Are you struggling to stay consistent in your pole practice? In this episode, Dr. Rosy Boa explores the science of habits and goals and how they can help you build a sustainable routine. Learn why habits happen automatically, how cues play a role, and why nearly half of your daily actions are driven by routine. Discover how goals can support habit formation and how to create systems that stick. Plus, she shares practical tips to schedule, track, and celebrate your progress—all while keeping it fun and manageable.

Resources Mentioned:

5-day evidence-based pole reset: https://courses.slinkthroughstrength.com/5-day-challenge

For more on motivation: "how to stay motivated as a home poler" https://www.slinkthroughstrength.com/science-of-slink-podcast/how-to-stay-motivated-as-a-home-poler

Citations:

Wood W, Neal DT. A new look at habits and the habit-goal interface. Psychol Rev. 2007;114(4):843–863. doi: 10.1037/0033-295X.114.4.843.

Neal DT, Wood W, Labrecque JS, Lally P. How do habits guide behavior? Perceived and actual triggers of habits in daily life. J Exp Soc Psychol. 2012;48:492–498.

Gardner B, Lally P, Wardle J. Making health habitual: the psychology of 'habit-formation' and general practice. Br J Gen Pract. 2012 Dec;62(605):664-6. doi: 10.3399/bjgp12X659466. PMID: 23211256; PMCID: PMC3505409.

Ceceli, A. O., & Tricomi, E. (2018). Habits and goals: a motivational perspective on action control. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 20, 110-116.

Welcome back to another episode of Science of Slink!

This week Dr. Rosy Boa sits down with Dr. Marcia Dernie and talks about all things movement, play, and pole. Dr. Marcia is a DPT, yoga teacher, powerlifter, and strongwoman. Marcia and Rosy discuss how embracing play fosters emotional regulation, social connection, and self-expression. They highlight the importance of community in movement practices, including how working out with others can enhance consistency and motivation. Marcia shares practical tips for strengthening your vestibular system through balance exercises, eye gaze training, and spinning practice. Plus, they discuss how vestibular health can vary based on life stages, like menopause or postpartum recovery.

Take care of your vestibular system! Incorporate balance exercises, try eye-gaze training, and don’t shy away from spinning practice. And rediscover the joy of play, connect with a supportive community, and embrace movement as a path to wellness. Don’t forget to share this episode with someone who inspires your movement journey!

Connect with Dr. Marcia:

• https://www.doctormarcia.com/

• https://www.youtube.com/c/movewithmarcia

• https://www.instagram.com/movewithmarcia

• https://www.tiktok.com/@movewithmarcia

Resources Mentioned:

Dr. Marcia Dernie’s book:

“Movement for Every Body”

Use code “BODY” for 35% off and free shipping (ends 12/31)

https://www.northatlanticbooks.com/shop/movement-for-every-body/

Flying through pregnancy: https://www.spincityinstructortraining.com/product/flying-pregnancy-paperback/

Yoga for Pelvic Floor and Postpartum Health

https://www.northatlanticbooks.com/shop/yoga-for-pelvic-floor-and-postpartum-health/amp/

Vestibular Eye Gaze Exercises

https://ahc.aurorahealthcare.org/fywb/x20521.pdf

Welcome back to another episode of Science of Slink!

This week Dr. Rosy Boa explores the science and social aspects of pole dancing, focusing on how the practice can be inclusive for all body types. She discusses why it’s essential to find supportive instructors and environments that uplift, not shame, and acknowledge that experiences may differ for polers in larger bodies. She looks at the different physical challenges a plus size poler may face and gives her personal recommendations on poles and pole wear. From increased stickiness and skin sensitivity to heat management and grip aids, she shares practical tips to enhance pole practice for plus size polers. Safety is key, so she highlights research on heat-related risks and injury prevention, especially for those adapting to new physical loads. This episode breaks down the myths and challenges while celebrating pole dancing as an empowering practice for all.
Learn more and take class with Rosy online at https://www.slinkthroughstrength.com/

Citations:

• Howe, A. S., & Boden, B. P. (2007). Heat-related illness in athletes. The American journal of sports medicine, 35(8), 1384-1395.

