When I’m in class and show the new move we will be learning, it can go one way or the other. Either it looks doable and people jump on in, or it doesn’t.
Sometimes when I show my students how to do the move and I finally get off the pole to allow others to do it, no one steps up. I do wonder if I’ve had a little day dream and have forgotten to show the move, but so far, that hasn’t happened.
I’ve started thinking about why people rush to go first, or try their hardest to go last. I used to always go last, but I think I’m happy enough to go first now.
When To Go?
I guess it depends on how you learn. For me, I need to watch the move over and over again to figure out where my body is meant to go. I talk to myself a lot saying things like ‘outside leg comes down first’ or ‘lift the inside arm first’ so that when I get to try it, I can repeat what I’m meant to do, which helps me figure it out.
I also need to try out the move one step at a time… over and over again. I learn a lot of moves at home and am often watching tutorials or old training videos of mine – usually from workshops I did a while ago. So I figure out the first part of the move and try that out. When that feels okay I add on the next bit – and so on.
It can be tricky if you don’t have anyone with you, helping you to figure out what you’re meant to be doing – so adding on step by step really works for me.
In Class
I used to always go last in class as it meant that I had more time to watch other people and figure out what I was doing. Now I tend to go first (not always by choice!) as I find it a bit easier. I’ve been poling for 8 years now and know quite a few moves, so instead of thinking, ‘outside here, inside there’ I can think about going to a Gemini and pull up from there, for example. I liken a lot of moves that I’m learning to others, so that my body automatically goes into moves that it knows, and adds on from there.
If you go first, hopefully your instructor will be talking you though the move which makes it easier. If you go last, you have more opportunity to watch people doing the move and being corrected by your instructor.
Your Learning Process
It’s important to figure out how you best learn moves, so that you get the most out of each session. Of course you can’t always force others to let you go first or last, but you can pay attention to see how you like to learn.
So for me, it’s talking the move through so I know what to do before getting on the pole, and adding small bits on each time.
Some people like to go first and work through the move, usually with help and spotting so they can figure out where they’re going, so they can then try by themselves. Others need to be talked through the move.
However you learn it’s okay. Everyone learns in a different way. Make sure you know what kind of learner you are, so that you can make the most out of your pole time.
What kind of learner are you? 😀
