pole fitness

Class Notes: Pole Conditioning 2/24/22 & Fit & Flexy 2/25/22

Today’s Conditioning Focus:

  • Grip Conditioning

  • Thoracic Rotation

  • Shoulder Strength & Flexibility

  • Strengthening Hip Abduction & Adduction

  • Active Leg Flexibility

Grip Conditioning Tip: Use a tennis ball to work on your grip strength when not using a pole.

Using a resistance band is a great way to work on your shoulders and thoracic rotation. Here are some shoulder exercises you can do:

Thoracic Rotation:

  • Thoracic rotation with band

  • Seated Twists

Shoulder Strength & Flexibility

  • Lateral Raises

  • Reverse Plank

  • Shoulder Extension Lift Offs

  • Pull from Shoulder with Resistance Band (Can Hook Band to Pole)

  • Reverse Shoulder Extension with Band

  • Reverse Planks


Strengthing Hip & Abduction & Adduction

  • Resisted Hip Flexion

    • Place resistance band under feet, then lift one knee at a time.

  • Adductor Squeeze with hip lift.

    • Place stability ball between legs, squeeze, then lift up.

  • Resisted hip abduction with bands.

    • Band on pole, hook to ankle, extend leg out and in

Active Flexibility

  • Yoga Block Leg Lift

    • Sit in straddle, place yoga block inside leg, lift leg over block. Can do one leg at a time, or both.

  • Scissor legs to chest

    • Lay on back, lift one leg at a time to try to bring as close to chest as possible.

Class Notes: Week of 12/21/21

Here are some notes from class this week!

(And some additional tips from all of the other weeks)

This conditioning drill with a yoga block (or pilates ball) is really good for strengthening your knee pit grips.

KNEE PIT GRIP

To do, take a yoga block or pilates ball and fit it between your heel/ankle and glute. Tuck your hips and squeeze your heel to your butt. This exercise can be pretty intense initially, so take it slow by starting out with about 5 squeezes on each leg.

Core Drill

Here’s a fun Arm/Core Drill to warm up your body

Forward Pike, Down dog, Roll to Plank, Side Plank Both Sides, Elbow Plank, Plank, Feet to Hands, Repeat.

Butterfly Prep

Doing #pdbutterfly for the first time can be kind of scary. To get familiar with the movements, try setting up right-side up first.

Next, from a pole-assisted handstand, try a butterfly from the ground.

Then when you are ready, you can go for the full move!

Aerial Inverts

Try your pole crunches from the air. One of the biggest challenges with aerial inverts is getting your hips over your head without the ground to boost you. Working on your pole crunches from the air helps you get used to the movement.