Forums > Technical Discussion > Poi or Staff, or both
Login/Join to ParticipateBRONZE Member
Beginner
282 posts
Location: Beyond Time, South of Melbourne, Australia
Beginner
282 posts
Location: Beyond Time, South of Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
A friend of mine recently found out I was learning poi, with the intention of moving to fire. She had a number of staffs people had given her, but no intention of using them so she gave me one. Now I was just planning on concentrating my learning efforts on poi, but I’d hate to disappoint her and just leave the staff sitting in the corner after she gave it to me. Would I be silly to try and learn both at once?
Second question. The staff has 2.5in Kevlar heads which have never been lit. Given I don’t plan on lighting it up just yet, and I don’t have fire wicks for my poi, I was gonna take the Kevlar off the staff and use it to make poi heads (I don’t have much money). But that leaves me with a naked staff. Is it possible to make Staff heads out of material other than Kevlar?
A friend of mine recently found out I was learning poi, with the intention of moving to fire. She had a number of staffs people had given her, but no intention of using them so she gave me one. Now I was just planning on concentrating my learning efforts on poi, but I’d hate to disappoint her and just leave the staff sitting in the corner after she gave it to me. Would I be silly to try and learn both at once?
Second question. The staff has 2.5in Kevlar heads which have never been lit. Given I don’t plan on lighting it up just yet, and I don’t have fire wicks for my poi, I was gonna take the Kevlar off the staff and use it to make poi heads (I don’t have much money). But that leaves me with a naked staff. Is it possible to make Staff heads out of material other than Kevlar?
So much fire, so little body hair...
BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,136 posts
Location: Warwickshire, United Kingdom
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,136 posts
Location: Warwickshire, United Kingdom
Posted:
People have given her staffs? I wish people would give me stuff like that!
In my opinion, staff looks cooler than poi. But I prefer poi, after a month of learning poi I learn much more impressive stuff than after a month of having a staff. I'm learning both, but when I walk into the lounge and pick up one of the 2, 95% of the time its a set of poi.
Your staff doesn't need any heads if you arn't going to use fire. If you insist on having something, just wrap some old socks round the end.
People have given her staffs? I wish people would give me stuff like that!
In my opinion, staff looks cooler than poi. But I prefer poi, after a month of learning poi I learn much more impressive stuff than after a month of having a staff. I'm learning both, but when I walk into the lounge and pick up one of the 2, 95% of the time its a set of poi.
Your staff doesn't need any heads if you arn't going to use fire. If you insist on having something, just wrap some old socks round the end.
member
1,591 posts
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada.
1,591 posts
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada.
Posted:
You should defiantly give both a try. Maybe you will find one loses your interest but give it a chance. I think the wider the range of types of manipulation you practice the more it polishes each individual form of manipulation.
As for wicks the best to use is probably denim for replacement material. You can get a fair amount of burns off it aslong as you don't drop it and resoak it after every burn and all of that, and it's so cheap it's not a big deal if you do drop it.
Any 100% cotton material will work for wicks but the tighter the weave of the material the longer it will last.
You should defiantly give both a try. Maybe you will find one loses your interest but give it a chance. I think the wider the range of types of manipulation you practice the more it polishes each individual form of manipulation.
As for wicks the best to use is probably denim for replacement material. You can get a fair amount of burns off it aslong as you don't drop it and resoak it after every burn and all of that, and it's so cheap it's not a big deal if you do drop it.
Any 100% cotton material will work for wicks but the tighter the weave of the material the longer it will last.
BRONZE Member
Beginner
282 posts
Location: Beyond Time, South of Melbourne, Australia
Beginner
282 posts
Location: Beyond Time, South of Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
flid, we are a very giving lot in our neck of the woods I gave someone some poi last weekend just cos they showed some interest. It's all about Karma
Astar, I think there will be a lot of dropping in the beginning. With denim wick do you just secure it with screws like Kevlar, or do you need a wire cage like with towel?
flid, we are a very giving lot in our neck of the woods I gave someone some poi last weekend just cos they showed some interest. It's all about Karma
Astar, I think there will be a lot of dropping in the beginning. With denim wick do you just secure it with screws like Kevlar, or do you need a wire cage like with towel?
So much fire, so little body hair...
Ninja Rockstar!
1,100 posts
Location: Denver, Co. U.S.A.
1,100 posts
Location: Denver, Co. U.S.A.
Posted:
I would recommend learning both at once as learning the dynamics of one will give insight into the other.
I would also think it would be much easier to make towel wicks for your poi, and leave the kevlar on your staff be, as I find it much more difficult to keep reattaching wicks to a staff and towel wicks just clip on to poi.
I would recommend learning both at once as learning the dynamics of one will give insight into the other.
