How to get a pole dancers body
6 Awesome Bodyweight Exercises for Pole Dancers | Pole Athletica
Bodyweight exercises are a really effective and easy way to strengthen your core and complement your pole training. These types of exercises get results partly because they involve compound movements, meaning numerous joints and muscles are involved with each move. Bodyweight movements have been shown to be extremely effective for strength gains and performance improvements.
Our Studio Director, Jennifer Grace has put together a short, complete body workout video including six of her favourite exercises. These exercises are specifically designed to build strength for pole and a great way to cross-train. She recommends going through all six exercises as a circuit and then completing two more circuits. Start with 5 reps per exercise and work your way up to 10 or more.
Click on the image below to watch the video and continue reading for her hot tips corresponding to each exercise.
1. COMMANDO PLANKS WITH SHOULDER TAPS
Target area: This exercise works the entire body but is great for building strength through the shoulders and arms.
Things to keep in mind:
- Don't let your lower back sag or butt stick out.
- Tuck the hips under and pull your lower abdominals in towards your spine.
- Imagine balancing a broomstick along the length of your body so you have a beautiful straight line from head to toe.
Modification: If this exercise is too difficult or you're feeling pain in your lower back, lower your knees to the floor and work your way up to the more advanced version.
2. BENT LEG SIDE PLANKS
Target Area: Obliques aka side abs and shoulders
Things to keep in mind:
- Legs should be bent at a right angle. Thighs are flat to the front and shins flat to the adjacent wall.
- Stack your shoulder directly over your elbow.
Modification: The bent leg version is the modified version. If you're finding this version too difficult, place your top hand on the floor to assist with pushing up.
Thread the Needle Variation: This can be done with bent legs if the straight leg version is too difficult.
3. LOWER ABDOMINAL LEG LIFTS
Target area: Lower abdominals
Things to keep in mind:
- It's SOOOOO easy to cheat in this one! Try really hard not to swing your legs towards your face to get those hips up.
- The lift of the hips is really small. Pull your lower abdominals down towards the floor to initiate the lift of the hips.
4. COBRA EXTENSIONS
Target area: Upper and lower back, butt and hamstrings
Things to keep in mind:
- Push your pubic bone down into the floor to maintain a good position of the pelvis throughout this exercise.
- As you lift your upper back from the floor, slightly squeeze the shoulder blades together.
- Think of broad collar bones to keep the chest and shoulders open through the front.
- Legs should be at least hip-width apart. If you have lower back issues, then widen the legs a little further.
Modification: If you're finding it too challenging to lift both upper body and legs at the same time, separate the two movements. Focus on lifting the upper first and then try lifting just the legs.
5. FULL RANGE SQUATS
Target area: Hips, thighs and butt. This is a great hip mobility exercise.
Things to keep in mind:
- Focus on keeping a straight back throughout and not pitching forward in your squat.
- As you lower into your squat, keep your weight back in your heels. A good test for this is to keep toes lifted off the floor throughout the whole exercise.
- Make sure your knees track over the 3rd and 4th toes as you bend and straighten the legs.
Modification: If you're struggling to keep your heels down on the floor as you lower, then prop a folded yoga mat under the heels for a little elevation. You might also want to try widening your stance. Make sure your toes are slightly turned out.
6. TABLE PULL UPS
Target area: Biceps
Things to keep in mind:
- You want your arms to really do the work in this one!
- Keep your chin slightly tucked in.
- Keep your tummy engaged throughout the whole exercise
- Don't forget to breathe!
Modification: Pull up half way if you're finding it difficult to pull all the way up to the top. In time, you'll build up more and more strength through your arms. The most important thing is to NOT GIVE UP!
As you develop more strength and stamina, work your way up to doing the entire circuit 2-3 times per week.
If you'd like to join us for a pole specific strength and conditioning class, we run a CoreFit Athletica class every Saturday and Thursday. This is an open level Pilates style class on the fit-ball. It's a fun unique work-out to strengthen and tone the abs, butt, thighs and back.
How To Get A Pole Dancer’s Body
by Danna | Dec 13, 2013 | 3 comments
(Last Updated On: November 3, 2022)
A dancer’s body is one of the most coveting items by men and women alike. We all want those long, lean, toned bodies of a dancer. The body of a pole dancer and the body of a ballet dancer have slight differences, but how they both got the body they have is quite similar.
To fully understand how to get the pole dancers body, it would first be wisdom to understand how dancer’s, in general, go about losing weight, building muscle, and training the body to move in certain ways.
First, note that when you look at your average woman, even though she may be skinny, it doesn’t mean that she has the body of a dancer.
