Does Pole Health Construct Muscle?

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As well as being an incredibly fun and confidence building activity, pole dancing is hard work too! I mean, if you’ve ever tried holding yourself up by a pole – let alone twisting your body around it – you know how challenging pole dancing can be. Fortunately, this difficulty also makes the workout so good! Whether you take a pole fitness class in person or at home, you can rest assured that you will end up sweaty and exhausted. But is pole fitness really effective for weight training? POPSUGAR spoke to three fitness professionals to find out.

Does pole fitness build muscles?

There’s a reason pole athletes look so toned. “Pole fitness requires a lot of upper body strength, core and abduction muscles,” Laura Giromini Arrigoni, a fitness trainer with the XPOLE group at Crunch, told POPSUGAR. “Not only will you get stronger, you will also build lean muscles. It’s about strength, flexibility and balance.”

Colleen Freeman, DPT, physical therapist, and Pilates and group fitness instructor, added that pole fitness is effective for building muscle for several reasons. Pole dance is essentially suspension training (Freeman compared it to TRX) and involves constant dynamic movements. “You have to hold on to a bar during a fitness session, which is a huge challenge for your grip, shoulder, upper back, neck, and core strength,” said Freeman. “In addition to keeping your own body weight on a bar, you have to add rotating and changing positions on the bar and now you are really challenging your body. Not only are your muscles getting stronger, but your vestibular or equilibrium system in yours too Brain will improve. “

Pole fitness is also a departure from other forms of weight training, and that’s a good thing. “Pole is a great way to build muscle and stay physically active – it’s so fun it’s addicting,” said Shelly Murdock, certified Pole Instructor and owner of three Exotic Workout Studios and the Fit to Flaunt app. “You honestly don’t even feel like you’re not exercising until the next day when your muscles are sore. It forces you to hug and appreciate your body for everything it does. It gets you out of your comfort zone and helps you see beyond any perceived flaws. “

How long does it take to build muscle with pole fitness?

As with any workout, results will vary, but if you regularly take pole classes at least a few times a week, you should feel (and see) a difference within a few months – or even sooner -. “You will find that you are stronger before your muscles start growing because the number of nerves going to your muscles will multiply before your muscles get bigger,” said Dr. Freeman. “You actually grow more nerves to the muscles that you use more often! Once the muscles can no longer support nerves, the muscle cells get bigger and you keep getting stronger.”

So, even if you don’t look like you’ve made any progress in the first few months, keep doing it. “Progress has been made in how long you are able to hold onto the bar, how much effort you experience at the end of a workout, and how you can use tougher and more complex bar techniques,” said Dr. Freeman.

Is Pole Fitness Good for Beginners?

“The nice thing about pole fitness is that it’s a workout that anyone can do,” said Murdock. “Beginners usually begin with mastering basic rotations and beginner-friendly conditioning exercises that improve neuromuscular coordination and build strength. Once these skills are no longer challenging, new skills are slowly and surely introduced into workouts.”

Arrigoni agreed. “Anyone who is an expert today has been a beginner,” she said. “Everyone who takes my pole classes leaves school empowered, challenged and enthusiastic. I also teach students over 60 who have never trained before. The secret is not to give up!”

If you’re looking to incorporate pole fitness into your routine and are wondering if it’s worth it from a strength training standpoint, the answer is a resounding yes. Just stay engaged, don’t be afraid of changes, and most of all, have fun. You’ll be stronger before you even know it!