If you had told me back in January just how quickly this year would have flown by, I would have struggled to believe you. Seemingly only a few weeks ago I was writing about a plethora of summer pole events, for life only to have swiftly fast-forward to end of year celebrations. 2024 has been a jam-packed year for our pole and aerial community – with each twelve months that passes, our incredible art form continues to grow and induct more and more enthusiasts into our fold.

As we reach the end of the year, often we start to think about all things ‘new’ – my mind wanders straight to that age old phrase ‘new year, new me’. Temptation to focus on nothing but newness is a double edged sword. Yes, for goal-setting, it’s important to look forward, and I truly do believe that only dwelling on events that have passed is a bit of a waste of energy – after all, they’ve already happened whether we like it or not. But we can also learn from things that have already passed. History often repeats itself, and it’s worth looking at why that might be.

In order to really effectively set your sights on a brand new year of achieving your pole and aerial goals, it’s important to factor in some reflection. This isn’t just about looking at successes or obstacles you’ve faced in the months that have passed. Break these moments down; why did things happen as they did, how could you have approached things differently, were there external factors that came into play, what would you do if faced with the same situation now. The list goes on.

Here’s an example for you. At the start of this year, I was pretty determined to get my Eagle on the pole. For those of you that don’t know, this is a pretty intense contortion
move, it takes a lot of practice and you need a good range of flexibility in both shoulders and legs in order to achieve it. I really neglected this goal for a lot of the year, and randomly the other day whilst I was at the studio I gave it another go to little success. I was a bit frustrated by this, but honestly, I shouldn’t have been surprised. I hadn’t actually touched this move for months at a time, I hadn’t been practicing any regressions in order to build up to the move, and although I do train my flexibility I really hadn’t been targeting the necessary areas in order to take on that super-bendy position.

But, that being said – there’s a lesson to be learnt here too. Getting frustrated with myself isn’t actually worth it. Yes, I didn’t get my Eagle because basically, I didn’t even try to. But why wasn’t I training for it? Well, this year I got my Bird of Paradise. That took up an awful lot of my time, and I competed in several competitions which means I didn’t have as much free exploration in my training, and I also took on more teaching opportunities at my studio so more of my pole focus rightfully landed on things such as lesson planning. Was my lack of Eagle down to laziness, or actually, was I never really going to have the time to do it in the first place?

A really nice part of reflection is that it allows you to delve into not just what happened, but why it happened – and as a part of that, can help you to understand that maybe your ‘failures’ aren’t actually that at all. And actually, nestled within those self-perceived bumps in the road, there may be some success stories that you hadn’t even taken the time to notice. The fact I achieved my Bird of Paradise is really exciting – it’s a big, highly sought after move, and I got it through hard work and persistence. For me, this has been my busiest and most successful competitive year yet. I’m so very happy to have more teaching opportunities at my home studio, teaching is my dream job. So yes, I’m entering 2025 still Eagle-less. But put side-by-
side with those other awesome achievements, it’s starting to look a little bit less like a failure and more like something that was inevitably not going to happen. And ultimately, I’m actually quite unphased by that.

By taking the time to dissect each of my goals and obstacles throughout 2024, this also helps me to look forward to what I want to be achieving in 2025. In order to effectively set a goal, it’s important to consider what is actually within your scope of ability – so basically, is it actually realistic for you to do so. For example, if you’re an instructor, your goal may be to level up your teaching abilities. How will you do this? It may not be realistic for you to approach this by spending more time training – and also, would this actually help you? Becoming a stronger aerialist doesn’t actually equal improving your teaching abilities. A great way to take your teaching to the next level is through taking a course. XPERT has a tonne of online and face to face course options for you to explore. By choosing to dedicate some time to your learning, you will become a better instructor – and the great thing about completing further learning is it’s all quantifiable. There’s something so special about standing there with a certificate at the end of your training, thinking ‘I did that’.

My over-aching point is in order to effectively look forward, we must look back. It doesn’t matter who you are as you’re reading this – my message is to students, instructors, studio owners and professionals alike. Take a little time over this festive period, particularly given that a lot of businesses start operating on restricted hours in this time, to really consider what you have achieved over this last twelve months. And please, do this exercise with kind eyes. We do pole and aerial because we love this wonderful artform and it is so important to focus on why we keep coming back for more.

Welcome back to another edition of the XPERT blog, and this month it’s a super exciting one! I absolutely adore attending and reviewing courses – is there really any better way to truly give you the inside scoop on all things XPERT? Well, this month I took the plunge and undertook my Pole Fitness Level 3 and Four certification – and I’ here to share my experience and tell you exactly why you need to undertake this excellent course

This course is a particularly special one for me, as it signals progression and growth. I remember when I first started out as an instructor and completed my level one and two, the idea of doing level three and four felt a million miles away. After all, surely the next level of pole fitness course would be so impossibly difficult, only for the strongest pole dancers, reserved for the elite of the elite (or at least, this is what my own minds’ conclusion was). Safe to say, my worries were unwarranted.

Something I absolutely love about courses with XPERT is the pre-learning available beforehand. You don’t have to turn up with no context, expected to perfectly memorise everything just from two eight-hour days. By heading to the online portal, I was able to gain vital knowledge on what lay ahead for me on the course; with anatomy and physiology learning, textbook snippets and a comprehensive online video library showing moves up the pole and XPERT-perfect breakdowns of each one. Before even attending the course, I was left feeling prepared, if not still a little nervous for what the weekend had in store (anticipatory nerves are hard for me to squash, I’ll admit!)

As I arrived at Studio Flare in Redditch, I received a warm greeting from Studio Owner and XPERT trainer Jade Bensilum. As we all assembled by the heater, yoga mats adorned on the floor and coffees in hand (the reality of courses held in winter here in the UK), Jade talked us through what we were to expect from the next two days. The course was different from level one and two, not just in content, but how the learning was laid out, too.

I really liked the way that XPERT had identified and acknowledged that this course is tough (although, not as tough as I feared, more, make sure you pack a good whack of protein in your lunch and have some epsom salts at home for a bath when the weekend is over). The way the weekend was scheduled meant that whilst still covering everything we needed for our assessment on day two, our bodies were not too tired to effectively teach our test-conditions-classes.

I thoroughly enjoyed the variety of moves on offer within the course. Often, we can mistakenly think that the more ‘advanced’ pole becomes, the more time we spend upside down. Of course, to an extent this is true – but the syllabus covered more complex spins, rotations and more grounded shapes like handstands and forearm stands too. As ever, the handbook provided not only knowledge on how to execute and teach moves, but also the tools to structure a well-rounded class that provides challenges and important foundational moves for students to improve and expand their pole skills.

Throughout the weekend, I really enjoyed Jade’s approach to teaching. She was great at fielding any and all questions, as well as shooting questions right back at us. There was an excellent balance of imparting knowledge whilst also encouraging us to participate and share our own experience too. After all, if you are undertaking level three and four training, the odds are you already have some teaching experience from completing level one and two. The way Jade delivered the content kept us engaged and interested, and ultimately meant that the content was easy to comprehend and exact in the XPERT way.

Another part of the training which always deserves an honourable mention is the emphasis on spotting. When I attended the XPERT ‘Train the Trainers’ week at their HQ in London, The XPOLE Academy, the head of training Stacey Snedden shared that a lot of their positive feedback and why people enjoy training with XPERT so much is the emphasis on spotting. I can see why – the explanations and techniques are comprehensive, and give you all the knowledge you need not only to safely teach your students, but also on how to safely spot them through moves too. The face to face training provides you with ‘hands-on’ experience which is simply invaluable. Jade dutifully worked her way around the room after teaching us each spotting technique to ensure that all our questions were fielded, and that we were demonstrating good quality spotting, the XPERT certified way.

Safe to say, under Jade’s excellent teaching and the comprehensive resources made available by XPERT before, during and throughout my course – I passed! Now, I’ll admit, my arms were a little sore after and I certainly needed a twenty-four hour break from outside leg hangs, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I would highly recommend level three and four pole fitness to anyone who is keen to take their teaching game to the next level – it’s a game changer.

If you’re reading this before the 6th of December 2024, then that means we are still in the midst of Cyber Week here at XPERT! Nab yourself a 35% discount on all courses, with the discount applied at checkout. If you’re feeling inspired by my blog – this is your sign to get booked in now.

Happy October everyone! Welcome back to another edition of the XPERT blog, where we sit down once a month to have a little chat about all things pole and aerial. Now, this month I’m talking about one of my most favourite topics – it’s a pole competition, and it’s a big one.

Earlier in the month the iconic Elite Pole Championships took to the Peterborough stage to the delight of the UK pole dance scene. With the competition now in its second year, organised by the wonderful duo Jade and Stacey, this show has secured its spot on the ‘must-attend’ calendar marks for pole dancers everywhere. The premise of EPC (we love a good acronym) is to provide a platform for high level, professional pole dancers to showcase their skills to the world, with categories for Semi Pro, Professional, Elite, Heelography and two very special, invite-only categories: Heelography Idols and Artistic Idols. This year, I truly had an all-access pass to the event, as I not only took notes for this blog throughout, but I also competed in the Heelography category myself

Upon arrival, the excitement in the air was palpable, with stage testing already in full swing. Dancers from every category, from different parts of the UK were warming up and preparing to try out the poles, ready to show the crowd their routines. Watching the tiny snippets of what people had planned for their routines was exciting enough on its own – one of the exciting things about this competition is that everyone brings their unique style.

After being swiftly checked in by the well-organised team, and stage checks finished, it was time for the show to begin. The backstage was buzzing with anticipation, as pole dancers piled into dressing rooms with their props, make up, costumes and snacks. With the running order set, and the doors open for the event, it was time to wait for our time on stage to show that crowd what we are made of.

Meanwhile, the doors of the event opened to excited attendees, as ticket-holders from all over the UK arrived to observe this incredible event. There was a wide array of stalls, selling everything from grips to outfits, pole heels to mindfulness journals. In a world where post-Covid, there was always the risk that live events may have never returned to what they would be, it was so affirming to see such a large crowd for EPC. For me, all the way back to when I was a baby-poler, there really was nothing else quite like watching a live pole show. Seeing your favourite pole dancers showcasing their skills in front of a joyous audience is so inspiring – so if you’re reading this blog and have been looking for your sign to get a ticket to a pole show, do it, it’ll change your pole life!

Each of the competitors who got up on the stage this year were incredible. There was such a variety of performances – some focused on tantalising theatre, others showed us flawless flow, tricksters wow-ed us with their flips and kips, and there was no shortage of moments where the crowd simply went wild. This year’s show was a real testament to the talent within the pole scene at the moment. Every performer had put their heart and soul into their pieces, and the audience supported every performer equally all the way through the show. In the capable compere hands of Bexiita and the backstage team, the show ran flawlessly.

Whilst I was backstage waiting to perform, I had the chance to chat with a few people about their experiences with competing. It was so interesting to hear the perspectives from such a diverse range of performers, and what struck me was that even some of the most seasoned pole dancers I spoke to still get nervous before getting on stage. After speaking with everyone, I’ve come to the conclusion that really, nerves are actually quite a good sign. Ultimately, if you’re feeling nervous, it’s because you care – and caring is a good sign! Any routine, whether it’s for a competition or a showcase stage, you have put the work in. You’ve spent time on it. There have been times where you could have easily just stayed at home and caught up on your favourite TV show, but you chose to be at the studio training instead. Of course you care about this routine, so you should. Feel your feelings, embrace those nerves, turn them into adrenaline and take them with you onto that stage to dance your heart out.

Safe to say, the talent up on the EPC stage this year was next level. In the days that followed the event, there were posts shared to social media from both competitors and spectators discussing how inspired they felt by the show. For me, there’s only one more thing left to say – bring on next year! Entries are already open so if you’re feeling the itch to try your hand on this iconic stage, the time is now.

In recent years, the face of social media has changed to be less of a take-it- or-leave-it side project to an absolute must for any business trying to grow their platform. I read a segment recently by a marketing executive, claiming that a few years ago it was relatively easy to get a high volume of likes on a post, whereas nowadays, with the amount of content online, it’s become much more difficult to cut through the noise. So, how do we approach utilising the tool of social media to grow our studio, despite knowing that it’s tougher out there than ever to ‘stand out’? Let’s jump right in, and talk about my tips on how to change up your social media game for good.

What Is It You Want to Achieve? – Often, when we think about social media growth, it can be easy to dig no deeper than ‘I would like more followers’. Of course you do, why would you be posting if you didn’t have that goal? But ultimately, if you’re a studio or business, that doesn’t quite scratch the surface. Sure, having a respectably high follower count is useful – it can be a marker that your page is ‘good quality’ and people want to consume your content. But what use is several thousand followers if your classes are quiet?

It is important to consider when you’re creating your social media posts who it is you want to speak to. Let’s run with an example: you have created a few posts about your brand new pole beginners course. Ideally, you don’t need existing pole dancers to be reading that – not because you don’t care about them, but because they simply aren’t your target audience for that post. Don’t write your caption in a way that only a seasoned studio-goer would understand. Remember who you were before you started your aerial journey. What would you want to know, what would you want to hear? What would be the thing to coax you through the door? And if you’re not sure of that anymore, that’s okay – talk to one of your non-aerial friends and see what they think. In an age with so much content out there, something that really stands out is authenticity and relatability, and ensuring your post actually caters to the target audience is a great step towards hitting your social media goals.

Consistency is Key, But Not if It’s Meaningless – anyone who’s logged onto social media over the last few years knows there are countless ‘gurus’ out there offering up their golden rules of how to grow your account. Some say to post every day, others say not to. Some claim that posting just pictures is a waste of time, whilst a whole swathe of other social media buffs say to ignore this advice wholeheartedly. So what do you do? What is the golden rule?

Honestly, I don’t know what the best approach is to whip the algorithm into shape. I’ve tried playing around with my own pole dance account and following different posting formats, only posting certain times of day, making sure I post every single day, and ultimately, I’ve come to the conclusion that it really doesn’t matter all that much. What is worth considering, however, is consistency. And to me, consistency is not a simple concept. When calculating how we can remain consistent on social media, you need to consider how much of yourself you are able to commit. How often can you post, whilst also ensuring that the content you are posting holds some kind of value?

 

In my opinion, there’s no point posting an image of someone on some aerial equipment every single day without any real message in the post or caption. When I think about what drives me to like or comment on posts as I am scrolling through my phone, a lot of the time it isn’t the image or video itself, it’s the overriding message behind it. So don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you will achieve overnight social media success simply because you post a lot. And also, if you are going to try and post every single day, is that something you can genuinely keep up with in the long term? Creating content for every single day of the week is very time consuming, so you have to consider factoring in your own schedule around this too.

I can’t tell you what to do as we are all different, but I can share with you my strategy: my social media schedule is posting three times a week (often Monday, Tuesday and Friday). This works for me because I can actually create enough content regularly enough to have three posts worth of pole and aerial things three times a week. I have been posting three times a week for nearly a whole year now, because I actually set myself a goal that was achievable. If I was trying to post every single day, I would have failed, as I simply don’t have the time. In my opinion, the most valuable thing you can be online is realistically consistent – and if consistency for you is just a couple times a week, that is far better than seven days a week every now and then with large breaks in between because you aren’t able to keep up.

Celebrate Your Studio Community – One of the incredible things about our pole and aerial studios is that we have such a diverse range of people coming through those doors. At any given time, someone is doing something incredible that is worth shouting about. So do it on your social media! Don’t just use your feed for advertising constantly – people don’t like to feel they are just following your page to be sold to. Have you had a student get through to the final of a competition? Post about it. Got an aerial hoop class that all smashed out a tricky move in a class? Get a video and hype them up. Had some great feedback from a newcomer? Create a post and show off the compliments.

