Studio Etiquette - 7. Train Both Sides

Our next studio etiquette is the importance of training both sides.

I started pole in 2010 and back then there was no talk about anatomy, proper mechanics, etc. I remember the first time I heard about muscle groups, and I thought, ‘what are you talking about?’. It’s funny now that I think about it, but that’s where pole used when the industry was new and how far it has come. Since proper training wasn’t stressed as much back then, I became very dominant on my right side — to the point that my muscles were noticeably bigger on my right side than my left.

When I took a break from pole and came back to training, I knew it was time to bite the bullet and train both sides equally and is still something I need to regularly remind myself of. It’s human nature to want to feel good. So we work on what we’re good at, to only become better at it, to then spend even more time what we’re good at, to keep feeling better about that, only to leave our non-dominant side in the dust. Remember to train both sides equally - or even better - train your non-dominant side more than your dominant side to even out your skill level. The goal should be that you can’t tell a difference between what side you enjoy better.

Having a well-balanced musculature will help prevent injuries and will make you an all around better athlete.

Stilettos and Sparkles,

-Brigitte