The 10 Commandments of a Pole Student

January 20, 2012 · by amy~* · in ,

  1. I will respect my body. I will warm up, cool down, and try to feed it the nutrients that it needs to work. I will listen to it when it tells me that it’s feeling weak, tired, or hurting. I will strengthen, condition, stretch, and rest, realizing that all of those elements in balance are necessary. My body is the best tool I could possibly have, and I will appreciate it for all of its strengths and all of its flaws because it works damn hard for me.
  2. I will respect the difficulty of my sport. I will not take for granted that it is hard, brutal, work that requires superhuman amounts of strength. I will use all available safety measures when trying new tricks.
  3. I will not push myself into tricks that I am not ready for. I will not jump or kick into tricks. I will work trick progressions to build strength, muscle memory, and body awareness. I will admit that not every trick is right for every body, and that I should not expect to be able to absolutely everything.
  4. I will do my best to find an instructor that inspires, pushes, and supports me. Once I find that instructor, I will trust them and respect them to know what is right for me and I will openly communicate with them about my concerns and goals. But until I find that instructor, I will take active steps to do the best I can with the instruction that I have available to me. I will take an active role in my own learning.
  5. I will not covet my neighbor. I will be positive and supportive to those around me, whether they are from my studio, state, or community at large. By seeing others succeed and grow, I will fuel my own desire to be the best poler that I can be.
  6. I will not judge my neighbor. We were all beginners once, we all have different styles, and we all have different goals. I am no better than anyone else just because of what I am able to do on a pole. I am not there to teach or criticize. I am there to learn.
  7. I will forgive myself. I am doing this because it is fun, and I enjoy it, and the challenge is exciting. Everyone has bad days once in a while, or for days at a time. There is no race. There is no finish line. There is no time limit. There are no mistakes. “Failure” is a learning opportunity in disguise.
  8. I will be true to myself, and what I am hoping to get out of pole. Whether I started pole to feel sexy, strong, or both, I will set goals that are specific, realistic, and achievable. I will not measure myself against anyone but myself. And if I am in need of a day to just spin, just roll on the floor, or just work super hard tricks to get my mind off of something else—I will do it. Pole is my therapy, my sport, my passion… not my obligation.
  9. I will not pole under the influence of any drug.
  10. I will take steps to trim, manicure, landscape, shave, or wax. Or I will wear full coverage shorts.
What would you add to the list?


Monday’s post: Showcase!…