The muscles in pole dance moves
Have you ever wondered which muscles you are using in different pole dance moves? What is limiting your flexibility or strength and keeping you from progressing further?
A lot of our pole dance moves and stretch exercises are also inspired by dance and yoga. As a pole dance instructor and personal trainer, I am always intrigued by muscle movements in our body. Last year I found Bandha Yoga's books which have been very useful in helping me understanding the anatomy behind each yoga pose.
Here is a snapshot from their book The Key Poses of Yoga. The snapshot features pigeon pose, which is one of my favorite poses and quite similar to needle scale, something I have been working on.
In pigeon pose, you extend your back hip. Muscles limiting your back hip extension are hip flexors. Your arms and shoulders rise over the head to grab the stretch band, or eventually your back foot. Tightness in your lats (the broadest muscle of your back), back shoulders and the lower part of your chest prevents you from reaching further back, which is my case in needle scale.
Time for me to stretch those lats and shoulders. Which moves are you working on?
About Mai: Mai is the Founder of Pole in Style. She is a certified XPERT Pole Fitness Level 1/2 and It's Pole Art instructor, and currently undertaking Personal Training study at SAFE Education.