People often come to pole and aerial because they want to try something new. What makes people stay is how they are welcomed into a brand new community of people, and the wonderful social aspect of being a regular at a studio. Don’t underestimate the power of sharing your student base regularly on your feed as well – it may be the thing that makes someone finally book onto their first ever class.

Have Fun With It – If you were to ask most people what they look for on social media, a lot of people would respond with their favourite content incorporating humour and light-heartedness. Now, don’t worry, I don’t expect you to become a comedian overnight (being funny is actually really, really hard). But think about incorporating a sense of fun into what you post.

Keep an eye on social media trends that you could do with your instructor team or student base, bring them in on the action. Most social media trends out there aren’t that difficult to replicate – you just need a couple of people to set it up. You may be surprised at how well your more light-hearted content does compared to your specific marketing posts. And that isn’t to say, ‘don’t market’. Of course you must advertise your pole and aerial classes as well, but just be mindful that there will be many people who follow your page who also are already a member of the studio. They don’t need to be sold to, they’re already on board – give them something to enjoy and interact with too.

There you have it, my tips on how to hone in on your social media prowess and take your game to the next level. Now, I know it seems like a lot, and wearing many different hats as a business owner can feel overwhelming, but remember: the best way to combat this is to have a robust, thought-out plan to follow. Look at your social media presence like you would any other aspect of your business, and you may surprise yourself with how streamlined you are able to get things.

There comes a time with a lot of pole dancers and aerialists where we can start to be a little more independent with our training. We still attend our classes and are closely mentored by our wonderful instructors and coaches, but we are able to make a few more training decisions for ourselves. We know what tricks we like, what flow we favour, and we have enough knowledge ready in our backpocket to be left to our own devices once in a while. That being said, transitioning from being told exactly what to do in class by an instructor, to structuring our own sessions can feel a little daunting. So, what do we do? Well, if you know anything about me by now, it’s that I love a good plan. Let’s get right to it – we’re going to talk about making yourself a training plan.

First Thing’s First – for me, creating a well-rounded plan starts right at the beginning, particularly when you are just starting out training more independently. At the start of class, your instructor will take you through a thorough, effective warmup, so you need to do the same thing. Make sure you factor that into your planning, note down everything you need to mobilise and consider recording specific timings to follow for your pulse-raisers. Eventually, your warm up will come second nature to you, but particularly when you are starting out we can easily cut corners for no other reason than we have forgotten – and the last thing you need is an injury to put a spanner in your pole and aerial progress.

Start Things Off Slow – once you are fully warmed up and ready for your training session, what are you going to do? Well, I for one, always start out with a couple of simpler moves. I can’t tell you particularly what this would be for you, as we are all different levels, but look at your core moves – the moves you might learn in a level one or beginners class. For example, my main equipment is pole, so I will look at doing some spins. Then build things up from there. Basically, don’t throw yourself in at the deep end. Pole and aerial is hard work, and you want to avoid using up all your energy and overworking yourself right at the start of your session. Ease into your training session and you will find you have more longevity – much like in a class run by one of your instructors.

Include Challenges But Don’t Sacrifice Joy – when you’re building your training plan, think about including a range of tricks, transitions and flow, and more importantly, within that range make sure you choose a blend of things that you’re good at as well as things that need work. In my experience, the quickest way to get demotivated within your training session is spending hours hammering the same trick you’re struggling with and getting – what appears to be anyway – nowhere with it. When we become demotivated and frustrated, we are more likely to just give up and not bother, and we absolutely don’t want that! So, if we’re making a list of five things you intend to train in your session, pick two difficult things, and three things that you don’t find quite so difficult – so things you can either already do but would like to brush up on, or are pretty close and just need perfecting. Cultivate balance within your plan.

Reflect as Well as Plan – One pretty cool thing about having a written plan is your ability to be able to continuously make notes on it. Did something you trained go particularly well, or not quite as well? Do you need to talk to your instructor about an element you don’t understand? Have you decided a particular trick needs to be rested for a while as you’re getting frustrated with it? The list could go on.

My point is, you can begin to use your plan to not only dictate what your solo training sessions will be, but also to reflect, and therefore further streamline your practice. After you’ve trained, take a moment or two to make some annotations with your schedule. Don’t overthink it, keep it simple, but these notes can be so valuable and enlightening moving forward as an aerialist.

How Does It End – Much like our discussion about warming up at the start of this, another key part of any training session is also your cool down. Make sure that your training plan ends with your notes on the comprehensive cool down you will do at the end of your session. By ensuring that there is a plan for your cool down within your notes, you will find it easier to be held accountable and ensure that you do it at the end of your pole and aerial practice.

Your Instructors Can Help – If all of this is still a little daunting, speak to your instructor at the studio. They will more than likely be able to organise a private lesson with you, or signpost you to another who will be able to, to help you create a bespoke training plan which will fulfil your needs and help you grow as a pole dancer or aerialist. After all, who knows you better than the instructor whom you’ve spent weeks, months, years sharing your skills with?

So there you have it – my guide to getting your independent training set off with your own training plan. And remember, progress isn’t linear, and it may take a little time to find exactly what works for you, but that’s okay – you’ve got your whole pole and aerial career ahead of you, enjoy the journey!

Welcome back to another edition of the XPERT blog, where I guide you through my top tips, course reviews, deep-dive discussions and one of my most favourite topics – event coverage. XPERT is a regular face at some of the most prestigious events here in the UK, meaning I am lucky enough to head on out to some of the most exciting fixtures on the pole event calendar on their behalf! July has been no exception, with Pole Theatre UK Amateur hosted at the fantastic XPOLE Academy in Potters Bar pencilled excitedly onto my calendar.

Let’s start at the beginning – what exactly is Pole Theatre? First and foremost, it’s a pole competition, and a big one at that. With franchises all over the globe, Pole Theatre is easily one of the first ‘big name’ competitions that may come to mind if you were to ask a pole dancer on a quiz show to name three pole comps in ten seconds. This epic show spans four different categories: Drama, Art, Comedy and Classique. Each of these categories is designed and weighted differently with one main goal in mind – for the competitor(s) to present a piece to tell their story. And honestly, that’s why I love this particular competition so much. Not only are we watching epic tricks and flawless flow, each competitor shares their art, their perspective, their personal journey and thoughts and for me, that is so special.

 

Onto the day itself. By invitation of the impeccable organisers Stacey and Jade (the dream team), I aimed to arrive a little early before the event kicked off to have a snoop around and get the backstage gossip. I set off on this glorious sunny Sunday, with a cool drink wedged in my car cup holder and a looming sense of excitement in the air. Back in 2021, I took to the Pole Theatre UK Amateur stage myself, and I developed second hand jitters thinking about how all of the competitors would be feeling. The nerves, the anticipation, the yearning to get it all over and done with but also for the day not to end, simply bursting at the seams with both anxiety and exhilaration simultaneously.

 

As I pulled up in Potters Bar, manoeuvring my car into the closest spot and taking a moment to decompress, the view onto the parking lot made me smile. A diverse range of people buzzing around on their way to the studio, adorning different stages of hair and make-up, props underarm and friends and family members in tow, the true (sort of) calm before the storm.

 

Upon walking up to the studio, safe to say I was very impressed by the set up Stacey, Jade and team had thoughtfully curated – after all, I’d never been to a pole competition hosted at a studio, and had wondered what to expect. There was a real sense of consideration with the way everything had been laid out – competitors and ticket holders were promptly checked in by a dedicated team, a well-stocked snack bar, a space for a stallholder for a quick spot of shopping, and a beautifully marked out staging area with fold out seating spanning the depth of the beautiful studio that is the XPOLE Academy. I nabbed myself a nice spot right in the front row (after all, if I was to be writing this blog, I needed a clear view) and decided to go and mingle with some of
the soon-to-be-onstage competitors to see what they had to say, and how they were feeling.

 

There was an overwhelming sense of satisfaction at the choice of more intimate venue for this particular incarnation of Pole Theatre UK Amateur. I spoke with both seasoned competition entrants and first-timers alike and the consensus on the whole was how nice being in the more intimate venue truly was. One person shared how friendly they had found the vibes, and how it felt like being at their home studio ‘with a little more sparkle’. Another competitor explained how they wished their first competition had been in a venue such as this one, and how what Stacey and Jade had created fantastically bridged the gap between more relaxed showcase vibes to the glitz and glamour of a big competition.

Now, onto the show itself. In the very capable hands of our excellent compere for the afternoon Cee Cee, the show began with a bang delving right into the Art category. The competitors brought a beautiful blend of artistry with different dance styles, exploration of stories and creative videos and music manipulation to bring themes to life. Next up, the Comedy category – providing laughs and joy a-plenty. We were treated to exceptional creativity, as each Comedy competitor created a real vibe with their pieces, and brought a smile to every spectator's face as they drew us into their rib-tickling tales. Following a short intermission, we explored the world of Drama. With a flair for story- telling, each competitor wow-ed us with their world-building and theatrics, with
props aplenty ready to show us their very best. The show finished (as it usually does) with Classique. The competitors enticed, teased and conveyed their sensual sides as they heel-clacked and flowed around the poles, captivating all as they went.

Prior to the award ceremony at the end, host Cee Cee called me up on the microphone to ask how I felt about the show. After a considered pause – I shared something which I will share again here. Pole Theatre Amateur UK 2024 was a true showcase of the talent amongst the up and coming faces in our pole community. The creativity and innovation displayed on that stage is a
testament to the future of pole, and an exciting glance at where we may be in a few years from now – in fact, the inventiveness and story-telling skills we were treated to on that stage is what I love about competitions in the UK as a whole. Regardless of outcome, every single person that shared their routine that afternoon should be immensely proud of themselves – and I really, truly,
do mean that.

 

Every now and then I write a blog post and I really have to rein myself in or it would go on forever – and this certainly is one of them, so I will stop myself here. But before I go, I just want to also write a big ‘well done’ to every helper there on the day as this was such a smoothly run event, and all I can say is – I can’t wait for the next one!

In a world where it can seem as though there’s a different trending trick every time we open up our social media feed, as pole dancers and aerialists we can sometimes feel as though that we are constantly striving to achieve the next ‘new thing’. And unfortunately, as someone who spends more time than I’d like to admit scrolling on my phone, I too have found it all-too-easy to fall into the ‘everything new all the time’ hype.

Why do we do it? Well, for starters, trying something brand new is generally more interesting than hammering away at tricks and flow we’ve done before. Also, if we’ve been struggling with what we’ve been training up until now, the prospect of trying that different trick, and maybe having success with that instead is also a pretty tempting prospect. And, it’s always quite satisfying to say that we can put a tick box to that trending trick going around by posting a perfectly-angled photo to our feed. But, and it’s a pretty big ‘but’ at that – often these tricks we see doing the rounds are actually kind of deceptively difficult. And on top of that, they may not even be achievable without strong foundations in fundamental pole and aerial moves (you know, the ones you might just be trying to avoid training).

From a teacher’s perspective, I understand the general fascination of the pole and aerial student-base with new tricks and transitions all the time. When you start out as a beginner, the world truly is your oyster – literally everything you do is brand new, and usually your self awareness of the vast pole and aerial world out there on the internet is pretty low to non-existent (ahh, those were the days). There are so many different poses and flow segments to learn, and as a newbie, your teacher usually isn’t hassling you quite so much about technique – floppy ankles are okay as long as you’re safe, a micro-bent leg is alright as long as you’re up in that seat – and odds are you’re only attending one or two classes a week and then forgetting all about your pole and aerial life in between. And then you level up, and everything starts to change a little bit.

Gone are the days of a brand new move every session, and so comes along the more daunting task of the more advanced tricks. This is a real balancing act as a pole dancer and aerialist – it is so, so gratifying when you get an advanced trick, but the journey to get there can be immensely frustrating and long-winded. And then on top of that, you’ll have friends around you progressing at totally different rates. When the person you’ve been coming to classes with is perfectly flat in their Jade split, whilst you’re struggling to hold your outside leg hang, let alone even think about moving your legs and arms around into a Jade, things can become pretty demoralising.

So, why try something totally random and new? Well, it takes us out of that struggle-bus cycle, even if it just means we’re jumping onto a different struggle-vehicle (out of the frying pan, into the fire and all that). There are definitely pros and cons to this. Pros? Well, sometimes shaking up our routine is just what we need to rekindle our love for pole and aerial. A brand new trick or transition can be a great way to break the daily grind and give us something shiny and different to focus on. Cons? Annoyingly, if we don’t have the right fundamentals on our apparatus for that trending trick, our efforts may still not end up in success and wind up getting us even more frustrated.

The point of this isn’t to say, ‘don’t bother trying different moves’. In fact, I’d say my overall opinion from a pole and aerial teaching perspective is that it’s actually super important to keep on trying different things, as you may well find a cue from one thing that may give you a lovely ‘eureka’ moment for something else you’re working on. However, taking a ‘always looking forward, never looking back’ approach to pole and aerial will ultimately wind up with some gaps in your knowledge which will negatively impact your training as you continue.

For example, I have a pole and aerial pal who got pretty advanced, pretty quickly. They go to the studio a lot, they’re strong, and they did a lot of upper body strength training prior to even starting pole. They were rushed through beginners swiftly by their teacher at the time, and found that going upside down was relatively easy for them so they continued to progress through the ranks at their studio. However, one day they found themselves struggling with a Reverse Grab, (which is a one-armed spin in pole) a move generally considered intermediate plus in level. They were frustrated and couldn’t work out why they were unable to get this particular move. We chatted it through, seeing if there was a particular teaching point they were missing, and ultimately we fathomed it out – they were really, really lacking in their static spin ability. Because they had been rushed through all the beginner fundamentals, they had spent a week or two in their whole pole career working on their spins and that was it. Needless to say, once my lovely friend spent some time perfecting their Chair Spins, their struggles with a Reverse Grab were a thing of the past.

What can we learn from my pole and aerial bestie? Well, I’d say a pretty key point in their story is that they were actually pretty strong already and executing some advanced tricks up the pole. Their issue was not lack of ability. The issue on their journey was simply not learning their basics. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to work on more advanced spins without being able to execute a Chair Spin. A Layback will be more tricky if you don’t have any understanding of that leg adduction we need to execute that you might learn in a move such as a Pole Seat first. The list really could go on forever, but the overall point is this. Every time your pole and aerial instructor is talking about ‘the fundamentals’, listen to them. The foundation moves that we learn as a beginner do not just exist because we’re giving you something ‘simple’ to do (as actually, a well-executed foundation move is not a simple feat at all), but exist to help you to create a strong basis for your training moving forward.

So, the next time you find yourself mulling over what to train next – when was the last time you did some of those foundation moves? If you can’t remember when that was – now is the time. You might just surprise yourself with how much perfecting those movements will help you in the future with your training.

Whether you are a brand new pole and aerial instructor or a seasoned pro, a fundamental part of teaching life is lesson plans. A lesson plan is a key part of keeping your classes on track and ensuring that you have a framework to follow – after all, so much of pole and aerial can be quite unpredictable, it’s nice for us teachers to have at least some predictability in our busy schedules. But the question is, are you actually utilising your lesson plans to the best of their ability? Let’s sit down and have a little chat on how to maximise the effectiveness of your lesson planning, and ultimately, how to make your teaching life easier.

Regressions, progressions, alternatives and everything else in between – This may seem like an obvious one… but is it? Let’s take the humble Fan Legs move. This is a staple move featured in beginners classes everywhere, as it’s a great foundation for so many more advanced movements. That being said (as much of pole and aerial is), it’s actually quite tricky, and can take students quite a while to master. Within your class plan, it is so important to make sure that you’ve catered to every single one of your students as best you can, not only making sure that you’ve got challenges ready for your students who are effortlessly executing their Fan Legs, but you’ve also got something equally as interesting and fun for those who aren’t quite there yet.

