You may have seen me do a Pole’ography routine to this a few years ago (if you could make it out in the crappy light). It’s been on my playlist ever since and I just rediscovered it. #goosebumps
An Open Letter to Studios Making Video Content
Guys.
Guuuuuuuuuuys.
We have to talk about something.
Crappy video for sale.
This is an epidemic in the fitness community. I mean, it’s an epidemic in many communities where people who are experts in their subject matter but not in making videos try to make videos.
But especially when echoey dance studios and instructors who are talking and moving at the same time are involved, we’re going to have people making–and SELLING–videos that are…. not good.
In no particular order, here are some truths:
- People have high standards for video. We’re all streaming multi-million dollar production budget content all day. We have very little patience for shittiness.
- We can all be blind to WHY things suck when we’re focused on other stuff. Dance teachers making videos probably be like “omg this is such a great angle for this stretch!” while ignoring overwhelming truths like dark lighting or sirens in the background of their videos.
- Budget concerns, skill levels with technical stuff–these are all things fitness peeps with no video experience are up against, but I’m here to tell you: you can make a great video if you focus on the things that matter and do something about them.
Here’s the thing about me: I have made a LOT of crappy videos. I took video classes for the first time ever about a year and a half ago as part of my masters degree.
(Quick photo, can’t help it)
And as a writer excited to tell stories via video (because stories are MY expertise, even preceding dance), that’s what I focused on: dialogue! Action! Content! STORY.
Here’s what I didn’t focus on: lighting! sound! shit in the background! that hum my refrigerator makes while it was behind me the whole time I was shooting!
And when I finished a video, having poured hours of time, energy, worry, love, and hopes of making a masterpiece into, guess what my professor said?
“This is too dark. It’s unusable. You have to reshoot.”
(He was talking about the first scene of this video which I defended at the time and now I look at like… what was I thinking)
I thought he was being a total tyrant. I showed my videos to family and friends. “Look at this story! These scenes! That dialogue! My edits!” I urged them.
Guess what they noticed?
How dark the video was. The weird humming in the background. The camera equipment bag we forgot to remove from a scene.
I was crushed.
I reshot many scenes.
And I finally, finally learned my lesson.
Here’s the sad part though: I now have zero tolerance for crappy technical quality in videos.
Does this mean I require 4k cameras and boom mics and shit?
Hell no! But it does mean I require subjects that are well lit, sound that is cleanly captured, and sequences that are tidily edited. (ie. if I hear you say, “Okay, go!” you failed this test).
That means that I’m having a really hard time watching instructional videos for dance. They are…. not good.
Now, I get it, not everybody has amazing equipment or video skills. Fine.
But making good videos isn’t about pricey gear or fancy editing–it’s about consistent attention to detail.
So here you go dance studios and YouTubers: a free lesson in what to pay attention to.
What’s in it for you?
Happy customers. Professional, evergreen calling cards for your business. And avoiding making an ass of yourself for everyone to see in posterity on YouTube.
Get a notebook.
1. Never forget this principle: “People will put up with bad visuals. They won’t put up with bad sound.”
Think back on movies you’ve watched recently. Any of them have extremely dark scenes where you had to listen and wait to see what was happening? Chances are, you were able to stick it out and wait for a light to come on. Horror movies in particular tend to leave us in the literal dark while we hear crystal clear sound effects to give us cues as to what’s happening. This may have not only not bothered you, it probably drew you MORE in to what was happening onscreen.
Now think back to the last time you tried to watch your favorite show but the sound was sliiiiiightly too quiet. Totally unwatchable, right?
Tell yourself this until it’s memorized: people can tolerate dark or blurry visuals. They can’t tolerate bad sound. Now shoot your videos accordingly….
2. …and mic your subjects. If you can’t mic them, shoot them in a very small, padded area (rugs and upholstered furniture) and use a “shotgun” mic attached to your camera. My professor used to record vocals in a closet under a pile of blankets. It’s that important!
Regardless of your environment or equipment, use a secondary recorder closer to the subject (like an iPhone set to “voice record” hidden behind a yoga block while your subject shows moves on a mat).
And failing the feasibility of any of these techniques or equipment, DO VOICE-OVER.
And for God’s sake, check your equipment early and often.
You will never, ever regret shooting tests with your mics before wasting 4 hours of your time doing hair and makeup, setting up lights, and sweating your way through 5 takes of your video only to realize later that your microphone makes a weird buzzing sound or its battery died. Just FYI.
