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!