how to not overtrain doing BGB and pole fitness?

Hi everyone,

 I'm just starting out in pole fitness and I want to build up my strength to be able to do it. I have no real gymnastics or dance training so I was looking into bodyweight training/build a gymnastics body text to help me. I am reading that to avoid the risk of overtraining one should take an "off day" every other day. On the days where I would be doing bodyweight exercises AND pole how do I prevent the risk of overtraining if I'm focused on upper body and core in most of these exercises? If I do one type of exercise everyday then I lose my "rest day". Thank you.

Focus your pole sessions on developing skills, and save the strength training for your GST sessions.

Also, Foundation 1 is a better place to start than BtGb. F1 is a course with detailed programming. BtGB is more of an encyclopedia of exercises with a bit of training advice thrown in.

hi joshua, I'm not sure what you mean by focus on skills with pole training. Focusing on skills would still mean having to hold my bodyweight up and that by itself is sort of an upper body strength training session. Also, does the foundation require a stall bar? Aren't those close to three hundred dollars?

I am pretty sure you do not have to pay 300 dollars for a stall bar. I got mine used and they cost me around 20 dollars or so.

i made a set custom, cost me around $125. lumber is expensive where i live.

I improvise in a nearby park with a ladder in a playground

 A stall bar is handy but you can make your own or simply use a single rail for hanging stuff. OTOH, a stall bar is handy for side lever work which otherwise you'll have to find a vertical rail of some sort of approprite thickness (set of monkey bars can do the trick if they aren't too wide). Also, some various stretching exercises work really well on stall bars.

From what I've gathered talking about pole acro with some of the gals on my FB network, most of the classes tend to focus on skills rather than actual strength work (which makes sense given the time allotment of the classes) so most people going to these classes will have to do some form of strength training on their own.

So basically they get stronger by doing the moves and practicing or they come in strong. 

"Overtraining" is more about "Under-recovery" and that will vary amongst individuals depending on how experienced they are (how much time they have been training), their diet, sleep, and other recovery methods/solutions.

 For someone starting out, every other day generally works well roughly 3-4x/week.

 If you went to Pole acro, twice a week, try to do 1-2 days of strength training. 1 day of pole, 2-3 days of GymnasticsStrengthTraining.

 You might very well be able to go to Pole acro 2-3 days a week and GST 2-3 days a week but it all DEPENDS on how fast you recover besides your programming.

 F1 has workout plans from 3-5 days a week. One might make the argument that the lower body work isn't as necessary but would be good for general lower body strength/mobility. There is obviously some dance in Pole/Acro besides using your legs to grasp the pole.

 Something like M Pole acro, Tu GST, wed off, Th Pole acro, F GST may be doable or M Pole acro, W GST, F Pole acro.

 Bare in mind, if you are weak your Pole acro will end be limited by your lack of strength but OTOH, you need to practice a certain amount to get good at anything. So it's a balance.

Laurén Salemi said:

hi joshua, I'm not sure what you mean by focus on skills with pole training. Focusing on skills would still mean having to hold my bodyweight up and that by itself is sort of an upper body strength training session.

"Strength work" is work that is focused specifically on building strength. It's generally composed of movements that you find require a medium to high amount of strength/exertion, that you perform for a given number of sets and reps.

"Skill work" is focused on learning movements that you might want to put into a routine. These would generally be movements that take only a low to medium amount of strength/exertion (for you), but a high degree of coordination, balance and/or technique.

So, for example, learning how to do a cartwheel would be 'skill work' and doing a bunch of pushups would be 'strength work'.

A set of stall bars is not necessarily required: if you're crafty you could find some substitutions. A sturdy playground ladder is a good bet.

wow thanks guys one more thing....do you think itd be too much to do GST and pole in one day? and then take a day off the next day?

Laurén Salemi said:

wow thanks guys one more thing....do you think itd be too much to do GST and pole in one day? and then take a day off the next day?

That would probably be fine. Just make sure you're getting plenty of sleep and eating your vegetables and protein.

Pole acro then GST. 

I improvised stall bars with a doorway pull-up bar. Just close the door and you're done you can do them on alternating days and then have one rest day at the end of the week. That's what works for me.

Thank you blair

Aadil...oh boy I had a crush on a guy with your name...but anyway do you mean you turn the pull up bar sideways and then close the door?

You don't turn it sideways. You just fix the bar in the doorway and close the door. It's kinda like stall bars, but since you won't be perfectly aligned, it isn't an everlasting solution.

Charm: I use a ladder at the park too! And I hang my rings off the monkey bars