PS. And on this note, you should also always check your equipment quickly right BEFORE you start the actual shoot. You don’t want to find out the hard way that you forgot to hit the on switch. Which brings me to my next point.
3. Have back ups, all the time. Quick story: one time I used a lav mic (attached to my iphone) and a shotgun mic attached to my camera to shoot a series of interviews. The battery died on the lav mic mid-interview (without my knowledge, as I was behind the camera) so the phone itself did the recording. Central air came on with a WOOSH during the interview and ruined the shotgun mic’s audio. But the iPhone recording (since it was placed much closer to the subject than the camera mounted mic was) ended up being so good, it saved the whole project.
Again, nothing beats actual mics (lav mics are your best bet for trying to get voice and nothing else), but an iPhone strategically placed is ALWAYS better than trying to rely on your camera’s teeny microphone, and infinitely better than nothing if your first mic goes out.
This goes double for an echoey studio space.
tl,dr: Mic the hell out of your subject.
PS. If you’re worried about syncing audio and video from two different sources, start out each clip with your subject clapping loudly. The keyframe spike in your editing software should help you match up what you’re seeing and hearing.
4. Get a lighting kit.
50 bucks, 3 umbrella lights–that’s all you need, and they’ll pay for themselves in video quality time and time again. You won’t believe how much better your shoots look with a proper light. Yes, you can shoot in front of a window, but an umbrella light frees you up to work any time, to work in a location that works better for background or sound reasons, and ensure consistent quality. Just spring for it, you will NOT regret it.
PS. Bonus: the brighter your light, the more a low grade camera can capture. That means your videos look more expensive, less grainy, and bougey af.
Double Bonus: SO many sick photo shoots. ALL OF THE PHOTOSHOOTS.
5. Know when to give up on a shot.
I’m currently trying to bear with a studio’s videos (that I paid for) that for some reason continued to film through 3+ minutes of extreme fire engine noise outside, and while moving and refocusing the camera multiple times (to the point where I thought I was watching an earthquake happen). Guys…. if you have to move the camera, wait for a stopping point or just abandon the shot and start over. Same goes for noise you can’t control. Don’t bear with it. Don’t just “quickly make a change.” Pause filming and restart. Or for God’s sake edit it out. This is just part of being a professional person making things you plan to charge for. Suck it up, do it over.
6. Plan edits in advance.
It’s much easier to shoot quickly (and later to put together meaningful videos) if you storyboard what you’re going to be covering to even the most basic extent. What are the sequences you want to show? Which make the most sense to film one after the other, versus saving for the end? (Maybe all the pole stuff vs. floor work, even if you plan to edit it all together at the end).
Then while editing, clip as much of the “before” and “after” stuff as possible. Do you really need to show 30 seconds of a person sitting before starting a move, or standing up and smiling at the end of it? Be ruthless. Also try to keep your sequences short so you can cut if you need to and not lose much time in redos (see above).
RECOMMENDATION: If you’re just learning to edit/not outsourcing your edits, I highly recommend skipping the pro software (which is terrifying and super expensive, and picking up chiller version, like Adobe Premiere Elements (the baby version of Premiere Pro). Having used (okay, TRIED to use) both, Pro is terrifying. And you can definitely make a great looking and sounding video with “hobbyist” software.
[Unless you really feel compelled to own features you don’t know how to use, in which case, go for pro, it’s a free country, etc.]
But here’s what they both look like.
7. Use title cards and subtitles with a purpose
It’s a great idea to caption what viewers are seeing, or are about to see, along with any structural cues (like “Spinal Rotation: Part 3”).
It’s also smart to give your finished videos a title that covers exactly what each video is–especially if you’re shooting tons of them. Is this just a “flexibility” video? Or is this a “Hip-opening and hamstring focus” flexibility video?
Another nice thing to do that viewers will appreciate: list the necessary equipment for a workout in the same place for each video. I can’t tell you how obnoxious it is to be deep into a workout sequence, like, on my back with my foot over my head, and suddenly hear, “okay, now grab your strap” out of nowhere. Like, b****???? We need a strap?!!! Why didn’t you tell me this before we started?!
Have some empathy for your viewers and anticipate the information they’ll need up front. Then don’t be coy about giving it to them.