She may not be toned and therefore you cannot see the lines of the muscular structure underneath her skin.
Skinniness, in general, doesn’t equal a pole dancer’s body.
So what does?
The secret to understanding how to get a pole dancers body is understanding human adaptability.
Humans always have been and always will be adaptable creatures. Whatever daily demands are placed on the body, the body will react by compensating to handle them. When those demands are too much, then injury or illness ensues.
If you think of a rock climber, they usually have very strong upper body muscles. That’s because they are using their arms to pull upward and climb things like cliffs.
In the same way, when a woman is dancing on a pole, her body will adjust by gaining flexible muscle to perform the moves she is trying to do.
There are pole dancing exercises you can do to promote your body to adjust faster so that a dancer could execute the pole dance moves sooner, however, nothing really causes the body to adapt and reshape quite like dancing itself.
Ballet dancers spend time at the barre, training their bodies to move in certain ways. These ways of moving are not naturally performed in the body. Things like walking and running come naturally, but ballet dancing uses muscles that aren’t normally used in daily life.
Dancers work to cause the hips to turn out, to align the bones, to point the toes in very specific ways, and to be more flexible in specific muscle groups. By doing this, a dancer gets better extensions in the legs and learns to move in a way that creates long lines for the viewer in the audience.
As time passes and more time is spent dancing and training, the body adapts and “reshapes” to accommodate those regular demands.
Getting a pole dancer’s body isn’t really a huge secret. While there are nutritional elements to consider for athletes, the majority of the reason dancers look the way they do is simply because they spend regular amounts of time dancing and their bodies have adapted.
Once it adapts it affects their regular life.
For example, dancers walk differently. In class, they learn to keep the hips under and neutral. When they are out walking around, this same rule is applied.
Dancing isn’t like going to the gym where you can perform certain exercises and then forget about them until you go back to the gym again.
Dancer’s LIVE what they learn. Those hips are tucked under in a neutral position while they are pushing the shopping cart through the grocery store! It’s a lifestyle! It’s a regular demand placed on the body. Not a one-time exercise, not a one-time fix and definitely not something you get to do for a few months and then quit.
If you want to truly understand how to get a pole dancers body, then you must commit to a pole dancing lifestyle. Never give up your pole dancing classes and always keep going.
If you would like a wonderful little Vbook that will show you the specific dance exercises broken down into easy step by step instructions along with diet tips and pole dance routines you could do at home to get a toned, sleek body then click here to download now.
What is Pole Dance and how to start dancing
Pole Dance is a harmonious dance performed on a metal pole (pylon). It combines elements of acrobatics, choreography and gymnastics. This direction does not need strong physical training, all the required skills and abilities are given during constant training. It is often confused with striptease and pole dancing, but in reality there is nothing in common between them.
Greetings, dear readers. If you are here, then you have the opportunity right now to learn about such a dance as Pole Dance. Classes on the pylon attract modern girls and women, draw them in and fall in love with themselves. The multifaceted Pole Dance gives meaning and fulfillment over time, a thirst for achieving new goals. It gives fans more and more opportunities to develop themselves, to be more attractive and stronger. nine0005 What is Pole Dance?
In pole dance, a pole or pylon serves as the main working element, a sports equipment on which various tricks are performed.
In striptease, a metal pole is a decorative detail, the stripper dances next to it, doing simple dance moves - no complicated tricks are performed here.
Pole Dance is a physically difficult pole dance that can be safely attributed to a power sport. Young girls, women of different ages and even children can do it. By the way, men can also practice on the pylon, perform power elements of increased complexity. nine0003
Standard Pole Training
As a rule, Pole Dance classes for beginners begin with a warm-up to prevent sprains and all sorts of injuries. A good start makes pole training safe and effective, prepares the ligaments and muscles for loads and twists. Then it is allowed to start performing simple elements of the dance. When the body is well warmed up, stretching is done (static and dynamic).
Flexibility is important for performing the main number of elements on the pole, so stretching is in every workout, after warming up and at the end of the session.
A force load is placed on the prepared body. A lot of energy is wasted here. To perform heavy tricks in pole dance, the use of a mat is provided. After a power load, the trainer does stretching and a hitch. nine0003
Tips for pole dance beginners
Pylons for training are dynamic, which are spinning, and static. There is an erroneous opinion that it is better for beginners to practice on a spinning pylon. Beginning dancers are advised to start doing dance elements on a static pole. It may be more difficult, but it’s faster to make progress, get stronger and develop a muscular corset. The issue of choosing clothes for pole dance for practicing on the pylon is also of interest to beginners. Everything is pretty simple here. For the first workout, you don’t need high-heeled shoes and expensive uniforms. Initially, a t-shirt, shorts and socks are enough. nine0003
In the future, you can decide for yourself what you want to wear for training in Pole Dance. For the first lesson, it is not at all necessary to bring magnesia (liquid chalk to improve grip with the pole) or gloves.
