If you’re reading this, then you love pole dancing. Well, at least one can safely…
“I Don’t Want to Do This Anymore Grandpa!”: Pushing through our mental and physical demons. (Part 2 of 2)
Down But Not Out
Check out part 1 for some more thoughts about mental health and pole at this link.
As much as we all hope and try to be, we are not robots. We are fragile organic beings that can do very non-human things, but alas, we are still human. This means sometimes we get sick, injured, or pregnant and it puts us out of training for a while. Oh, we’ll still try to push our limits, for sure. We’ll try to skip out on physical therapy or take an “artistic interpretation” to our medical professional’s suggestions, but there comes a time when you must give in and take care of yourself to be a better version in the future.
Training too much when not at full strength can cause a worsening condition or even more issues occur. This can cause stress as we worry about our progress and what we’ll lose and must build back, and what may never be the same again.
Do not bail!
Again, a reminder, that progress isn’t linear and sometimes we have to go backward to move forward. Do not compare yourself to the past, to what you could do before. Start wherever you are and trust that you will get back there again.
Also, take notice of what strengths you may have developed during your downtime. Did rest make you stronger because it allowed strained muscles to build back up? After a year of pregnancy and post-partum do you have a better appreciation just to be in class, to reconnect with yourself? Are you going to be able to do even more than before because you finally had surgery on an issue you’ve been dealing with for years? You may have been down, but you certainly are not out and will continue to grow, I promise.
Case of the Sads
Not just physical illness and injury can take us out, good old mental health can knock us down just as hard, sometimes even worse. Whereas one may be able to push through a muscle strain, something like depression is hard to ignore.
I had a full depressive episode in the dressing room of a competition once and wanted to completely drop. I had to stretch in the hotel lobby away from everyone else and call upon the love and support of my teammates and coaches to pull me out of my funk, something I will always be grateful for. We’re all about one more “unprecedented event” away from a meltdown at any given moment and you have to remember to be kind to yourself. Your mood and emotions can be affected by anything from, the stresses of the pole itself, or something deeper like family, finances, heartbreak, hormones, work, politics, trauma, loss, gain, literally ANYTHING and it is all valid.
You have a right to feel any way you need to and allow those feelings to have their era. Just don’t let a current fleeting moment, control the bigger picture that is your happiness.
EveryBODY is Hot
Pole, for better or for worse, doesn’t warrant much clothing. Though not everyone is going to show up in a micro thong and string bikini top (though love that for you!), we all know that pole needs skin, the more skin, the more stick, the stick, the more you can do so, we toss our leggings and hoodies to the side and bare all to the public in the name of art and athletics.
This can be empowering and liberating, but it can also wake up the demon of insecurity and body trauma. If you are a millennial and grew up in the age of America’s Next Top Model, Grenade Whistles (Thanks for that Jersey Shore), and basically any magazine, show, and movie geared towards teens, more than likely you’ve already struggled with body image because apparently Bridget Jones was fat? Yeah ok. No one is safe.
“I’m too big…”
“I’m not big enough…”
“I’m saggy…”
“I’m old…”
“My skin is different…”
“My hair is different…”
“Is everyone staring at my body hair?”
“What’s that smell? Is that me? Omg, can everyone smell me!?”
The spiral is real, and no one is safe. I was fully distracted from doing my handspring because I was hyper-focused on my armpit fat in a sports bra. Meanwhile, I’m doing all these extraordinary things with my body and letting trauma (and the patriarchy) try to take the joy away.
Your body is the least interesting thing about you.
You are strong, you are capable, and you are art, just as you are.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to work on building more muscle or flexibility but don’t for one minute compare yourself or think you’re any less than because you don’t look the way you were groomed by society to think you should look. Body positivity is on the rise and we’re seeing more body and skin types in marketing but we’re not out of the woods yet. Keep yourself around empowering and positive people and classes that will uplift you, not tear you down. At this risk of being super basic… You ARE enough. (Told you I’d be repeating that)
There is no such thing as the perfect pole dancer. Or perfect artist. Or perfect athlete. Definitely not a perfect person. Where one shines, another struggles. We all have our demons. What I hope, is I brought light on some and opened up the conversation. You are not alone. You are not weird or broken for feeling the way you do anything. We’re all working in progress. One day at a time.
Casey Danzig is a full time body piercer in NYC and has been competing in pole competitions for 3 years.Writing has always been a passion for them since childhood and like pole, is an art form they use to express themselves.Like most single humans, she has her standard government issued cat who she’s fondly named Ringo.
Latest posts by Casey Danzig (see all)
- “I Don’t Want to Do This Anymore Grandpa!”: Pushing through our mental and physical demons. (Part 2 of 2) - January 24, 2025
- “I Don’t Want to Do This Anymore Grandpa!”: Pushing through our mental and physical demons. (Part 1 of 2) - January 17, 2025
- “Always Bring a Towel”: 6 Things to Pack for Your Next Pole Event - December 13, 2024
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