8. Use music with caution.
It’s great to add music to your videos, but make sure it doesn’t drown our your subject’s voice. You can play with audio gain in your editing software to boost vocals before adding music to help create some contrast, but also choose your tunes wisely. Does the song you like compete with the speaker’s pitch? (ie. not to get too complicated, but a deep voice might get drowned out by heavy bass, while a higher voice might get lost with trebley-music). Use your ears as your guide and combine speakers and (royalty-free) songs accordingly.
PS. YouTube has tons of royalty free music, didja know?
And: this is getting slightly nitpicky, but if you boost volume, do a quick tutorial on appropriate decibel levels. You don’t want viewers at home to be blasted with crackly, overblown sound. A quick YouTube video can teach you to identify a loud and clear, but not “blown out” range of audio.
9. Pay attention to feedback.
It can be easy to say “f*** the haters!” but if it’s your target audience or more importantly, clients, who take issue with something you’ve made, listen. Especially if you’re hearing it more than once. They want to use the product you’ve made, so if they’re telling you something is getting in the way of that, listen. It can only help you make better (more sell-able) things in the future. Don’t be afraid to hear tough criticism and learn from it.
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Did I cover all your pet peeves when it comes to workout or instructional videos? Have anything you’d add to this list for workout-video-makers? Do I sound like an impossible to please biotch?
Pls advs. xx
Music Monday: DNCE, Be Mean
Do you look extremely nasty after you pole?
Was cleaning out my old drafts folder (because I have 24 of them, whaaaat) and found yet another little half-finished post from 5 (!!!) years ago.
Updates: 1. I still use hairspray in a pinch, but I like Urban Decay’s All Nighter Spray better now for keeping my makeup in place during times of sweat (2 pack during a Sephora sale, still going strong!).
2. I still immediately take a chunk of out the polish on my big toes every time I pole #somethingsneverchange
3. I haven’t taught in a LONG time and I’m seriously thinking about getting back into it. You truly do learn the most when you teach, and I had so much fun doing it. I still subconsciously make mental playlists for class… gotta look into this.
4. New additions to this list: stretched out shirts (since I tie them in a knot in front for moves that require belly), and a weird mullety hair style because the pieces in the back always fall out out of my ponytail first.
Okay, let’s all jump into a time-machine to 2012!
BEEP BEEP BOOP:
————————————————————————–
I taught almost four hours straight last night, and I really should have snapped a before and after class picture. Because it was not pretty.
Then again, time doesn’t really make a difference… one hour or four, I always walk out of class MESSED UP:
1. Feet
Filthy, from the floors. And I always manage to rub half of the polish off of my big toenail. I think this is because I do a toe drag when I walk.
2. Hair
Sweaty, obvs, but then there’s the extra nastiness that comes from repeatedly running fingers through your hair that are covered in dry hands. Ew.
3. Makeup
Actually, my makeup stays weirdly perfect. Hairspray. On the face. Just do it. You can sweat right through that ish and eye makeup stays put. Which is important because I have to wear a lot of makeup to my classes (house rules AND helps me get in to character. I’m shy, you guys).
4. Bruises
Depending on what I’m doing, if I’m demonstrating (re: performing the same move or spin over, and over, and over) I’m coming away with some teeny little purple dots on my shins and the tops of my feet.
5. Red wrists
Hair ties. And watches. And sometimes, just a lot of damn time on the pole.
6. Blisters/Callouses
Hours of nonstop poling through alternating sweat and too-stickiness (Dry Hands) mean a lot of friction and wear and tear.
7. Sweat
Ugggggh this is so gross, but no matter how in shape I think I am, a class will leave me with a damp spot on my lower back and chest. Boob sweat. It’s the best.
What’s your after-pole look?
Music Monday: Firefight, Tommy
Shamelessly stealing this from my teacher Emily who plays this for freestyles in our floorwork class and it’s perrrrrrfect.
Do you pole primp? Also, a word on Thinx.
Anther throwback to 2012 from my draft folder.
Some updates: well, there’s really two: 1. I’m now obsessed with bringing multiple pairs of socks to class (it’s a floorwork and flex thing), and 2: I’m now a FIRM believer in Thinx.
(IMPORTANT NOTE: This is not sponsored post or anything. Bae got me some on request for Christmas because they are $$$ and I naturally tried them out and have feelings).
First, the bad: if you have a booty, you’re going to have a gluteal fold situation with Thinx, even the boy shorts. Actually especially that style, because they’re cut very straight. But I bought them because the elastic situation on the bikinis is trill and I didn’t want VPL.
