Dr. Rosy Boa hosts Science of Slink with guest trainer Àngel Casas, who practices body liberation, anti-diet, weight-neutral coaching, with a content warning for eating disorders, religious trauma, body weight, diet culture, and fatphobia. Angel describes being raised in a religious cult with strict body control, later leaving, coming out as a queer man, and repeatedly yo-yo dieting before starting a weight-loss fitness business during COVID. After working with clients and feeling triggered by diet practices, he sought help at an eating disorder center and learned about oppression, capitalism, and how “good body/bad body” narratives connect to diet culture; he shifted into non-diet personal training. Together they discuss weight-loss fitness as a results-based “scam,” problems with BMI and moralizing body size, medical fatphobia, GLP-1 drugs and harm reduction, alternative health markers (embodiment, daily functioning, strength, breath, joy), dismantling authoritarian fitness power dynamics, and building agency and compassion in movement. You can find Àngel at:https://nondietpersonaltraining.com/ / theantidiettrainer Are you a pole nerd interested in trying out online pole classes with Slink Through Strength? We’d love to have you! Use the code “podcast” for 10% off the Intro Pack and try out all of our unique online pole classes: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/cata... Chapters:00:00 Welcome and Content Warning00:48 Angels Origin Story08:07 BMI, Medical Fatphobia 10:03 Culture Morality and GLP1s12:01 Health Beyond Weight & Training for Bigger Life19:48 Learning Movement Autonomy & Joy32:31 How To Work Together34:09 Final Thanks And Wrap

Dr. Rosy Boa re-releases a vault episode on rest to coincide with her own offload week from pole, explaining what counts as rest, how often to schedule it, and why pole dancers often neglect it. She defines rest as a reduction in overall load that depends on an individual’s current training and life demands, notes gentle movement can still be rest, and advises avoiding pole-like pulling, leg-lifting, or intense mobility on rest days. General guidance includes at least one rest day per week and a lower-intensity deload week about once a month, with reduced load before major events. She outlines overtraining, citing sports medicine literature, with physical and mental warning signs (worsening soreness, performance decline, injuries, frequent illness, sleep disruption, appetite/weight/period changes, mood shifts, irritability, depression, fatigue). She describes the fitness-fatigue model, emphasizes sickness isn’t rest, recommends 6–8 hours sleep with consistent timing, and concludes that rest is essential for long-term pole health.

Are you a pole nerd interested in trying out online pole classes with Slink Through Strength? We’d love to have you! Use the code “podcast” for 10% off the Intro Pack and try out all of our unique online pole classes: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/catalog/25a67bd1/?productId=1828315&clearCart=true

Citations:

• Herring, S. A., Ben Kibler, W., Putukian, M., Berkoff, D. J., Bytomski, J., Carson, E., ... & Coppel, D. (2019). Load, overload, and recovery in the athlete: Select issues for the team physician-A consensus statement. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 18(4), 141-148. ⁠https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/Fu…

• The Fitness-Fatigue Model Revisited Implications for Planning Short- and Long-Term Training Chiu, Loren Z.F. MS, CSCS; Barnes, Jacque L. Strength and Conditioning Journal 25(6):p 42-51, December 2003. ⁠https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/pag…

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome and Offload Week

01:41 Why Rest Matters in Pole

03:21 What Counts as Rest

06:41 How Often to Rest and Deload

07:59 Overtraining Warning Signs

19:59 Fitness Fatigue Model Explained

22:50 Quick Q and A on Rest

26:19 Key Takeaways and Wrap Up

Dr. Rosy Boa shares a previously unavailable talk outlining three research-based areas to help pole freestyling feel easier and more natural: a mastery mindset, moving to music, and reducing self-consciousness. Drawing on improvisation research (largely from jazz and musical improvisation), she explains that improvisation relies on generating and selecting familiar movement options, so dancers are more likely to access skills they can execute successfully about 90% of the time; mastery approaches are also linked to less perfectionism and better body appreciation. She then summarizes entrainment research showing dance training improves rhythmic synchronization, and that music with strong, predictable beats, some complexity, familiarity, and slower tempo is easier to move to, while metrically complex or unfamiliar music is harder. Finally, she notes that watching oneself (mirrors, filming, self-view on Zoom) increases self-consciousness and can worsen body image, so for flow she recommends avoiding visual self-monitoring and reflecting via journaling and feedback.