Do not just prepare your progressions and regressions as simply ‘something harder, something easier’, and give no further thought. You might have a student who has done that same regression a thousand times over, and they deserve something a little special every now and then, right? Don’t allow yourself to be put on the spot through lack of planning – if you know you’re doing Fan Legs, make note of a few combos, creations and alterations you can throw at your students. In my opinion, there is no such thing as too many notes!

Make a note of your extra hints and tips – we all have those little ‘tricks of the trade’ secrets with certain moves, you know, the knowledge you simply soak up from repetition, experience, and to be blunt, getting everything wrong before you get it right. As you’re jotting down your next lesson plan, cast your mind back to all the times you’ve trained those moves, and think of any extra tips that might be useful.

Of course, as instructors, we will always be moving around the room and troubleshooting as we go along, but if there is a fundamental, universal tip that helps beyond your standard teaching points, it’s useful to have that reminder jotted down somewhere. By implementing this strategy in your class planning, it also helps us to reflect and be more mindful within our teaching practice. Think a little deeper about not just what it is you’ll be teaching, but how you’ll be teaching it too. By casting your mind back to your own journey, it’ll help you get into the mindset of how your students might be feeling as they give this a go too, which ultimately will make you a more understanding teacher.

Repetition is more than okay – this can be such a common insecurity amongst teachers. This is the thought that we must always come up with something brand new every single class, with the fear that students will get bored with what we have to offer. Fundamentally, we all know this isn’t true, as otherwise choreography classes spanning four to six weeks simply wouldn’t exist and no-one would book on. However, this knowledge won’t necessarily change that worried mindset as we approach our drop in classes.

Fundamentally, repetition is a good thing. There are certain moves in pole and aerial that we just need to keep working on in order to progress. Routinely remind both yourself and your students of this fact. On top of this, repeating stuff can actually be quite fun and satisfying – yes, we come to class to try something new, but equally we come because we just enjoy pole and aerial. We also come to class because it’s a bit of ‘me time’, an hour or two out of our busy schedules to dedicate to feeling good. What better way to celebrate yourself than to practice a move that you’re absolutely amazing at? By factoring in a few familiar favourites within your lesson plans, you’re giving your students a little slice of consistency which will ultimately not only help them reach their goals, but will also allow them to feel good about themselves with a ‘oh, I’ve done this before, I can do this!’ mindset.

Always plan extra, just in case – it happens to the best of us, sometimes it’s because class is quieter than expected, maybe it’s hot outside so motivation levels are a little low, or sometimes your students just give you that look of ‘can we move on now?’ Unfortunately, an inevitable part of teaching life is sometimes we will fly through our lesson plan and things will all feel at a little bit of a loose end. The trick to conquering this dreaded lull in the class? Pre-empt for it.

As you write out your lesson plan, pop in an extra trick or combo just in case. By having this in your back pocket, you know you have something to fall back on, instead of having to think on the fly. And if you don’t use it – it just means that you’ve already made a start on your next lesson plan already, as you can simply incorporate that trick or combo into your next class.

Your lesson plan can be a tool – realistically, our lesson plans are a tool that can just keep giving. They’re useful for the class you make them for, and they are helpful for future classes too. For example, within the ‘Pole Instructor Plan Book’ delivered by XPERT (I can highly recommend this product for keeping your lesson plans all in one place) – there are whole sections for reflection. Effectively, by writing down what we’ve taught, we can then look back on what went well, what didn’t go quite as planned, and consider what we can do moving forward. And also – who’s to say we can’t repeat lesson plans in the future? No-one, that’s who! By having a record of what you’ve done in the past, you can improve on, and just copy over the best bits of your previous lesson plans.

So there you have it! Five whole ways on how to make your lesson plans work better for you. I hope you have a great week of training, and look forward to chatting with you again next month

Things are finally starting to warm up over here in the UK (well, the weather is certainly warmer, but I can’t say there’s much less rain), so getting back into a full training regime is starting to feel a little more manageable. We love our pole and aerial studios for so many reasons – the wonderful equipment, our favourite instructors with their epic lesson plans, the thrill of getting a trick in class and the studio erupting with applause. The list could go on forever. But today, I’m focusing on another reason we love our home-away-from-home as much as we do: community and friendship. Ultimately, our pole and aerial training is a hobby, and a huge part of what keeps us coming back to our studios time and time again is the sense of community that comes with that. Even if our intention when we start out as an aerialist has nothing to do with making new friends, it’ll happen anyway, and there is something so magical about that.

All of this got me thinking – we talk an awful lot about how to be a good student, or how to be a good instructor, or studio owner, or all these other quite ‘official’ roles within pole and aerial, but when do we ever talk about how to be a good pole and aerial pal? I think it’s about time we chatted about just that: so this month’s XPERT blog is all about how to be a good training buddy in three straight-forward steps!

1. Support is a two way street – Every class has that student who is a natural born cheerleader. They clap, and ‘woop’, and celebrate the victories of others without so much as a prompt from the teacher. And doesn’t that feel great? When you finally master the elusive trick that you’ve desperately trained for weeks upon weeks, to be met with a hearty cheer from your classmate, a cheer filled with genuine happiness and warmth. The glorious reception makes your achievement that little bit sweeter. Now, it’s time to ask yourself – when your class cheerleader nails their trick, do you give them that same energy back? Or are you always relying on them to bring the noise? At first, it can feel a little bit awkward cheering for someone you don’t know very well, I get that, especially if you’re not a particularly extroverted person. But wouldn’t it be a little bit unfair if you only basked in the praise of others, and never dished that same praise back out?

If you’re reading this and thinking ‘oh no, I’ve been that person’, please don’t panic. We can forget these things easily. But take this blog right here as your reminder that support is a two way street, and it’s only right that if someone is giving you boundless backing in class that you dish some of that love to them in return. And honestly, if you feel a little self conscious dishing out that praise, I promise you no-one else will feel that awkward energy – they will be too busy smiling their head off at a compliment from one of their classmates.

2. The green-eyed monster isn’t welcome here – this might seem a little bit blunt but hear me out. Jealousy and envy are unfortunately an unavoidable part of life. Classes within our pole and aerial studios are often graded into level one, level two, and so on, but due to the nature of our wonderful artform, not everyone will have the exact same ability or skill set within those groups. There will be someone who is splittier than you, and there will be someone stronger than you, and there will be someone who seems to get things quicker than you, and it will be
frustrating. There will also be someone that looks at you and thinks ‘I wish I had what they had’. It’s a cycle. Very few things bring down the vibe of a group than someone being negative – this is true of life, not just pole and aerial classes. Inherently, jealousy and envy aren’t exactly positive emotions, so please just leave them at the door. We are only human, trust me I get it, but when you are in a group environment it’s important to remember that you are not the only person in the room. Stay grounded, and keep re-affirming to yourself that whilst there are things others are good at, there are plenty of things that you are also good at, and we are all on our own journey.

3. Be present in your practice – safe to say, we live in an age of distraction. Even as I write this blog today, the notifications pinging up in
the corner of my laptop have tempted me away from my typing more times than I’d care to admit. I would be remiss to not mention this fact of modern life when talking about being a supportive pole pal. We have all been there. For whatever reason, we aren’t quite engaging in our pole and aerial class like we usually are. Our mind is wandering, we’re not really concentrating, we may have even snuck a few looks at our phone under the guise of getting our camera out for a photo. I could talk forever about how this isn’t within the spirit of why we come to class, but I know no-one is intentionally self-sabotaging – we all know it's naughty to sit and scroll on Instagram when we are supposed to be training, and yet from time to time, we do it anyway. However, in a class scenario, it’s not just you who is facing the disruption of your wavering attention span.

When you are sharing equipment with somebody, it’s actually quite nice to have some back and forth whilst you’re training. A little ‘wow, that was amazing’, or ‘go on, you’ve nearly got it’ goes a long way and can make us feel much better in our practice. If the person we’re partnered up with isn’t really engaging, or scrolling on their phone, there’s a whole layer of support we’re missing out on – leading to our lesson feeling quite lonely. Next time you find your mind wandering in class, remind yourself of why it is you come to class. Yes, it’s to train, and yes it’s to progress, but it’s also to socialise and spend time with your pole and aerial pals – don’t neglect them by letting your mind wander too far elsewhere!

So there you have it, three ways to be the best pole and aerial pal you can be. We are only human, and it’s impossible to always be in our very best form, but keep these tips in mind and it’ll go a long way in helping to maintain those precious training buddy friendships!

Welcome to another month over here on the XPERT blog – and this time, as promised, I’ll be talking all about my time taking the amazing Flexibility Flow course.

One of my most favourite things about XPERT training courses is the option to undertake face to face training. First off, I’m quite a visual learner, so the option to watch someone in real life demonstrate the tricks and techniques really aids my understanding of the course material. Secondly, getting first- hand experience with the handpicked trainers on team XPERT is an absolute privilege. Not only are you benefitting from the excellent XPERT certification course content, it is being delivered by someone with many years of pole and aerial experience, who is handing down all their valuable additional knowledge sprinkled throughout the weekend.

Let’s talk about flexibility. As far as my own is concerned, I’ve always been quite lucky with my ability to split and backbend when required – but I knew full well that just because I could do these movements myself, it did not mean I would be able to just teach them to others. Much like any other aerial apparatus, those who may attend your class will have varying abilities with some having never tried flexibility training at all. And within that, flexibility training can also (sometimes) get a bad rep. We’ve all seen the odd tutorial on Instagram that hasn’t given much thought for body stability and safety. So how do we ensure that we are providing both valuable, as well as safe classes for students to take part in? And on top of that, how do we keep our students on track with their flexibility training when they may all be at such different levels? Keep reading to find out just how all of my questions, and more, were answered.

Hosted at the lovely Studio Flare in Redditch in the UK, Flexibility Flow took place on a chilly January weekend. As I arrived at the studio space, I received a warm welcome from studio co-owner Ollie and our trainer for the weekend Amy Williams. With pole dance experience of over ten years, and several health, fitness, biomechanics aerial and nutrition-based certifications, and a passion for all things anatomy and physiology on top of that, I knew we were in for a weekend of in-depth learning.

Compared to many of the other XPERT courses I have been lucky enough to attend, the Flexibility Flow certification involved a lot of sitting down and taking in the information (so if you are to take this course I’d highly recommend wearing your comfiest training outfit for lounging in!) That being said, Amy kept us on our toes with regular interventions of activity – including one of my most favourite exercises for the weekend. Involving getting into a few flex-y poses of our choosing, then applying Amy’s best tips and tricks for getting a better range of motion, and giving them another go, my mind was blown. This exercise perfectly highlighted how targeted, specific cues can make such a difference in achieving our most dreamed about poses.

Come day two, I’ll admit, my mind was a little frazzled, but trust me, it was in a good way. We had learnt so much, and covered so much ground within the manual, that my whole outlook on flexibility training had morphed – in a good way. The course is truly jam packed with content, all designed to help you deliver the most effective and safe flexibility flow classes at your studio. One of the most valuable pieces of knowledge I took away was Amy’s perspective on mindset. With such an emphasis on sitting down and discussing the content as a group, my eyes were opened to the many different perspectives even those within the class had to flexibility training which opened up so many unique and interesting possibilities and approaches.

Overall, I had a really great time on this course, and I am so excited to share all this wonderful new knowledge with my students to help them on their flexibility journeys!

I was lucky enough to grab Amy for a quick chat about the course, to discuss the course, and she had this to say:

‘I hope that the main thing that people will take away from the course is a changed perspective and outlook on their own flexibility and the flexibility of the masses. Flexibility is not this complicated unachievable thing, and once you understand the foundations and build on top of that it’s actually quite easy and straightforward, you just need to have that basic understanding.’

I ask her which aspect of the course she enjoys delivering the most. ‘My most favourite element of this course to teach is genuinely all of it (which is sad I know but I love this course!) If I had to choose, I especially love the bio-hack elements to do with nerves and receptors where we can explore changing how we’re feeling and our state of mind. It’s great to look at changing someone’s outlook on what they can achieve and what they can teach to others.’

She continues ‘Overall, I just love sharing knowledge and information, and learning and gaining from the students and instructors that I meet on these courses. I hope that on mass we can start to make some really fundamental changes on the little things – like breathing! We can simply just breathe more, and life will be easier. I hope that by in some way influencing, on some level, the people that come on this course, they are inspired to delve more into the elements such as nerve flossing or breathing technique. Whatever sparks their interest. I hope this then has a ripple effect and it aids them to move forward and teach others to live a happier and more comfortable life.’

As we round off on our chat, Amy shares this valuable nugget of information – which is a true testament to the spirit of the course. ‘Flexibility Flow is often misunderstood – it’s not like other flexibility courses out there, it’s a good mix of forward thinking current information whilst covering the basics of the human body, whilst promising that every participant will gain something from the course. You don’t need to be flexible, in fact they would learn more the less flexible they are, as they will learn it all on their own bodies!’

Feeling inspired? Head to the ‘book a course’ section of our website and grab yourself a spot on the next Flexibility Flow course – you won’t regret it!

At the start of the year, we often cast our minds both forwards and backwards simultaneously. January comes around, and we may consider where we were the year before and ponder just where we would like to be twelve months from now – which often leads us to form our goals and aspirations. These goals can manifest themselves in a variety of ways – these could be life goals, mindset
goals, flexibility goals, or pole and aerial goals.

I was lucky enough to nab a space on one of XPERT’s amazing courses this month – Flexibility Flow (don’t worry, I’ll give you the full low down of my
experience in next month’s blog). Part of the course entailed taking a photo of a flexy move such as our split or backbend, then implementing the tips from the incredible trainer Amy, and executing the move again for a comparison photo. Needless to say, the change was incredible – but the experience got me thinking. Where are my photos of my early training days where I struggled to get myself up into a bridge, or the snaps of my not-so-flat Jade split? Well, these records just don’t exist.

Personally, this prospect made me a little sad. Baby pole dancer Lottie was pretty harsh on herself in retrospect. My attitude towards my self-perceived shortcomings was simply ‘don’t film me doing this, it’s rubbish’, batting away friends and instructors who offered to take a snap of my attempts at moves in class. My mindset led me to believe that the only real reason to take a photo or video of literally anything was if it was already, whatever that was in my mind, perfection.

Progress photos are a funny one. The name in itself suggests that each photo needs to be better than the one before. But any seasoned aerialist or sports person will tell you, the road to true progression is absolutely not a linear one. One week, you will come in and your split may be pretty close to the ground. The following week, you can feel like you’re back to square one. I won’t go into the several different reasons for this – tiredness, muscle soreness, hormones, temperature, lifestyle (the list goes on forever) – but what I will say is documenting these ‘setbacks’ is just as important as every shiny new progression you make.

Let’s take working on your front splits, for example, a fairly common goal for tonnes of polers and aerialists. You dutifully attend your stretch classes twice a week, and at the end of each class you give your splits a go. Your classmate offers to nab a photo of you, and they really insist on doing it because they’re a good training buddy, so you finally agree to handing over your phone. Sure, you’re wearing those leggings with a hole in them and your hair is scraped back in a Miss Trunchbull-from-Matilda style bun, and the lighting isn’t exactly Insta worthy. But that is a snapshot in time, a freeze frame of your very best efforts that day, a record of your hard work within that stretching session – and it’s important. Week to week, your splits may look frustratingly similar. But month to month? You may just see that space between you and the floor inch that little bit closer. Six months on, you may even be totally flat and contemplating throwing a yoga block under that front leg to start working on your over split.

