You are probably, like me, a regular adult. Don’t compare yourself or base your conditioning on elite pole athletes! Think of aspects of fitness such as Strength, Flexibility, Balance, Endurance, and Power. In this week's podcast, I express how to be intentional with our workouts, with our limited time, and some training methods that improve our mobility on and off the pole.
One key aspect is balancing out and supporting what you do on the pole such as practicing pushing motions since we tend to practice pulling a lot, working both sides evenly, and breaking down movements into their component parts so you can really focus on them as well as figure out where your weak points are.
You may be asking….
How Often Should I Train?
I’d recommend one strength & one flex-focused session a week (in addition to your pole time) Oh hey, that’s what I teach! ;)
Four classes a week for six weeks is ideal for habit formation
Kaushal, N., Rhodes, R.E. A longitudinal study of Exercise habit formation in new gym members. J Behav Med 38, 652–663 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-015-9640-7
What Equipment Do I Need?
You can get really, REALLY far with bodyweight conditioning and isometrics, especially if you focus on form and building resistance against yourself
After that, in order, I’d get:
A chair (one of those folding metal ones is great), lots of modifications, and you probably already have one)
Yoga blocks
A yoga mat (not necessary but it keeps you from slipping around and you can fold it up to cushion under your knees)
Yoga strap or belt or something
Thera bands in several resistances (conditioning club folks, I’ve got a follow-along video up for you in your private group) ESP if you have a home pole
Dumbbells (can use cans of soup or something), especially the graduated sets
Ankle weights
Pull-up bar or door-mounted TRX straps
Weight bench
Barbells & plates
Join pole instructor & personal trainer Rosy Boa as she chats with experts about the evidence-based practices you can introduce to your pole journey to improve your pole journey and feel better. The Evidence-Based Pole Podcast aims to help pole dancers feel better on and off the pole by talking with experts and diving into relevant scientific research to find evidence-based insights we can apply to our pole journeys. It’s a production of Slink Through Strength, the inclusive, evidence-based online pole studio, which can be found online at slinkthroughstrength.com.
Edited by: Simone Rossette
Simone.rossette77@gmail.com
