Strength Training FAQ

Click a question to jump to the answer…

• Do I have to do strength training?
• How often should I strength train?
• When should I strength train?
• How much should I lift?
• How many reps/set should I do?
• What exercises should I do, to complement pole?
• What if I don’t want to get bulky?
• Ask a question

Do I have to do strength training?

It’s up to you. Pole dancing can be a full body strength training workout, so in that sense it can be a replacement for the gym, should you wish. However, if you are struggling with some pole moves, you might find lifting weights or visiting a personal trainer is just the boost you need. Or if you’re like me, and you want to be progressing faster than you are, you can add strength training into your weekly regime to assist with your pole goals.

How often should I strength train?

A general rule of thumb is that you should do a full body strength training workout only three times a week.If you like to split your training up by muscle groups, perhaps doing upper body one day, and lower body the next – make sure you’re not repeating a muscle group two days in a row.

Most importantly, you should always leave at least one whole day of rest between workouts. If you have gone hard and worn your muscles out, they need time to recover and rebuild. This is the ONLY way they will get stronger. If muscles do not get adequate time to repair they will be prone to injury.

Remember, your ‘rest days’ are rests for your strength training. If you want stretch or do cardio on these days – go for it!

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When should I strength train?

First it’s important to be clear on one thing. Pole dancing is actually a strength training workout. It counts just the same as going to the gym and pumping iron, especially with regards to the upper body. Bearing in mind that you should only strength train three times a week, you may be left wondering when on earth you can fit in pole (or vice versa)! The trick is, you can do a strength training workout on the same day as pole. Before or after, it matters not. It’s better to work out twice in one day, than two days in a row. Just make sure you’re not pushing your body beyond its limit.

If you’re the type of person who likes to structure their pole dance sessions, you could include strength training just after you pole, and before you warm down, for example. In fact, several pole studios will do ‘circuits’ with their students, which will incorporate strength training moves such as push ups, leg lifts, tricep dips and squats. In some cases, one half of the class will be doing strength and flexibility training while the other half is working on the poles, and then they’ll switch.

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How many reps/sets should I do? And how much should I lift?

This depends on goals and your personal fitness level, among many other things. A good guide for beginners is to pick a weight that you can do about 8 reps, no problem. At 10 reps you should be struggling a little, and 12-14 reps should be almost impossible. You should then aim to do 3 sets of 10 reps, with this weight. Of course, you will have to increase this weight as your strength improves.

Note: A repetition (or ‘rep’) is the number of times you do the movement, without a break. A ’set’ is how many times you repeat that number of reps. For example, 3 sets of 10 bicep curl reps, with 30 seconds rest in between.

No matter how many sets or reps you are doing, you must make sure your work is worth it. The easiest way to check, is to ask yourself – ‘did I feel a burn?’ or ‘was that really, really hard towards the end?’ The answer should be yes.

You should lift enough weight that your last few reps are difficult, but it should still be possible to hold correct form and perform the move without cheating. In general, large muscle groups such as the back and chest can handle more sets than smaller muscles groups such as the biceps.

Recommended Reps to Sets Guide

If you’re already doing regular strength training, here is a good guide that will help you pick the right weight, and number of reps and sets for your desired goals:

Goal	Reps	Sets	Weight
For endurance	13-20	1-3	65-75% of your 1RM
For strength and power	2-8	2-5	85%+ of your 1RM
To bulk up	8-12	4-5	70-75% of your 1RM
To lose weight	10-12	1-3	85%+ of your 1RM

Wait – what’s a 1RM?

1RM stands for 1 Repetition Maximum, and it’s basically the most weight you can possibly lift. To calculate it, do a number of reps of a certain weight until you completely tire out and cannot do any more. Then go to this website and enter the weight you used and how many times you managed to lift it: http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/OneRepMax.html

Rest and Pacing

To get the most out of your strength training workout, it’s also important to set the right pace. First of all, each rep should be done slowly and deliberately. If you thrust the weight into the air quickly, you may look (and feel) powerful but you’re actually using momentum to do the work, not your muscles. So make sure each rep takes a minimum of four seconds to perform (two to contract, or go up, and two to release or go down… slower if you can!). Use the chart below to get an idea of the optimum rest time, between sets, for your personal goals.

Goal	Rest Period
For endurance	30-60 seconds between sets
For strength and power	3-6 minutes between sets
To bulk up	1-2 minutes between sets
To lose weight	2-5 minutes between sets

*This information has been collected from various sites including exercise.about.com, homomuscle.com and bodybuilding.com.

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What exercises should I do, to complement pole?

There are two parts to this answer. The first includes exercises that mimic the actions your body is required to perform during pole dance, thus helping you strengthen the necessary muscles. The second includes opposing muscles, in other words the opposite muscles to the ones you regularly use, and is equally important to ensure that your body is balanced and that you will not develop postural problems or vulnerability to injuries.

To improve your poling – working the required muscles

Focus on your upper body, abs, obliques, upper back and thighs. A sample of appropriate exercises includes:

Muscle group	Sample exercises
Arms	Bicep curls, tricep dips, tricep extensions, chin ups, close grip pushups
Shoulders, chest and upper back	Pushups, wide grip pushups, rows, lat pull down, shoulder press
Thighs/quads	Squats, single leg squats, step ups, hamstring curls, adductor squeezes, lunges
Abs and obliques	Crunches, leg lifts, bicycle legs, side leg raises, medicine ball seated twists, plank (aka prone bridge hold)
Forearms and grip	Palms up wrist curls, palms down wrist curls, finger exercises (squeezing a rubber ball)

There are of course many, many other options. If you are unsure of how to perform any of these exercises, please ask a qualified fitness professional, or research the correct technique online.

To even out your body – working the opposing muscles

As I mentioned before, it is equally as important to strengthen the opposing muscle, as it is to work on the muscle that performs your desired move. For example, if you are doing a lot of ab and core exercises, you should not neglect your lower back. If you are doing a lot of bicep, chest and shoulder work outs, don’t forget to strengthen your back (otherwise you’ll end with a tight chest and a hunched posture). Stretching also plays an important part in maintaining balance throughout your body.

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What if I don’t want to get bulky?

Women often worry they will become ‘big and masculine’ if they lift weights. This is simply not the case. Although it is possible for a female body to become bulky, it takes a lot of careful consideration and deliberate effort, along with a high level of testosterone. Women do not produce the same levels of testosterone that men do, thus our muscles naturally develop differently, even if we do the exact same exercises. In case you’re wondering how female body builders mange it – the answer is many of them use anabolic steroids containing testosterone along with a very strict, intense diet and exercise regime.

You should not steer clear of heavy weights, in fear of bulking up. Many people believe that lifting a low weight at high repetitions is the best way to build lean, smooth muscle tone on women. This isn’t really accurate either. Muscle responds to resistance, and if the weight is too light there will be no resistance, thus no toning will occur. See the section above on how much you should lift for more information.

Also bear in mind that many women who you may consider ‘too bulky’ only look like this while they are training (including while they are performing pole). When your muscles are fully tensed, and working hard, they bulge out and look more defined. When you are just minding your own business, at home or work, your muscles will not look this way.

Don’t be afraid of muscles. Muscle is smooth, toned, tight and lean– while fat is wobbly, bumpy and saggy. Which would you prefer?

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Any questions?

Do you have other strength training questions? I’ll be updating this page as required, so feel free to ask them in the comments section below.

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