When you’re living in the moment, it can become difficult to remember what things used to be like. Within the blink of the eye, you can forget just how hard you worked to get on the path you’re now on. The split that you now easily get into up the pole was months in the making; the active flex work, the strength training, the skin grip training, the breathwork fine-tuning. And what better reminder of all that culmination of your efforts is there than the ability to look back to where it all began.

The purpose of this month’s blog is pretty straight forward really, when you boil it down. Make 2024 the year that you truly commit to taking photos of your efforts in class. It doesn’t matter if you’re not looking Instagram ready, or if it’s not your best attempt of the day, because you forgot to get your phone out the first time. Heck, even if it’s the very first attempt you’ve given to get into your
splits in what seems like forever – take the damn photo. One day, when you’re flying through the air in a flawlessly flat Jallegra, you’ll be glad that you’re able to look back and see the start of your journey, too. This time next year, when you’re reading this blog and you remember the advice I gave you – that you followed, because you know I’m right – and you have a start-to-finish selection of photos of the amazing things you’ve learnt, you’ll thank me!

Tune in next month on the XPERT blog to find out all about Lottie’s experience on the amazing Flexibility Flow course – it’s going to be a good read!

Usually, you’ll find me talking on the blog about the amazing training courses XPERT has to offer, but this time I’m going to introduce you to a brand new product that’s sure to revolutionise your lesson planning. Introducing: The Pole Instructor Plan Book, an exclusive resource delivered by XPERT which is designed for you to take your pre and post class journaling to the next level. Stay tuned to find my top three reasons the Pole Instructor Plan Book is going to be your new best pole pal

1. Planned to Perfection – Once you cross the threshold from student to instructor, gone are the days of ‘just showing up’ to class. You have transitioned from the person being told what to do, to being the person to teach a group of others a new skill, and the one calling the shots on what they will be learning that day. The reality of this new prospect is that the best way to help yourself prepare for that responsibility is just to do just that – to prepare.

There are so many variables when teaching a class that you never know what will be thrown at you next. A question you’ve never been asked before, a student who simply isn’t getting on with any move attempted that day, someone visiting from a different studio who has learnt in a totally different way to your studio norm. You need to be prepared for anything. Of course,
you can’t predict for every single variable but you can create a cracking lesson plan packed with fun flow, tricks and transitions that’s guaranteed to keep your class entertained. This is exactly where your ‘Pole Instructor Plan Book’ delivered by XPERT comes in.

This amazing planner breaks down everything you may be teaching in a class, with sections for conditioning, static, spin, and choreography, you will never be short of space for filling in your best lesson plan ideas. And what’s more, there are handy spots for filling in pre-class announcement notes, and objective focuses too. There is no such thing as being too prepared – after all, it is much easier to remember the latest news at the studio that you need to promote to your students, or staying on task with what you wanted your students to achieve, if you have these objectives jotted down somewhere for your own reference.

2. Emphasis on Reflection – Planning is all well and good, but what is even better than planning? Reflection on that planning. Let’s get into the facts of this.

When we plan our lessons, we are writing up a dream list of what we would love for our students to achieve in that class. Within this, we have different markers for achievements – we want them to feel fulfilled, feel challenged, have fun, learn something new, and ultimately walk out the door feeling good. However, all of those things can be tricky to achieve in a single hour session, and it is certainly harder to predict for those variables when there are students you haven’t taught before, or if you are trying something a little different that day.

Not everything we do as teachers can be a success. It just won’t. You can teach a move textbook-perfectly, spot all your students magnificently, get them successfully into the pose, snap an amazing photo and there is still a chance you’ll be met with ‘I didn’t like that one’. Which is absolutely fine! We are allowed to dislike something even if we manage to do it. But it can be difficult to process these emotions as an instructor – after all, we are only human, and we want our students to have the best time and it can feel a little like failing if they have any not-so-positive feedback. However, I think we should flip that on its head. Feedback is good. Feedback helps you grow.

The Pole Instructor Plan Book comes with a handy section at the end of each double page class plan for ‘What went well? What did students struggle with?’ No longer do you need to sit and stew about the ups and downs of your class – write about it, instead. Often, it is not a ‘bad class’. Maybe it was just one move that didn’t work. Perhaps it was a particularly hot and slippy day, so the groans of reluctance you were met with at mentioning doing a pole sit was because of the heat. Did you have several students who attended a class or two on the same night, before yours? Moving forward, you can account for knowing that your students may be a little tired before your session. The variables are infinite, but the point is, if we sit and analyse these differences, we can come to realise that it is not all about us ‘being failures’ or ‘not good teachers’, rather sometimes, unpredictable things can happen. And moreover,
by jotting these variables down – we can plan for the future and ensure we minimise them happening again. Happy teacher, happy students, happy class!

3) All Your Plans, All in One Place – Lesson planning can be difficult. The pressure to come up with something new, exciting, and interesting on a weekly basis isn’t always the easiest thing. So stop worrying about always producing something different.

Let’s not get carried away here – of course, you cannot just show up every single week and do the exact same thing. But we can take previous lesson plans and adapt them. For example, in your intermediate class, you may work on an Outside Leg Hang for week one. So the following week, you might start working on a Hang Glider for those who are really nailing it. The week after
that, you want to change it up totally, and focus on a Cross Knee Release instead. But for the week after that? Don’t forget, you’ve laid the groundwork for your students and their Outside Leg Hangs. Don’t waste the progress that was made in those first two weeks by abandoning it to be forgotten.

All that being said – it is unreasonable to expect you to remember everything you’ve ever taught, and keep a mental note of absolutely all of it. So, pull out your trusty Pole Instructor Plan Book and have a little look back at the things you’ve taught in the past. The diary has a little space for jotting down the date, so you’ll be able to keep track of just how long ago it was you taught those moves, without the pressure of remembering off the top of your head. This feature is also especially handy if you get the inevitable question from your student ‘I want to work on what we did last week’, and you actually have a record of what it was you did. And if you’ve been doing your reflective journaling as I’d mentioned in point two above, you’ll have a record of troubleshooting these class plans too, so you can deliver them more confidently and better informed. After all, the better informed we are, the better our student’s teaching experience will be!

So there you have it: three key reasons to head to the XPERT store and drop the Pole Instructor Plan Book straight in your basket. Go to our Merch page to grab your copy, and get ready to enjoy all the benefits of good class planning coming your way.

You are standing in the studio, staring at your equipment and pondering what to do next. Conditioning? Your favourite tricks? Some flow? Or will you give in to the urge to sit and scroll on your phone until your training time runs out? We have all been there. Always being at your most productive is impossible, and for every training session to be the one you make a tonne of progress and come away with ten new tricks, countless Insta-worthy videos, and an overwhelming sense of achievement that you ‘used your time well’.

To make matters worse, we are trudging our way through November, with ever-darker evenings and a notoriously busy social season around the festive period on the horizon. The will to travel to our studio haven and get our bodies moving can become less and less. In my opinion, a good training session is not always measured by the most progress made. There are countless other markers for success, or at least, indicators of what makes your training ‘good’. I’ll unpack those as we go along – so for now, sit back and enjoy some top tips on how to get the best out of your solo training – especially with the end of the year looming. (These tips are intended for your independent training in your studio hire time, not when you are in a taught class).

Body vs Mind – What Do You Feel Like Doing Today? – Approaching your training session simply by assessing what trick you might fancy giving a go, sometimes is not the best way to go. With our ever-busy lives, you cannot predict when you’ll be able to carve out that coveted training time to work on your aerial skills. You might be headed to the studio after a full day of sitting at a desk, or direct from a school run. Other times, you might have slept badly the night before. Perhaps the class you attended last night was more strenuous than you were expecting, and you’ve got a case of the DOMS. The possibilities and variables are literally endless.

So what do we do when our mind is telling us that we want to practice our deadlifts, but our body is telling us ‘no’? Sometimes, changing our plan is actually the best way to go. It is not always possible to work on your most difficult, tip-top of the list goals. And that isn’t really what training sessions are about, either. In my most recent memory, some of my most favourite times. I’ve had at the studio have been when I’ve ended up training something totally different than I had planned.

Try keeping a note on your phone (or in your notebook, if you are that kind of learner) on things you want to train – and I mean anything. Pop big crazy moves on there, combos, things from class, super specific things like ‘forward rolls with perfect lines’, stuff that you know you can do but think you could do better. The more you put into that list, the better. And it means when you have a day where what you had in your head doesn’t quite happen when you arrive at the studio, you’ve got a whole resource at your fingertips of alternatives you can do.

Pick a Side, Any Side – As Long As You Do Both! – Another common issue mthat can arise once we are left to our own devices for training is just what to do
to fill the time. In class, we may be sharing with another person, and there is time for chatting and time spent with friends. When we are in the studio for a training session, there may be less opportunity for the social side of pole and aerial.

A great way to fill this time is by making sure you do both sides. Your instructor will tell you this every single lesson, and probably remind you every single time you try a new move. But, to be a realist, we all know that occasionally you’ll try the spin once on your left side, once on your right side, then pick whichever you prefer and keep going with that until the time expires on that portion of the lesson. The main thing is, you tried, right?

In any case, use your training time to actually, genuinely evenly train both sides. And don’t forget – you can visit your trusty, tried and tested regressions for moves that are a little too tough to do on both sides. An invert on your right side and fan legs on your left side is miles better than inverting on your right and doing nothing at all on your left. And by the time you’ve completed all your moves on both sides you will be amazed how quickly the time has flown!

Follow Your Lesson Plan – Some things in life are the way they are for a reason. Ever hear the phrase, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’? We can definitely apply this to our training sessions here. Your teacher creates lesson plans week in, week out that are designed to not only be fun, but also well- structured to ease your body into a pole and aerial based workout safely.

To decide how you are going to spend your time training, you can certainly look at what your teacher has instilled in you with their classes. After completing your warm up, start out with your conditioning, and a few easier things to get used to being on the equipment. Get your body moving first, then work on your more challenging tricks and complex flow after that. If you were in class, you wouldn’t be rushing along to the biggest trick you can do, so why do it in your training time?

Find Time For Your Basics – There is nothing wrong with spending your time training movement patterns you enjoy, or practising simpler moves. Sometimes, it can feel as though there is a lot of pressure to always be ‘new’. To always be giving something different a go. Producing a brand new video or photo for the ‘Gram each time you set foot in the studio.

Aerialist life doesn’t work that way. And it certainly wouldn’t be fun if it did. We don’t check off a hypothetical box every time we achieve a move to never try it ever again. Every time you hang out in a Delilah, or sit in a pole seat, you are developing your skills as an aerialist or pole dancer. It doesn’t matter if you can also do an ankle hang or butterfly flip, and your ego is trying to push you to always do the most advanced thing you can do. Repetition is important, and you inevitably be much more well rounded by making sure you keep on top of mastering the basics as well as the brand spanking, shiny new stuff.

Safety Always Comes First – Your safety is always paramount. Even though there will most likely be an instructor present at the training session you have booked, you are ultimately responsible for yourself. Don’t try something brand new that you haven’t given a go before. If you can’t do a layback without someone spotting you – the time to give it a go without a spotter definitely isn’t in open training. Make sure you put a mat under your equipment when doing your tricks. If something isn’t working for some reason, take a breather, write down what the issue is and ask an instructor next time you are in class with them – it may be a simple fix to a professional eye, so it certainly isn’t worth risking yourself trying to work it out (and let’s face it, trying to do something over and over that isn’t quite working is also extremely frustrating, so save yourself the bother). Keep hydrated. Take regular breaks, but not the kind where you sit on your phone on the floor for twenty minutes and let your body totally cool down.

This may all seem like obvious stuff, but in class this is something your instructor will usually prompt you to do. The best sessions are always the safest sessions, and vice versa.

There you have it – some of my top tips on keeping your open training on track. And remember, ultimately, your pole and aerial journey is your own. We all progress in our own ways, at our own rate, and open training sessions can be a great way to learn a little bit about ourselves through independent training.

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Welcome back to another instalment of the XPERT blog! Autumn is well and truly upon us in the UK, with beautiful, crisp (albeit a little chilly) mornings one moment, to drizzly and dark afternoons the next. Staying motivated throughout the year can be tricky – after all, when the days get shorter our energy levels and will to ‘get up and do something’ can really start to fizzle out. But if there is one thing I am certainly glad I dragged myself out of bed to attend, it was the Children’s Pole and Aerial course delivered by XPERT. Read on to to get the
full low down about the course, how I got on, and what to expect.

I arrived at the host studio pretty promptly (anyone that knows me, knows I am a stickler for being on time). With my backpack filled with snacks, notebooks and my laptop in one hand, and a coffee in the other, I joined the bustle of the other eager learners, ready to take on a weekend of learning. The course was held at the gorgeous new space, Studio Flare, based in Redditch, which is co- owned by Jade Bensilum and Ollie Read. Studio Flare had an inviting atmosphere, and immediately put any nerves to rest before the weekend commenced.

Our trainers for the weekend were the incredible Stacey Snedden (it was very exciting to have our learning led by the head of training!) and Archer, who had come all the way from the States and is the head of sales and marketing for XPERT in the USA. Between them, the amount of knowledge was intimidatingly impressive. As Stacey began running through the fundamentals of the course, it became clear how excellent this course was going to be.

As always, the course began with the handing over of the manuals. One of the best things about XPERT is the courses and manuals are continuously updated and modified to give you the best information and teaching tools on the market. The manual covered everything from the moves, to safeguarding, to children’s development, and so much more.

Delivering pole and aerial training to children is not easy. The course wasn’t designed to teach you how to actually execute the moves (we did go over this too, of course), but the aim is to provide safe and effective coaching to children of all different ages. We covered everything from effective and fun warm ups, to tactics on how to keep attention spans as focused as they can be, to games you could implement in your class planning. I’ll admit, some of my most favourite factors of the weekend were running around and playing some games with my fellow attendees – stuck in the mud, anyone?!

The weekend covered everything you need to know about both running a children’s pole and aerial class, and how to introduce these classes to your studio timetable if you don’t already run them. Stacey and Archer were amazing at fielding any and all questions – it was invaluable to pick their brains on how to handle different scenarios and utilise their wealth of experience.

The final assessment was tough. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad it is – I wouldn’t want to be sent out into the world any less than totally prepared. The emphasis was not only on good teaching, but also on delivering the content in a fun, child-friendly way. We were tasked with providing both a fun and attention-grabbing class, as well as safe, informed and effective coaching.

Despite my initial nerves – I passed the course. Much like every other course, feedback was passed on individually at the end of the course in the form of a one-to-one. Archer gave me tons of super helpful observations and comments from her time assessing me throughout the weekend to help me continue to grow as a pole and aerial instructor.

I think all that is left to say is that if you’re on the fence about getting booked on for this course – do it. It’s a challenge, but it is so worth it.

Welcome back to your monthly check in with me here over at the amazing team XPERT’s blog. We’ve chatted about all sorts of topics here – everything from making the best out of training when the weather is too hot to handle, to candid reviews of what different courses have to offer. What we haven’t looked at, is exactly why you should take the plunge to book onto one of our amazing courses. If you’re reading this thinking, ‘I’m already an XPERT, this blog isn’t for me’ – stop right there. I’ll run through why you shouldn’t just stop at one certification. So let’s delve in – here are five reasons you need to get booked onto an XPERT course, ASAP!

