Science of Slink: The Evidence Based Pole Podcast with Dr. Rosy Boa

Dr. Rosy Boa, a pole teacher and former researcher who runs the online studio Slink Through Strength, discusses how highly specific, difficult pole goals can undermine enjoyment and sustainability when they’re repeatedly missed. Citing a 2021 Frontiers in Psychology study by Hoffner and Keats, she notes that repeated goal failure increases negative affect, lowers self-esteem, and reduces motivation, a problem amplified by social media comparisons to professional athletes. She shares her own experience of burnout from pursuing an unrealistic academic job goal, while overlooking the meaningful impact her research still has through citations. She encourages dancers to refocus on why they started pole, set achievable short-term or intermediary goals, and consider working with a coach to choose realistic targets based on time, energy, and resources.00:00 What If You Never Get It00:36 Meet Dr Rosy Boa01:27 Why Pole Attracts Achievers02:19 When Goals Backfire02:38 Research on Goal Failure04:14 My PhD Burnout Story05:24 Redefining Success07:14 Remember Why You Started08:14 Set Realistic Milestones09:44 Wrap Up and Next Steps Citations: Höpfner J and Keith N (2021) Goal Missed, Self Hit: Goal-Setting, Goal-Failure, and Their Affective, Motivational, and Behavioral Consequences. Front. Psychol. 12:704790. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.704790Links and resources:Free sample class: https://www.slinkthroughstrength.com/sample-class-signupSign up for community flow: https://slinkthroughstrength.as.me/community-flow-class Join my mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/slinkthroughstrength/newsletter 2025 studio dance playlist (these are all songs members suggested/brought to class!): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/06yzGCF4wi22B8516YuhIZ?si=9226904ac6f54287 

Pole dancer, do you actually know what your code is and what it does? No shame if not: by the end of this episode you will! Listen in as we go over: What’s actually part of your core?What does it do?As pole dancers, what's important for our movement-specific training? (Including a commonly-overlooked motion!)Links and resources:Free sample class: https://www.slinkthroughstrength.com/sample-class-signupSign up for community flow: https://slinkthroughstrength.as.me/community-flow-class Join my mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/slinkthroughstrength/newsletter 2025 studio dance playlist (these are all songs members suggested/brought to class!): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/06yzGCF4wi22B8516YuhIZ?si=9226904ac6f54287 Chapters: 00:00 Core Basics Intro02:18 Defining The Core03:17 Core Muscles Tour04:58 Spine Control Role05:47 Spine Motions In Pole08:07 Pole Specific Demands09:46 Stability And Isometrics11:44 Anti Rotation Strength14:14 Wrap Up And Takeaways

Dr. Rosy Boa of Slink Through Strength discusses why long-term pole dancers may lose motivation and how to rebuild a sustainable relationship with pole. She flags that dreading hobbies and anhedonia can be a symptom of depression and encourages seeking mental health support if that’s present. Otherwise, she recommends: assessing overall life capacity and scaling pole to fit current energy (including taking breaks without fear of major strength loss), clarifying what you currently want from pole using a “best possible self” meditation or journaling to align training with changing goals, adding novelty through different teachers, movement styles, and music to increase play and awareness of preferences, and reducing perfectionistic demands by focusing on consistency and effort over outcomes while lowering setup friction to make showing up easier.Links and resources:Free sample class: https://www.slinkthroughstrength.com/sample-class-signupJoin my mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/slinkthroughstrength/newsletter 2025 studio dance playlist (these are all songs members suggested/brought to class!): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/06yzGCF4wi22B8516YuhIZ?si=9226904ac6f54287 Citations:Carrillo, A., Rubio-Aparicio, M., Molinari, G., Enrique, Á., Sánchez-Meca, J., & Banos, R. M. (2019). Effects of the best possible self intervention: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one, 14(9), e0222386.De Kleine, E., & Van der Lubbe, R. H. (2011). Decreased load on general motor preparation and visual-working memory while preparing familiar as compared to unfamiliar movement sequences. Brain and Cognition, 75(2), 126-134. Encarnação, I. G., Viana, R. B., Soares, S. R., Freitas, E. D., de Lira, C. A., & Ferreira-Junior, J. B. (2022). Effects of detraining on muscle strength and hypertrophy induced by resistance training: A systematic review. Muscles, 1(1), 1-15.Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2014). “The perils of perfectionism in sports” revisited: Toward a broader understanding of the pressure to be perfect and its impact on athletes and dancers. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 45(4), 395-407.Hall, H. K., & Hill, A. P. (2012). Perfectionism, dysfunctional achievement striving and burnout in aspiring athletes: The motivational implications for performing artists. Theatre, Dance and Performance Training, 3(2), 216-228.Heekerens, J. B., & Eid, M. (2021). Inducing positive affect and positive future expectations using the best-possible-self intervention: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 16(3), 322–347. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2020.1716052King, L. A. (2001). The health benefits of writing about life goals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27, 798–807.Chapters:00:00 Pole Spark Fizzles00:25 About Me And Membership01:55 Long Term Pole Relationship03:10 Mental Health Red Flag03:48 Check Your Capacity07:46 Take Breaks Without Fear08:42 Best Possible Self Goals11:34 Add Novelty And Play15:28 Reduce Demands And Friction18:38 Recap And Next Steps20:20 Closing And Free Resources

