Author: Cathy Vandewater

When people ask me what folks wear to my classes, I always think of that hilarious yet true Leen Isabel meme about the inverse relationship between how advanced students are and how little clothing they wear to class.

I think it’s because the super advanced, even pro, dancers are often the dancers putting out the most video and photo content, there’s a common misconception that *everyone* who does pole goes to class in a bikini.

Not true, and often quite unecessary — especially if you’re just starting out.

Why are Pole Dancers So… Bare?

Skin sticks! The more creative your holds are, the more skin you need exposed to hold you. That means you’ll likely want to have inner thigh and arms exposed as a beginner (pretty standard hold points), then waist, back of the shoulder, and even potentially some gluteal fold skin out and available for grip as an advanced student.

The good news is, there’s plenty of time to adjust and evolve what you wear to class as you build skills. So the real question is, what do you wear to your *first* pole class? What about a floorwork or choreo-focused class?

Let’s cover some general guidlines:

Opt for Fitted Clothing — Especially Shorts

Between a mat warm up, floorwork, spinning, climbing, and holds, you’ll want to avoid anything loose enough to fly up (or down, depending on your orientation!). This also ensures you won’t suddenly have cloth between you and the pole somewhere unexpected, like roomy shorts where the inseam moves around.

Wear Supportive Top/Bra That Allows for Movement

Pole is obviously lower impact than something like running, but a good sports bra is recommended to 1. allow for arms to move overhead without the bra (or contents of said bra) shifting around, 2. support and hold you right side up and upside down, 3. stay out of your way during movements like trap holds (ie. a racer style back vs. traditional shape).

Layer Up for Warm-Ups and Cool-Downs

More experienced dancers are easy to spot in fitness classes of any times because they’re usually dressed a bit like Joey on that one episode of Friends where he wore… everything he owned? For some reason? But basically they know that layers=staying cozy and warm pre and post warm-up and cool down. They also offer plenty of coverage options for floorwork, preventing floor burn and providing a little slide.

Pick Breathable Fabrics with Stretch

Self explanatory, but you want to be able to move and you want sweat to evaporate.

Skip the Jewelry

Hopefully your instructor reminds you of this, but remove any dangly jewelry or accessories before getting on the pole. Rings, bracelets, or necklaces can scratch or damage the pole’s surface, or rough up your skin. Even silicone watches can stick during spins and cause a lot of discomfort.

Go Barefoot, but Bring Socks (or Pleasers… or Both)

If you’re just starting out, plan to go barefoot for your first few classes, but have socks on hand in case your feet get uncomfortable during high-friction pivot or slide moves. Trying about a heels class? It’s a really good idea to wear something specifically designed for pole, like Pleasers. They’re build very differently from street shoes, and frankly, you may destroy your special occasion heels sliding around on the floor in them. In any case, if there’s any doubt about footwear, try new moves barefoot first.

When in Doubt: Ask!

Depending on the style the studio or class teaches, any special focuses (choreography, heels, floorwork, lyrical or exotic style), expected clothing can vary. It doesn’t hurt to simply ask the front desk person or shoot an email to the studio asking what students tend to wear to the class you’re going to take. With all the new class jitters that can come up for trying something different, knowing you’re dressed for success can be a huge confidence booster and is well-worth the extra planning (or shopping!) effort.

Conclusion: Don’t Buy a Whole New Wardrobe

So, what’s your go-to pole outfit? Mine is absolutely yoga pants layered over black mini fitted shorts, and a fitted racer tank under a comfy short sleeve, long sleeve, or even sweatshirt, depending on the weather. And chances are… you own all of these things already!

That’s not to say you can’t invest in some new pieces, especially after you’ve got a few classes under your belt. I’ve tried a lot of brands over the years, and I’m pretty loyal to secondhand Lululemon now. I find myself adjusting it way less during class, feeling dry and comfy on my way home from class, and seeing it look nicer for longer through lots of wash cycles. But even used, it’s pricey, and if you buy it before you understand what you need or like to wear to class, you may get stuck with super pricey but useless mid-length shorts, or a long sleeve you take off .5 minutes into class.

Whatever you wear, I encourage you to shop second hand as much as possible. Athletic wear takes forever to degrade in the landfill, generally holds up longer through many uses, and there’s TONS of it available at your local thrift store or online, on sites like Poshmark, eBay, or ThredUp. Starting small with a few thrifted items, or even better, whatever you already own, is a sustainable way to dip a toe into dressing for a new activity.

Okay okay, that’s my TED Talk, thanks for coming to it! Whatever you wear, wear it proudly, and remember to have fun!

