Estee Zakar Workshop Review (or She's All Legs)

Last week, after the unforgettable experience of the First Annual BC Pole Fitness Association Championships, I had the opportunity to take two workshops with the ever so fit Estee Zakar. Here's a video of her at the Midwest Pole Competition this year:

As swept away as I was by Jenyne Butterfly's mesmerizing perfection, and as inspired as I was by Marion Crampe's passionate energy, Estee's workshops left me with something to be desired.

Estee reminds me of a personal trainer: a stocky build exuding solid power, she handles the pole with strength and agility. Jenyne and Marion seemed to float on the pole, but Estee almost attacks it.  Although it is always refreshing to get pole instructions from a professional, accomplished, pole athlete, the tricks that Estee chose to teach at her workshops are regularly taught at our studio in the higher level classes. What made Jenyne's and Marion's workshops so exciting was that they brought some of their originality, a twist on an old spin or handstand. Aside from a couple creative transitions, all the tricks Estee taught have already been introduced to us, although we were still working on perfecting them. But, as the old Russian saying goes: repetition is the mother of learning.

Estee puts a lot of emphasis on training your quads/hamstrings/legs; 45 minutes of the hour and a half workshop, we basically were in personal trainer mode - doing plyometrics and pushups like there's no tomorrow. Now that I am at a competitive level, I can completely understand why leg strength is so important to pole.

I'm no physio therapist or "muscle expert" at any rate, but this is what I have been noticing from personal experience. Although my upper body strength developed first on the pole, my leg and back strength has been lagging, mostly due to the fact that these muscle groups are more needed and used in the more advanced moves. It is not surprising that I am only now feeling a definite deficit of leg power. With the help of Estee's ability to kick our butt, as well as my drive to make my 92 cm legs easier to haul up and down the pole, I have the following routine that I do 3-4 times a week to start developing my leg and back muscles (keep in mind that whenever you flail your legs around, a lot of your back muscles become active in order to lift and kick).

When doing the below conditioning, it is important to keep your active leg knee locked and toes pointed. The non-active leg needs to be straight. Really engage the quad.

1. At the pole, perform dancer's leg warm ups: kicking+pulsing+hodling to the front/side/back; take a break only in between changing kick directions, not exercise types. I start with 10, and work my way up as I progress. Do these off the pole to work more on core strength and balance.
2. On a mat, do alternating lunge jumps on the spot, followed by bending forward, putting hands on ground, and moving the back leg forward/back, followed by lunge pulses on same leg. I start with sets of 15. Repeat with alternate leg. This should also be done in succession, to get maximum burn.
3. On the pole, do "Cheerleader Kicks": jumping Russian splits with the help of the pole for maximum height. I start with sets of 10.
4. On the pole, do plie squats. Play around with going on tippy toes (and/or one tippy toe), to make it harder. Do these off the pole to work more on core strength and balance. I start with sets of 20.
5. On the mat, sit in a pike with legs about shoulder width apart. Place both hands on both sides of one quad, making sure back is straight and not leaning back (if leaning back, working more on abs than hip flexers). Raise your leg in a pulsing motion, then, in succession, draw circles with the leg, then hold. I start with sets of 10.

If you are feeling a searing burn in your legs, you are doing it right. If not, raise your legs higher, and do more reps!

The other muscle group that Estee emphasized was the lats, as they are important in being able to isolate the legs from the back, and make tricks such as handstands look more polished.

This is enough to get myself, and anyone, started, but as Estee recommended, your body needs to be surprised with new exercises, to have a more well rounded development. Soon enough, I'll be back on YouTube, hunting for quad exercises and dancer's warm ups.

On a final note, The Canadian Pole Fitness Championships are this Saturday, Oct 13 at The Edgewater Casino. I'll be there cheering on the many Tantra athletes that made it, as well as getting inspired by the amazing pick of talent this year! I may have a bias, but this will be by far the best public event of the year in Vancouver! And of course, stay tuned for a review!