Sore Muscles

balletgurlie started this discussion · 5/14/2009

Okay I have two questions but first let me explain what's going on. I have no upper body strength at all. So before attempting most moves, my roommate and I have decided to work mostly on strength training (the only moves we're working on are the four different fireman moves that Veena has lessons on). We're both really sore to the point where it kind of hurts to straighten our arms. So my first question is this; is it normal to be that sore when you first start pole dancing? My second question; is it more beneficial to work through the pain and continue working on moves everyday and strength training every other day, or should we only work on moves every other day as well? Any advice would be great!

5 replies

Veena · 5/14/2009
Yes its normal to be extremely sore!! To help with sore muscles be sure to stretch after your work out, drink a lot of water, and don't work the same muscle groups in a row. A bath in epsom salts will feel good too. You really can't do anything to avoid becoming sore, its just part of your body dusting to the new stress placed on it. With that being said, when your new to pole dance, don't work on spins or inverts every day! Spins/inverts require you to use your whole upper body, so if you did a strength training work out the day before, you don't want to do spins the next day, unless you only trained your lower body the day before. Once you become more advanced you can, train more often, but as a beginner you will put yourself at risk for over use injury, if you don't take a day for recovery. If you want to do some type of pole dancing every day (cuz I know its so darn addictive) try this. Do your strength moves like you have been, which should not be daily, but, every other day! Then at the end of your strength training, add your spins practice. Rest the next day, or you could work on transitions, stretching, or just dance around the pole. One more thing, make sure when your working on your spins, your keeping your shoulders back and down, your shoulders will thank you for it. 😀 I have a lesson called pole walking, this will give you the proper technique for getting momentum out of your spins and teach you how to engage your shoulders. Remember the lessons are on static, don't try that technique on spinny.....you'll fly out the window. 🤓
PoleSkivvies · 5/14/2009
God, Veena, I wish I'd known about this forum when I started pole dancing. That would have been so helpful! Jennifer
staceyanne28 · 5/14/2009
I wish I had known too! I went from not working out to doing too much right off the bat, and I ended up tearing the abductor in my leg (bascially my groin). It hurt so bad to even walk for a whole month, and I could'nt go to my pole class for 2 months 🙁 Talk about going through pole withdrawal! lol It didn't completely heal for about 3 1/2 months, and was still sore for a while. Come to find out too, like Veena said, I wasn't giving my body a break in between work outs, and I wasn't stretching afterwards. So while being sore is normal, listen to your body and go easy at first. I know it's hard because you wanna practice every day, but it's better to take a day off when you are that sore than to push yourself too hard, hurt yourself, and then not be able to do anything on the pole for 2 months...like me! lol
Veena · 5/14/2009
Thanks guys... I hope balletgurlie finds it helpful too! 😁
Rouge_LAmour · 5/15/2009
the next day after my first few lessons, I hurt, but nowhere near as bad as two days after. It's totally natural to hurt, you will have a build up of lactic acid and you're pushing muscles that may not have been used that way for a long time, if ever as was my case. Personally, I'm working on strength, holding my weight, There's a bit of me to hold up, and being in a handstand (cheat version, butt against pole and bringing legs up that way) sure is working the pecs, shoulders, lats and traps. But I know that this will go in two days... or 3 And I'm retraining my abs. They were taught opera singing support, ergo, puku* out is fine for support, now I need to teach them the opposite way. That is now hurting. Lots. But good hurt. again, 2 - 3 days they'll be fine. As Veena has said, epsom salts, or bathe in baking soda. Also stretch the freak out of them to get the lactic acid out. It's all I did to help it move. Don't work the same muscles 2 days in a row. Tomorrow (Sat) is my big day: Bollywood (serious ab, oblique and hip work), a private newb lesson (all over work), then another class of beginners / intro. On top of that I'll try to get an hour or so of personal training. Crazy day, but it's Saturday and I part-own the place, so no choice. Sunday, I'm going to hurt. My obliques, transverse abs, abs and butt will ache from Bollywood; shoulders etc from pole and all I'll want to do is sleep. So it'll be markets for weights using different muscles by carrying shopping bags. Hope that helps! Pain is natural and will go. * puku, Maori for tummy (pr: pookoo)