Why You Should Compete on The Pole
Competing is a long, scary journey that takes us to a whole new level of scared. Yet despite knowing all of this, I still compete.
Every time I do, I say to myself ‘why do I keep doing this’ but as soon as I get onstage, I love every second.
Competing adds a whole new level to pole that you never really knew about. You don’t have to be able to hold an Iron-X or do a Spatchcock to win.
You pretty much have to be yourself – and you are awesome at that.
New Ways To Train
When I’m working on a new routine, I usually have combinations that I want to nail for it. In my second competition, I wanted to nail my Superman to Titanic to an Aerial Shoulder Mount. I practiced this over and over and over again until finally I got closer. While I didn’t manage to do my Titanic to an Aerial invert, I did manage to get my Superman to an Aerial Should Mount. And that was certainly good enough for me.
I find that I create new and interesting combinations while trying to be as creative as possible. I don’t like to add in the move of the moment or the combination that is flying around the internet. There’s simply no point – if you’ve seen it, others will have as well, and who wants to see 20 Superman Flips in a row?
To do that I hang around (literally) in a move I know I definitely want to add in. From there I explore where my body can go. Our bodies are amazing – they remember so much and can help us get a knee hook that reminds us of another move that we might be able to melt into from there. Sometimes the combinations don’t work – like the ones you dream up just before bed, and others go into amazing new moves that become your new favourites.
What I love about competing (the events I’ve entered, at least) is that you don’t have to work through a tick list of moves. You can of course, but you don’t have to. I love coming up with pretty shapes and holds that the audience won’t immediately think ‘that’s a Gemini’ but will remember as being really cool.
Some competitions will have that tick list and that can be great for helping you train moves that you don’t often focus on.
The Strength
I get so much stronger, more flexible and more confident when training for competitions. I always train every combination on both sides because sometimes you nail it perfectly on the side that you wouldn’t have thought.
With the actual routine itself, I only work on one side or it will confuse me on the day.
When you train both sides and for a routine, you are probably training to a higher level more frequently than perhaps usual. This makes me so much stronger doing aerial invert after aerial invert. The same applies to flexibility. I know I need to show a certain level of flexibility and competing forces me to work on that.
All in all, my body feels the benefits of a competition.
The Social Aspect
Most of my pole friends online are those I meet in competitions. There is such a great sense of caring that it really helps you get through your routine.
I’ve definitely made friends for life over the 5 competitions that I’ve done.
No matter what the outcome, or how badly the nerves get you – the positives will always outweigh the negatives, I promise.
You only have to make yourself proud, and you know you will. So what are you waiting for?
Go and find your competition to train for 😀
Have you ever competed? If so, how did you feel? 