I would also think it would be much easier to make towel wicks for your poi, and leave the kevlar on your staff be, as I find it much more difficult to keep reattaching wicks to a staff and towel wicks just clip on to poi.
Jesus helps me trick people.
SILVER Member
Classic 90's Fire Dancer... Poi, Staff, Doubles, and Breathing
743 posts
Location: South Lake Tahoe, USA
Classic 90's Fire Dancer... Poi, Staff, Doubles, and Breathing
743 posts
Location: South Lake Tahoe, USA
Posted:
I Agree with SickPup!
Towle poi are easy to make to. Thats what I used for the first 4 years i spunn, till i found the HOP.
But if you have already done it, the next best thing is Army Belts. You know the realy tightly woven green belts you find at army serplus stores. (they work great for blowing tourches as well) you can pick the belts up for nothing! then you can double them up on your staff.
But I would go with the towels first. Big thick ones, you can get 4 or 5 burns out of, then toss them into the fire or trash.
~Fire Spirit
I Agree with SickPup!
Towle poi are easy to make to. Thats what I used for the first 4 years i spunn, till i found the HOP.
But if you have already done it, the next best thing is Army Belts. You know the realy tightly woven green belts you find at army serplus stores. (they work great for blowing tourches as well) you can pick the belts up for nothing! then you can double them up on your staff.
But I would go with the towels first. Big thick ones, you can get 4 or 5 burns out of, then toss them into the fire or trash.
~Fire Spirit
FIRE IS ALIVE!
IT LIVES AND BREATHS!
IT CONSUMES, AND DISTROYS!
BUT WE CONTROL IT,
AND DANCE WITH FIRE!!
member
1,591 posts
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada.
1,591 posts
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada.
Posted:
zoltar nah hardly anything falls off at the beginning, Maybe a few tiny burning embers that IMO look pretty cool (they are to light to really go very far so you don't have to worry about one flying into some girls clevage or something wacky). From my limited experience Im a pretty big fan of cotton, seems to absorb a lot more fuel then kevlar which equals better burn times and bigger flames. Ofcourse it doesn't last as long so you have to keep makeing new ones (this can be a pain on staff because it's fairly tricky to drill through fabric).
I just had an idea which may or may not be that good and or safe. You could fix your wicks to a staff with a hose clap and then sew and glue a couple of layers overtop of it so you don't have exposed metal.
Also I only used an army belt once but it didn't seem to be as durable as denim and ripped khaki pants I used for previous torches.
[ 17. December 2002, 15:57: Message edited by: Astar ]
zoltar nah hardly anything falls off at the beginning, Maybe a few tiny burning embers that IMO look pretty cool (they are to light to really go very far so you don't have to worry about one flying into some girls clevage or something wacky). From my limited experience Im a pretty big fan of cotton, seems to absorb a lot more fuel then kevlar which equals better burn times and bigger flames. Ofcourse it doesn't last as long so you have to keep makeing new ones (this can be a pain on staff because it's fairly tricky to drill through fabric).
I just had an idea which may or may not be that good and or safe. You could fix your wicks to a staff with a hose clap and then sew and glue a couple of layers overtop of it so you don't have exposed metal.
Also I only used an army belt once but it didn't seem to be as durable as denim and ripped khaki pants I used for previous torches.
[ 17. December 2002, 15:57: Message edited by: Astar ]
BRONZE Member
Beginner
282 posts
Location: Beyond Time, South of Melbourne, Australia
Beginner
282 posts
Location: Beyond Time, South of Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
You guys rock. Thanx.
Well I havent actually taken the wicks off the staff yet, so I think I will stick to your advice and leave it be.
Might make some towel wicks for my poi. If you are using denim, do you use the same method as for towel.... ie wire cage?
You guys rock. Thanx.
Well I havent actually taken the wicks off the staff yet, so I think I will stick to your advice and leave it be.
Might make some towel wicks for my poi. If you are using denim, do you use the same method as for towel.... ie wire cage?
So much fire, so little body hair...
member
1,591 posts
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada.
1,591 posts
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada.
Posted:
nah you can do accordion cathedral or tubecore for denim.
Just don't make it to loose or it will burn up a lot worse (I believe this is true with kevlar to)
nah you can do accordion cathedral or tubecore for denim.
Just don't make it to loose or it will burn up a lot worse (I believe this is true with kevlar to)
SILVER Member
Classic 90's Fire Dancer... Poi, Staff, Doubles, and Breathing
743 posts
Location: South Lake Tahoe, USA
Classic 90's Fire Dancer... Poi, Staff, Doubles, and Breathing
743 posts
Location: South Lake Tahoe, USA
Posted:
I woulden't use denam, go for you moms old Towels, or I use to work at a hotel, Lots of towels there!! Just snag a few off the maids cart!
