People come to my pole dance class & the first thing they want to do usually is go upside down. Honestly, I can normally get someone upside down in one lesson. I had a VERY fit 42 year old mom who was picking up some spins and such pretty fast last week and I decided to time her. Seven minutes!
But does that mean she is really in shape enough to go upside down all the time, and pole dance in general? She was in great shape. But if you are just doing tricks and not working on your overall fitness in general you are going to injure yourself. What do you need to supplement your pole dance fitness routine?
- Stretching~ Yoga or pilates, or just plain old stretching. All over, of course, but especially the back, hamstrings, shoulders, and arms. Any stretch you do should be held for at least 30 seconds.Yoga DVDs and Books
- Strength training~ You don’t have to join a gym, a few minutes a day even is sufficient. If you are working out at home get a small set of weights or bands. Dancing on a pole will build your strength buy you need overall strength as well. I suggest the 12-Minute Total-Body Workout
.
- Cardio~ Not only does cardio keep your heart & lungs healthy but it keeps your weight low, which has obvious benefits if you are dancing on a pole. Cycling or interval training is excellent. Even a fast, hard walk. If you want to add to your exotic movement I suggest belly dance. Belly Dance for Cardio
it helps with your transitions & filler movement on the pole and the floor and gets you in excellent shape.
So pole dance fitness is way more involved than just your pole practice. You need a well rounded program to perform on your pole at your best. Good luck!