How to Not F*ck Up Your Shoulders

Pole Dancing

6-week online course

Spring 2025

    Let’s not guess. Let’s assess.

    You’ll learn:

    How to assess your shoulders for range of motion and strength limitations that impact your pole performance.

    Exercises/drills to address common limitations.

    How to reduce your risk of f*cking up your shoulders pole dancing so you can achieve your pole goals.

    What’s included:

    Weekly assessments & exercise programming through the TrueCoach app with feedback from Dr. Emily.

    Weekly Zoom Meetings every TUESDAY at 2pm Pacific Time breaking down each assessment & how it applies to your on the pole training.

    You know pole dancing is hard on your shoulders.

    You've heard the horror stories about shoulder injuries and don't want that to be part of your pole journey.

    There's a gap between not wanting to be injured and knowing what to do to reduce your risk of being injured.

    But waiting until someone is injured to share this information seemed irresponsible of me.

    There are specific things pole dancers need their shoulders to be able to do and only training on the pole will not get you there.

    This course will teach you how to assess your shoulders in all the positions needed for pole dancing, and give you the tools to address your current limitations so you can achieve your goal of pole dancing without injuries.

    Are you struggling with your butterfly or Ayesha/handspring? Do you have the shoulder flexion needed for it? Do you have the overhead pushing strength required?

    Or is bracket grip the bane of your existence because you get that nagging forearm pain every time you attempt it? *Hint - it's not a forearm issue. Bracket grip is a balance between pulling & pushing, both come from the shoulder and will be covered in this course.

    I felt obligated to create this course after working with 100s of pole dancers to recover from injuries, most of which are shoulder injuries.

    This course will teach you:

    How to reduce your risk of injury through self-assessments of the shoulder, specific exercises/drills to address each movement and set you on the path to achieving your pole goals.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What if I can’t attend the zoom sessions live?

    • No stress! You’ll miss out on the interactive component but a recording will be sent & you’ll have access to it forever.

    • What equipment do I need?

      • A blank wall.

      • A foam roller.

      • A yoga block or 2.

      • Light or medium looped mini-band.

      • A light or medium tension long floppy band. Not a powerband.

      • A dowel or broomstick.

      • A chair or bench.

      • Light & heavy powerband.

      • Lighter weight for accessory movements.

      • Heavy weight for compound movements.

    • Who is this for?

      • Pole dancers who are not currently injured and want to do everything they can to stay that way.

    • Who is this not for?

    • What assessments will be covered?

      • Flexion, extension, internal/external rotation, adduction/abduction, pushing, pulling.

    • Will I be able to get feedback?

    • Yes! You will have the option to submit videos through the TrueCoach Application. The feedback will be limited to the results of your assessments & form of exercises performed.

    Who am I?

    If this is our first time meeting, Hi!

    My name is Dr. Emily Rausch.

    I'm a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician who specializes in pole dancers. I've been pole dancing for almost 6 years (March 27th is my pole-iversary). I combine my doctor brain with my pole dancer experience to help pole dancers learn how to not f*ck up their bodies and help them unf*ck them when they do.

    What people are saying

    Dr. Emily is a wealth of knowledge and easy to talk to! I love how she doesn’t just tell you what’s wrong, but actually helps you develop a plan about why and how to make things better! - Megan

    Emily is one of the most knowledgeable practitioners I've met in a while. She works to stay up to date in a fast changing environment which allows her to provide relevant and effective care. You are in good hands. - Justin

    Dr. Emily is super knowledgeable and is happy to explain all and any details and questions. She is very kind and is patient for the both of us on days when my goals seem out of reach. She has always found an alternative and has helped me chance my mindset to focusing on what I can do rather than what I can't. - Ana