Just try to come to the lessons for beginners and in practice understand whether special tools are needed or not. When hands are held tight without anything, gloves and magnesia are not needed. In addition, the coach will tell you what would be the best option in a particular case.
A big problem for beginners is bruising. Without them, the first workouts are unlikely to do. It will take some time to put up with them. To alleviate the condition and quickly improve the appearance of the body, you can use special ointments, such as lifeguard 911, troxevasin, badyaga. Time and patience will help in the fight against bruises.
IMPORTANT! Before starting pole lessons, it is important to check your health condition. There are a number of diseases, due to which the doctor may prevent you from training. That is, you need to consult a specialist, especially if you already have any health problems. nine0003
Varieties of Pole Dance
Today there are three main directions of Pole Dance:
- Exotic.
Here, the emphasis is on strength elements in a percentage ratio of approximately 70 to 30. In addition, the bulk of the dance movements are performed on the floor. This kind of pole dance is characterized by plasticity and eroticism. At the same time, there is no undressing in the exotic. - Art. The direction is characterized by a harmonious combination of power elements and choreography. The emphasis is on the technique of performance, the quality of tricks, and the outfit of the performer. The classical understanding of the direction is pole dance as an art. nine0033
- Sport/Fitness. The most difficult variety of Pole Dance. In the performance of the pole dance, approximately 70% of the complexity and quality is given.
Why should everyone try the pole?
Paul Dance makes you constantly work on yourself, your body, hone your own skills, fight fear and pain. This can hardly be called a disadvantage of this type of dance, since there is a goal, work and victories.
In training, music and movements allow you to relax, relieve negativity and nervous tension. On the pylon you become more graceful, stronger and more flexible, and also much more confident in yourself. Pole Dance is the art of controlling your own body, which always needs care and love. This is lightness and endurance, a slender figure, which you get as a reward for perseverance and work in training. By the way, the successful half-dancer Anna Eliseeva agrees with this. nine0003
Pole sport is a combination of useful and pleasant. This projectile serves as a simulator that allows you to keep your body in good shape, lose weight, and build muscle strength. In the process of training, the body receives a great physical load on the main muscle groups, especially on the back, arms and abs. Pole dancers work within their own limits, their muscles develop rapidly, and the body tightens and becomes attractive.
When practicing on the pole, the joints and ligaments become healthy and flexible, since in Paul Dance the main part of the elements is based on acrobatics that require great effort and fantastic flexibility.
Thanks to this feature, this type of dance can even be compared with ballet. nine0003
What is attractive about pole dance is that the dance gives a thrill to the audience and the performer, based on various elements of acrobatics. Amazing tricks on the pylon for the most part are the meaning of this direction, they are the subject of admiration and envy. To perform them, you need to develop balance and coordination, strength and flexibility. Having mastered a new trick over and over again, you can congratulate yourself on the victory over pain and fears.
Pole dance for beginners
Pole dancing or Pole Dance, as they are also called, has recently gained extraordinary popularity. Many want to learn how to gracefully and easily perform difficult tricks, spin on a pole, and demonstrate the wonders of flexibility and plasticity.
This direction really has many advantages. Regularly exercising, a beginner dancer:
- develops muscles, improves figure;
- strengthens the respiratory and cardiovascular systems; nine0033
- improves immunity;
- learns to feel his body and control it;
- increases his self-esteem and feels even more attractive.
But of course it won't come all at once. You need to be ready for trials - both physical and moral. And to make it easier for you to deal with them, you began to enjoy training, check out a few tips. We hope you get something useful from them. By the way, in St. Petersburg, pole dancing is especially popular at Admiralteisky and Vyborgsky districts, including metro station Baltiyskaya and metro station Ozerki.
The right attitude is important
Many people give up after the first lesson on the pole. Faced with serious workloads, it can be hard to overpower yourself and continue. In addition, some compare themselves to other, more experienced athletes. And, of course, this comparison is often not in their favor. Remember: those who show the best result today conquer with their clever tricks, just like you, they started small . No one was born with such skills.
All this was achieved through hard training. Treat such people as great motivation. If they can do it, then you can too!