So re: the cut on the boyshorts: I was… not happy about this, and actually want to return them. Thinx was really nice about this and just refunded the cost to my boyfriend, let us keep the two pairs we had already bought, and just had us order two more in the next size up separately. (Which still had a gluteal fold situation, so, whatever, I don’t wear them under dresses or tight skirts, but they’re fine under jeans and obvi pole shorts).
But setting that aside for a minute, let’s talk pole and periods. Periods used to be a huge issue for me while teaching, because all eyes were on me, and a class sees your butt as often as your face while you’re demonstrating stuff. I still get self-conscious while taking classes during my period because now that I’m doing a lot of inverts in class, I’m getting a lot of spots with someone’s face in my crotch. That’s just a fact of life.
***TMI alert*** I use the Instead cup because it’s way cheaper and more comfortable than tampons, and one cup (with twice a day rinsing/cleaning) lasts me my whole period. A box of these (12) costs like eight bucks, and that means I buy a box ONCE a year. That’s way less shopping for tampons, way less boxes under my sink, and it means packing exactly one very slim item when I’m going away for a few days and expecting period action. (I paused over this for several moments waiting for a more graceful way to express “period action” to come to me, but it didn’t. Sorry).
ANYWAY, the trouble with these little MFers (and with Diva Cups too, I’ve heard), is that they don’t leak at all, unless they do, and then it’s a SITUATION. Like, for them to leak, the seal breaks, and all hell breaks loose. It’s a Shining moment.
So that means for the first day or two of my period, I need to wear a pad just in case. Which is obnoxious because usually I don’t have a leak, and then I wore a pad for nothing. And that’s terrible because 1. pads are expensive, and 2. pads fucking suck for moving around and will ruin your pole time for you. They make sounds, they’re bulky, they twist, they get disgusting when you sweat…. I could go on, but I won’t.
So I usually skip my pole classes during my period.
[I mean i know, wah wah, I should just suck it up and go. But I usually think twice and don’t, if I’m being honest.]
Thinx changed that.
- They don’t budge with twisting, moving, putting your feet behind your head, etc.
- They seal in nastiness. Sorry, TMI, but both period and crotch sweat are contained. It’s unfreaking believable.
- No smells. Your teacher can have her face 3 inches away from the Danger Zone and you don’t have to be concerned. You’ll be dry, smell-less, and totally covered.
- They look and feel totally normal. You just go to class, do your thing, and don’t give your period a second thought.
Granted, I haven’t tried them NOT as backup, but for my purposes, I now consider them absolutely essential to maintaining my polin’ lifestyle 12 weeks out of the year. I’m even tempted to wear them NOT when I’m period-ing because they’re cute, secure, and they prevent that little spot of butt sweat (!!!).
Have you tried them? Would you?
I know they’re super fucking expensive, but I don’t see myself ever going back to pads. Maybe they’ll pay for themselves that way?
Anyway, now that I’ve gone WAY off topic–this was my “get ready to teach a pole class” checklist from 2012.
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A few things I do to get ready:
1. Eat.
This technically isn’t about beauty, but fainting is not a good look.
**** 2017 update: I have utterly exhausted my tolerance for “bars” of any kind, so I try to keep a chocolate Muscle Milk or something in my bag on class days. They’re not GREAT warm, but… they’re faster and tastier to get down than some shitty Fiber One thing, so, I like em. They also go good with bananas.
2. Brush my teeth
I get a lot of sandwiches with pesto. And students get all up in my grill with questions (I play my music too loud, I’ll admit it).
****2017 update: because I now sometimes work out like 3 times a day, eating takes priority over brushing. I tend to grab an apple now on the way to class if I’m feeling some sandwich remnants happening.
3. Deodorize/scent
Sweating happens, so, deodorant happens first. A little body splash if I’m feeling fancy. You’re welcome.
****2017 update: I completely don’t bother with this. But word to the wise: anti-microbial underwear are currently my jam for 3+ hour class binges. No spritzes or swipes of anything required.
4. Amp up the makeup a little
A little eyeliner, a little lipstick, a little fluff of the hair… getting in character helps me face a class, especially after a long day!
****I’m now into taking OFF my makeup with a towelette or some micellar water and a cotton pad, then smearing on a little BB cream if my skin is looking no bueno. Sweating through fresh makeup>sweating through old, set-with-powder makeup.