There is many ways to get towel and it burns alot better.
Good Luck,
~FS
I woulden't use denam, go for you moms old Towels, or I use to work at a hotel, Lots of towels there!! Just snag a few off the maids cart!
There is many ways to get towel and it burns alot better.
Good Luck,
~FS
FIRE IS ALIVE!
IT LIVES AND BREATHS!
IT CONSUMES, AND DISTROYS!
BUT WE CONTROL IT,
AND DANCE WITH FIRE!!
Pooh-Bah
2,364 posts
Location: austin,tx
2,364 posts
Location: austin,tx
Posted:
all weapons go hand in hand.
i don't consider myself a staffer at all. at all . but after doing chains for so long, i can pick up a staff and do some fairly cool stuff, and some people will actually think i'm a good staffer . so i say, do whatever is fun. you will inevitably change your toys, and move from one to the next, and back again. you have the rest of your life to play, isn't that exciting?!?! everything will build on itself, and all your practice will help you grow in awareness.
and by the way OLD SCHOOL RULES!!!!! GO TOWEL!!!!!
all weapons go hand in hand.
i don't consider myself a staffer at all. at all . but after doing chains for so long, i can pick up a staff and do some fairly cool stuff, and some people will actually think i'm a good staffer . so i say, do whatever is fun. you will inevitably change your toys, and move from one to the next, and back again. you have the rest of your life to play, isn't that exciting?!?! everything will build on itself, and all your practice will help you grow in awareness.
and by the way OLD SCHOOL RULES!!!!! GO TOWEL!!!!!
-Such a price the gods exact for song: to become what we sing
-Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.
-When the center of the storm does not move, you are in its path.
SILVER Member
Classic 90's Fire Dancer... Poi, Staff, Doubles, and Breathing
743 posts
Location: South Lake Tahoe, USA
Classic 90's Fire Dancer... Poi, Staff, Doubles, and Breathing
743 posts
Location: South Lake Tahoe, USA
Posted:
GO ARASHI!!!
I like this guy!
(FS Agrees with every thing said in last post)
~FS
GO ARASHI!!!
I like this guy!
(FS Agrees with every thing said in last post)
~FS
FIRE IS ALIVE!
IT LIVES AND BREATHS!
IT CONSUMES, AND DISTROYS!
BUT WE CONTROL IT,
AND DANCE WITH FIRE!!
member
36 posts
Location: WA
36 posts
Location: WA
Posted:
I find learning basic staff moves with both hands is a good way for alot of people to start, help build muscle and co-ordination in the non-preferred arm of the individual learning. And with some people thats important.
End of the day I love my poi beyond any other toy, but I am taking time out to learn staff, and twin staff because of the different movements, and the different momentum. I believe it gives me a larger flexibility in all my playing and all my tricks. Plus it looks cool if you can interchange what you play with.
Staff also stretches through your wrists and shoulders and helps improve dynamic and static flexability (how far your joints and muscles can stretch while stretching with no other movement, and how far they stretch while moving, ie twirling) therefore in the long run giving you a larger flexability range with which to work and develop more skills. I've found the upper body toning from playing, and that playing has also added more stretch to my hyperflexive nature.
Means I can do a few tricks other people I practise with don't carry to the same degree.
Always stretch lots anyway, the more flexible you are the cooler some of the tricks look.
I find learning basic staff moves with both hands is a good way for alot of people to start, help build muscle and co-ordination in the non-preferred arm of the individual learning. And with some people thats important.
End of the day I love my poi beyond any other toy, but I am taking time out to learn staff, and twin staff because of the different movements, and the different momentum. I believe it gives me a larger flexibility in all my playing and all my tricks. Plus it looks cool if you can interchange what you play with.
Staff also stretches through your wrists and shoulders and helps improve dynamic and static flexability (how far your joints and muscles can stretch while stretching with no other movement, and how far they stretch while moving, ie twirling) therefore in the long run giving you a larger flexability range with which to work and develop more skills. I've found the upper body toning from playing, and that playing has also added more stretch to my hyperflexive nature.
Means I can do a few tricks other people I practise with don't carry to the same degree.
Always stretch lots anyway, the more flexible you are the cooler some of the tricks look.
Similar Topics
Using the keywords [poi staff] we found the following existing topics.
- Forums > Fire on Film resources [3 replies]
- Forums > Fuel [32 replies]
- Forums > Suggestion! [7 replies]
- Forums > double staff [1 reply]
- Forums > Top of the Pops [2 replies]
Show more..
© 1998 - 2024 Home of Poi
All prices converted to United States dollars using XE.com