butterfly by doing a wrap, and try dropping out of a butterfly into a cross-over into a weave.Being at least moderately confortable spinning the opposite direction of the direction your dominant in. The weave is pretty easy for ya now, right? Now try doing it w/ the opposite spin. Not so easy. But once you get it you can do 360s switching from forward to reverse weaves. Loads of fun, but I do not recommend mixing that move with alcohol. smileLastly, I would say not to be afraid to ask questions no matter how stupid you may think you are for asking them.Now quit readin' this junk and get to work on those moves, girl! smile

Mystaddict
439 posts
Location: Oceanside, California, USA


Posted:
Just one thing to add to all this.Looked relaxed, don't look scared of the poi, it'll help your performance and let you flow a little better. If theres a move theres a wrap to get into it, you'll definetly find yourself thinking about spinning a lot, so if you come up with a move, go do it. Have fun, and welcome. This site has taught me so much.Eric------------------If a nuclear bomb went off, we'de all be giant glowstix, think about it, spinning with your two best friends would have a whole new meaning.

Its about talent, not make up or costumes.


AdeSILVER Member
Are we there yet?
1,897 posts
Location: australia


Posted:
Top question, it's really got me to think. I was shown how to twirl a staff, but taught myself poi. The best piece of advice:Every move you learn to do forwards, learn to do in reverse.ade

EyeStormmember
54 posts
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada


Posted:
I've been doing poi for over a month now. I rememeber how cool it was to learn the weave for the first time... then I learned there WAS A BACKWARDS VARIANT! And then the weave turn... Ahhh... I still need more butterfly practice, though.

((m/)) --==EyeStorm==--


Plazmamember
73 posts
Location: The Land of Tokomak


Posted:
HAVE FUN!!! grin and don't put 'em down for a minute till you can do every trick on the list here with them! i sleep with mine i use them so much! (don't even go there people!) wink OH!!!, and DON'T do fire!!! hehe. at least not in the first week! grin I learned that the hard way when i thought using old frayed on the ass pants would be ok to try for the first time! (regards to Pele) wink------------------My World is a world of one, and in being one they Rave! My World is a Godly World and I am its master!

My World is a world of one, and in being one they Rave! My World is a Godly World and I am its master!


space cadetmember
19 posts
Location: Minneapolis


Posted:
Hi- I've not posted yet either.I'm new to poi as well, been addicted for about 2 months. I first saw firedancers at burning man last year. 9 months later I found this site, ran home, put together some practice poi and have barely put them down since. Whee, blisters! My roommates look at me funny and show me where I've scuffed up the ceiling (oops).I'm just coming to realize the importance of learning everything backwards! I think I finally have a handle on the reverse weave (can't wait to learn 360's), but I feel like I've somehow regressed when I can't quite mexican wave or front-to-back or whatever like I can forwards. Yet... Another newbie question: How long did you wait to try fire? I'd love to try it. The main thing holding me back, I think, is not having found local spinning folks (willing to douse a newbie when I inevitably set my hair on fire and fail to notice...)

mikeybmember
93 posts
Location: Oxford, UK


Posted:
Ade said: "Every move you learn to do forwards, learn to do in reverse."i'd add to that - every move you learn in equal time, try do do in split time too. Not every move is possible in split time, but trying not to hit yourself while attempting these is a good way to learn new stuff.But generally, if you learn one move, and learn it forwards, backwards, equal and split, you've just quadrupled your repertoire.And finally, follow, don't force. Listen to the poi, respond and react to them, guide them and persuade them, but don't try to force them, for forcing leads to flexing, flexing leads to the dark side, and the dark side leads to hitting yourself :-)mikeyB

CassandraFroggie ... Ribbit !!!
4,224 posts
Location: Back in Paris... for now !


Posted:
Welcome to the board... I'd follow Lamar on that : I would have liked to have someone warn me :RUN WHILE IT IS POSSIBLE , ONCE YOU HAVE TOUCHED THESE LITTLE FIRE MIRACLES, YOU ARE ADDICTED AND YOU WILL NEVER STOP SPINNING ... winkSeriously, I'd say smile and enjoy, the rest will come with practice and also thanks to all the great people you meet in real life and here on the board.Again, Welcome and ENJOYShine oncassandra

"I want brown bread... no, that is diesel oil..."
"So I was raised in Europe, where History comes from ..."
"NON !!! La Plume de mon oncle n est pas Bingibangibungi !!!"


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