5. Tweak the wardrobe
Roll the shorts, adjust the shirt, check the back for VPL
****I still totally do this. Gotta look cute to feel yourself in those freestyles!
What’s your pre-pole routine?
The Science Behind Mixing Up Your Practice Sessions—and Why In-Person Classes Reign Supreme
You’re probably better off spending a half hour working on 5 or 6 moves than drilling the same one over and over, and here’s why: hoopthoughts.blogspot.com/2012/02/ironically-i-blogged-once-this-morning.html
(TL:DR: your brain shuts off and you only know how to do that one move in that one situation. Not ideal for freestyles or new choreo).
This particular blog is about basketball (and more specifically, performance in a game) but it’s very relevant to dancers who will hopefully be able to perform moves in more than one combination.
Looks like putting a bunch of move names in a hat, drawing 5, then practicing them in order (followed by reverse order) is a good idea for that next jam session! Just think–attempting a chopper right out of a spin or from a pole sit is different than giving it a go from the ground, right? These variables strengthen your skills and deepen your understand of a move.
Also interesting: practicing on your own without classes in between might not be a great idea. This has probably been apparent to anyone who’s ever attempted to try a move at home and was completely stumped on how to do it again, but, even if you’re able to fight your way through it alone, you might be missing important technique notes without a teacher present.
Most pole studios off “free pole” time (not actually free–they usually charge $10-15 and hour to use the studio), and this unstructured practice time often comes with an instructor present for safety. Take advantage of this and ask for feedback or tips! Bonus points if this isn’t your regular teacher. A different person might mean fresh perspective on what you can work on.
Does anybody practice at home? Or have you forgotten you can actually use your pole and have started seeing it as a ceiling beam of some sort? (guilty).
PS. What are these called? I’m going with “stag leaps” until further notice. I FEEL LIKE A FRIGGIN GAZELLE YAS
Music Monday: Lorde, 400 Lux
This song plays in all my flex classes and it took me SO long to track it down. This gives me such a hopeful adolescent feeling? Into it.
Making REAL Progress Part 2:
I’ve been having a series of breakthroughs out of nowhere lately, and I have some thoughts on finally making progress!
This is especially shocking to me because lately I’ve been feeling like I’m throwing everything I have at pole (getting up a little earlier to do 15-20 minutes of conditioning before I jump in the shower, abs/pullups/shoulder training on my lunch break, pole, flex, floowork or barre classes in the evening and on weekends. But the progress has been sloooooo0w.
Until suddenly it wasn’t. Suddenly the dots started connecting and trying (and failing) at a Jamila for several frustrating weeks meant nailing a violator on my first try in three years (an experience so traumatic in 2013 that I haven’t attempted it until now haha); struggling to get my outside leg hangs with that little leg shimmy (you know the one) suddenly got me aerial inverts, monkey climbs, and straight leg inverts (which barre REALLY came in handy for–that is serious quad work, holy crap).
Moves I thought were impossible for me are now (marginally) accessible and make some sense. And I’m feeling crazy inspired to tell you all immediately: DO NOT GIVE UP, because it might be just around the corner.
And it’s not linear. You don’t do X amount of work and get Y result within a set amount of time. I work out sometimes just to deal with anxiety, or out of habit. I stopped expecting it to pay off immediately quite some time ago. But damn, the results come when you least expect them. It’s just so important not to quit.
So here’s my continued list of progression tips:
1. Whatever you do, hang in there.
Learn to love the work. You never know when a jump forward in your skills is going to happen, but it probably WON’T happen if you aren’t hitting the studio, conditioning, and/or crosstraining. Take a break from one thing for a while if you get burnt out but don’t go inactive. I skipped pole classes for a week but kept doing my Core XTREEEEEEME (extra e’s mine) and barre classes, and then when I went back to pole I felt great and got a new trick.
I saw a girl in my level 2 class a few weeks ago who was brand new to the level. And she was struggling and clearly looking defeated and embarrassed to be struggling. And I just wanted to freaking hug her, because leveling up and 1. no longer being the best in your class in the lower level, and 2. suddenly being the worst in your class and everything’s hard and hurts is no small thing.
Also, at my particular studio (and in many, I’m sure) level 2 is miles away from level 1. The two almost have nothing to do with each other. In level 1 you spin, in level 2 you’re doing upside down. It’s almost cruel how big that jump is.
