Pole dancing is a demanding sport that requires strength, flexibility, and coordination. Among the many muscle groups engaged during pole dancing, the shoulders play a crucial role in supporting the body during spins, inversions, and other complex moves. Therefore, incorporating shoulder stretches into your routine is essential for maintaining flexibility, preventing injuries, and enhancing performance.
Here’s why having flexible and mobile shoulders is particularly important for pole dancers.
1. Enhances Flexibility and Range of Motion
Pole dancing requires a significant range of motion, particularly in the shoulders. Moves like the shoulder mount, Allegra, Ballerina, Gecko and handsprings to name a few demand flexible and mobile shoulder joints. Regular stretching helps to maintain and increase this range of motion, making it easier to perform these complex movements smoothly and gracefully. Enhanced flexibility also allows for more fluid transitions between moves, which is key to a polished and elegant performance.
2. Prevents Injuries
Shoulder injuries are common among pole dancers due to the high level of stress and strain placed on these joints. Stretching helps to keep the muscles and tendons around the shoulder joint supple and resilient. This can prevent common injuries such as strains, sprains, and rotator cuff injuries. Stretching also promotes blood flow to the muscles, which aids in recovery and reduces muscle soreness after intense training sessions.
3. Improves Strength and Stability
While stretching primarily focuses on flexibility, it also contributes to building strength. A well-stretched muscle can contract more efficiently, which enhances overall muscle performance. Stretching the shoulders improves the strength and stability of the surrounding muscles, which is crucial for maintaining control during lifts and holds. Stable shoulders can better support the weight of your body during demanding pole moves, reducing the risk of overuse injuries.
4. Balances Muscle Groups
Pole dancing often leads to imbalances in muscle groups due to the repetitive nature of the movements. Stretching helps to balance these muscle groups by ensuring that both the dominant and non-dominant sides of the body remain equally flexible and strong. This balance is important not only for performance but also for preventing injuries that can occur from overcompensation by one side of the body.
5. Aids in Recovery and Relaxation
Post-performance or post-training stretching helps in the recovery process. Stretching the shoulders can alleviate tension and reduce muscle stiffness, allowing for quicker recovery and reducing the risk of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Moreover, stretching promotes relaxation by releasing endorphins, which can help in reducing stress and improving overall well-being.
Essential Shoulder Stretches for Pole Dancers
Incorporating a variety of shoulder stretches into your routine can provide comprehensive benefits. Here are a few essential stretches for pole dancers:
Overhead Shoulder Stretch: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, raise one arm overhead, bend the elbow, and gently pull the elbow towards the opposite side with your other hand. Hold for 20-30 seconds and switch sides.
Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch: Bring one arm across your body at shoulder height and use the opposite arm to pull it towards your chest. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
Puppy Pose: From a kneeling position, walk your hands forward until your chest is close to the floor and your arms are fully extended. Keep your hips over your knees and feel the stretch in your shoulders and upper back. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute.
Thread th e Needle: Begin on all fours, slide one arm under the opposite arm and extend it as far as possible, lowering your shoulder and ear to the floor. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute and repeat on the other side.
Scorpion Stretch: Lie face down on a mat with one of your arms at 90 degrees. Slowly rotate towards the outstretched arm to place your opposite foot on the ground, feeling a stretch in the front of your shoulders and chest. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute and repeat on the other side.
Join Our Stretching Classes
To help you incorporate these essential stretches into your routine, we offer specialised stretching classes at our studio. Our classes are designed to target the key muscle groups used in pole dancin. Our experienced instructors will guide you through a series of stretches tailored to enhance your flexibility, prevent injuries, and improve your overall performance.
Please note that it is important to book into these classes in advance as we do not accept walk-ins. This ensures that we can maintain an optimal instructor-to-student ratio and provide the best possible experience for all participants.
Conclusion
For pole dancers, shoulder stretching is not just beneficial but essential. It enhances flexibility, prevents injuries, improves strength and stability, balances muscle groups, and aids in recovery. Incorporating a regular shoulder stretching routine will not only improve your pole dancing performance but also ensure long-term joint health and overall physical well-being. So, take the time to stretch your shoulders – your body will thank you for it. And don’t forget to book into our stretching classes to get professional guidance and support on your journey to becoming a better, more flexible pole dancer.
See you in the studio!
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 love me some shoulder stretches