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Lauren Long (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer 

When does a hobby change from a pastime to a lifestyle? I answer this question daily as my pole dancing journey progresses. 

When I started, I wanted to learn how to pole dance and stay consistent after briefly experiencing it in university. I never dreamed that pole dancing would transform me in every sense and become such an integral part of my life and identity.

I have trained at home for the past five years through online tutorials and exercises. In that time, I’ve lost weight and kept it off, with the exception of last year when I lost myself following personal losses. It took awhile, but I am back to training regularly and taking control of my life again. 

My interest in pole dancing started in university and was reignited in 2019, but it wasn’t until 2020 that it became my lifestyle. With the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19, I began working out at home full-time, and alternated between pole dancing, cardio and resistance training. 

As I became more invested in pole dancing, I realized that lifting weights wasn’t producing the strength I needed for pole, and I knew something had to change. 

If I wanted to build the strength needed to lift myself onto the pole, I knew I had to make another adjustment, and decided to try calisthenics after seeing a video on YouTube. Afterwards, I reached out to my instructor and asked if weights or calisthenics were better for pole and she told me to focus on calisthenics and flexibility training, and to make an effort to build in time for each. 

Here are the five main components of what training pole requires physically: 

1. Strength
2. Flexibility
3. Balance
4. Endurance
5. Agility 

It is important to build a foundation in these on and off the pole. On the days I’m not training pole, I perform exercises that require the continuous building of strength, flexibility, balance, endurance and agility needed for me to train safely and efficiently. 

On the mental end of the training spectrum, here are a few examples of what is required for pole dancers to get the most out of their training sessions: 

1. Concentration
2. Rest
3. Complete Control Over Mental Faculties 
4. Determination 
5. Playing Music While Training

Just as the physical components go hand-in-hand, the five mental elements tie together as well. It is essential to be well-rested before a training session, because our bodies produce a growth hormone during sleep that adds to tissue growth and repair, influencing our energy and pole practice. If I don’t sleep well the night before, I stretch or take a rest day.

Pole dance is high-risk, and if you’re exhausted and you train anyways, you’re more likely to hurt yourself. No matter what the injury is, it can set you back. Never attempt a pole practice under the influence. 

On a lighter but serious note, determination is important for pole dancers, because how else would we be inspired to do our crazy awesome tricks? That being said, it is imperative that we don’t become discouraged when a training day doesn’t go the way we want, which can be tough. Pole dance takes hours of practice, dedication and determination, and there are days when I feel dejected because I’m not where I would like to be, or I’ve tanked a move I have done perfectly before, and I have to remind myself that tomorrow’s a new day and I can always try again. 

Finally, playing music while training improves intellectual stimuli, motor control functions, and emotive inspiration. What I listen to while training depends on the day and my mood, so I’ll listen to Taylor Swift one day and then switch over to an R&B/soul or soft pop playlist the next. 

Before I twirl off to go for a spin on the pole, I’d like to share some pole dancer quotes and sayings: 

1. “Pole dance is a passion, an addiction, a sometime obsession, a lifestyle, a discipline, an art.” 
2. “Point Your Toes!” 
3. Pole Kisses 
4. “Hold It!”
5. “We’re not even going there!” 
6. “Stop bobbing your head.” 
7. “Never mess with a woman who hangs upside down for fun.” 
8. “I don’t pole dance because I’m strong, I’m strong because I pole dance.” 
9. “Yes, it’s a sport and I’d like to see you try it.” 
10. “It will hurt. It will take time. It will require dedication. It will require willpower. You will need to make healthy decisions. It requires sacrifice. You will need to push your body to its max. There will be temptation. But I promise you, when you reach your goal, it’s worth it.” 
11. “Never compare your pole style with others. Your journey is unique. Own it and make the best of it.” 

And my personal favourite: 

1. “Your pole is the canvas, your body is the brush, your soul is the paint. We all have the ability to turn a self-portrait into a masterpiece.” 

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Born and raised in Quesnel, BC, Lauren Long is a strong advocate for mental health and well-being, as well as being a major Swiftie and a role model for positive body image. When she’s not writing, you can find her on the pole, on the training mats or curled up with a good book.