No pole? No problem! Practicing Pole, Without the Pole
The best way to get better at something is just to do it, right?! Right. And the same goes for pole dancing. The very best way to get better at spinning, flicking, twirling, and inverting your way around a pole is by doing just that. However, if you’re not lucky enough to have a pole at home but you still want to train away from the studio there are still some excellent options out there. By the end of this blog, you should be feeling ready to get even stronger, more flexy and more acrobatic from the comfort of your own home.
Author - Shona Floate | Date - Shona Floate
Conditioning
Conditioning is to pole as the lowly lolly stick is to a sweet Solero on a summer’s day. She’s not very exciting (to most) and no one’s showing her off but she’s integral to the entire situation. Focusing on conditioning is a sure-fire way to level up the tricks and flow you already know and start nailing your dream moves. And, luckily, it is super accessible and needs little to no equipment.
Body weight exercises can be done almost anywhere and are hugely beneficial to pole dancing. Upper body classics such as push ups will target key areas such as chest, shoulders and triceps and can be modified to suit all levels. If you’re a beginner, try starting with standing wall push ups. As you progress, you can increase the difficulty by lowering your hands, leaning on a kitchen counter, couch, or table. Alternatively, if you are an old hand at conditioning practice try narrowing the space between your hands, a diamond push up or even going one handed!
Core is key when it comes to moving with control and achieving advanced tricks. Planks are an excellent choice for core conditioning and come with the added benefit of also working your shoulders, wrists, and stability. Russian twists, crunches and leg drops are also highly effective and practicing superman will strengthen your core, lower back, and shoulders. At the end of the day, any strength training will really benefit the time you spend on the pole. Just remember to be mindful about your form, resist the urge to move through pain or injury and allow your body to rest when she needs it.
Kheanna Walker | @kheannawalker
Flexibility
If conditioning is the strong wooden lolly stick that keeps your sweet treat upright and stable, then flexibility is… let us think about this one. Flexibility is the sunshine while you enjoy your Solero! You can enjoy an ice lolly whatever the weather, but isn’t it just that much more delicious on a hot summer’s day? Pole can look beautiful however flexible you are, but some moves just look that much more impressive if you can touch your toes to your head.
Did we get away with that?! Anyway, like conditioning flexibility is very accessible without any need for equipment and can make a world of difference to your dancing. Most flexibility work falls into one of two categories: active or passive stretching. While passive stretching is great for pushing you outside of your usual range of motion and improving flexibility, active stretching is particularly good for pole dancing. High kicks, leg raises, and high lunges are all great ways to improve your active flexibility.
Try standing next to a wall or chair for balance and holding your leg as high as you can for a count of ten, making sure to keep your leg straight and toes pointed. Do this on both legs for 3 sets of 5. While passive stretches will improve your passive flexibility, an exercise such as this will strengthen your hip flexors, allowing you to gain improved fluidity and control while dancing.
Floor work and Acro
So now we have you all set up. You’re on the beach in the Maldives. The sun is shining, and the sea is a crystal-clear aquamarine. You order an ice lolly to your sunbed to cool you down but, wait a minute, what flavour are you choosing?! Is it going to be smooth and flowy like our queen and founder @kirstenfairlie? Or powerful and bold like our amazing ambassador @kheannawalker? You see where we're going here. Through floor work and acro you can add your own flavour to your pole routines that can be practiced in your sitting room.
One fundamental move you can practice easily from home is the humble handstand. One of the best parts of pole handstands are that they are so very adaptable to different levels. If you are a super strong hand-stander, you can go ahead and kick up into a stand-alone handstand and spice things up with legs waves if you feel like it. But if you are less sure you can use a pole at the studio to support you, kicking up to use it as back support or even dropping down into a handstand from an inverted trick.
Handstand magic is all about balance. Yogic positions such as crow are a great place to start getting used to having your weight on your hands. Once you have mastered this you can graduate to doing wall handstands to support you on your journey.
The benefits of floorwork at home is in the name – all you need is your floor. You can pop
your cutest pole gear on and your favourite pleasers and roll around to your heart's content. If you’re ever feeling disillusioned when it comes to conditioning, have a browse on YouTube, there are countless tutorial videos out there for both on and off the pole exercises which should inspire you. Or, if you are looking for a more structured approach check out @kheannawalker's incredible portfolio of online resources - @movewithkheanna.
We hope you feel a bit more confident about all the many ways you can improve your pole dancing, without the pole. If you are consistent, do what feels good and believe in yourself, your pole dancing ability will continue to flourish.
