Large upper body, Tiny lower body

Rylonn started this discussion · 6/14/2013

Hey girls, So, as I get stronger and stronger from pole, my shoulders and arms are starting to bulk up quite a bit. I dont really mind, except I have TINY ANKLES. Basically, my entire body from shoulders to feet made quite a triangle. Is there anything I can do to try and balance this out? Should I work out my legs more, or are there stretches or something that I can do to reduce the upper body bulk? Or is this just a poler's problem that I have to deal with? Thanks, pole love for everyone!

7 replies

Spinnesque · 6/14/2013
I can relate to that...Ive been training pretty intensely since new year, then I tried on a strapless summer top the other day and my shoulders just made me look like an upside down triangle!
Storypole17 · 6/15/2013
Yes - a polers problem lol! I have quite large lats, shoulders and biceps. And my hips are really small...I don't mind at all the way I look but my problem has always been finding shirts that fit me correctly :-(. I'm either bulging through the top like the hulk, or if it fits my upper body, it's way too baggy around the waist...
Rylonn · 6/15/2013
Oh hahahaha! Yes, I feel ya, I had to discard a few shirts because I couldnt get my newly bulging biceps through the sleeves :P
korinne · 6/15/2013
I've considered buying larger shirts and taking them to a tailor... Not terribly expensive...
Autumn Sky · 6/15/2013
I must say I have been struggling with this issue and it bothers me. The part that bothers me is that at 44 I am still buying into the "skinny looks better than fit' mentality. I have always had a small frame and never have been athletic, so my arms have always been thin. Now that I have been poling for over a year, my arms are muscular. I love having the strength to do pole moves, but to be honest, when I walk by a mirror in a sleeveless shirt, I think, ohh, I look big. I so wish to change what society considers beautiful, but more importantly, what I consider beautiful.
korinne · 6/15/2013
So strange how we view people. I've been poling >7years and all of my good friends are polers. Now when I see people without big arms something looks just a little off to me... I know it's just as rude as judging people for whatever frame they have, but I can't help but look at actresses and think "She needs to lift weights or something. Her arms look funny."
Lina Spiralyne · 6/15/2013
Korinne, I also pay this kind of attention to arms and think that many people I see need to start lifting weights :). Just because muscular arms look so good. But I guess the problem was more of the proportional kind in this case. I guess if you Rylonn have this issue, don't forget to train your lower body as well. Maybe with very high weights? That makes muscles more volymous.