Pole dancing has been given observer status with the GAISF (General Association of International Sports Federations), due to which they can expect to be included in the Olympic program. In many ways, Katie Coates, an Englishwoman who founded the International Pole Sports Federation, contributed to this. nine0091
Get ready to work hard through physical pain at first. Bruises, abrasions, calluses, krepatura - all this should not come as a surprise to you. But, don't let such tests scare you. If you really want to succeed in this field, be patient . A nice "payment" for your efforts is just around the corner. The dancing beginner will soon begin to notice how the body rewards him for his hard work with growing strength, endurance and honing the curves of the physical form. When you begin to notice the first results, you will no longer be stopped, since you will not want to be limited by what you have already achieved.
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Wear the right clothes
To get the most out of your pole training, it's important to wear the "right" clothes. For a warm-up, during which the muscles are prepared for further loads on the pole, you can wear leggings and a T-shirt. It is convenient to do strength and stretching exercises in them. For the pole, short, tight shorts, tank top or custom uniform are best. It must have the following properties:0003
- hygiene;
- breathability;
- excellent grip on the surface of the pole;
- thigh compression;
- good breast support;
- moisture absorption;
- hypoallergenic.
For the top, you can choose a T-shirt made in the “wrestler” style, which has a deep armhole in the area of the shoulder blades and enlarged cutouts under the arms (needed to grip the pylon). Also suitable is a top that has an elastic band in front under the chest, and a double placket in the back, formed in the form of the letter "X".
This style is also called "frog". Some people like the Carmen T-shirt with an asymmetrical strap thrown over one shoulder. nine0003
Gloves will not be superfluous either. They must be special, with an anti-slip coating. They usually have a lacquer base and lace, knitwear or microfiber inserts. So don't try to make them yourself. To reduce the risk of sprains and injuries, bandages are used - on the ankle, elbow, knee, wrist.
In the XII-XIII centuries, a very unusual direction of yoga on pillars called Mallakhamb was widespread in India. It shows an amazing similarity with modern pole dancing. This practice was intended primarily for men. Using poles, they performed complex tricks and thus trained their strength and endurance. Having achieved some success in this direction, they demonstrated their achievements to others. nine0091
As for shoes, you can train without them. It all depends on the individual preferences of the dancer. Some wear half-Czech shoes, while others, already relatively experienced, prefer strips - sandals on an extremely high platform and heels.
By the way, they say that it is the strips that make it possible to achieve the maximum effect of the pole dance, seductiveness and elegance of movements.
Warm-up is essential
A good warm-up should never be neglected. Poorly warmed up muscles are easy to injure. Take 15 minutes for this important part of any workout. You can perform the following exercises on different parts of the body:
- Neck . Do tilts, turns, half-turns to the right and left, forward and backward 20 times, circular turns clockwise and counterclockwise 10 times.
- Chest muscles . Arch your back, round, spread your arms to the sides.
- Press . In addition to the standard twist on the press (you can do it with legs raised), do “scissors”, “bike”, swings for each leg for several approaches, as well as a plank on your hands. nine0032 Buttocks and legs . Squats 30 times, lunges on each leg 20 times are the best option for warming up the muscles of the lower body.
Pay special attention to the muscles of the arms , as they are the main load during the pole dance. Do push-ups regularly, try to pull yourself up on the horizontal bar, pump your arms with dumbbells and a barbell. However, a competent coach will always tell you what exercises you need to do and make sure that you do not start performing tricks on a pole without prior preparation. nine0003
Exercises for beginners
Tricks used in pole dancing can be divided into two main groups: static tricks (stationary) and twists (rotary movements around the pole). In turn, the tricks consist of " hangs " and " sits ", during which the dancer hangs or seems to "sit" on the pylon, respectively.
How to prepare for the effective performance of the static components of the dance? For a beginner, training of the following elements is suitable:
- " Chair ".
It is necessary to clasp the pylon with your legs, firmly squeeze the inside of the thighs and hold on to the pole with your hands. In this case, the legs should be perpendicular to the pylon. If you still can't keep them straight, you can bend at the knees. - " Fireman ". Cross your bent legs around the pole, hold with your hands and gracefully arch your back.
For a beginner, the following rotation exercises are also suitable:
- " Footboard ". It is necessary to straighten one arm, take it on the pylon above the head, and the other - at the level of the hips. Push off the floor with your feet and spin around the pole.
- " Frog ". Straighten your left arm and grasp the pole above your head. Bend the right one and grab the pylon at chest level. The left leg is wrapped around the pole. Push off with your right foot and spin.
The trainer will tell you how to do the exercises correctly and what needs to be corrected.