Formalise Your Knowledge – Taking the step towards being a pole and aerial teacher is a big one. You will become responsible for the learning journey of countless students, and everything that comes with that. Insurance, First Aid training, self-employment contracts, invoicing, lesson planning, expanding your knowledge base constantly to stay at the forefront of the newest tricks and techniques. It is a responsibility, and It is not for the faint of heart. But amongst all of those new things to navigate, being a pole and aerial instructor is so rewarding.

To students, their instructor is a magical being who dropped to the earth one day with the natural ability to fling themselves round on aerial equipment, and an endless knowledge base on how to pass those skills onto others. The reality is quite a different story. You have spent time working on your craft to get to where you are now, and to be in the position to start teaching others. Make sure you start that journey right, with an accredited, high quality XPERT course.

On your XPERT course – whether that be online or face to face, you will be provided with a training manual which outlines everything from how to run your classes, to breakdowns of different moves, to helpful tricks and hints to creating a fun, inclusive environment at your home studio. The support doesn’t end once your training with XPERT is over, either. You’ll be given access to an online portal with all sorts of great resources to continue to supplement you throughout your instructing journey.

Spend Time Spotting – Earlier in the year, when team XPERT got together for the ‘Train the Trainers’ week, our head of training (and industry legend)

Stacey Snedden shared that some of the most common positive feedback received from course attendees is how much they enjoy the emphasis and practical application of spotting within the courses.

What is ‘spotting’? Simply put, when a student is going up into a trick (often a move they aren’t overly familiar with), and they need a little bit of extra support whilst carrying out the move – their instructor will be an extra pair of hands (literally) to help them execute the move safely and effectively. To those new to instructing, this can be a little daunting. Don’t worry, XPERT has you covered. Incorporated into the course is not only how to execute the moves on the syllabus, but how to spot them too. Your training will give you the knowledge on the correct stance to use, the correct hand positions, how to communicate successfully with your students – and if you are on the face to face course, a lot of time is spent spotting each other as you go along, too.

The Best in the Biz – When you check out who’s on team XPERT, it’s pretty much a wish list of everyone you’d ever want to get teaching hints and tips
from. Each trainer is handpicked and undertakes robust training to be able to deliver XPERT content – rest assured, no matter who is instructing your training course, the key is consistency. Your trainer will apply the same amazing XPERT methodology in delivering your course to give you the tools to be a safe, effective pole and aerial instructor.

CPD is Essential – Okay, so you’ve already done an XPERT course, and you have your regular classes at the studio. Why do further training? You need your CPD, that’s why!
We need to do our CPD so we Continuously Professionally Develop. What does this mean, and how does it apply to you as a pole and aerial instructor? Let’s break it down. When you teach a pole and aerial class, no matter the ability level, the students put their trust in you to provide great teaching. Great teaching is made up of a lot of factors – being safe, being fun, being well informed, being supportive, being inclusive, being effective, being well planned. It’s a lot of things (that list is only the tip of the iceberg). A big way to achieve the dream goal of being a great teacher, is to continue to work on developing your teaching skills. A great route to do this is by taking additional courses to keep your teaching ability in tip top shape.

XPERT training courses provide a safe space for you to work on your skills as an instructor. Under the expertise of our trainers, you’ll be able to ask questions and undergo practical training to work on your pre-existing skills, too.

For Everyone – With so many different courses, and ways of learning, there is an XPERT method for everyone. The face to face courses tour globally, with opportunities to learn from a trainer popping up at the studio near you available to view with a click of a button under our ‘Book a Course’ section on the website. And don’t be disheartened if you can’t see one for you – the site is always being updated with course availability, so just be sure to check back.

Online learning is also a great way to get your XPERT certification. With two available avenues; live online learning, and online self-learning, it has never been easier to access the XPERT training best for you.

So, what are you waiting for? Book onto your course today and start, or continue, your XPERT journey – we are so excited to have you!

There are several rights of passage when a new pole dancer or aerialist starts their journey; booking onto their very first course, purchasing their first matching outfit, the first time their feet lift from the ground in a spin or an invert. The list could go on forever. But the focus for today’s blog is a different milestone for any student, instructor, or professional alike – booking onto a photoshoot.

In case you have never attended one before – photoshoot days are wonderful. Excited participants arriving one by one, with outfits galore, and a list of their favourite tricks and screenshots from Instagram of beautiful poses that they will recreate with their own personal flair. A whole half hour (or whatever arrangement was made with the photographer), dedicated to them to show off how amazing they are, and capture their very best side.

Irrespective of the incredible confidence boost your studio family will get from their amazing photos at the end of the process – here are three reasons why you need to get a photoshoot booked in at your studio.

Giving Your Students a Focus – I’ve spoken on the blog before about the perks of putting on a showcase, and the focus your students can benefit from by having a routine to train. But the reality is, whilst an immensely fun event, there is a limit to how many showcases and performance opportunities you can create within a year – after all, with all the work that goes into the evening, many studios can only do one, or two a year! So, it is good to consider alternative ways to keep your students focused on building up their catalogue of moves. An excellent way of doing this is by hosting a photoshoot or two.

Working towards new movements and tricks is a huge part of many people’s training programmes. After all, we can measure our progress pretty well this way. But it is important to continue to revisit things, too – after all, without keeping our leg adduction (and that pesky skin grip) conditioned with seats, inevitably when we come to train our laybacks, we will have a harder time (and it’ll be much pinchier). When we think about what moves to put into our photoshoot rolodex, we may look at the newest, shiniest poses, but we also look at our old favourites. The moves we can do without even thinking. Moves that we can hold for absolutely ages whilst we wait for the apparatus to spin round to the exact right angle. By providing photoshoot opportunities, you will in turn be encouraging your students to revisit and practice all those moves, which will inevitably help their pole and aerial journey in the long run!

Social Media Content – We all know that the presence of social media is an ever-growing, ever-changing part of pole and aerial life. What trick may be trending one day, or what section of flow may go viral, is anyone’s guess. But there is certainly one thing that never goes out of style – a really beautiful photo.

Make sure that when you are looking at getting a photographer booked at your studio that you find someone reputable. In an age where practically every business is online, it’s fairly easy to find someone with an extensive portfolio showcasing their previous photography. Don’t be afraid to ask around your local (and wider) aerial community to find out about the photographer's reputation – after all, you’re inviting them into your studio safe space, to interact with your students. You want to make sure that whoever you get in is reliable and friendly, as well as providing great final images.

Once the coveted final edits are released from the shoot – reach out to your students and see if they’re open to share them with you in exchange for a shoutout on your social media pages. What better way to show off your amazing attendees than with their fantastic photos, displaying all their pole and aerial skills at their very best?

For Every Level – Photoshoots are for everyone. I’ll say it again – they are for everyone. Load up your Instagram and have a little search though your favourite pole star’s photoshoot images. The very best photos are more often the not, the most simple poses.

Your student base is made up of a wide range of people, with different ability levels and goals. When you are advertising your photoshoot, be sure to point out how the best images are the easy-to-hold, tried and tested poses. You can even lead by example – go through your own previous photoshoots and find your photos that demonstrate this exact point. Make sure that everyone knows they are welcome, and included.

One of the greatest things about being a part of a studio is the diverse range of students that come pouring through the door. You will have attendees who come to every class, train every discipline and practically live-and-breathe aerial. There will also be people who can only make time to take part once a week, between busy lives and commitments – and everyone else in between.

On top of this variance in availability, there are also many different types of learners. Your XPERT training will have prepared you for this, so I won’t spend too much time dissecting the in’s and out’s of learning styles, but what I will say, is you’ll notice distinct differences between those who need everything dissected into every tiny detail before jumping on the pole, and those who need you to stop talking to just get onto the pole.

All are welcome, of course, but there are certainly different ways to harness the best way of teaching, and therefore enhance the overall learning, of all your different kinds of students. One way your studio can provide the best service for all is to provide a blend of drop in classes, and month-long to six week style courses. Strap yourself in, and let’s dissect just how to make these two different kinds of classes work best for you, and your students.

Just Dropping In – Why Drop In Classes Are Great
A fact of life is for some, it is pretty unlikely that your average person is guaranteed to be free at the same time, on the same day, every single week. Our lives are busy, and with commitments to work, family, and even just finding some time for rest can be a challenge in itself. Making sure that your studio timetable reflects people’s sometimes hectic personal schedule is a great way to cater to your community. An excellent way to make sure that your students can get their pole and aerial fix no matter what is by providing a range of drop in classes.

What defines a drop in class? Like the name suggests, this is a stand-alone class where the tricks and techniques taught are unique to that one class. You do not have to have attended the week before in order to know what is going on. You can, of course, develop specific skills week on week – but it is vital that if someone is there one week, and cannot return again for another three weeks, that they are able to follow along with the class plan. Often, drop in classes are divided up into ability levels. This not only makes it easier for the
student to select the right class for them, regardless of day or time, and also facilitates the teacher being able to set the right level of challenge to each session. These classes are usually at a set rate cost, with some studios providing discounts depending on frequency of purchase (through class pack or membership schemes).

A great benefit that your students can reap from being a serial drop-in attendee, is the opportunity to try all the wonderful different disciplines and teachers available at your studio. They can effectively curate their own weekly timetable of exactly the skills they want to work on, on a basis that suits them. And by learning from different instructors, they will pick up tips and techniques along the way which they may never have learnt before trying out different class styles.

For studio owners and teachers, a drop in class is also an excellent way to test the waters. Do you have a class idea that you’re not sure will work? Pop it on the schedule as a one-off drop in. Get feedback from those who booked on. If it was a massive hit – amazing, consider re-formatting into a course or making a regular slot on the timetable. Didn’t go so well? That’s fine, it was only a one off anyway, and not every idea works as well in real life.

Whatever way you look at it, drop in classes are an essential part of your studio timetable. And make sure you provide a range of ability levels and styles available throughout the week in order to really get the benefits!

Well, Of Course – Why You Need to Run Courses, Too
So, you’ve got your drop in strategy nailed, and each of your classes is filled to the brim each week. Why should I even look at putting on a course, you may ask. First off, let me explain what I mean by a course.

A course is defined as a week on week set of classes – usually running from four to six weeks. A common way that courses are run is through the use of choreography or routines. This does not mean it is a dance only option. If you think of more advanced classes where combinations are more common, this is just an extension of that. The course will be pre-booked with the same people week on week, and you are able to build up on skills each week, and revisit the previous week and recap without having several confused faces pop their hand up. A course is pre-booked and pre-paid for in advance, with some studios opting to provide a discount, for example, six sessions for the price of five for committing to the course.

One of the main benefits of a pole and aerial course is continuity. Your student knows before they walk in the door that they will be developing a specific set of skills throughout that four to six week period. They will have more time in order to learn things they find tricky – instead of having to rush to learn that spin variation in one choreography session, they can practice over the duration of the course and continue to get tuition from their teacher. Confidence can be built in their own time. On top of that, as the course is pre- booked, they will also get to know the same group of people in that class over the coming weeks and hopefully make new training buddies left, right and centre!

Also, as I mentioned above, whilst you will have a cross section of your student base who are never free on the same day, or same time every week – you will also have attendees who are available more frequently, and may find it challenging to work out the best timetable for them through drop ins. By having a few set courses woven into your schedule, it becomes much easier for them to structure how their training week will look.

From a class planning perspective, a course is beneficial because you know you will have the same set of students each week, you know what parts of your choreography will have the most challenges and therefore will need the most time and attention, and you will get to know your learners. If, on week one, they are more advanced than expected, you can ramp up your tricks in the coming weeks. If you find they are struggling on certain aspects, you can slow things down and alter the class plans to reflect that. You can nurture your student’s learning journey much more easily when you know you have a decent amount of time with them, and you can be flexible in what you teach by having prior knowledge of the ability levels you have to work with.

There you have it. So, now you’ve weighed up the pros and cons of drop in classes vs courses (and hopefully concluded a blend of both is best), head to the online XPERT portal for all your class planning needs. There’s videos and tutorials a-plenty to keep you inspired and supported on your teaching journey

Transporting myself to the early days of my pole journey, I remember the excitement of one of my pole dancer pals who revealed she was three months pregnant. She had spent the lead up to that first scan secretly revelling in her new identity as a mother-to-be, hoping that her baby could share her exhilaration and passion for pole and aerial, with a whole new world of wonder at her feet, ready to be discovered. As a fully fledged instructor now, my heart sinks at the thought of that same pole pal – or anyone else in a similar situation – having to be excluded from their weekly class ritual, losing the contact to their studio family purely because there was no one at their studio
certified and able to provide them safe classes. Heartbreak no more – cue the superhero music, XPERT are here to the rescue once again, with their Pre and Postnatal Pole and Aerial course. Read on, and learn about how I got on at this amazing face to face certification.

Upon completion of this course, my first instinct was to take a day for myself. Read a trashy novel, spend the day in bed, create a cocoon of snacks and comfort to decompress. Instead, I have found myself taking to my laptop to further immerse myself in all things pre and postnatal, and sharing my experience on this course is how I’ve felt compelled to continue.

XPERT’s Pre and Postnatal training is a difficult course, I won’t lie. The knowledge covered, and some of the themes discussed are thought provoking and can be complex. But then, this wouldn’t be an effective course without these factors. Undertaking pre and postnatal clients as a pole and aerial instructor is a serious undertaking, and in order to provide effective, safe training for all, a full spectrum of content needs to be covered. This is not to put you off – if you want to take your teaching to the next level, definitely sign on. But be sure you are ready to take the training weekend seriously – there’s a lot to take in!

The weekend began at my home studio, Pure-Studios in Hereford. As we all sat down and introduced ourselves, our trainer for the weekend, Natalie Leworthy, talked us through what to expect. The passion for this subject exuded from her as she spoke, drawing from her own experience as a mother, as well as the scientific and anatomical theory. Natalie is a level four personal trainer and practicing sports therapist specialising in pre and postnatal rehabilitation and lower back pain management – and also wrote this particular course.

As with every XPERT course, we were given our training guide for the weekend. Consisting of over one hundred pages of content, this amazing bound booklet was the perfect accompaniment to the sessions. Natalie guided us through each section, covering anatomy and physiology, prenatal focus and guidelines, the childbirth and early postnatal period, postnatal focus and guidelines and so, so much more. This all sounds like a lot – but under Natalie’s instruction, the topics were covered in great detail but with a personal, relatable and accessible approach.

I was pleasantly surprised by just how much information I had taken in as we went along – and thankful for the knowledge I already had thanks to my previous XPERT certifications. The great thing about this course was the way the content drew on the context we already had as pole and aerial instructors, and built on that in order to safely include, encourage and coach our pre and postnatal clients moving forward.

The best part of this course, for me, was just how in-depth the training was, and as a by-product of this – how passionate the course was for implementing safe and effective training standards. Just by reading the manual you got an authentic sense of just how enthusiastically this course had been curated. The energy is infectious – not only have I come away with another shiny XPERT certificate and t-shirt, my eager brain wants to learn even more. And I think that is brilliant. Studio owners and instructors: trust me, you’re going to want to get this course booked at your studio.

Please note that I was whilst I attended this course free of charge thanks to the wonderful team at XPERT, all of the opinions expressed are my own and I was tested under the same circumstances as everyone else.

Transport yourself back in time to February, a dark and drizzly time of year (if you’re in the UK, that is), with little to look forward to until the warmer, springtime months. At least, that
was the case for me, until I received a coveted invitation to the XPERT ‘Train the Trainers’ week. Read on to join me, and learn all about my experience behind the scenes at the
gorgeous new XPOLE Academy in Hertfordshire, UK, getting to meet all the wonderful faces that make up the XPERT team.

