Current program as of 27 July 2026
Pole might be the main character around here, but I also genuinely love going to the gym.
My gym training used to be much more focused on how I wanted my body to look. That hasn’t completely disappeared—I still have one proper heavy glute day because obviously 🍑😉—but the rest of my program now has a different purpose.
I’m training to become better at pole.
That means building pulling strength, power, stamina, compression, active flexibility and enough strength to keep my legs straight when they are supposed to be straight. The funny thing is that changing the purpose of my gym training has made me enjoy it even more. It no longer feels like I’m repeating exercises just to change my body. Everything has a reason and connects to something I want to improve on the pole.
I could keep this program in a normal document somewhere, but I know myself—that would eventually become another boring file I forget exists.
Putting it on the blog makes it creative. I can add cute photos, progress updates, little comments and all the things that make it feel like mine. It becomes more than a list of exercises. It becomes a record of this part of my pole journey.
This is my current program as of 27 July 2026. It will definitely change as my pole timetable, strength and goals change—which is exactly why I want to keep dated versions here. Future me can look back and see what I was doing, what worked and what eventually got replaced.
This is my personal training program, built around my body, pole schedule, experience and injury history. I’m documenting what I do, not recommending that anyone copy it.
Monday — Skippable Recovery Day
Monday is deliberately the least important gym day of the week.
If I feel good, I can do some light full-body movement, core and mobility. If I’m tired after the weekend, I can skip it without losing one of my important training sessions.
Possible Monday work:
- Easy walking or cycling.
- Light upper- and lower-body movements.
- Dead bugs.
- Bird dogs.
- Pallof presses.
- Shoulder and hip mobility.
- Gentle flexibility.
Nothing essential lives on Monday—and I really like it that way.
Tuesday — Heavy Glutes and Lower Body
Tuesday is my main progressive-overload strength day and the one day where glutes are still absolutely allowed to be the main character. 🍑
My current exercises include:
- Smith-machine hip thrusts: 3–4 sets of 6–10
Current weight: 20 kg per side, plus the Smith bar. - Smith-machine sumo squats: 3 sets of 8–10
Current weight: 20 kg per side, plus the Smith bar. - Romanian deadlifts: 2–3 sets of 6–10.
- Bulgarian split squats: 2 sets of 8 per side.
- Adductor machine: 2–3 sets of 10–15.
- Calf raises: 2–3 sets of 10–15.
I also have a tricks class later, so the goal is to train my lower body properly while keeping my upper body fresh for pole.
Wednesday — Power and Explosive Movement
Wednesday is for developing more BOOM.
This is less about bodybuilding and more about producing force quickly, moving athletically and feeling powerful.
My current exercises include:
- Kettlebell swings: 3 sets of 10–15
Current weight: 10 kg. - Explosive step-ups with a knee drive: 3 sets of 6–10 per side.
- Lunge into a kick: 2–3 sets per side.
- Jump variations: 3 sets of 3–5.
- Medicine-ball slams or battle ropes.
- Single-leg balance and stability work.
- A short rotating core block.
I only recently started doing this kind of training, and it has already become one of my favourite gym days.
Thursday — Moderate Lower Body and Glute Accessories
Thursday morning is controlled because I have Mishka’s pole-conditioning class at 4:30 pm—and that class is completely fucking insane.
The gym session is mostly moderate lower-body and accessory work:
- Moderate hip thrusts if appropriate.
- Glute kickbacks: 3 sets of 10–15 per side
Current weight: 10 kg. - Hamstring curls: 2–3 sets of 10–15
Current weight: 23 kg. - Adductor machine: 2 sets of 12–15.
- Abductor machine: 2 sets of 12–15.
- Calf raises: 2 sets of 12–15.
There is no hard conditioning and very little extra core work in the morning because Mishka will take care of that later—and by “take care of it,” I mean attempt to kill us all.
I can’t wait to do it again next week. 😂
Friday — Upper-Body Pole Strength
Friday is my main upper-body strength day.
The focus is pulling strength, shoulder stability, grip and the strength I need to support myself properly on the pole.
My current exercises include:
- Assisted pull-ups: 3 sets of 6–10
Current setting: Plate 7 on my gym’s assisted-pull-up machine. - Cable or machine rows: 2–3 sets of 8–12.
- Lat pulldowns: 2–3 sets of 8–12.
- Overhead press: 2–3 sets of 8–10.
- Face pulls: 2 sets of 12–15.
- Reverse flyes or band pull-aparts: 2 sets of 12–15.
- Wall slides: 2 sets of 10.
- Farmer carries or dead hangs.
- Hanging knee raises and compression work.
The exact weight matters less across different machines, so I’ll add my new-gym baselines as I establish them.
Saturday — Movement Preparation and Pole Conditioning
Saturday morning is not another heavy strength session.
It is there to help me move better and prepare my body for flexibility work, Pole Lab and my afternoon pole-conditioning class.
Depending on what I have planned, my morning gym session may include:
- Easy walking or cycling.
- Dead bugs and bird dogs.
- Seated pike-compression lifts.
- Active straight-leg lifts.
- Front-split preparation.
- Middle-split preparation.
- Cossack shifts.
- Hip and thoracic mobility.
- Shoulder mobility.
- Balance and controlled movement work.
In the afternoon, I have pole conditioning. Because that is already a proper strength-and-conditioning session, the gym portion stays light and should leave me feeling prepared rather than exhausted.
If I also have a splits class or Pole Lab session, I adjust the morning again so I’m not trying to do absolutely everything at full intensity in one day.
Sunday — Lower Body and Light Pole Support
Sunday is my third lower-body exposure, but it is moderate or light because I may also have Static, practice or a private pole session later.
My current exercises include:
- Smith-machine sumo squats: 3 sets of 8–12
Current working weight: around 20 kg per side, adjusted depending on the rest of the day. - Glute kickbacks: 3 sets of 10–15 per side
Current weight: 10 kg. - Hamstring curls: 2–3 sets of 10–15
Current weight: around 23 kg. - Adductor machine: 2 sets of 12–15.
- Abductor machine: 2 sets of 12–15.
- Calf raises: 2 sets of 12–15.
- Assisted pull-ups: 2 controlled sets.
- Hanging knee raises.
- Seated pike-compression lifts.
The aim is to train without turning up to pole already exhausted.
The Program at a Glance
- Monday: Light recovery or skip it.
- Tuesday: Heavy glutes and lower body.
- Wednesday: Power and explosive movement.
- Thursday: Moderate lower body, then Mishka’s pole conditioning.
- Friday: Upper-body pole strength.
- Saturday: Movement preparation, flexibility and afternoon pole conditioning.
- Sunday: Moderate lower body with light pole support.
This program is still a work in progress. I’m learning how much gym work I can recover from alongside classes, practice and competition preparation.
For now, though, I love it. I still get my heavy glute day, but the rest of my training feels like it is building towards something much bigger than changing how I look.
It feels like I’m training to become the dancer—and pole athlete—I want to be.
The blog is still my Pole Bible. It just happens to be a public, prettier and much more fun version of one.
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