• Wyndham CH. Heat stroke and hyperthermia in marathon runners.

  Ann NY Acad Sci. 1977;301:128-138.

• Kaplan, T. A., Digel, S. L., Scavo, V. A., & Arellana, S. B. (1995). Effect of obesity on injury risk in high school football players. Clinical journal of sport medicine, 5(1), 43-47.

• Wilder, R. P., & Cicchetti, M. (2009). Common injuries in athletes with obesity and diabetes. Clinics in sports medicine, 28(3), 441-453.

Dr. Rosy Boa dives into the science behind pole dancing, discussing the physical adaptations required for the sport. She clarifies the specific strength requirements for pole dancers, emphasizing the importance of specialized training over general fitness. Through examining recent studies, she highlights how pole dancing improves core, upper body strength, and grip strength, while identifying the need for anti-rotational strength, unilateral strength, and proper shoulder flexion. The podcast also offers insights into the unique physical and psychological benefits that come with pole dancing experience.

Learn more and take class with Rosy online at https://www.slinkthroughstrength.com/

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Clarification

00:21 Common Misconceptions About Pole Dancing

00:41 Specific Physical Adaptations in Pole Dancers

02:33 Research on Pole Dancing Strength

03:39 Methods of Measuring Pole Strength

05:26 Studies on Pole Dance Training Effects

10:14 Psychological and Physiological Outcomes

12:58 Recommended Strength Training for Pole Dancers

18:36 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Citations

• Hawley, J. A. (2002). Adaptations of skeletal muscle to prolonged, intense endurance training. Clinical and experimental pharmacology and physiology, 29(3), 218-222.

• Gustavo F. Pedrosa, Fernando V. Lima, Brad J. Schoenfeld, Lucas T. Lacerda, Marina G. Simões, Mariano R. Pereira, Rodrigo C.R. Diniz & Mauro H. Chagas. (2022) Partial range of motion training elicits favorable improvements in muscular adaptations when carried out at long muscle lengths. European Journal of Sport Science 22:8, pages 1250-1260.

• Ignatoglou, D., Paliouras, A., Paraskevopoulos, E., Strimpakos, N., Bilika, P., Papandreou, M., & Kapreli, E. (2024). Pole Dancing-Specific Muscle Strength: Development and Reliability of a Novel Assessment Protocol. Methods and Protocols, 7(3), 44.

• Nawrocka, A., Pawelak, Z., & Mynarski, A. (2024). Longitudinal Effects of Pole Dance Training on Body Composition and Muscular Strength in Women.

• Greenspan, S. J., & Stuckey, M. I. (2024). Preparation For Flight: The Physical Profile of Pre-Professional and Professional Circus Artists in the United States. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 19(5), 591.

• Dias, A. R. L., De Melo, B. L., Dos Santos, A. A., Silva, J. M. A., Leite, G., Bocalini, D. S., ... & Serra, A. J. (2022). Women pole dance athletes present morphofunctional left ventricular adaptations and greater physical fitness. Science & Sports, 37(7), 595-602.

Nicholas, J., Dimmock, J. A., Alderson, J. A., Donnelly, C. J., Jackson, B., Dimmock, J. A., ... & Donnelly, C. J. (2024). Exploring the psychological and physiological outcomes of recreational pole dancing: a feasibility study. Circus: Arts, Life, and Sciences, 2(2).

Welcome back to another episode of Science of Slink! Today we are talking about how to stay motivated as a home poler. In this episode I talk about the most common motivation that men and women have for exercising, how home based exercise programs compare to center based programs, and how motivation can change depending on your age. I also talk through how to build self-efficacy as you are learning new skills on and off the pole. Whether you are new to pole or not, sometimes our motivation can change. Let’s look together at the research behind it.

Sources:

Al Kubaisy, W., Mohamad, M., Ismail, Z., & Abdullah, N. N. (2015). Gender Differences: Motivations for performing physical exercise among adults in Shah Alam. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 202, 522-530.