XOXO,

Cathy

Common misconceptions about pole: let’s go! How many of these were you guilty of believing when you first started?

You can’t do pole without upper body strength

I think because people see so much arm and grip stuff happening with pole, it’s easy to think that the arms are doing all the work. But unless you’re flexing the arms–ie. bending the elbows to pull up or lower down–the work is actually in your core to, like, support your body as you hang from your arm. Your arm isn’t actually doing all that much. And related to this…

Pole will make my arms bulky

First, it’s hilarious how many women seem to believe you can trip, fall, and accidentally put on a ton of muscle. That ish takes a lot of work! I promise you won’t do it by accident. But can pole bulk you up? Sure–your shoulders and back can broaden a bit when you start tackling level 2 and up type moves (inversions, holds, power moves). But you’re not going to suddenly have gigantic biceps out of nowhere from spins and pirouettes.

Pole is super sexy

It can be. It can also be emotional, lyrical, dramatic, spooky, athletic, or tell a story. Depending on the class you take, the studio you go to, and your own movement choices, pole can look like many different things. Is taking a pole class a bit saucy in general? Sure, but the movements themselves generally feel on par with something out of a jazz class. Whether your want to pop your booty or flip your hair, that’s up to you!

Pole is more than enough workout for the average person

While an incredible workout, I agree, you may find that to feel balanced, you need to supplement it with yoga or pilates to get more “push” style movement (as pole is very “pull” or forward-flexion focused). I can’t believe how much better my whole body started feeling when I combined pole with yoga, particularly my injury-prone shoulders. It’s also a little light on cardio, so you may want to add some heart-pumping walking, running, or fast-paced studio classes to keep your heart and lungs strong.

I’m too XYZ to do pole

Listen, I’m not saying it’s not hard work, and can be tough on your body. But if you want to do pole, that’s enough prerequisite to try it. You don’t need to lose weight first. You don’t need to get more flexible first. You don’t need to build your upper body or core strength, or grow your hair out. Just try it, and if you have any body-related concerns like stiff shoulders or sweaty hands, talk to your teacher about it. Chances are, they’ve been there, or at very least seen plenty of students who have been there, and they have ideas to make things easier.

I suck at pole because XYZ

TikTok and Instagram can really do number on your expectations, and therefore, your self esteem. Out of context, the crazy stuff you see people doing on the pole for social media makes it look like russian marechenkos and split grip handsprings are the norm. They’re not! You can happily do exclusively level 1 moves for your entire pole career and never lack for beautiful, creative movement. There’s no finish line, there’s no competition, and you don’t need to rush your way up the skill ladder. Focus, get in your body, and make tiny improvements. Take pictures and video, and reflect on your incredible progress.

Don’t miss this moment because you’re busy thinking about where you think you should be.

Relish in what your body can do in class right now. It feels good to move. Enjoy it!

love and spins,
Cathy

I’m currently wrapping up my 200 hour yoga certification and I was struck by what one of my instructors mentioned was a weakness of yoga: it covers just about every general kind of body movement except for “pulling.”

Reader, I choked on my coffee.

I was trying to figure out what it is about yoga that has been so helpful to my (oft injured) pole shoulders. The stretching? The moving of the spine in all 6 directions? (Forward/back bending, twisting to both sides, lateral bends to both sides). Y’all, it’s the pushing!

Here’s the thing about pole: it’s a lot of pulling. That’s totally fine, but since many of us spend our day in a n anteriorly-flexed position (ie. hunched over our computers, tight in the pecs, rounded in the back, hinged at the hips), layering *strengthening* those front flexors and “pulling” muscles only increases existing imbalances.

If you can take regular yoga classes to supplement your pole training, I highly recommend it. But you’ll also get tons of benefit from practicing a few keys poses at home–or heck, even as a cool down for pole work. Here are my top recommendations for beginner/intermediate pole dancers.

Bridge Pose

Bridge Pose, also known as Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, is a beneficial yoga pose that offers a variety of benefits for the body. Here are some of the key benefits of practicing Bridge Pose:

–Strengthening the back and glutes: Bridge Pose primarily targets the muscles of the back, including the erector spinae, gluteus maximus, and hamstrings. By engaging these muscles, Bridge Pose helps strengthen and tone the posterior chain, promoting better posture and stability.

–Opening the chest and shoulders: As you lift your chest towards the ceiling in Bridge Pose, it helps to open and expand the chest, stretching the muscles in the front of the shoulders. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals who spend a lot of time seated or hunched over a desk… or pole.

–Activating the core muscles: Bridge Pose activates the abdominal muscles, including the rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis–aka your invert muscles! This engagement supports the spine and helps improve overall core strength and stability.