Are you a pole nerd interested in trying out online pole classes with Slink Through Strength? We’d love to have you! Use the code “podcast” for 10% off the Intro Pack and try out all of our unique online pole classes: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/catalog/25a67bd1/?productId=1828315&clearCart=true

Join my newsletter: https://slinkthroughstrength.us10.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9abf68e29e749e7ee06f01364&id=3d02188de5

Try a free sample class: https://mailchi.mp/slinkthroughstrength.com/free-pole-flow-class

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome and Episode Setup

01:28 What You’ll Learn Today

03:18 Mastery Mindset for Freestyle

07:14 Moving to Music Entrainment

12:20 Pick Music That Helps Flow

13:21 Ditch Mirrors to Lose Self Focus

15:11 Three Tips and Wrap Up

15:55 Thanks and How to Connect

Citations

• Levin, R. (2009). Improvising Mozart. Musical improvisation: Art, education, and society, 143-149.

• Bloom, Benjamin S. (March 1968). "Learning for Mastery" (PDF). UCLA - CSEIP - Evaluation Comment. Vol. 1.

• Andrzejewski, C. E., Wilson, A. M., & Henry, D. J. (2013). Considering motivation, goals, and mastery orientation in dance technique. Research in Dance Education, 14(2), 162-175.

• Cary, G. (2023). Dancing like Everyone’s Watching: The Impact of Competition-Contingent Self-Worth and Belonging on Dancers’ Mental Well-Being (Doctoral dissertation).

• Brown, S., Martinez, M. J., & Parsons, L. M. (2006). The neural basis of human dance. Cerebral cortex, 16(8), 1157-1167.

• Washburn, A., DeMarco, M., de Vries, S., Ariyabuddhiphongs, K., Schmidt, R. C., Richardson, M. J., & Riley, M. A. (2014). Dancers entrain more effectively than non-dancers to another actor’s movements. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 8, 800.

• Madison, G., Gouyon, F., Ullén, F., & Hörnström, K. (2011). Modeling the tendency for music to induce movement in humans: first correlations with low-level audio descriptors across music genres.

• Weineck, K., Wen, O. X., & Henry, M. J. (2022). Neural synchronization is strongest to the spectral flux of slow music and depends on familiarity and beat salience. Elife, 11, e75515.

• Nakamura J, Csikszentmihályi M (20 December 2001). "Flow Theory and Research". In Snyder CR, Lopez SJ (eds.). Handbook of Positive Psychology. Oxford University Press. pp. 195–206. ISBN 978-0-19-803094-2. Retrieved 20 November 2013.

• Radell, S. A., Mandradjieff, M. P., Adame, D. D., & Cole, S. P. (2020). Impact of mirrors on body image of beginning modern and ballet students. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, 24(3), 126-134.

In this episode Rosy Boa interviews dance psychology science communicator and West Coast swing teacher Clara Dieters about applying psychology to dance. They discuss how dance differs from other movement activities through artistic expression, and how dancers can balance self-expression with external validation by recognizing multiple reasons for dancing beyond judges’ approval. Clara suggests coping with post-competition disappointment by setting specific, measurable goals and evaluating them afterward to regain control in unpredictable competition settings like Jack and Jill. They cover the “glitter crash” after festivals, explaining it as a drop below baseline following high endorphin, oxytocin, and dopamine levels, and recommend gentle movement and light socializing. Clara shares implementation intentions/habit stacking for fitting short dance practice into daily transitions, and offers stepwise strategies to build improvisation comfort. They also address cautious science communication around claims about dance and depression, and mention research on synchrony increasing pain threshold as a proxy for endorphin release.

