If you pole dance in any capacity you will inevitably experience a shite pole class at some point. It doesn’t matter if you’re an elite level dancer who has been poling for decades or a beginner to the pole world, classes which go tits up from start to finish happen to the best of us. As someone who has experienced more than their fair share of pole classes on the struggle bus, I’ve created a list of my top tips for how to dust yourself off and get back up again after a howler of a session. Feel free to save this list and add your own to it to give yourself a much needed post class boost when necessary.
Accept tough classes are perfectly normal and happen every so often
Experiencing challenging classes is all part of the game, so whilst they feel fucking rough, don’t take them personally. Your body is unique and you’re going to love certain moves and combos more than others depending on how you like to move. For example, I adore with a passion anything invert and leg grip related, put me in some sort of Gemini or Flatline variation and I will quite happily hang out in it for days on end, however try and get me to do anything which involves either back or shoulder flexibility or handstands and I’m a lost cause. And that’s perfectly fine. I can still work on my nemesis moves whilst loving my body for what she’s good at.
Take into account any external factors that might affect you
Pole is an extremely physically demanding hobby no matter what level you’re at, and anything that takes its toll on you physically and mentally can affect your ability to train. Things like sleep deprivation, stress and even the common cold can throw you right off. For those of us who menstruate, where you are in your cycle can play a huge role in your pole abilities. Personally, I feel physically weaker and my pain threshold dramatically drops the closer I get to Bob the blob’s arrival. In fact I wrote two blogs about the trials and tribulations of poling on your period and training when your period is due.
If it’s all gone to shit, just do something else
If like me you’re a hobbyist poler, just indulge in one of your other hobbies for a while if pole stops feeling like fun. There is no point hammering away at pole relentlessly if you’ve hit a wall and to be honest, it might be better to take a little break and re-evaluate your training schedule. Personally, I’ve found a bit of pole clarity often arises when partaking in my other favourite pastime, hiking with my pooch.
Disclosure: The link above is an affiliate link, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Be kind to yourself – specifically after class
As much as we know difficult pole classes are to be expected, they’re never fun when they happen, and can leave you feeling flat, demotivated and at worst royally fucked off. Now is the time to partake in a lovely bit of self-care to nurture yourself and recover from the post class slump. Have a fancy bath, or get your favourite snacks and stick a film on, whatever puts you in your happy place and allows you to recover.
Avoid pole Instagram
Cheering on your pole pals and supporting them is always a lovely thing to do, but don’t set yourself on fire to keep others warm. Gawping at your pals videos and all the other talented individuals on Pole Instagram (or Pole TikTok- is that thing?) after a bad class will do nothing but batter seven shades of shite out of your self-esteem – or at least it did for me anyway. Save your support for when you’re feeling robust enough to offer it so you don’t end up depressing yourself.
Allow whatever emotions you’re feeling to come out (safely)
I’m not ashamed to admit that I have got very frustrated with myself and on occasion cried after a particularly savage pole class. I want to preface this by saying I am no therapist by any stretch, but I have found it’s best to find a way to safely let out feelings of frustration and upset instead of internalising them and stewing in them like some sort of brain soup of rage and fuckery. Have a cry, have a stomp about, scream into a pillow and see if you feel better in the morning.
Put things into perspective
Pole is not life or death. It’s our hobby. If you have a class which is a right fucking mess from the get go nothing bad is going to happen. You’re not going to lose everyone and everything you have ever loved and be unable to meet your fundamental needs because you can’t do a specific pole move. Yes it’s shit and feels like a kick in the tits but believe me, life goes on and in the grand scheme of things, it’s okay. Furthermore, if you do have people in your life who you feel will judge or exclude you based solely on you pole abilities I can confidently assure you they’re cunts of the highest order and you should probably cut them off.
If classes continuously feel like a struggle, try an easier level or different style
I kid you not doing this simple step gave my pole journey a whole new lease of life. Advanced class was kicking my arse on a weekly basis, so I hopped back down into Intermediate and I haven’t looked back since. Intermediate is my sweet spot, where I can achieve a good 70-75% of the combo, being more of a healthy challenge instead of a brutal one. I’ve even promised myself to stay in Intermediate until I find the entire class way too easy (yes, that includes all the conditioning drills!) .
Lastly, switching up styles if you’re struggling can be a right bloody big breath of fresh air. Trying a heels or floorwork class if solely aerial classes are proving challenging (or vice versa) can add some much needed variety to your practice and get it moving again if you feel it’s stagnated.
If you can think of any other tips to help recover after a challenging pole class, share them in the comments!
Disclosure: The link above is an affiliate link, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn commission if you click through and make a purchase.
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