Flexibility plays a crucial role in aerial and pole dancing, offering numerous benefits beyond mastering impressive moves. Whether you’re a professional performer or an enthusiast, improving flexibility can help you achieve a greater range of motion, prevent injuries, and enhance your overall dance experience. In this article, we will explore seven effective tips to enhance flexibility specifically for aerial and pole dancing.
The Importance of Flexibility in Aerial and Pole Dancing
Pole dancing has a rich history, and it has evolved into a captivating activity enjoyed by people of all genders. But why is flexibility important in aerial and pole dancing? Flexibility not only enables you to execute impressive moves but also helps maintain muscle strength and prevents injuries as you engage different muscle groups in your body.
Does flexibility really matter in aerial and pole dancing?
Flexibility is a great ingredient for keeping your muscles lean and strong as you age. Stretching is thus important if you want to be less prone to injuries whenever you use different muscles in your body. Pole and Aerial Fitness involves a lot of bending, which you can only achieve if you are flexible.
The approach that you take and what you say to yourself matters a lot. Increasing your flexibility is not only good for your pole dancing but also comes with loads of health benefits that you will experience even after your sessions. Pole dancing comes in handy if you are looking for an activity that will help you shed that extra weight. Your metabolic levels rise as you become more active, which means that you burn more fat. Your cardiovascular health benefits a lot, and exercise opens up your lungs, which improves blood and air circulation.
Your mental health also receives a boost when you engage in exercise. Your brain releases endorphins, the happiness hormone when you become active. It thus is an awesome approach to reducing stress and anxiety. It is also a great chance to interact with other people when you train as a team.
The different approaches to increasing your flexibility at the pole
Attend a flexibility class
Many experts out there can help you get better at the craft depending on your end goals. There are both free and paid classes. It is thus important to research to determine what suits you best. Do you want to do pole and aerial dancing for fun, or do you want to take it as a career? If you want the latter, then you must invest in it and ensure that you only train with the best.
Depending on your schedules and ease of accessibility, you can either decide to attend a virtual or physical class. You can also combine the two approaches to ensure that you get the best out of the two worlds. Working under a teacher makes it easy to master different steps and speed up the learning process. You will also learn when it is too much and how to avoid injuries.
Invest in the right tools
What do you do when you want to get lean muscles or even add muscle mass? You are most likely to lift weights or even invest in a pair of dumbbells that you can use at home. Making your legs more flexible also requires a similar approach. There are tools for stretching your legs to help you achieve the flexibility you are craving irrespective of whether you want to become a professional dancer or want to do it for fun.
The ideal tools also build strength as you need while you are up there on the pole. These tools come in different shapes, and some are compatible, which makes them easy to store. Evaluate your physical fitness and needs before you invest in such tools.
Be consistent
It is okay to feel anxious before attending the first pole class. Learning is a process, and you must be committed if you want to achieve your goals. You need to warm up your muscles and train them through continued efforts. Starting flexibility exercises and then quitting after one week will not help your body in any way.
You can start small and then improve as you get used to the exercises. For instance, you can start with just 15-minute stretches daily for the first week and then increase them to 25 minutes. Set up a schedule that you can follow based on your hands and daily commitments. It does not matter if you train early in the morning or the evening. What matters is if you are consistent. You can always have makeup sessions whenever you miss one. Set some goals that you can easily follow up to ensure that you are on the right path.
Know your limits
You may want to become a champion in the shortest time possible. It is okay to be overambitious. Most people say that there is no gain without pain. It is true to some extent, but you also need to listen to your body. Your muscles need enough time to relax, or else you end up with injuries, or you wear out. You need to know when to stop and when to push harder.
Getting someone who can analyze your progress can help a great deal towards getting that flexible body. The ideal trainer will guide based on your physical abilities and what you want to achieve. Have someone that you can always talk to when you feel as if something is not right. Do not let your injuries worsen as you may end up with some permanent ones.
Be yourself
Do you have a role model in this field? It is okay to have someone who inspires you. However, it would be best to realize that being you will help unleash the beast in you. You may feel as if other people are doing better than you. But comparing yourself with others is self-destruction. You need to understand that people have different capabilities.
Always aim at becoming a better version of yourself and improve every day. It is okay to have some partners that will motivate you to become better. Be ready to receive positive criticism and know the areas that you need to improve on. Set realistic goals and come up with checks to determine your progress.
Embracing flexibility is a fundamental aspect of excelling in aerial and pole dancing. By consistently working on your flexibility, attending classes, utilizing the right tools, and setting realistic goals, you can unlock new heights in your dance journey. Remember, progress takes time, so listen to your body, stay dedicated, and celebrate every milestone achieved. With perseverance and a commitment to self-improvement, you can transform into the best version of yourself as an aerial and pole dancer.
