The Best Of Pole Fitness – November 2016
I read a lot every month, from pole to general fitness, healthy eating and nutritional information.
I come across things around the web from time to time that I think you guys will be able to take helpful advice and information from.
So, whenever I see something I think you'll benefit from, I save it right into my Evernote. Once a month I'll put together a roundup of my favourites for you to enjoy.
So without further ado, here is the seventh post in my series of favourite pole fitness, health and nutrition articles I read this month!
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Pole Dancing & Fitness
First, let's check out the top pole dancing & fitness articles I read online this month...
#1) Massage & Flexibility
Wouldn't it be great if we could get a massage before each flexibility session to help our muscles.
Unfortunately, that's a little impractical unless you have a massage therapist living with you, but there is something you can do to massage those muscle fibers pre-stretch.
In this post from Mel Nutter you'll learn some of her favourite techniques to get the blood flowing and relieve tight muscles before stretching.
While Mel prefers a hard and smooth roller, I like something a little more extreme to really get into the tough muscles.
These can also be used post-stretch session for faster muscle recovery!
#2) Have You Lost Your Pole Mojo?
In the latest post by Holly over at Pole Freaks she reveals that she's been a little distracted from pole recently.
She writes about how going to a pole event helped to put the magic back in pole for her and how you can re-discover your pole mojo if it wanders off!
This is something we all experience, probably more than once in our journey so if you need extra help staying motivated you can also check out these 22 ways I use to stay motivated.
#3) How To Stay Body Positive
I'm loving this post from Peach Lee Ray this month all about how to be body positive in the pole fitness industry.
It's very typical of a fitness industry to be all about chasing muscle, abs and losing weight - but where does that fit in with our community of all shapes and sizes?
In this article you'll learn the right way to market the benefits of pole dancing if you have classes and how you as a student can encourage a positive and accepting environment in class.
#4) Men Pole Dance Too
In this story at Australian Pole Dancers Magazine, Duncan Bullworthy shares his first hand experiences of being a male pole dancer in a sport dominated by women.
He also talks about how nerve wracking an all male class can be for the average guy if it is promoted with lots of ripped, muscley men.
You'll learn why he chose to go it alone as the only guy in class and how he overcame challenges along the way.
Not only that, but you'll also get an insight into what to expect as the only guy in a pole studio.
This post isn't just for men though, ladies please read and take note.
Men pole dance too and there should always be a space to accommodate any student who wishes to join your classes. Even if it is only a one off night each week.
#5) Having Trouble Finding Your Own Style?
In this post over at Vertical Fitness, Sarah Myers writes about how she only really connected with her own personal style six years into her pole journey.
She goes over the true meaning behind having a 'nemesis move' and how attending workshops with lots of different people with their own unique styles helped her to adopt her own style.
You also learn a little bit about each of the main different styles of pole dancing out there.
Finding lots of different ways of getting in and out of each move and collecting favourite combos from lots of different pole dancers is what eventually developed Sarah's style, so don't worry if you haven't found yours yet!
If you're struggling to force yourself into a particular style just relax, eventually your very own style will take you by surprise.
#6) Tips For Teachers
Last but not least for our pole articles this month are these great tips from Rhyn Cheung on the Bad Kitty blog.
If you've come to the point in your journey where you want to teach this advice will come in handy for you.
You'll learn why your classes can become quiet after the buzz of a new teacher dies down and the qualities you need as an instructor to keep your students coming back for more!
Other Fitness Tips I Read This Month
In this section I'll be sharing tips from fitness blogs around the web that can be useful in your pole training too!
#7) How Much Protein Do You Really Need?
In this article over at Girls Gone Strong, Cassandra Forsythe gives us the low down on protein.
You'll learn how much you need and what type of protein is best.
I'm a whey protein fan myself and I have a lot of eggs in my diet to boost intake.
The most interesting thing I found in this article was Cassandra's theory that plant-based proteins are very high in fat and can actually hinder weight/fat loss.
While they're also slightly lower in protein making it harder to fit in your required intake each day, the same can be said of some meat and dairy based protein.
It entirely depends on the food you are eating for your protein intake, chickpeas and avocado for example are fairly fattening, but then so is pork which is an equally good source of protein.
If you're looking for lean muscles the most important thing to take away is to be mindful of the types of protein sources you consume to meet your daily intake.
#8) 8 Reasons To Do Headstands
I love a good headstand, for some reason I find them pretty easy. That's probably because I did them a lot as a youngster at school!
That's why I was intrigued by some of these 8 benefits of doing headstands, with everything from core strength gains to building better breathing, stronger lungs and even giving your body a cleansing detox of the lymphatic system!
In this post you'll also learn 7 steps to help you with the correct technique to try them out.
Tips For Mums
Although I’m not a mum myself, I forever see people looking for advice on pole and exercise during and after pregnancy.
Since I have neither the qualifications nor experience to advise on pregnancy in any way, I'll do my best to share any helpful articles I find on the subject every month here in the roundup!
If you're looking for like minded pole dancing mums you should visit the Pole Mamas Facebook group, there's no better place to connect with mums who pole for guidance!
#9) Excerises For C-Section Recovery
In this brilliant article by Nicole at Breaking Muscle you'll find a detailed 8 week plan to help your recovery after a C-section.
These are not heavy workouts and can be started as early as two days after your C-section to help with the healing process.
The sequences put together here focus on three crucial recovery aspects; Restoring your abs, meditating & regular walking to re-condition your body.
These gentle exercises are for women in the first eight weeks of recovery post C-section.
She'll take you by the hand and lead you from day one right up to the end of week eight with three sequences per week.
The Healthy Food Corner
In my house we do a lot of food prep, I'm forever looking for healthy meals I can cook in bulk.
Apart from saving a bunch of time this also allows me to worry less about diet and what I'm going to eat in the moment of choosing a meal.
Once a month my partner and I pick 2 - 3 recipes each, buy all the ingredients for around 8 portions in bulk, and then spend a day each cooking!
So, every month I'll share my favourite recipe from the month with you right here:
#10) The Main Course
I've been meaning to try these since last month, I saw an article on eggs by Neo over at the Pole PT and I was really excited, because as I mentioned earlier, I love eggs!
In this post Neo gives us 3 easy recipes to re-discover your love of eggs, including these super cute and tasty 'Kinda Quiche Muffins'
Just take a look at my kitchen antics:
I got so into these, they taste great and you should definitely try them out!
#11) A Healthy Tasty Treat
This month's healthy yet tasty treats are these banana cookies from All Recipes.
Made from just oats, bananas, dates and vanilla extract they're pretty healthy, but to get the best flavour I would recommend adding a little rum extract or honey too.
You can also use raisins instead of dates or just leave out the dates if they're not your cup of tea.
They're great that way, but on their own can be a little bland depending on your preferences.
Try experimenting with the flavours and let me know what you think!
#12) Something Different To Wash It Down
As the festive season approaches this month I decided to let up on the super healthy drinks.
We all like a little tipple over the holidays so instead of healthy shakes, this month I want to introduce you to two healthier alcoholic drinks from Born Fitness!
If you fancy a drink or two with your merry making this will help you to keep things moderately healthy, for those of you that prefer to eat your calories, not drink them.
There's none of the usual suspects in these festive cocktails, no sugar, syrup and the alcohol content is mild.
Cheers to a very merry festive season =)
If you've read any great pole fitness articles you think deserve a spot in the top 10 next month feel free to share them with me here or comment below! Did you find these articles helpful?