Follow Clara: https://www.instagram.com/clara.deiters.wcs

Try a sample class: https://mailchi.mp/slinkthroughstrength.com/free-pole-flow-class

Are you a pole nerd interested in trying out online pole classes with Slink Through Strength? We’d love to have you! Use the code “podcast” for 10% off the Intro Pack and try out all of our unique online pole classes: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/catalog/25a67bd1/?productId=1828315&clearCart=true

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome and Teaser

00:30 Membership and Free Class

01:24 Meet Clara Dieters

02:52 Dance as Art and Sport

05:48 Validation and Belonging

08:23 Post Competition Tools

11:53 Glitter Crash Explained

14:44 Habits When Life Is Hard

17:49 Improv Confidence Building

23:08 Dance and Depression Claims

25:30 Science Communication Challenges

28:09 Synchrony and Endorphins

29:56 One Big Takeaway

31:29 Where to Find Clara

32:23 Final Wrap Up

Citations:

Prudente, T. P., Mezaiko, E., Silveira, E. A., & Nogueira, T. E. (2024). Effect of dancing interventions on depression and anxiety symptoms in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Behavioral Sciences, 14(1), 43.

Tarr, B., Launay, J., & Dunbar, R. I. M. (2016). Silent disco: Dancing in synchrony leads to elevated pain thresholds and social closeness. Evolution and Human Behavior, 37(5), 343–349. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.02.004

Teixeira-Machado, L., Arida, R. M., & de Jesus Mari, J. (2019). Dance for neuroplasticity: A descriptive systematic review. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 96, 232-240.

Mansfield, L., Kay, T., Meads, C., Grigsby-Duffy, L., Lane, J., John, A., ... & Victor, C. (2018). Sport and dance interventions for healthy young people (15–24 years) to promote subjective well-being: a systematic review. BMJ open, 8(7), e020959.

McKenzie K, Bowes R, Murray K (2021) Effects of dance on mood and potential of dance as a mental health intervention. Mental Health Practice. doi: 10.7748/mhp.2021.e1522

The episode explains how pole dancers can get stronger using progressive overload, defined as gradually increasing training stress so the body adapts during rest and the same demands become easier over time. It outlines adaptation timelines: neurological and cardiovascular changes can occur quickly (sometimes within a session for neuro drills), noticeable strength gains typically appear after about 3–6 weeks, connective tissue (tendons/ligaments) adapts around the 3-month mark, and bone density changes occur closer to 6 months. Rosy emphasizes easing back into training—especially after a break or postpartum—avoiding self-punishment, and prioritizing rest because adaptation happens during recovery. It describes ways to increase load for pole and bodyweight training: increase training frequency while keeping at least 1–2 rest days per week, increase repetitions, use time-based conditioning like a “pole treadmill” (repeated climbs/descents for time), increase resistance via weights/bands or by selecting harder bodyweight progressions, and use isometrics by holding longer or increasing tension. It notes that muscle damage is not necessarily required for positive adaptation and references Felipe Damas’ work (primarily in hypertrophy research), while clarifying the focus is strength training rather than bodybuilding. The episode also explains that the body responds to chronic life stress similarly to training stress, which can hinder strength gains, and encourages stress reduction and enjoyable movement.

Citations:

• SELYE H. (1950). Stress and the general adaptation syndrome. British medical journal, 1(4667), 1383–1392. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.4667.1383

• Monti, E., Franchi, M. V., Badiali, F., Quinlan, J. I., Longo, S., & Narici, M. V. (2020). The Time-Course of Changes in Muscle Mass, Architecture and Power During 6 Weeks of Plyometric Training. Frontiers in physiology, 11, 946. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2020.00946

• Damas, F., Phillips, S. M., Vechin, F. C., & Ugrinowitsch, C. (2015). A review of resistance training-induced changes in skeletal muscle protein synthesis and their contribution to hypertrophy. Sports Medicine, 45(6), 801–807.