-Improved flexibility and mobility: Practicing Bridge Pose can help improve the flexibility and mobility of the spine, hips, and quadriceps. It encourages the gentle stretching and lengthening of these areas, promoting better range of motion.

Bonus Benefits:

-Relieving back pain: Strengthening the posterior chain and providing a gentle stretch to the spine can help alleviate tension and discomfort in the lower back. If you get a spasmy lower back during ab exercises, this one’s for you.

–Calming the mind and reducing anxiety: Like many yoga poses, Bridge Pose can have a calming and therapeutic effect on the mind. It can help alleviate stress and anxiety, promoting a sense of relaxation and emotional well-being.

Locust Pose/Variations

Locust Pose, also known as Salabhasana, is a powerful yoga pose that offers numerous benefits for the body. Here are some of the key benefits of practicing Locust Pose:

–Strengthens the back muscles: Locust Pose primarily targets the muscles of the back, including the erector spinae, rhomboids (!! these are so great to target!), and trapezius (including lower–especially tough to target and key to healthy poling and posture).

–Improves core strength: In Locust Pose, the abdominal muscles, including the rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis, are engaged to support the lift.

–Stretches the shoulders and chest: As you lift the chest and extend the arms backward in Locust Pose, it helps to stretch and open the shoulders and chest. Again, this is a great counteracting pose for the rounded posture often associated with modern lifestyles and a regular pole practice.

–Enhances flexibility and mobility: Practicing Locust Pose can help improve the flexibility and mobility of the spine, hips, and legs. It encourages the gentle stretching and lengthening of these areas, promoting better range of motion and relieving stiffness.

–Tones the glutes and legs: By lifting and extending the legs off the ground, Locust Pose engages and strengthens the gluteal muscles, hamstrings, and quadriceps.

Bonus Benefits:

–Improves digestion: The gentle compression of the abdomen in Locust Pose can stimulate the digestive organs, enhancing digestion and relieving constipation (though hopefully not during class).

–Boosts energy and reduces fatigue: Locust Pose is known for its invigorating and energizing effects. Practicing this pose can help combat fatigue, and stimulate ciruclation.

–Develops focus and concentration: Holding Locust Pose requires focus and mental engagement. Regular practice can help improve concentration and cultivate a state of calm awareness that will come in handy during the inner thigh screaming pain of Superman (heh).

Reverse Table Pose

Reverse Table Pose, also known as Ardha Purvottanasana, offers various benefits for the body. Here are some of the key benefits of practicing Reverse Table Pose:

–Improves upper body strength and flexibility: Reverse Table Pose strengthens the muscles in the upper body, including the arms, wrists, and shoulders. It also stretches the chest and shoulder muscles, promoting flexibility in these areas.

–Opens the chest and shoulders: By lifting the chest and rolling the shoulders back, Reverse Table Pose helps to open and expand the chest–a perfect counterpose for the rounded shoulder-pulling nature of pole work.

Stretches the front of the body: Reverse Table Pose stretches the muscles in the front of the body, including the abdomen and hip flexors. This can help alleviate tightness in these areas and improve overall posture.

Improves posture: By strengthening the muscles of the upper back and opening the chest, Reverse Table Pose can help improve posture. It encourages a more upright and open alignment of the spine.

Increases spinal mobility: Practicing Reverse Table Pose involves backward bending of the spine, which can help increase spinal mobility and flexibility. This can contribute to a healthier and more supple spine.

Bonus Benefits:

Energizes the body: Reverse Table Pose is known to provide an energizing effect on the body. It can help combat fatigue and invigorate both the body and mind. Sure, we’ll take it!

Chair/Revolved Chair Pose

Chair Pose, also known as Utkatasana, offers numerous benefits for the body. Here are some of the key benefits of practicing Chair Pose: (Note: if you feel that you *hate* this pose, that’s a very strong indicator that you can stand to benefit from it!).

–Strengthens the legs and glutes: Chair Pose primarily targets the muscles of the legs, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. By holding the pose, these muscles are engaged, helping to strengthen and tone them. This can lead to improved stability and balance.

–Activates the core muscles: Chair Pose activates the muscles of the core, including the abdominals and the muscles along the spine.

–Improves posture: By encouraging an upright and aligned position, Chair Pose helps improve posture. It strengthens the muscles in the back and shoulders, promoting better spinal alignment and reducing the tendency to slouch.

–Stretches the shoulders and chest: As you reach your arms overhead in Chair Pose, it helps to stretch and open the shoulders and chest.