With an eager arrival time of 8am, my friend and XPERT colleague Annie Norris (owner of Pure-Studios Hereford and accomplished pole dancer) and I met up, coffees in hand and ready to immerse ourselves in all things XPERT. Excitement filled me as we arrived – anticipatory butterflies of what the week was to entail. I received a warm welcome from XPERT alumni, and fresh faces also new to the week greeted us as we headed through the studio doors. Despite being hosted in the UK, trainers had come far and wide, from all over the globe to take part.

The XPOLE Academy is new for 2023 – or as industry legend Stacey Snedden, Head of Training and Development at XPERT informed me, new that very week! The luxe, matte
grey flooring was freshly laid on the Monday, ready for the XPERT week to go ahead. The aim of the studio, she informed me, was to exist as a purpose-built space by the global
leaders X-POLE International themselves, and to provide quality classes to the local surrounding area of Potters Bar, as well as a base for all things XPERT. Don’t fret – the
amazing trainers from XPERT will still be touring various studios globally to share and impart their knowledge and teach courses, but you can certainly expect to see the XPOLE
Academy featured on the website as a host, too – and trust me, this gorgeous space is well- worth a visit. The academy itself is beautifully light and spacious, with (almost) unthinkably
high poles, and enough rigging points to fill any aeralist’s heart with joy.

As the group assembled for the day to commence, it’s safe to say, the amount of talent being gathered under one roof is intense. Everywhere you looked, there was another brilliant poler or aerialist, and each one as friendly as the last. We split off into two groups – the pole team led by Chloe Anderson and Jakub Kolasa, and the aerialists led by Hannah Nicholls and Vanessa Bagge. I elected to follow the pole team, as my own XPERT certifications lie firmly in this field. The session consisted of spotting techniques, troubleshooting, and
providing consistency across all the trainers capabilities and offerings.

Now, the term 'consistency' may just seem like another buzz word thrown around – but in this case, consistency really is key. The ‘Train the Trainers’ week was curated to put each
participant through their paces, led by Master Trainers, to ensure that everyone is on the same page. The peer reviewed content is ever-growing, and XPERT is always one step
ahead, striving to purvey professionalism and – you guessed it – consistency, across the board. As I moved around the room, talking to the many different people that made up the team, the message was clear. The commitment to quality training and providing the best teaching tools to the next generation of pole and aerial instructors remained a constant
theme to everything we did.

The rest of the time was filled with top tips, training activities, assessments and more – we were really put through our paces! It is certainly safe to say, my eyes have been opened to
just how much work goes into providing the training courses, and it is immensely impressive. Stacey and Vanessa were at the forefront of the week, delivering the vision of XPERT to the
group, providing opportunities for questions and clarifications, all whilst ensuring a commitment to cohesion amongst us all. It is a tough job – and they certainly do it well.
The week finished with a photoshoot and content day, with half the studio divided up to run videography sessions and the other half for photoshoots. Dressed up in our new XPERT
swag (I’m still living in my hoodie now), we all got to take part in all the different activities going ahead. After I got my headshots done – by the amazing Jo Dandridge – I settled in on
one of the brand new yoga mats to take part in some mock classes. You can keep an eye out for me in future XPERT content, being put through my paces in a thorough warm up by
Lea Roth, and listening intently during Jakub and Chloe’s class lecture on the anatomy of stripper heels.

I could gush on forever about how amazing, and eye opening this week was, but the simple truth is this – at XPERT HQ, consistency really is key, and if you are looking to level up your
pole and aerial knowledge, you need to get your course booked in with XPERT as soon as you can!

Looking to tone your body? Fancy boosting your general well-being? Pole fitness can help you achieve this and so much more, as it’s an amazing form of exercise which is suitable for people of all ages and abilities. So, let’s take a look at just some of the incredible benefits you’re likely to feel with pole fitness.

Sleep

We all need sleep, and when we don’t get our recommended quota, it can make everyday life slightly more difficult to navigate. During pole fitness, you’re releasing lots of healthy hormones which enhance your mood, reduce stress levels, and therefore make sleep far easier to obtain.

Strength

There are lots of moves which require immense upper strength to maintain balance and accentuate certain body parts in a particular way. With nothing but your own muscles keeping you safely attached to the pole, you’re receiving a comprehensive workout not possible when based on the ground along with additional support making things a lot easier.

Flexibility

You’re often stretching, tucking and spinning, all of which equates to greater levels of flexibility across your entire body. Whilst based above the ground, your body parts have no choice but to adapt and strengthen in brand new ways, otherwise moves are difficult to perform, and you may even lose your sense of balance altogether.

Balance

This is great for the older demographic who can typically lose their sense of balance. During pole fitness, you’re constantly training your brain to coordinate your body, creating safe levels of balance that also ensures you get the most from your exercise. Having a stronger grasp with balance is crucial for everyday life, especially for even really basic things like walking.

Mental

We all struggle, but there are lots of amazing ways to feel better about yourself, and one that has always stood out would be any form of exercise. Regarding pole fitness, you’re using lots of concentration to maintain balance, and if you’re part of large classes, you’ll feel the benefit of comradery among people who share the same interest.

How Many Times a Week Should You Do Pole Fitness?

It’s best to work your way up to around 3-4 workouts a week. Like any form of exercise, it takes time to master, so tread cautiously to begin with, especially as you’re dealing with great heights.

How Long Does it Take to Get Good at Pole Fitness?

Depends really on how much time and dedication you’re willing to put in. Pole fitness is tricky to grasp, and that’s why our XPERT trainers are very careful about how they instruct brand new teachers, so they’re delivering programs we know can accelerate these benefits in the most effective way possible.

Become an XPERT Trainer

We’re one of the largest schools in the world for both pole and aerial fitness trainers. Discover our upcoming courses and begin your journey to becoming a renowned teacher, who people can trust for fitness programs that make a real impact on their lives.

Contact our team today for further information.

One of the many forms of aerial fitness we help people teach would be silks, and for very good reason. This particular performance type can bolster your core, arms, legs and grip though a range of techniques not possible when working out on the ground. 

If you’re new to the world of aerial silks and want to find out more before taking this up, we have closely analysed its origins and how this became such a firm favourite for lots of people around the world. 

When Did Aerial Silks Originate?

The origins for aerial silk fitness goes all the way back to the very late 1950’s, in which a French circus claimed to be its birthplace, as performers were encouraged to come up with fresh ideas to entertain audiences. However, only one local newspaper article reported on the event, so its credibility is often disputed. 

There’s other reports which suggest how the foundations for aerial silks were fashioned in a Circus performance called Cirque du Soleil in 1987 by Andre Simard, who worked as an acrobatic research and development specialist for the Canadian Entertainment Company. He then used this framework to mould the performance style we know today in 1995. It’s a hazy history, but whatever its real origins, this type of fitness has been with us for several decades now. 

When Did Aerial Silks Become Officially Recognised?

Despite being around for so long, it wasn’t until 1998 that aerial silks were first officially recognised. Since then, many artists have experimented with the intention of crafting lots of amazing moves which work perfectly when hoisted with smooth and silky fabric being deployed. 

Why Are Aerial Silks So Popular?

Aerial silks is a great form of exercise that helps you focus on upper body strength, with certain body parts working hard to keep you held in a particular stance. Being hoisted above the ground also means lots of unique positions are now possible, giving you the opportunity to work muscles in brand new ways. You can also improve your balance and gain a much stronger connection between your body and mind, something which can prove hugely advantageous in your everyday life. 

Over the years, aerial silks have also become a staple for a variety of performances, with elaborate tricks and drops being used to create thrilling spectacle. Holding a position to great effect can also be used to enforce emotion, with graceful movements helping the performer really accentuate powerful vibes at every turn. 

Learn How To Teach Aerial Silks

Fancy becoming an XPERT aerial silks instructor? You’ve come to the right place! Our program is packed with all the essential theory you need to teach aerial silks at home or the gym for people of all abilities. We simply require 12-months’ aerial fitness experience, and you’re set to learn over 50 spotting techniques, anatomy, physiology and much more.

Contact Our Team Today

If you’re interested in becoming an aerial instructor or something completely different, be sure to contact our team today for further information about what each of our courses include.

Teaching young children about pole and aerial fitness is a great way to lay crucial groundwork they need to perfect these forms of exercise over the course of many years. 

Are you looking to inspire and educate the next generation? Then before you get started, it’s important to understand how adults and children need to be instructed differently. 

Only with appropriate training programs can you be sure health, safety and legality have been considered where necessary. 

Is Pole Fitness Appropriate For Children?

Yes, absolutely! Simply make the required adjustments to any equipment being used in relation to the child’s age and strength. Other than that, be sure to find trustworthy instructors who will teach a safe and methodical program, in which moves are being performed appropriately. 

What Age Can You Start Learning Pole Fitness?

Children as young as five can feel the benefit from pole fitness. In most cases, programs will be separated into specific age brackets, so that very young children are following a different approach to teenagers.  

Who is Suitable to Teach Pole and Aerial Fitness to Children?

To learn how children should be taught pole and aerial fitness, you will need to have a minimum 12-months experience under your belt as either an instructor or teaching assistant. Our course will have both a practical and written exam to really enforce the specific knowledge you need to instruct these forms of exercise correctly. 

What are the Benefits of Pole Fitness?

Much like adults, children who participate in pole fitness are likely to improve their muscular strength, increase flexibility and enhance coordination skills. This form of exercise can also do wonders to your mental health, something which may prove hugely beneficial during exam season. 

What are the Benefits of Aerial Fitness?

With their body elevated high above the ground, children can stretch into positions they’ve never likely reached before. Their spinal compression will therefore be enhanced, and they should also develop a much stronger sense of balance. 

Summary

There are in fact many reasons to start teaching these forms of exercise to young children. Not only do they provide amazing health benefits, but classes can be a great social experience, and in the case of pole dancing, this is an official sport, which means children have something to aspire to with lots of competitions available all-year round. 

Do You Want to Teach Children Pole & Aerial Fitness?

We have a course made just for people who want to deliver child oriented programs. Follow our carefully crafted course to learn how over 70 spins, tricks, and transition moves should be taught to the younger demographic.

You’ll also pick up lots of information on both anatomy and physiology, to ensure you have a deeper understanding of how these forms of exercise can impact the body and mind of young children. 

Get Started Today

To get the thorough understanding you need to teach children pole and aerial fitness, book a course today with XPERT. Get in contact with us directly to learn about anything else we currently offer. 

To get the most from pole fitness, you need to wear clothing which is both comfortable and not going to compromise the effectiveness of any routines. Being comfortable baring some skin will make it much easier to keep your grip, but the clothing also needs to make you feel secure, so finding the best solution which can also keep you suitably covered will be a big concern for many. 

Why Do You Need Bare Skin For Pole Fitness?

Without bare skin being exposed to your pole, it’s going to become increasingly more difficult to perform certain moves. Your skin will create the strong grip you need to remain stable, secure and firmly locked onto the pole, so you can focus on your movements. If you wear slippery clothing, this will of course lead to slipping down the pole. 

Why Do Pole Dancers Wear Platform Heels?

Quite simply, wearing platform heels will give you greater elevation, which means you’ll be able to grip higher on the pole. You’ll also find heels are a great way to maintain stability when you decide to flex your legs outwards during certain routines. Adopting a graceful presence is also a must for pole dancers, and once again platform heels will prove advantageous, seeing as they’re often designed with lavish appeal. 

How To Safely Wear Heels For Pole Fitness

Make sure to point your toes the entire time you’re using heels, as this will increase your capacity to maintain balance. Also consider making movements with the curved part of the outsole to ensure you perform gracefully. Our Essential Science of Heels instructor training course will give you the knowledge and confidence to teach pole fitness safely in heels.

Can You Pole Dance With Fake Nails?

Grabbing hold of the pole is pretty important, so despite the glamorous appearance you get with acrylic nails, it’s best to avoid this to deter poor gripping. 

Types of Pole Fitness Clothing

Below are some of the common pieces of clothing used for pole fitness and why they’re often worn. 

Shorts

Small, tight shorts are the most practical clothing for pole fitness, keeping your legs fully exposed to allow for maximum skin contact on the pole, no matter what moves you’re performing. Just make sure they fit well and make you feel secure and confident so you can concentrate on perfecting your moves.

Leggings

You can in fact cover up your legs when pole dancing and never at the expense of your grip. Just make sure to wear leggings made with silky materials like polyester. This also ensures you have the elasticity you need to stretch your legs effectively. 

Sports Bra

A conventional wired bra will make movements far more restricted, so use sports bras instead during pole fitness. If you’re confident enough, these can be all that’s needed for the upper part of your body, and there’s plenty of sizes and styles to choose from, so it’s easy to pick something which makes you feel confident when exercising. 

Knee Pads

If you are new to pole fitness or are learning new moves, protecting your knees will be important to avoid bruises. Building up your upper body strength and learning to control your descent from the pole takes time and landing with a bump on your knees is a sure fire way to have you hobbling the next day, so get yourself some knee pads until you’re confident you have nailed the landing.

Become an XPERT Pole Trainer

Learning what to wear during pole fitness is just one key area covered when teaching people how to instruct this form of exercise. Do you want to become an XPERT trainer? Take a look at our current available courses which are now both face-to-face and online. Contact us directly for more information.

Extra precautions are needed with everyday life when you’re pregnant, and this certainly applies to both aerial and pole fitness. For most straight forward pregnancies, it’s still hugely beneficial and recommended to maintain a regular exercise regime, but there are careful considerations and adaptations needed to minimise risks as much as possible. Below we have listed a few really simple steps you can take, and also tackled some common questions people have in regards to aerial and pole fitness whilst pregnant.

Reduce The Risk Of Falling

Proprioception and balance are hugely affected by the changing shape of the mothers body. To combat this, careful spotting techniques should be used to reduce the chance of falling. Whilst you should only be training movements you’re very secure in, it’s also advised to have a crash mat down as an extra precaution.

Don’t Over Exert Yourself

Know your limitations! Your physique is comparatively different to before, and this should always be taken into consideration. Training should be limited to around 45 minute sessions, taking great care to avoid over heating. Regular breaks should be taken and it’s advisable to work on short combos rather than long ones.

Let’s Tackle Some Common Questions

Is It Safe to Hang Upside Down While Pregnant?

That depends entirely on the individual. Conditioned individuals with no pregnancy complications can continue to invert for as long as they can comfortably and safely do so.

Is It Safe to Spin While Pregnant?

Again, every pregnancy is different. As balance is already compromised, spinning may cause additional issues if performed for too long or too quickly. Due to fluctuating hormones amongst other things, many pregnant individuals experience forms of morning sickness for vary degrees throughout pregnancy. Spinning would not be advised in those cases!

How Can I Strengthen My Pelvic Floor During Pregnancy?

Completing core bracing techniques such as ‘hug the baby’ and diaphragmatic breathing throughout pregnancy can not only help reduce low back and hip pain, but also reduce the chances of incontinence after pregnancy. It’s also a lovely way to bond with your bump as it lift baby closer to your heart, soothing them with your heart beat.

Moves to Avoid

Lying on the back from 16 weeks

Lying supine isn’t recommended from around the start of the second trimester or from 16 weeks at the latest. This is due to an increased risk of supine hypotensive syndrome, which is caused by a lack of oxygen to the baby. Counter this by exercises on your side or all fours instead.

Crunches

Routines which focus on the stomach are never advised for anyone pregnant so avoid more superficial ab work such as crunches and instead opt for deeper core work such as knees down plank or cat / cow.

Movements that make your nervous or uncomfortable

If you’re uneasy or uncomfortable about how safely you can perform a movement, then simply don’t do it! There will be plenty of time for all that once your little one is here.

Want To Teach Pregnant Women?