McDonagh, S. T., Dalal, H., Moore, S., Clark, C. E., Dean, S. G., Jolly, K., ... & Taylor, R. S. (2023). Home‐based versus centre‐based cardiac rehabilitation. Cochrane database of systematic reviews, (10).

Schutzer KA, Graves BS. Barriers and motivations to exercise in older adults. Prev

Med 2004;39:1056–61.

Crystal N Steltenpohl, Michael Shuster, Eric Peist, Amber Pham, Joseph A Mikels, Me Time, or We Time? Age Differences in Motivation for Exercise, The Gerontologist, Volume 59, Issue 4, August 2019, Pages 709–717, https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gny038

Al-Eisa, E., Al-Rushud, A., Alghadir, A., Anwer, S., Al-Harbi, B., Al-Sughaier, N., ... & Al-Muhaysin, H. A. (2016). Effect of motivation by “Instagram” on adherence to physical activity among female college students. BioMed research international, 2016(1), 1546013.

This podcast is a production of Slink Through Strength, the inclusive, evidence-based online pole studio, which can be found online at Slink Through Strength dot com. Thanks for joining!

In this episode, Rosy discusses three important tips for those who are either new to pole dance or returning after a long break. The episode covers the importance of easing into the practice gently, understanding realistic timelines for bodily adaptations, and exercising with friends or a virtual buddy to stay motivated. Link to the warm up video she mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GAP_7LDgo8 Want to join Rosy for your home pole training? Check out the Slink Through Strength online studio! https://www.slinkthroughstrength.com/ Citations: - Franklin, B. A., Thompson, P. D., Al-Zaiti, S. S., Albert, C. M., Hivert, M. F., Levine, B. D., ... & American Heart Association Physical Activity Committee of the Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health; Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; Council on Clinical Cardiology; and Stroke Council. (2020). Exercise-related acute cardiovascular events and potential deleterious adaptations following long-term exercise training: placing the risks into perspective–an update: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 141(13), e705-e736. - de Boer MD, Maganaris CN, Seynnes OR, Rennie MJ, Narici MV. Time course of muscular, neural and tendinous adaptations to 23 day unilateral lower-limb suspension in young men. J Physiol. 2007 Sep 15;583(Pt 3):1079-91. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2007.135392. Epub 2007 Jul 26. PMID: 17656438; PMCID: PMC2277190. - Bohm S, Mersmann F, Arampatzis A. Human tendon adaptation in response to mechanical loading: a systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise intervention studies on healthy adults. Sports Med Open. 2015 Dec;1(1):7. doi: 10.1186/s40798-015-0009-9. Epub 2015 Mar 27. PMID: 27747846; PMCID: PMC4532714. - Irwin, B.C., Scorniaenchi, J., Kerr, N.L. et al. Aerobic Exercise Is Promoted when Individual Performance Affects the Group: A Test of the Kohler Motivation Gain Effect. ann. behav. med. 44, 151–159 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9367-4 #poledance #polefitness #homepole

Welcome back to another episode of Science of Slink! Today we are talking about a very important topic for furthering pole success, how to do spin pole without getting dizzy. Disclaimer: performance advice, NOT medical advice--if you're suffering from vertigo or dizziness talk to the other kind of doctor. We will discuss what the vestibular system is, things that can affect nausea, what is vestibular system adaption, and some drills that will help.

So what is the vestibular system? Your vestibular system controls your sense of movement & orientation. The body has loops of the inner ear (kind of like a level filled with "glitter", the otoliths) and Cilla (tiny hairs in the inner ear) that hold fluid, and when that fluid moves, those fluids inform your body of where it is in space. The vestibular system is also very closely connected to the visual system. More resources are attached below for more information on the visual system

Things that can affect dizziness, especially nausea include aging, (targeted exercises can help!) dehydration, hormonal disorders, especially low estrogen, duration & intensity such as adding plane of motion, and heat exhaustion or sensitivity

One way to improve dizziness is by practicing vestibular system adaptation. Some ways to practice this are getting better at interpreting & recovering from intense vestibular inputs and balance!