• Damas F, Phillips SM, Libardi CA, Vechin FC, Lixandrão ME, Jannig PR, et al. (September 2016). "Resistance training-induced changes in integrated myofibrillar protein synthesis are related to hypertrophy only after attenuation of muscle damage". The Journal of Physiology. 594 (18): 5209–22. doi:10.1113/JP272472. PMC 5023708. PMID 27219125

• Ahola, R., Korpelainen, R., Vainionpää, A., Leppäluoto, J., & Jämsä, T. (2009). Time-course of exercise and its association with 12-month bone changes. BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 10, 138. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-10-138

• Plotkin, D., Coleman, M., Van Every, D., Maldonado, J., Oberlin, D., Israetel, M., Feather, J., Alto, A., Vigotsky, A. D., & Schoenfeld, B. J. (2022). Progressive overload without progressing load? The effects of load or repetition progression on muscular adaptations. PeerJ, 10, e14142. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14142

  
  

Chapters:

00:00 Get Stronger for Pole: What We’re Covering Today

00:55 Membership Shout-Out + How My Training Programs Work

02:24 Progressive Overload 101 (Stress → Rest → Adapt)

03:50 Adaptation Timelines: Nervous System, Cardio, Strength

05:53 Long-Game Gains: Tendons, Ligaments & Bone Density

06:59 Coming Back to Pole: Patience, Rest, and Consistency

08:01 How to Add Load in Pole Training (Frequency, Reps, Resistance)

11:12 Isometrics & Bodyweight Progressions (Making Moves Harder)

14:48 Wrap-Up: Stress Management, Keep Showing Up

In this episode of 'Science of Slink,' Dr. Rosy Boa explains how often and how intensely recreational adult pole dancers should practice based on findings from exercise science. Dr. Boa shares the American College of Sports Medicine's guidelines for aerobic physical activity, which recommend either 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise spread over five days or 60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise across three days weekly. She discusses the importance of balancing exercise with proper rest and recovery and emphasizes that even short, less than 10-minute sessions can provide significant health benefits. Lastly, Dr. Boa introduces her Science of Slink membership options for those interested in structured, evidence-based pole dance training.

Are you a pole nerd interested in trying out online pole classes with Slink Through Strength? We’d love to have you! Use the code “podcast” for 10% off the Intro Pack and try out all of our unique online pole classes: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/catalog/25a67bd1/?productId=1828315&clearCart=true

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Exercise Science for Pole Dancers

01:00 Membership Options and Podcast Shoutout

01:35 Caveats and Target Audience

02:41 Top Line Recommendations for Pole Dance Frequency

03:49 Understanding Exercise Intensity

04:53 Practical Tips for Monitoring Intensity

07:52 Importance of Rest and Recovery

09:20 Cognitive Benefits of Physical Activity

10:38 Consistency and Habit Formation

12:37 Final Recommendations and Conclusion

Citations:

Erickson, K. I., Hillman, C., Stillman, C. M., Ballard, R. M., Bloodgood, B., Conroy, D. E., ... & Powell, K. E. (2019). Physical activity, cognition, and brain outcomes: a review of the 2018 physical activity guidelines. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 51(6), 1242.

Haskell, W. L., Lee, I. M., Pate, R. R., Powell, K. E., Blair, S. N., Franklin, B. A., ... & Bauman, A. (2007). Physical activity and public health: updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Circulation, 116(9), 1081.

Jakicic, J. M., Kraus, W. E., Powell, K. E., Campbell, W. W., Janz, K. F., Troiano, R. P., ... & 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee. (2019). Association between bout duration of physical activity and health: systematic review. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 51(6), 1213.

Kaushal, N., & Rhodes, R. E. (2015). Exercise habit formation in new gym members: a longitudinal study. Journal of behavioral medicine, 38(4), 652-663.