We have now added a brand new training program to our current offerings, giving instructors the tools to learn about key changes which need to be considered when teaching anyone pregnant. By following our curriculum, you will be guided through the most suitable anatomy and physiology content with lots of additional information available regarding things like breastfeeding and c-section recovery.

Contact Xpert Pole Fitness Today

For more information about our pre and post-natal program, or anything else we provide, please do not hesitate to get in contact with a member of our team today. We look forward to hearing from you soon and getting you started on your journey towards becoming an Xpert trainer.

 

Heading into the brand new year, we’re already expanding our range of amazing training courses to now include static trapeze. Our course adopts a similar model to our existing catalogue, giving pole fitness teachers the opportunity to broaden their scope of knowledge and expertise. Below, we have tackled some common questions related to static trapeze, hopefully providing the insight you need to kick-start your teacher training for this highly rewarding form of exercise.

What is Trapeze?

Commonly used by circus performers, a trapeze is another method for keeping people elevated safely, offering the means to perform certain exercise routines not possible when based on the ground. The trapeze itself is made from two hanging ropes connected to a single pole. This will be used to support your hands and legs whilst you swivel and swing around. 

Is Static Trapeze Hard?

It takes time and lots of practice to master the art of static trapeze, and even then, with the apparatus not being fixed similar to that of poles or aerial hoop, you really have to exaggerate your movements to make any sequences come across with any kind of elegance. The key is how you use your body weight, since this largely factors into the movements you aim to display. 

Is Trapeze a Good Workout?

We haven’t added static trapeze for no reason! It’s a great workout for both the body and mind, where constant use of your upper muscles will enhance core strength, and the constant coordination required is also a great way to improve your mental capacity. Completing these workouts can be a real triumph, especially when you consider the complexity of being hoisted high above the ground on what’s essentially a playground swing.

How Do You Use a Trapeze Swing?

Grab hold of the main pole with both hands and keep your body straight. Now push your legs outwards and tuck them inwards before placing them over the pole until you’re ready to release, facing towards the ground, and always keeping your body arched backwards. You can return to your original position by putting your hands back onto the bar and then tucking your legs away, where you can then hang straight once again.

Learn How to Teach Static Trapeze

Over recent years, there’s been a real surge in popularity for effective aerial fitness programs. We’re therefore delighted to add static trapeze to our range of offerings, where prospective teachers can now learn how this should be taught in one of the first approved teacher trainings available. 

Certified by Active IQ, Pole Dance Community and Pole Safe Federation, you will learn everything you need to know about muscles, movements, progressions & regressions in the most efficient way possible. 

This brand new course is open to anyone who has successfully completed a minimum of 6 months aerial fitness and believe they can pass both practical and written assessments. If you want to learn how to teach static trapeze, feel free to get in direct contact with a member of our team today.

Looking to strengthen your body? Then definitely consider aerial hoop exercises! This has continually proven to be one of the most effective methods for both toning and building up muscles around both your arms and legs. If you’re new to aerial hoop, or already understand it’s history and need new moves to teach students, we have put together some of the best for you below.

The Star

To get this one started, you will be required to position yourself within the middle of the hoop and slowly lean backwards until your back reaches the lower part of the bar. Then, move your legs against the hoop and stretch your arms until they face all the way down. The key is finding the right balance, and as always, never attempt such moves unless you have been through some kind of aerial hoop class.

Front Facing Stretch

You’ll probably notice how most moves require you to face backwards, but doing the complete opposite can also be hugely beneficial. Firstly, move into the hoop until you’re balancing yourself only with the upper part of your legs. Use both hands to keep yourself stretched, and if you’re confident enough, release one hand at a time to really work those muscles.

Amazon Split

The amazon split requires you to firstly sit upright within the hoop. You will then need to lean backwards and stretch one leg until this has been placed flush in an upwards position. The other leg should stretch downwards, therefore creating a split. It’s up to you how far you stretch and for how long, but it’s worth noting how this would definitely be considered one of the more complex moves to complete safely.

Single Leg Cradle

Not ready for the amazon split? No worries! Take things down a notch with the single leg cradle, where you’ll be simply required to lift one leg and rest this over the other. It’s a really simple yet effective method for stretching and working your leg muscles without the danger of overstraining yourself. A definite must for beginners!

Kitty Cat

Here, you’ll be supporting your entire body with your arms. That’s because your legs will simply rest dormant across the hoop as you use your arms to feed your body downwards until you have stretched out completely. Be careful! It could be difficult to hoist yourself up once the exercise has come to an end, so make sure you’re confident with the strength you’ve built-up around both arms.

Want to Learn How to Teach Aerial Hoop?

It’s vital you follow carefully crafted programs before you even attempt to teach aerial hoop to anyone. There’s lots of safety to consider and unless you understand the complexity of this exercise yourself, you won’t be able to educate people to deter significant problems from occurring. We’re more than happy to supply both face-to-face courses and online courses, simply take a look at what we have scheduled for further information.

If you would like to speak with our team members about anything we offer, simply get in contact with us today.

Using a spinning pole can do wonders to your stamina and core body strength. Don’t just take our word for it! Many of the world’s leading artists use pole fitness for their music videos and personal health. This form of exercise is highly effective compared to ground-based routines, simply because you’re far less limited. Using a spinning pole at home or a specialist centre gives you ample opportunity to extend your legs, bend your body and stretch your arms in new and exciting ways. So, here are just some of the most common moves you can try out for yourself.

Back Bend

If you’re new to pole dancing, you might want to start off with moves that require your feet to remain firmly on the ground. A great place to begin would be the back bend, where you’ll need to hold the pole with one arm and bend your body until you’re standing using only your toes.

Carousel Spin

When you’ve managed to enhance your upper body strength, you may want to take on moves where you’re not using the floor for support. Try the carousel spin, but only if you’re confident! That’s because this move requires both arms to stretch fully, one being paced above the head and one below. This will enable you to hold your body up and away from the ground completely.

Handstand

You can obviously do this without a spinning pole, but with this by your side, you’ll have more confidence when making your attempts given the support they provide. A handstand is a simple yet really effective way to bolster your core arm strength, owing to the fact they are the only thing keeping your entire body upright.

Fireman Spin

Taken loosely from the common technique used by firemen when sliding down poles, the fireman spin does wonders to both your leg and arm muscles. With this move, you need to pull your body halfway up the pole and tuck in your legs. Hold this position for as long as you can, and doing this frequently enough will prove a really effective method for toning your body.

Scissor Sit

Moving onto more complex moves, and one of the most effective would be the scissor sit. The move gets its name due to the manner in which your legs should be positioned, and that’s with stretches being made at an angle similar to that of scissors which have been opened out. You then need to lean your body ever so slightly toward the floor and use one arm to keep yourself upright.

Horizon Plank

Want to try something really extreme? Then the horizon plank is a move that sees your entire body adopt a horizontal position. To ensure you remain supported, place one arm below the body and one above. Your legs will also need to pinch the pole for further solidity.

Learn How to Teach Spinning Pole With Xpert

Do you want to teach spinning pole fitness? Then we can show you how! Courses are often readily available both face-to-face and online. If you would like to learn about what we offer, you’re more than welcome to contact our team, and we can discuss what you’re looking for in much greater detail.

Teaching aerial hoop is immensely fulfilling! If you know the core benefits and the history behind aerial hoop, then being able to introduce this to more people will not only make you feel great, but newcomers will be starting out their journey into superior balance, stamina and well-being. However, given the complexity of aerial hoop, and of course the many safety concerns to think about, we have decided to point out some very simple things you should consider when teaching this form or exercise to anyone new.

Speak Clearly

There’s lots to get your head around, so you can imagine how poor communication is never a good thing during just about any teaching session. Really articulate the importance of every single detail, and make sure this has been explained clearly and also in the simplest terms. It can become incredibly overwhelming when we’re introduced to new things, so maybe think about breaking down each aspect behind your program so that information is easily digestible.

Know Your Stuff

You’re not going to be able to teach unless you know aerial hoop exercises yourself. This has to be taught correctly to minimise the chances of serious injury, which means finding a suitable course which teaches you precisely how things should be explained. We have aerial silk courses available right now, whether that be in-person or online. We train people to become experts, handing them comprehensive knowledge about all aspects behind this form of exercise. Calling upon our master instructors, each with years of experience, we can supply the finest training found anywhere in the world.

Take Breaks

Aerial silks can be exhausting, so don’t wear your students out! Take breaks, and if necessary, take lots of them. Even if people appear fine on the outside, they may be unaware of the physical impact this form of exercise can have on the body, which means dedicated periods for winding down are vitally important for both health and safety. Other students may be nervous, and pausing for a moment could be what’s needed to recharge the mind before going again. It’s also important that you stop yourself, since fatigue could hamper the effectiveness behind the delivery of your training techniques.

Let People Learn at Their Own Pace

Be considerate of the fact some people learn fast, and others may need additional time to process things. When teaching aerial hoop, put together a program which caters to everyone, not so much that delivery is overly slow, but also not in a way that speeds everything up. Always repeat things people may have struggled to comprehend, and maybe even consider getting natural first-timers to help with others who are experiencing difficulties during the lesson. The aim is to make this exercise accessible to every single person, which means taking the right approach from the offset is crucial.

Learn to Teach Aerial Hoop with XPERT

As previously mentioned, we have a wide range of courses available, each providing you with carefully crafted programs to ensure you’re teaching aerial hoop correctly. To find out further information about this or any other courses we supply, get in contact with us today.

You’re more than welcome to return to the gym as restrictions continue to ease, but many of us have now developed a permanent liking for home-based workouts. Having a dedicated space at home could help you save money, and it can be far more convenient when trying to learn new skills for the first time away from the public eye. Are you thinking about taking your aerial silk exercises away from studios? Then here are some important things to consider when participating in this activity at home.

Pick a Suitable Workout Space

To undertake aerial silk exercises, you need ample space at your disposal. Many routines require exaggerated movements across your entire body, so anything which gets in the way will only disrupt the effectiveness of your time using what is pretty specialist equipment. Once you have found a suitable space, you also need to ensure the general construct in place has the capacity to keep you upright. Your focus should mainly be on how the silks are fixed onto the ceiling, and in the case of most residential buildings, this is not advised unless you have built rooms from top to bottom so that heavy loads can be accommodated effectively.

Consider Health and Safety

Given how aerial silk exercises require you to be based high above the ground, the importance of health and safety really cannot be overstated. If you’re new to the activity, it’s probably best to have someone else nearby just in case an issue arises during your routine. You should also think about a soft mat, which can be placed below, helping to cushion the blow that may come from a fall. It’s a great form of exercise, but only something which should be undertaken by people who understand the complexity behind common moves and how to perform them both correctly and safely.

Learn From Experts First

Being able to teach aerial silks will likely mean you’ve been put through some form of program. If you haven’t completed an aerial silks training course, then definitely look into this! We have a broad range of courses available, offering you vital theory and insight into how this should be taught correctly. Face-to-face courses are being held in the UK, US, Germany, China and Hong Kong, and we can also provide online aerial silks training for people who would rather learn from the comfort of their own home.

Why Learn Aerial Silks?

Unlike workouts based on the ground, aerial silks will give you the opportunity to stretch into positions not possible unless you are hoisted in the air. This means you can work muscles in more effective ways, helping you tone your figure and develop a greater amount of core body strength.

Further Home Exercises

It’s also possible to participate in pole fitness at home. After you have purchased the most appropriate pole for the home, you will also need to consider health and safety, but in this case, you should find installation is not so reliant on the construct of your ceiling, given how they fix both to the upper part of a room and into the floor.

Learn to Teach Aerial Silk Exercises Today

Don’t wait any longer! Get yourself booked onto our courses today and start your journey towards teaching the art of aerial silks in a fun and safe way. For more information, simply contact our team directly.

It’s unclear as to when hammocks were first used for exercise purposes, but we do know the concept as a whole was first conceived over 1,000 years ago. The original purpose was not for chilling out or taking part in aerial hammock classes, but rather offering people protection against insects when based in tropical environments. Since then, hammocks have become a common feature across gyms, gardens and hotels for a variety of purposes.

Contact Xpert for Further Details

If you want to learn more about what we can offer for aerial hammock classes, then get in contact with our team today. We can also explain any other courses available, giving you further insight into the key benefits and what you can expect should you sign up.

Would you like to teach Aerial hammock? Get in contact with Xpert Fitness today!

Even though covid restrictions are starting to ease, there’s many of us who still prefer the idea of exercising from home. This obviously applies to pole fitness enthusiasts, and there’s currently a wide range of quality products which can be installed at your home to help satisfy this new trend. So, if you’re thinking about turning some unused space into a pole fitness facility, we have taken a close look at some of the best products around. 

Pole Away

Space can often be at a premium in many households, so definitely look into the Pole Away concept. This has introduced a brand new dimension into the way poles are installed and then stored. Putting this away is seamless, and the final result means maximising room utilisation. 

We Offer Online Pole Fitness Courses

If you want to develop more skills needed to teach, why not take a close look at the range of online pole fitness courses we have available. You can also contact our team directly for further information.

Using aerial hoops is a great way to improve muscle strength and state of mind. With your body positioned high up in the air, you will be able to really stretch yourself and achieve the ultimate muscular workout, devoid of the limitations that come from being based on the ground. 

This form of exercise has been a popular choice for many years, but where did it all begin? We have taken a close look at the origins of ariel hoops and why this concept can be so immensely beneficial for your body.

Who Invented Aerial Hoop?

A gentleman named Edward Van Wyck is often touted as the man who helped to invent the concept we know today as aerial hoops. 

When circus performances were in high demand throughout the early part of the 20th century, there was constant need for brand new equipment, and this paved the way for aerial hoops, which has now become one of the most frequent components behind such shows. 

Edward Van Wyck was a well-known juggler and creator of props in America. Before his death in 1952, Van Wyck invented a number of aerial items, helping to pioneer a brand new age of quality apparatus to be used by performers.

Is Aerial Hoop a Good Workout?

Much like aerial silks, this form of exercise benefits from the fact you won’t be based on the ground. This should mean certain bodily positions which otherwise can’t be achieved will be incorporated into your routine, giving you a more rounded workout. 

Some of the key areas to feel the value would be your arms and upper body, giving the means to massively enhance your strength. Another reason to consider aerial hoops would be the positive effect this can have on coordination, since you will be required to maintain balance and control.

Is Aerial Hoop Dangerous?

Yes this certainly can be! It’s recommended you have been through a course before taking on this form of exercise, otherwise you could be at a serious risk of falling from great heights. 

It goes with saying, this could see you inflicted with major bodily harm, so either learn how to complete such exercise from aerial fitness experts, or think about something else to help improve your core muscles. 

People thinking about teaching this form of exercise should also seek out professional aerial hoop instructor training. This way, you will be explaining things correctly, placing more focus on the important theoretical aspects which always need to be considered.

Is Aerial Hoop Hard?

Aerial hoop workouts can be difficult to master at the start, but persevering will mean you reap the rewards much further down the line. Just like pole dancing, this form of exercise can be tough on your hands, so getting your grip under control should make the rest slightly easier. 

It can take up to three months in order to feel reasonably proficient with Aerial hoops, and only through regular practise can you be sure that better use is possible in the future. 

Contact XPERT Pole Fitness for Aerial Hoop Courses

Aerial silks are another great form of exercise with much the same concerns. Once again, experience of using such equipment can only be formed when battling through the trials and tribulations which become apparent at the very beginning. 

Would you like to teach Aerial hoop? Get in contact with Xpert Fitness today!

Are you looking for an effective way to enhance your core muscles, but find conventional exercise isn’t doing the trick? Then have you considered aerial fitness? Although this isn’t often seen as the go-to choice for people who want to improve the strength and tone of their figure, we are here to explain how this could very well be the key to unlocking greater levels of balance and stamina with your body. 