Did you know there’s a whole scientific field that just studies friction?? It’s true! And we can apply a lot of those findings to help us stick better to the pole.In this episode we’ll dig into why you might be too slippery or too sticky by focusing on friction and research from tribology (much of it drawn from prosthetics studies). We’ll talk about how skin, fat and muscle all contribute to grip and how to navigate each. I also break down all the different types of grips and when/why you might want to use each one.Want to train with me? Try a free sample class: https://www.slinkthroughstrength.com/sample-class-signupCitations: Gerhardt LC, Strässle V, Lenz A, Spencer ND, Derler S. Influence of epidermal hydration on the friction of human skin against textiles. J R Soc Interface. 2008 Nov 6;5(28):1317-28. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2008.0034. PMID: 18331977; PMCID: PMC2607440. Xu, Z., Sun, H., Tang, W., Fang, X., Kosimov, A. A., & Mamadamon, A. (2026). Influence of muscle fatigue on pain based on friction and brain activation. Tribology International, 112362. (I didn’t talk about it, but this is a fun blog post about tribology: https://www.stle.org/files/TLTArchives/2024/12_December/Feature.aspx)Chapters:00:00 Sticky vs Slippery 00:38 Science of Slink Membership02:17 Friction and Tribology Basics03:34 Skin Layers and Hydration06:16 Body Fat and Surface Area10:10 Muscle Tension and Fatigue15:32 Grip Aids Explained20:25 Wrap Up

Dr. Rosy Boa of the Science of Slink podcast shares 10 key considerations for building a home pole space based on a decade of home training, emphasizing that a home setup will differ from a studio. She covers choosing reputable pole brands and safe installation (permanent vs. tension-mounted), proper placement under structural supports, using boards to distribute weight in plaster construction, checking tension with temperature swings, and shaking the pole before use. She discusses flooring choices for different styles, avoiding gaps that can catch toenails, and keeping cleaning tools nearby. Other topics include optional open wall space, storing alcohol/grip and towels, safety gear like mats and self-spotting bands, additional props (chairs, blocks, weights), airflow/humidity/temperature control, lighting options, music setup considerate of neighbors, and filming considerations like corner placement and fisheye lenses.Chapters:00:00 Home Pole Setup Intro01:05 Studio Versus Home Reality01:55 Pole05:43 Flooring07:39 Wall Space08:28 Storing essentials09:20 Safety equipment10:30 Props11:55 HVAC14:00 Lighting15:46 Music16:34 Filming17:48 Recap And Final Thoughts Iris Sparrow lighting tips: https://www.instagram.com/p/DcRKQnJhoX4/Try a free sample class: https://www.slinkthroughstrength.com/sample-class-signupWant to work with me? Check out my virtual Science of Slink membership at ScienceOfSlink.com ⁠🤎 All-level pole technique⁠🤎 Discover amazing-feeling freestyle flow⁠🤎 Accessible, equipment-optional conditioning⁠🤎 Taught live, recordings always included⁠⁠Sliding scale pricing available.⁠