Some drills you can try as well are vision drills, head movement drills, some pole-specific gentle head movements at the start of practice that can help prepare you, spin drills, and start SLOW. Additionally, neuro performance is an increasingly active area of research (addressing sub-clinical problems)

Slink Through Strength Email Sign Up: ⁠http://eepurl.com/iimjnX⁠

Join pole instructor & personal trainer Rosy Boa as she chats with experts about the evidence-based practices you can introduce to your pole journey to improve your pole journey and feel better. The Evidence-Based Pole Podcast aims to help pole dancers feel better on and off the pole by talking with experts and diving into relevant scientific research to find evidence-based insights we can apply to our pole journeys. It’s a production of Slink Through Strength, the inclusive, evidence-based online pole studio, which can be found online at slinkthroughstrength.com.

Edited by: Simone Rossette

Simone.rossette77@gmail.com

Sources:

• Clinic, Cleveland. “Vestibular System: Function & Anatomy.” Cleveland Clinic, 2024, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/vestibular-system.

• Somisetty, Swathi, and Joe M Das. “Neuroanatomy, Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex.” PubMed, StatPearls Publishing, 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545297/.

• Jahn, Klaus. “The Aging Vestibular System: Dizziness and Imbalance in the Elderly.” Advances in Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, vol. 82, 2019, pp. 143–149, www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/490283, https://doi.org/10.1159/000490283.

• Altın, Büşra, and Songül Aksoy. “Is Inadequate Water Intake a Risk Factor for Vestibular Disorders?” The Journal of International Advanced Otology, vol. 18, no. 3, 1 May 2022, pp. 264–268, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35608497/, https://doi.org/10.5152/iao.2022.21303.

• ‌El, Rhizlane, et al. “Vestibular Disorders and Hormonal Dysregulations: State of the Art and Clinical Perspectives.” Cells, vol. 12, no. 4, 18 Feb. 2023, pp. 656–656, https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12040656.

Welcome back pole dancer to Science of Slink. In this episode we are touching on an important topic, 5 Exercise Science Insights EVERY Pole Dancer Should Know.

I also wanted to start by including the link to Slinker’s delight show tickets: https://slinkthroughstrength.as.me/?appointmentType=60959877

Click the link above to join this awesome opportunity to see pole tricks.

As pole dancers 5 super important things is training in different facets of fitness. To start, flexibility is one form of fitness to focus on. Flexibility is also commonly referred to as ease of movement. Flexibility is important to trail actively and passively.

Next is strength, both absolute and relative. Absolute strength is about how much you can lift. Relative strength is more relevant to the body weight-based pole, meaning you can lift 100% of your body weight.

Endurance is our next important one. For endurance, there is cardio typically which brings strength for your heart. Endurance is the ability to move over a long period of time and recover quickly.

Balance is our 4th most important thing to focus on, especially if you wear heels in your routines. In balance training, the sensory & vestibular systems are heavily involved. One thing to improve your balance is eye training.

Last but not least is Skill-specific training, skill training is repetition with variation. This includes motor learning, some examples of skill training are inverting, handstands, and specific tricks. These sessions of skill-specific training will generally align with your goals and your training of the aforementioned important training that will help you build your skills indirectly.

One more important way to build your skills is periodization. More often is not always better: Olivia Reeves, the Olympic weightlifter, who won gold in Paris who Majored in exercise science only trains four times a week whereas most train 9 times a week.

One last thing to keep in mind is how to adjust the intensity of your practice and What counts as rest. For adjusting intensity adjust how long, how often, and how hard you train. Medium intensity is great! So What counts as rest? What you find resting depends on you But ALWAYS good quality sleep is a great way to recharge!

Slink Through Strength Email Sign Up: ⁠http://eepurl.com/iimjnX⁠

Join pole instructor & personal trainer Rosy Boa as she chats with experts about the evidence-based practices you can introduce to your pole journey to improve your pole journey and feel better. The Evidence-Based Pole Podcast aims to help pole dancers feel better on and off the pole by talking with experts and diving into relevant scientific research to find evidence-based insights we can apply to our pole journeys. It’s a production of Slink Through Strength, the inclusive, evidence-based online pole studio, which can be found online at slinkthroughstrength.com.

Edited by: Simone Rossette

Simone.rossette77@gmail.com