What is an Aerial Silk Workout?

When carrying out aerial silk exercises, you will be suspended high in the air and be required to use your muscles to maintain balance. There are various types of movement you can make which aim to improve your strength and posture. Being able to flex your body and stretch into positions otherwise not possible on the ground means you can oversee the ultimate workout!  

The set-up for aerial silks will see two separate pieces of fabric being secured onto the ceiling. This means all the movements you make will be against gravity, giving you the capacity to really work those muscles. Once you gain more confidence, you could progress into performing some rather spectacular spins as you weave through the material. 

Is Aerial Silks a Good Workout?

The simple answer is yes! If you are someone who wants to find brand new ways of improving bodily movements and strengthening core muscles, then aerial silks will provide the very activity needed to accomplish this with distinction. After you have undertaken a few exercises, you should notice fairly quickly how your stability, posture and even well-being has increased quite substantially. 

How Much Weight Can Aerial Silks Hold?

Despite their flimsy appearance, you may be surprised to hear that silks can often come with huge breaking strength, which means everyone can use this as a form of exercise. The fact silks can accommodate pretty hefty loads, you can be sure that usage will be no problem even when you have mounted up quite a large amount of muscle. 

Can You Lose Weight Doing Aerial Silks?

Although aerial silks are generally used for muscle improvement rather than being a standard cardio workout, you may find that using these techniques along with things like running could create a more robust plan of action when fighting to lose some pounds. 

Can You Hang Aerial Silks in Your House?

Unless you have a home which comes with immense structural solidity, you are probably best to leave any aerial silk exercise to specialised gyms or centres. You may also benefit from having people nearby when you are hoisted away from the ground, as falling from great height may lead to disaster without immediate attention. If you do decide to carry out these exercises at home, it may be worth looking into online aerial silk courses before you get this underway.

Contact XPERT Pole Fitness for Aerial Silk Courses

Do you want to teach aerial silk exercises? Then we can show you how! Our courses are designed to teach people the key components to ensure they know how to carry out safe and effective aerial silk lessons. We will focus on anatomy, physiology, and point out important aerial safety measures. Get in contact today for more details.

The music industry is now largely defined by the video content being created by artists who want to ensure they are providing the visual impact needed to truly bolster their new material in the best possible way. Across the board, we have seen artists from a wide range of well-known genres use specific dance techniques to compliment the tone of their songs, helping to engage with their audience in new and exciting ways.
Over recent times, we have also seen a surge in leading musicians who have used pole dancing as the focal feature of their video, demonstrating to anyone interested in the activity that this is now something hugely prevalent within the world of pop culture. With this in mind, we have taken a close look at some of the most famous music videos which have pole dancing placed firmly at the centre and why it might be time to look into an online pole fitness course to keep you regularly exercising during the Pandemic.

 

Rihanna – Pour it Up (2012)

Ever since she burst onto the scene, Rihanna has continually helped to pioneer an age where music videos are a prime opportunity to flex creative flair. During her music video for “Pour it Up”, the Barbadian singer uses pole dancing to compliment what is a smooth and edgy number. Several cuts are made during the video where slow motion footage can be seen of her using the art of pole dancing to great effect, with the climax including an impressive hold from an upside down position.

Kelly Rowland – Work (2007)

American singer, Kelly Rowland also used pole dancing as a key feature behind her fast-paced dance number “Work”. During the video, the artist is seen displaying some intense moves and uses her time pole dancing as a means to counteract against the elements of the video which have a much higher tempo. With pole dancing at the heart of the video, Kelly is able to exaggerate movements and utilise her figure to keep things engaging throughout.

Britney Spears – Gimme More (2007)

Throughout Britney Spear’s world famous career, she has treated the music industry to some iconic videos, and decided to use pole dancing as the centre-piece of her song “Gimme More”. Within the confines of a raunchy night club, Spears can be seen using pole dancing during the entirety of the video, showing how much physical exertion can be undertaken over a pretty short period of time. The pole allows Spears to move aggressively up and down, providing the much needed movements for the style of song, while also handing her a hugely beneficial period of exercise.

Katy Perry – Dark Horse (2013)

You will often notice how the production value for pretty much any Katy Perry music video is very high, so the fact she decided to incorporate pole dancing into her song “Dark Horse” is a huge endorsement for this particular form of exercise. As a highly accomplished performer, Perry uses the pole to display her flexible body and even completes the splits. The use of pole dancing is also brought into play as a way to blend seamlessly with the beat of the song.
You can learn more about the core benefits behind pole fitness and our range of courses by contacting our team today.

You can learn more about the core benefits behind pole fitness and our range of courses by contacting our team today.

Toxic positivity: “We define toxic positivity as the excessive and ineffective overgeneralization of a happy, optimistic state across all situations. The process of toxic positivity results in the denial, minimization, and invalidation of the authentic human emotional experience.”
The Psychology Group

Those who work in the pole industry are generally a positive lot. We know that a positive mindset reaps huge rewards. We create an environment for our students of support and positivity. We are absolute masters of inspirational quotes and memes about never giving up and hard work paying off.

More than ever, we are hugely appreciative of support from our friends, family and loved ones. Messages of kindness and consideration are invaluable to us in these difficult times. But as we leave Lockdown 2 and enter Lockdown 3: The Return Of The Tiers, the sequel we all knew was in production but nobody wanted to see, misplaced positivity can reach toxic levels.

It may be wonderful for those with secure employment and steady income to spend December looking forward to lovely nights under a blanket and extra quality family time as the nights draw in, but for the majority of the pole industry, watching studios close their doors yet again, small businesses that took years to build, is heartbreaking and soul destroying.

Here’s why now is not the time for unsolicited albeit well intentioned advice – or, how to find your Mr Brightside in what can feel like a sea of toxic positivity.

It’s only for a few weeks – stay positive!

It isn’t only for a few weeks. It’s a few weeks on top of the four week lockdown on top of the original four month lockdown, longer in many parts of the U.K. Businesses only reopened their doors a few months ago, and under a whole new complex set of regulations.

And is it really only going to be a few weeks? And even if it is, what about the next sequel, Lockdown 4: Lockdown With A Vengeance? Or its sister spin-off franchise: Lockdown Vs Brexit?

No you’re right. This negative mindset doesn’t help anyone. You are absolutely correct. Ok. Let’s be positive! It IS only a few weeks.

It’s just a month! So I’m sure you wouldn’t mind giving me your months wages. You won’t even notice right? A months outgoings is NOTHING! Especially not the month before Christmas. It’s fine. I’ll just give you my bank account details and you can send it right over yeah? Cool.

What I’m sure you actually mean: “let’s hope it’s just a few weeks. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.”

I heard you can get a grant/assistance/some kind of financial help!

Oh thank you for your second hand incomplete vague advice! We are saved!

Let me assure you that EVERY SINGLE SMALL BUSINESS OWNER with any brain capacity whatsoever has spent a considerable amount of time, possibly including watching the sun set and rise, frantically researching every single possible option available to us. We know this industry inside out – as well as you probably know yours, surprisingly. Additionally we are a very strong community and we share a lot of knowledge, information and support. There is not a single piece of information relating to our industry we don’t know about, or haven’t thoroughly researched.

If you are a friend who is genuinely trying to help or offer support, thank you from the bottom of our hearts, we do appreciate that and we love that you are thinking of us. But if you are trying to tell us we don’t need to worry because you read something online, chances are we already know about it, and no, it’s not necessarily all that helpful. And no, we can’t invoke some ancient rule from the Magna Carta either.

What I’m sure you actually mean: “I hope you’re able to get financial support, I feel for you. And also you have a nice butt.”

I heard from my mate that you can *insert weird loophole theory* why don’t you try that?

Ah, the magical dance of the loophole.

We are professional business owners. Exploiting loopholes is morally questionable at best, and dodgy as f*** at worst. One of the reasons our students trust us and feel so comfortable coming to us is our professionalism – during this pandemic we have invested a huge amount of time implementing extensive Covid safety policies and a huge amount of money on strict cleaning regimes and equipment. Gym settings have to be one of the most stringent industries around for post Covid secure policies, and as a result studios and gyms are one of the lowest places for Covid transmission. Who is going to risk endangering students and inviting the wrath of the local council and Public Health England because “my mate on Facebook says a girl he went to school with registered her premises as an ambulance so technically she can open as it’s classed as an an emergency”

Stop playing games with our professional business. You’d run a mile if we suggested illegal practice for your business, and we are running a mile from you.

What I’m sure you actually mean: “I know you’re a professional and know what you’re doing. I respect any decisions you make because I’ve seen you come this far and I have faith in you. Also you’re a total badass.”

Can’t you get another job?

Let’s be clear here: we are well aware that we may need to look at other ways to bring in a wage. This is true of everybody, in every industry and every profession. Nobody is above that. But before you suggest this to your friend because, in your opinion, working in the fitness industry is no big deal, just think how you’d feel if someone suggested this to you. To set aside all the work you’ve put into your long term and successful career, your training, experience, promotions you worked so hard for, successes you achieved, networking within your industry, respect of your peers, relationship with your clients… the list goes on. Just because our industry doesn’t sit behind a desk and make deals over board room tables, doesn’t make it any less valid.

The jobs we are currently in are what we have worked towards for years, possibly decades. Dancers, gymnasts and athletes may even have been in training for these roles since we were in school. Our jobs are not typical ones, they are fairly niche specialities, that we work and train for, perfecting techniques, practising, rehearsing, training. Our jobs are our passion. At a time when the nation’s both physical and mental health is so crucial, we take that responsibility to our students very seriously. If we are lucky enough to have made our passion our business and livelihood, please don’t underestimate how hard it is to be told to walk away from that and “just get another job”. It’s not just a job to us. It’s really isn’t. As I’m sure yours isn’t to you.

Additionally, you may have noticed that we are in the midst of a global pandemic, and businesses are losing employees at a high rate, not taking on new ones. What makes you think we can just walk into a new industry in which we have no experience and pick up a new job?

An extra aside here: Please don’t throw around jokes about what you see as menial labour or inferior jobs. Laughingly throwing out comments about oh well, you can always work in McDonald’s/Tesco/sweep the streets/become a stripper is fairly insensitive – a lot of people do those jobs and do them well and with pride, and are keeping the country going. They aren’t a hilarious back up plan for when you can’t do your lovely comfy well paid job.

What I’m sure you actually mean: “I know how much you love your job and your students and how hard you’ve worked to come this far, and I really hope you’re able to keep going. You’ve got this!”

Don’t try to get me into your MLM scheme

Ok no shade here, each to their own and if you are doing well and are happy in your MLM role then power to you. But if you pop up with your “hey babe! How’s it going?!” in my inbox and try to tell me I can make heaps of cash joining your “team” you’ll be taking a long walk with your vitamin pills/magical serums/whatever where you won’t find them for a long time. Extra gross points for trying to exploit the pandemic to make sales – “at times like this it’s even more important to look after your health and boost your immunity with this weight loss tea” thanks hun!!! Now f*** off.

What I’m sure you actually mean: “I wish I could help you, I feel so helpless watching people I care about feel so worried. Please know that I’m thinking of you and trying to be positive. Also did I mention you have a great butt.”

We are all in the same boat. Lots of people have it worse

Saying you can’t be sad or upset about something because other people will always have it worse is like saying you can’t be happy because other people will always have it better. Feeling frustrated, worried, sad or lonely is perfectly valid and we shouldn’t constantly feel like we have to put on a happy face. And no, not everyone is in the same boat. There are lots of boats, a whole flotilla of boats, and some are sinking faster than others. I love a crap extended metaphor as much as anyone, but please stop talking about boats.

What I’m sure you actually mean: feel free to unload on me at any time because I know it’s crap for you. And after we’ve moaned a bit we can have a laugh and hopefully it’ll cheer us up a bit.

Learn to read the room

Maybe despite everything, you’re on a trajectory of joy and success.

Doing well despite the world going to hell? Promotion? Pay rise? Sleeping with Ryan Reynolds? Fantastic! Good for you! That’s great!

But here’s the thing: maybe now is not the time to plaster that all over Facebook in glorious HD Technicolor. To be clear, this is not ragging on people doing well. You deserve that and have worked hard to get there, and as your friends and loved ones we want to celebrate that with you. Truly. Via zoom, if necessary. But a little consideration and compassion for people who are worried about losing everything goes a long way.

What I’m sure you actually mean: “I really want to share my good news with you because you’re a special person in my life and you’re important to me. But I also know it’s ok for you to have a bit of a moan and a mope and maybe I’ll wait until you’ve had a bit of time to do that before I bring this up.”

Tough love

Maybe you are a proponent of tough love. Maybe you think a strong dose of reality is what everyone needs. Maybe you genuinely don’t care about how other people feel or about their opinions of you. In which case, great! Congratulations on your psychopathy bro. I’m sure it’ll stand you in great stead in years to come as your friends slowly stop inviting you to things and you’re left alone. There is absolutely a time and a place for tough love and some stiff upper lip and all that. But ask yourself – is this really what my friend needs right now? More than ever at the this time it’s important to look out for each order, be kind, be caring, be considerate, and be empathetic.

And that, right there, is my positive stance at this moment in time. My students have been amazing, and have adapted to the new rules and regulations and procedures with intelligence and good humour. They have been kind, loyal and supportive, as has this industry and community as a whole. I feel very lucky to be surrounded by such hard working, positive, inspirational and uplifting people both in a work capacity and as my friends.

There is always hope. More than ever, we need to look out for each other, and support each other. Now is the time to get creative with our businesses, and rely on all our knowledge, experience and instinct to get through this. With so many opportunities opening up online, more than ever we can support our instructors and friends by taking their online classes, and supporting our studios.

There are tough times ahead but I know I’m not going through it alone. And THAT is my Brightside.

Bexiita Ackland

Master Pole and Aerial Fitness Trainer Sarah Scott Shares Her Thoughts on the Mainstream Success of Pole Dancing

Sarah Scott is an international pole dancing performer and master pole and aerial fitness trainer. Her numerous accolades include 1st Place at the 2012 Miss Pole Dance UK, and 2nd Place at the 2014 World Pole Dance Doubles. She’s also made several, high-profile TV appearances including Sky 1’s A League of Their Own, and gained a huge social following.

Sarah recently spoke to HFE (Health and Fitness Education) and explained why pole dancing has become so popular. She said: “Pole dancing is nothing new, but recently it’s become a lot more mainstream as the fitness world is realising it’s a brilliant way of getting people involved who would otherwise be fearful of the gym environment… (it) helps women get another view of their bodies. It’s not just about losing weight, but about being part of a group and having fun. Most importantly of all, it takes the emphasis off the exercise itself and places it onto the mastering of a technique, which is where the enjoyment and commitment come into play.”

She went on to explain how pole dancing provides an exciting alternative to regular fitness classes: “The other big advantage pole dancing offers is the sense of support… Normally the same people are going to pole classes every week and if someone gets a move they’ve been struggling with then there’s a big round of applause. That sense of group support is hugely motivating and reassuring.”

Sarah also offered some advice for personal trainers looking to get into pole and aerial fitness: “The PT industry can be incredibly competitive, so if possible you really want to carve out your own small niche… The first step is to get certified which they can do through number of providers or gain their qualification with XPERT Pole & Aerial Fitness, which is the only provider to offer the QCF… This qualification has really helped to give the industry credibility and raise the overall standard.”

Read the full interview on HFE’s blog.

About HFE

HFE (Health and Fitness Education) is a leading training provider of personal trainer courses and fitness qualifications. They have recently received an Outstanding Achievement at the ukactive Active training Awards for Best Use of Technology.