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Body Frustrations
Hey all you lovely people,
Does anyone ever get frustrated feeling like their body shape/size/composition is making everything harder? I’ve been feeling really stalled on strength work (cup grip hangs/lifts, iron x). I’ve been watching everything I can for tips, but so many of the videos I see of really amazing strength polers feature naturally petite women. I know that being small and light makes it easier, but it gets to me sometimes that I’m just not built like that and there’s nothing I can do about it.
Does anyone else feel the way I do? What do you tell yourself to stay motivated? Any favorite inspirational videos of polers who are taller/broader in build? Can we fill this thread with positivity and share whatever it is that reminds us that pole is for all bodies?
(Nothing wrong with petite polers, by the way, you guys keep rocking on and please feel welcome in this discussion too.)
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3 Replies
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Hey there!
Yes, there are very many people who have these sorts of frustrations, myself included. I’m not a small person- I joke sometimes that, due to genetics, I’m basically a Celtic Warrior. I can barely fit into a lot of the bathroom stalls these days!
It’s often difficult to tell how tall or large some ladies are when they’re up on stage with a pole, because we have nothing to really compare them to. As far as I recall, Alethea Austin isn’t a little person, either!Yes, our larger size will hinder us in some ways, but it will also allow us to have greater strength in general. Should any of us larger polers need to tow a car with just a rope and ourselves, I think we’d be a lot better equipped than someone of even Veena’s size, as tall as she may be!
I see it like this: Smaller people are like F1 cars, they go fast and they go fast all the time! They’re quick and nimble, crafty and cute, and they get to awesome places in fitness quicker than we do. However, we’re more like big trucks: We have a lot more stature, we might get there slower, but a light breeze or small bump from another car or truck won’t knock us over, we just keep going. We’re tougher, and can haul a lot more weight around than they can.
It’s a very “Top Gear” analogy, I realize, but… it helps 😉It DOES sound like you’ve hit a bit of a plateu with strength, which is something everyone has to deal with! It can be really frustrating to reach a point in your strength and feel like you can’t get any further, and it can also be very easy to blame it on something we can’t control; stature, time, even some arbitrary limitation on our strength, as if we’ve somehow reached the “end of the line.”
From what I’ve noticed, some cross-training can be very helpful with these things. Challenging your muscled to work in different ways, like lifting weights or trying yoga or pilates instead for a week, or just adding it into your routine for a little bit.
Also, many people will break through plateus if they stop pushing so hard, and work on the moves they know, but haven’t yet perfected. You’re still working your muscles and asking things of them, but by allowing yourself that tiny step away from moving constantly forward, you may find that you take a huge leap in the long run!Good luck, and remember- you might be a little slower getting there, but you’ll get there and you’ll be tough and awesome by then!
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I think the biggest issue dancers run into is they feel they have to learn every move and be inverting and flying all over the place. The feel the need to “keep up” with what’s new. That’s just not the case, any level can see increased strength, grace, flexibility and enjoyment. We all have our own strengths and it can be nice to focus on those while also working on things that challenge you.
Often frustration comes when we compare ourself and our progress with others. So maybe take a look back at where you started from and be proud of how far you’ve come.
Also keep in mind the majority of pole dancers are not elite or pros, it may be what you see on social media but they are not the majority. Pros and elites do pole for a living, it’s their job and so they will progress more than say someone who poles as an amateur. Enjoy pole and the strength and expression it brings to every level. 🙂
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A belated thank you to both Runemist34 and Veena. I lost this thread, I’m not sure how, or I’d have thanked you sooner.
Runemist34 your analogies are hilarious and reminded me that having a broader body type comes with its own gifts. I’ve been taking your advice and refining a lot of stuff I already know instead of focusing solely on conditioning for the moves I’m trying to get (though I’m still doing conditioning, just not conditioning ONLY). It feels good.
Veena you’ve also got good wisdom there. Lately I’ve been excited at just how long I can stay on the pole and continue to chain things together. That’s strength and endurance I’ve earned and shouldn’t forget about.
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