-Enhances balance and coordination: Balancing in Chair Pose requires concentration and stability, which can help improve balance and coordination over time. Regular practice can strengthen the muscles involved in balancing and improve overall body awareness.

Bonus Benefits:

–Stimulates the cardiovascular system: Holding the pose and engaging the large muscles of the legs can increase the heart rate, providing a cardiovascular benefit. This can help improve cardiovascular health and endurance.

Upward Facing Dog/Cobra Pose

Upward Facing Dog Pose, also known as Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, offers numerous benefits for the body. Here are some of the key benefits of practicing Upward Facing Dog Pose:

–Strengthens the arms, wrists, and shoulders: As you press your palms into the ground and lift your chest, Upward Facing Dog Pose helps to strengthen the muscles in the arms, wrists, and shoulders. This can improve overall upper body strength and stability.

–Stretches the chest and abdomen: By opening the front of your body and lifting your chest towards the ceiling, Upward Facing Dog Pose stretches the muscles in the chest and abdomen.

–Improves posture: By stretching and strengthening the muscles in the upper back, Upward Facing Dog Pose helps improve posture. It encourages a more upright alignment of the spine and shoulders, reducing the tendency to slouch.

–Improves spinal flexibility: Practicing Upward Facing Dog Pose involves extending the spine, which can help improve spinal flexibility and mobility. It stretches the entire length of the spine, from the tailbone to the neck, promoting a healthier and more supple back.

Bonus Benefits:

–Energizes the body: Upward Facing Dog Pose is known for its invigorating and energizing effects. The pose can help increase circulation and stimulate the nervous system, providing a boost of energy and vitality.

-Relieves mild back pain: Upward Facing Dog Pose can help relieve mild back pain by gently stretching and strengthening the muscles in the back. It can provide relief from discomfort caused by tightness or stiffness in the back muscles.

A few more great poses to try out in no particular order:

1. Reverse Prayer: Reverse Prayer, also known as Paschima Namaskarasana, stretches the wrists, shoulders, and chest, opens the front body, improves posture, and enhances flexibility in the upper body.
2. Supine Snow Angel Pose: Supine Snow Angel Pose, also known as Supta Swastikasana, opens the shoulders and chest, stretches the spine, improves flexibility, and promotes relaxation. Reclining Back Bend Over Block opens the chest and shoulders, stretches the front body, promotes relaxation, and improves posture.
3. Bow Pose: Bow Pose, also known as Dhanurasana, strengthens the back muscles, opens the chest and shoulders, stretches the front body, and improves flexibility and balance.
4. Goddess Pose Squat: Goddess Pose, also known as Utkata Konasana, strengthens the legs, opens the hips and chest, improves balance, and tones the core muscles. Add cactus arms, and you’ll get chest opening and back strengthing.
5. Fallen Triangle Pose Variation: Fallen Triangle Pose Variation provides a deep stretch for the hamstrings, hips, and shoulders, improves balance and flexibility, strengthens the legs and core, and enhances overall body awareness.

Remember: before attempting any of these or other yoga poses, it’s important to warm up your body and prep it for challenging movement. Try a few rounds of cat/cow and some half sun salutations to get the blood flowing first. And even better: take a class with a qualified teacher! There’s no beating live instruction for a safe pose sequence, form correction, and just-turn-off-your-brain-and-move guidance.

Happy moving!

-Cathy

New to pole? Boy am I jealous.

While I certainly won’t miss the new bruises and pole “kisses” (ie. friction burns), aches in muscles I didn’t know I had, and that overwhelming, “this is a lot harder than I thought it would be” feeling, there are so many wonderful things about trying pole for the first time.

But if I had to pick a favorite… the best thing about being new to pole is experiencing the weightlessness and pure joy of spinning for the first time.

Luckily, in Level 1 classes, you’ll get plenty of spin time. But what else can you expect? Here’s what most standard level 1 pole classes will cover:

The Basic Format of a Level 1 Class

Obviously curriculum varies from studio to studio, but at least in my classes and at most places I’ve been a student myself, a level 1 class almost always includes all of the following:

Warm-up: anywhere from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, depending on the length of the class. Expect gentle joint movements, light stretching, and conditioning on the floor to “turn on” the muscles you’ll need for class and build strength for future sessions.

PSST, I really like this one from Kelsey Janay if you’re working out at home. Freel free to swap the splits for an extra hamstring stretch if needed!

On-Pole Conditioning: pole crunches, pole pole ups, and some “warming your pole” type movements (dip turns, for example) are standard fare.