But anyway, mad props to this girl because in her freestyle–ie. the time to do easy fun stuff that you’re good at–she attempted a chopper and leg hang she JUST LEARNED, and bailed out, and looked so frustrated with herself. I wanted to give her a medal right then and there just for trying, because that’s the whole point.
Side note: I almost NEVER attempt upside down stuff at the end of a 1.5 hour class unless there’s a gun to my head.
(Hasn’t happened yet, but hey, this is New York).
So, retroactively:
2. Keep Trying and Failing at Hard Things.
Because failing at them is practice and conditioning too. And give yourself props for freaking TRYING and being willing to wipe out in front of Level 3 girls who are straight chilling in Level 2 classes because they don’t have your balls. #respect
3. Partner Up With Someone Better Than You
Last night I monkey climbed (ie. chopper, outside leg hang, aerial chopper, outside leg hang, drop exhausted to the floor). I didn’t know I could. I tried it because the girl I was partnered with (who also happened to be really friendly and chill, which is essential) did it first.
[Monkey climb see, monkey climb do! (hehe)]
Now normally I like to hide in the back and partner with somebody who’s doing their first Level 2 class so I can feel helpful and not totally clumsy.
But, this has definitely not been me to push myself (duh). Don’t be like me. Share a pole with someone who’s pushing herself. This is especially effective if you’re a competitive person! Your pole buddy can also give you helpful tips, like mine did, because she’s probably been there and already worked out the kinks with moves she’s mastered.
4. Record Yourself
I know I’ve said this before, but it’s so important for getting better. Pole can be hard when it comes to seeing yourself. We’re often spinning or upside down, so it’s hard to catch a good look at yourself in the mirror. That doesn’t excuse you from looking, though.
I have a good friend who’s much more advanced at pole than me. But she’s a “jump from trick to trick” type who’s addicted to progress. She doesn’t like doing the same move over and over–least of all Level One moves. But at her first major competition recently, she lost points from every judge over bent knees and sickled, flexed feet. (Something I feel guilty for not telling her I noticed, but one sort of looks like an asshole saying “maybe you should straighten your legs more” to someone who’s doing handsprings while you’re doing yet another pinwheel spin).
Don’t wait for someone assigning you points in a competition to read your bad habits. Video early, video often, and troubleshoot. Which reminds me…
5. Master Moves, Don’t Settle for “Good Enough”
If you’ve ever watched a non-poler watch pole dance, you’ve probably noticed that the stuff they’re most impressed by isn’t particularly hard stuff. It’s Level 1 skills performed with confidence, mastery, and expression that elicit the gasps.
So aim for that. Don’t check a move off and move on. Explore it. Try it big, try it small, try it in new combos, with different emotional notes, with different tempos and song choices. A dip turn can go 100 different ways–but each time you work with it, yours gets stronger and more versatile.
Work on new tricks, but aim for total mastery of your Level 1 stuff. And also (sorry, this is the longest post ever but I have SO MANY THOUGHTS): Level 1 mastery=the strength, control, and deep understanding of moves to learn to add on or do similar (but harder) variations of them in higher class levels. If you still don’t know how to get good momentum without jumping, or muscle your way through climbs instead of push-pulling, you’re going to struggling with tricks that build on theses elements (and possible get hurt trying to learn them).
How do you feel about your progress? What made a difference for you for a certain nemesis trick? What advice would you give polers on the cusp of giving up? And have you ever given up yourself? I feel like burnout combined with injuries makes for a lot of “ex” polers… Share below!
How to really, truly progress
Two steps forward, one step back.
Or in my case, two aerial inverts, oh fuck, I lost my aerial invert.
I’m sure I’m not the only one.
One of the most trying, frustrating thing about this sport we all love called pole is that success can seem so fleeting. And it takes so long to see any measure of success in the first place.
But what’s interesting (and often unique) about pole is that sometimes, it’s less about sheer brute force than it seems to be. One moment a move seems impossible. The next, you shift your hips a bit and lower your bottom hand and you’re in a move almost effortlessly.
And then the next time you try it, it’s gone again. C’est la vie de pole!
But I’ll use my vast experience (5 going on 6 years of fighting for pole moves) to share a few sneaky tricks for moving forward with you.
