At some point or another, every pole dancer will encounter a plateau or a state of little or no change after a time of activity or progress. Plateaus come in all forms... spins, aerial poses, aerial combos, handstands, flexibility... the list goes on and on! They can be so frustrating because you may be moving along like a rock star.... not only conquering but annihilating everything you do and them BAM.... no progress....at all... whatsoever.... Plateaus can also be irritating because your mind thinks your body can do something that it's not quite ready to handle and that can be tough, especially when things were so easy before!
(Photography by Niaomi Loveridge)
What to do!?
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Reach out. Suggestions from your pole instructors, pole friends, etc is so important. One of the things I love about pole is that sometimes one little tip will change whether or not you can accomplish something.
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Cross Training. This is so important!! Are you doing push ups and working on your core at home? It's just as important to train and prepare your body off the pole as it is on the pole. If you are unsure what to do or don't want to do it alone, Mynx offers fantastic Pole Conditioning classes that you may want to take!
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Get help from the professionals! I have been working on a move on and off for over a year and still have a long way to go. In December I had an injury and went to physiotherapy (a fabulous referral from Mynx instructor, Nicola!). I found out in my appointment that the move I was trying to learn was physically impossible for me to do until I fixed my body. I was literally wasting hours and hours trying something that I would never have got without help. Perhaps you have an old injury that is holding you back?
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Take a break. Sometimes you need a mental and/or physical break from doing a particular move. If you step away from it for a couple of weeks, you may be surprised at the progress you make coming back to it. One of the greatest things about pole is that there are hundreds of moves to work on! You can also work on your dance, floor work, style, etc. so there is never a shortage of things to do!
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Be patient. I find this is the best advice and probably the advice I need to listen to the most myself. Some pole moves will take months to learn because they require a ridiculous amount of strength or flexibility, or both! I remember my twisted grip handspring took me over a year to learn! Some days I made small improvements and some days felt like I was taking two steps back but staying consistent made it all worth it!
If you do encounter a plateau... and we all do!.... remind yourself why you love pole. Your confidence as a pole dancer and your self worth as a person are not dependent on whether or not you can get a particular pole move. Don't let one nemesis move or a period of slow progress take you away from the joy you get from being a pole dancer!
(Photography by Niaomi Loveridge)
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