Home polers, this is a pretty thorough conditioning workout that takes about 15 minutes and has handy time stamps. The workout starts at 2:15:

Spins: self-explanatory! Expect fairly simple spins, often with three points of contact (ie. both hands and a knee or ankle).

Transitional/Dance Movements: a nice rest for your grip and builds your repertoire of connecting movements to build flows and sequences. These can include pole work (dip turns or pirouettes), transitional moves from floor to pole or pole to floor (pole slides or bridges, or thread the needle), and/or floorwork, like prances, shoulder rolls, crawls, or spin “get ups.”

Power Moves: I’d put climbing into this category, and any “holds,” like a basic sit or knee hold, or a tough dymanic move like a carousel kick or fan kick.

Freestyle: this is an opportunity to review what you’ve learned in class and start linking movements together in a flow. I like to challenge my students to just keep moving, even if they blank out. Walking circles around the pole is totally acceptable!

(Home dancers, this is a lovely combo to try from Sammy Piccone that incorporates a dip turn, backhook spin, fan kick, and very groovy transitional/floor pirouettey things (the technical term, I believe 😛).

Cool Down: expect some gentle stretching and a little love for wrists and forewarms. Not all studios or classes make time for this, so if your level 1 class skips it, be sure to take a few moments after class to warm down and stretch.

(Home dancers, trying this cool-down from PoleFreaks—the audio is super clear so you can leave any background music on!

Questions about Level 1 Pole Classes? Drop ’em below and maybe I’ll put together an FAQ.

XO

Cathy

Hi friends, very long time, very no see.

A lot has happened the past few years. Since I’ve posted, I got married, moved back to hometown, somehow made it through this entire pandemic without getting covid (???), took up ballet and yoga in a shockingly serious way, quit my job, started a SAAS business with my husband, and fell ass backwards into teaching aerial yoga and pole!

To be perfectly honest, I’d be happy just to *take* classes around here. But since the nearest studio is in Syracuse and my local yoga studio decided to invest in poles, I’m now absolutely thrilled to be recruiting fresh young things into the cult of pole. muhahaha.

Anyway, just to get us all up to speed here, my old ass is now 36 years old. Life looks very different now than it did when we last spoke.

In 2020, I got married under a bridge in 20 degrees. But, like, it worked out because it was February 29th and just a few days before all hell started breaking loose in New York City. Probably better that we didn’t wait for warm weather/complete lock down!

When all hell DID break loose, we eventually moved back to Utica (my home town) to get a little more space and be closer to family.

Thanks to a lower cost of living and being unbelievably burnt out at my full time job, I quit and focused on side hustles, and reader, I did two things I swore I would never do: yoga and running. I ran the Boilermaker 15K twice, which was on my “I could never do that” list my entire life. We’re training for a third in July!

And as for the yoga, it started with a “lol maybe we could try this insane 5:30am yoga class just to be crazy crays” and turned into a “we do this twice a week now, for 6 months straight and counting,” and escalated to “now I teach at this studio!” I’m sticking to aerial hammock and pole classes for now, but definitely eyeing my 200-hr yoga instructor certification like the basic white girl I apparently truly am in my heart.

I also got back into ballet this past year or so, which helped me through a lot. My mom became terminally ill out of the clear blue sky in late 2021 (though we didn’t know it yet), and when they told us in late February 2022 what it was (CJD) and projected a few months for her, I knew I had to keep busy and yoga was just not… noisy enough? There’s something about a constant flow of instructions in ballet that keeps you from ruminating too much.

But yeah. It was an awful time, and shockingly, it didn’t last very long in hindsight, though it felt like years at the time. My mom was moved into hospice just shy of two weeks after her official diagnosis that February, and died on April 1st 2022.

That’s not easy to write, but, that was 2022 in a nutshell for me, and everything has now kind of been divided into “before” and “after” all this. So yeah. Do me a favor and go call your mom right now!

Anyway. Our three beautiful children have done a lot to get get us through. They’re not… the smartest, but they are adorable. Check them out: Charlie, Midnight, and Teddy. Aka “medium good,” “extremely good,” and “jerk.” See if you can guess which is which by their photos.

So, all this is to say: I’m back, I’m still dancing, I’m starting teaching again, and I want to talk about it!

I’m planning to use this blog as a way to catalogue music I like, approaches to class planning, cues, and what I’m teaching, and share studio news.

As of right now, I’m teaching an intro to pole class this Saturday at In Bloom Yoga Studio, though I think there’s only one spot open at the moment. And starting Saturdays in June, we’re running a 4-week series in beginner pole, which will cover new spins, transitions, holds, and more each week. I’m truly doing my part to churn out some new pole freaks in my little city, so, if you’re local, join us!