Knee Lift Exercise for Pole Dancers

This exercise not only helps improve the overall control you have over your body, but it also helps strengthen your core and upper body strength.

All these factors combined will help you make more challenging and tricky poses and moves look easy, should you decide to do them.

How to do this exercise

Start by facing your pole and place one hand as high as you can and grasp it in a “basic hold”. A “basic hold” will have your thumbs pointing upwards, like a normal reach and grab position.
Your other hand should have an inverted grip, low on the pole. The inside of your elbow should be pointing up while your thumbs are pointing down.
Place all your weight on your toes by spreading your feet fairly wide apart and leaning forward slightly.
Flex your core muscles by pretending that you are about to receive a punch in the stomach.
Flex your arms as if you are bracing yourself.
Very slowly lift your feet from the floor and raise your knees are high as possible, ideally stopping at about hip height.
Hold this position for a few moments before very slowly and carefully lowering your toes back onto the floor.
Repeat this as many times as you can in a slow, steady, and controlled pace.

Do not be discouraged if you are only able to do 1 or 2 sets in the beginning.

Doing this exercise consistently will help you strengthen your muscles and soon you can do more.

Have a goal

I suggest making 8-12 reps your goal.

This exercise requires core strength in order for you to lift your feet off the floor, not to mention doing it slowly.

It is very important to do this exercise slowly as control and muscle will help develop your strength much better than if you were to use momentum.

You will definitely be able to do more reps using speed, but it does not help improve much in the long run.

Important things to remember

Some things to remember when doing this exercise is that, for one, it is an intermediate level exercise which will require at least a base of core and upper body strength.

You should not do this exercise with a wrist or shoulder injury as there is a risk of injuring yourself further.

Finally, always remember to flex your core muscles before lifting, as well as always lift in a controlled and slow manner.

More pole dance exercises here