Strength is vital for pole dancing and aerial acrobatics, enabling you to execute breathtaking moves and maintain control in the air. Incorporating targeted strength training exercises into your pole and aerial routine is crucial for building the necessary muscle and improving your overall performance. Explore these 5 effective strength training tips specifically designed for pole dancers and aerialists.
Pole dancing requires agility, strength, and core balance—all these are items that weight training can improve. However, weight training does take quite a bit of care to ensure you’re doing it correctly. An improper form won’t yield benefits and can cause injury. Here, we cover a few tips you should follow for safety and maximum effectiveness.
Effective Strength Training Tips for Pole Dancing
1. Lift At Your Own Level
Building strength for pole dancing and aerial acrobatics requires a mindful approach to prevent injuries and maximize progress. While it’s natural to want to push your limits, it’s essential to find a weight that aligns with your current capabilities.
Overexertion is perhaps the easiest way to cause an injury while working out, and it’s also one of the most preventable. It’s common for people to want to push themselves and go big, but this can often become a recipe for disaster. Make sure to find a weight that you’re comfortable with and can lift 12-15 times. Over time, you can gradually increase this as you grow stronger.
Various home gym systems make it easy to incorporate weight training that you can adjust to your routine. Top home fitness systems, such as the Bowflex Blaze vs PR3000, provide full-body workouts and come with guides to help you lift safely.
2. Maintain Proper Form
Maintaining proper form during your strength training exercises is crucial for pole dancers and aerialists. An incorrect technique not only increases the risk of strains and tears but also hampers the effectiveness of your workout. Seek guidance from an instructor or workout partner who can provide valuable tips and critiques to help you achieve optimal form. Paying attention to your body alignment, engaging the targeted muscles, and moving with control will enhance your strength gains while reducing the chances of injury. By honing your form, you’ll develop a solid foundation for executing the intricate moves and gravity-defying manoeuvres essential in pole and aerial disciplines.
3. Balance Your Workouts
Pole dancing and aerial acrobatics demand well-rounded strength throughout your body. While it’s tempting to focus solely on specific areas, it’s crucial to exercise all major muscle groups for overall strength and injury prevention. In addition to targeting muscles directly involved in pole and aerial movements, such as the shoulders, core, and upper body, allocate time to work on opposing muscle groups. For instance, complement bicep curls with exercises that engage the triceps. Striving for muscular balance ensures proper alignment, stability, and versatility in executing complex pole and aerial tricks.
4. Remember to Rest
As you push yourself to new heights in pole and aerial arts, it’s vital to strike a balance between training and recovery. Overtraining can be counterproductive and increase the risk of fatigue and injury. Instead of working the same muscles intensely every day, schedule rest days in between to allow your body to recuperate and rebuild. Aim to work for each muscle group once or twice a week and incorporate other forms of exercise to promote overall fitness. Designing a well-planned workout schedule with varied activities will optimize your progress and help prevent overuse injuries.
5. Listen to Your Body
Make sure not to ignore the messages your body is sending you. If you start to feel pain, stop what you’re doing, adjust your weight or try again later. Don’t be afraid to take a day or two off if you feel you’ve been pushing yourself too hard. You may also find yourself tiring too quickly, in which case again, you should consider adjusting weight or number of reps. Pain or discomfort may also be a sign that you’re just going too fast. Make sure to take plenty of recovery time between sets and move in a slow, controlled manner. There’s no need to rush through a workout.
Remember, always consult with a qualified instructor or fitness professional for personalized guidance and modifications tailored to your individual needs and abilities.
Summary
Developing strength for pole dancing and aerial acrobatics requires a focused approach. By following these 5 tips and incorporating strength training exercises that align with the demands of pole and aerial arts, you can enhance your performance, elevate your skills, and reach new heights in your pole and aerial journey.