In this episode of Science of Slink, Dr. Rosy Boa shares vital lessons she wishes she had learned earlier in her 14-year pole dancing journey. Covering exercise science fundamentals, recognizing when a space isn’t right for you, and the perils of diet culture and disordered eating, Dr. Boa offers practical advice and reflections aimed at helping fellow pole dancers avoid common pitfalls. Additionally, she emphasizes the importance of a healthy relationship with food and the benefits of understanding exercise science principles. Dr. Boa encourages listeners to contribute their own lessons and insights while promoting her online pole studio for further learning and community support.

Are you a pole nerd interested in trying out online pole classes with Slink Through Strength? We’d love to have you! Use the code “podcast” for 10% off the Intro Pack and try out all of our unique online pole classes: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/catalog/25a67bd1/?productId=1828315&clearCart=true

Citation for perfectionism & orthorexia: Oberle CD, Samaghabadi RO, Hughes EM. Orthorexia nervosa: Assessment and correlates with gender, BMI, and personality. Appetite. 2017 Jan 1;108:303-310. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2016.10.021. Epub 2016 Oct 15. PMID: 27756637.

Timestamps00:00 Welcome to Science of Slink

00:57 My Pole Dancing Journey Begins

02:06 Discovering Exercise Science

05:29 Finding the Right Space for You

08:57 Understanding Diet Culture and Disordered Eating

13:31 Final Thoughts and Advice

5-Day Evidence-Based Pole Reset starts January 12th! Ready to fall back in love with pole dance? Join us for five days to relight your pole spark (with science! 👩‍🔬): https://slinkers-circle.mn.co/plans/1935979?bundle_token=34f7e8f7c209c0d5c1a1667812b4c96a

In this episode of Science of Slink, host Dr. Rosy Boa addresses home pole dancers who wish their home pole time felt better. She provides evidence-based tips and tricks to enhance enjoyment and reduce friction for pole practice. Dr. Boa emphasizes the importance of removing physical and psychological barriers, embracing imperfection, injecting more pleasure into pole sessions, and being realistic about personal capacity and values. She also discusses the upcoming 5-day evidence-based pole reset program beginning January 12, 2026, designed to help pole dancers reflect and improve their practice. The episode concludes with a reminder of the importance of balancing pole dance with other life priorities.

Chatpers:

00:00 Welcome to the Science of Slink Podcast

00:49 Introduction to the Five-Day Pole Reset

02:00 Tips to Enhance Your Home Pole Experience

02:13 Removing Friction: Making Pole Time Easier

07:44 Embrace Imperfection: Do It Badly

11:32 Incorporate Pleasure into Your Practice

18:29 Understanding Your Capacity and Priorities

23:38 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Citations/Further reading:

Beshears J, Kosowsky H. Nudging: Progress to date and future directions. Organ Behav Hum Decis Process. 2020 Nov;161(Suppl):3-19. doi: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2020.09.001. Epub 2020 Dec 10. PMID: 33716395; PMCID: PMC7946162.

Lurquin, J. H., & Miyake, A. (2017). Challenges to ego-depletion research go beyond the replication crisis: A need for tackling the conceptual crisis. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, Article 568. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00568

Crocker J, Olivier MA, Nuer N. Self-Image Goals and Compassionate Goals: Costs and Benefits. Self Identity. 2009 Apr 16;8(2-3):251-269. doi: 10.1080/15298860802505160. PMID: 21218194; PMCID: PMC3017354.

Irwin, B.C., Scorniaenchi, J., Kerr, N.L. et al. Aerobic Exercise Is Promoted when Individual Performance Affects the Group: A Test of the Kohler Motivation Gain Effect. ann. behav. med. 44, 151–159 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9367-4

Decker, E. S., & Ekkekakis, P. (2017). More efficient, perhaps, but at what price? Pleasure and enjoyment responses to high-intensity interval exercise in low-active women with obesity. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 28, 1-10.

Ekkekakis, P. (2003). Pleasure and displeasure from the body: Perspectives from exercise. Cognition and emotion, 17(2), 213-239.

Hill, A. P., Mallinson-Howard, S. H., & Jowett, G. E. (2018). Multidimensional perfectionism in sport: A meta-analytical review. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, 7(3), 235.