1. Take private lessons with your favorite teacher.
And pro tip: come with a list of goals. You’re never going to find out in a crowded classroom of two to a pole that you’re tipping back on your invert too soon, but you WILL find this out one on one with an instructor you trust. I even found out I’ve been holding my planks wrong. AND I PLANK LIKE EVERY OTHER DAY. That’s so many cumulative, incorrect planks. Privates are pricey, but do like me and drop a hint for birthday, Christmas, Hannukkah, whatever. And try to focus on the value of getting technique tweaks you can use for life over endless group sessions where you further reinforce bad habits, if you’re hung up on the money. I swear, it pays off.
Note on that “goals” list: if you don’t have a list of nemesis moves you want special help with, try to think about larger goals. For me, that was staying on the pole longer and flowing my tricks together. Yours might be more specific, like nailing leg hands on both sides, or cleaning up favorite tricks, or even developing presence for a performance.
My instructor then had me transition in and out of moves by dropping into a strong hold, instead of just hopping down off the pole. Hard as fuck but wow, so useful once I got used to it–I could invert, fan kick, cradle spin, all sorts of cool stuff from there. And staying off the ground is sort of like breaking the habit of adjusting your goggles to sneak a break while swimming laps. It’s just a good habit to get into, and it builds endurance.
Note #2: expect private lessons to be extremely physically demanding. It’s your teacher’s job to push you, and there’s nowhere to hide. Mentally prepare and eat/drink enough beforehand!! I left it ALL on the pole in my sessions, but damn, I progressed.
2. Skip your favorite teacher.
I mean, don’t stop going to them, still go a lot. But commit to taking lessons with other, different teachers at your studio once in a while. You’ll be amazed how even moves you think you know how to do will take on new nuance when a different person explains them.
Sometimes it takes a fresh approach to nail a move, and a different instructor with her own way of seeing things can be just the one to give you new perspective. Weirdly, I have had great success with brand new teachers. ??? I don’t know you guys, the road has been mighty wavy for me in pole, but I’m okay with that. #whateverworks
3. Condition.
I knooooooow, conditioning sucks. It hurts, it’s hard, and it’s usually not anywhere near as gratifying as banging out tricks. But here’s the good news: it’s cheap (like, watch-a-YouTube-tutorial-cheap), you can usually do it at home, and it will save you countless hours of failing (and potentially hurting yourself) through strength moves. Some types of cross-training can even help your existing tricks look better. Barre definitely helped me FINALLY straighten my knees in poses (hint: you think they’re straight but they’re never really straight. NEVAAAAAAR) and has saved countless trick pics.
And a twice weekly abs class + pull ups with a band at my gym FINALLY got me my aerial invert, for keeps. I’m also #blessed enough to go to a studio that offers literal aerial conditioning classes, and they’ve been a godsend for my nagging swimmer’s shoulder. Again, let me emphasize: conditioning fucking sucks. But it will increase your range of ability and certainly your longevity (ie. time without being injured) overall. Worth it.
Here’s an example of a move I like to do in between pull-up sets to help keep my shoulders in shape. Highly recommend! Scapula pushups are a similar exercise, and require no equipment. Google them!
4. Take a break.
This may see counterintuitive, but I can’t tell you how many tricks I suddenly nailed out of nowhere after a week off. If you’re feeling burnt out, there’s no need to bang your head against a wall. Take a week, and stay active doing other things you enjoy more than failing and hating your life at pole classes. Hike, stretch, ride your bike, swim. Then come back to it. You’ll have a clear mind, relaxed muscles, and possibly, a new approach to a trick that suddenly makes it possible for you.
5. Look after your shoulders.
Okay I know this is part of conditioning, but it deserves its own paragraph anyway. Please god, take care of your shoulders. Like stop what you’re doing right now and buy yourself some therabands, and look up shoulder exercises to do with them.
Then do those shoulder exercises before and after you do anything on the pole. You’ll thank me later.
There’s a ton of research you can read out there about how shoulders are just not really built to take on the kind of stress our hip sockets are, for lots of reasons. But if you happen to just take my word for it that that’s true, baby and condition the hell out of your shoulders, or risk not being able to do ANYTHING aerial when you fuck them up. And trust me, as someone with chronic shoulder stuff (again, likely left over from my years as a swimmer with a janky stroke), you do not want to be dealing with that. Take an extra few minutes and warm them up. Strengthen them. Stretch them. You’re welcome.
Do you guys have any weird methods or motivators for getting progress in pole? Do you have any shoulder exercises you like doing or should I make a quick video of my favorites for y’all?
XOXO
The Spin Diaries: Your Guide to Everything Pole and Aerial 