How to set pole goals that get you results

You’re pumped to take your pole training to the next level. Reflecting on the past year, you know you’ve made progress, but let’s be real, you also know you could’ve done even better. This time, you’re determined to set yourself up for success and that starts with setting your pole goals the right way.

You’ve probably heard all about the power of goal setting. Writing down your goals alone can be super motivating, pushing you to make that extra effort. But how do you set goals that actually help you crush it on the pole?

The answer is structure, which the SMARTER method gives you. It stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, Enjoyable and Reviewed.

We’ll look at each one using a single consistent example of working towards an aerial invert, so you can see exactly how the framework applies in practice, then adapt it to whatever you’re working on.

S – specific

Vague goals produce vague results. ‘Get better at pole’ gives you nothing to train towards. Specificity forces you to define what success actually looks like.

For an aerial invert, specific means answering: what version of the move are you targeting – tuck, one leg straight or full straddle? Are you working towards a single clean rep or multiple repetitions? Are you inverting from standing or flowing into it from another move? What are the limiting factors right now – core compression, shoulder stability, technique, grip?

The more precisely you can answer these, the more directly your training can address them.

M – measurable

Pole progress can feel hard to quantify because so much of it is skill-based, how a move looks and feels, not just whether you can do it. But measurement is still possible.

For an aerial invert: how many repetitions can you do? How slow can you do it? How smoothly are you transitioning into or out of the move? How far can you extend your legs?

Pick one or two markers that honestly reflect where you are. They don’t need to be numerical, videos works well, but they need to be consistent enough that you can genuinely track change over time.

A – achievable

Achievable means being honest about your current baseline and working forward from there. Make sure your goal is something you can actually achieve with your current health and fitness level. If not, adjust it or focus on getting yourself ready first. It it’s too difficult, chances are you’ve already given up before you started. But equally don’t set too easy goals that doesn’t challenge you as it won’t motivate you.

If you’re working on an aerial invert, a confident floor invert is a prerequisite. The aerial version demands the same compression and rotation mechanics, just with the additional challenge of not generating momentum from a kick.

R – relevant

Every goal you set takes training time and energy away from something else. Relevant means checking that this goal is actually the right priority right now.

If your aerial invert is the target, dedicating significant training time to unrelated skills such as backbends or floorwork is going to slow you down. That doesn’t mean abandoning everything else, but it does mean your conditioning work, your drills and your practice time should directly contribute to aerial inverts.

Once the invert is solid, those other goals move to the front of the queue.

T – time-bound

A goal without a deadline is just a wish. A date creates urgency, motivation and action. It lets you work backwards from the target to figure out what needs to happen in each training block to get there. Be realistic but specific. By March is better than soon.

E – enjoyable

This one gets underestimated in goal-setting frameworks, but for pole it’s particularly important because so much of training is self-directed and long-term.

If the conditioning work your goal requires is something you actively dread, you’ll find reasons to skip it. That’s not a willpower problem but a program design problem. Hate L sits? There are fifteen other ways to build the core compression an aerial invert requires. Find the ones you like and will do consistently.

The more fun you have, the more likely you are to succeed. Don’t forget why you started pole – it was most likely because you enjoyed it and had fun.

R – reviewed

Review your goals regularly. Every 2-4 weeks works well for most pole goals. At each check in, ask: am I closer than I was? Is the training I’m doing addressing my limiting factors? Has anything changed, such as an injury, life, priorities which means the goal or timeline needs adjusting? If you’re not progressing as intended, have an honest review about why not and make relevant changes.

Putting it into practice

With the framework clear, here’s how to apply it:

• Limit your active goals – 2-3 at a time is enough, don’t overwhelm yourself. More than that and your training becomes unfocused. Keep additional goals in a list for when current ones are achieved or deprioritised.
• Break each goal into small components – take each goal and identify what is needed to achieve them. For example an aerial invert has 4 main components: stabilisation, compression, rotation and stabilisation in the end position. Identify which of these is your current bottleneck and make that the focus of your conditioning work.
• Build a program – once you know what you need to work on, build a training program that targets these areas. A session targeting aerial invert progress might include shoulder and core stability work, compression drills, rows on and off the pole and relevant mobility work. The order and emphasis should reflect where you most need to develop. If you’re not sure how to structure this, that’s exactly where a personalised coaching or physio session is useful, the program design is often where people lose time.
• Reassess regularly and adjust without ego – if something isn’t working after a genuine effort, change the approach. You might need to take a few steps back and solidify your foundations first before moving to the next step.

For more detail on tracking progress, have a look at our post about monitoring pole progress.

---

What are you working towards right now? Share it with the Polisthenics community and let’s cheer each other on! And if you know someone who’d find this useful, spread the word!

We offer virtual physiotherapy, strength coaching and personalised training programs tailored to pole dancers whether you’re injured, want to avoid getting injured or want to get stronger and achieve your pole goals.

💻 Book your appointment or message us here or on Instagram @polisthenics!