Gone are the days when pole dancing was reserved for strip club settings (think Demi Moore in Striptease);
pole dancing as a form of exercise has now become a global trend, with celebs Emma Stone, Rihanna, Lindsay Lohan, Teri Hatcher, Kate Moss and Kate Hudson hailing it as one of their favorite workouts.
In fact, it’s become so popular that pole dancing advocates are pushing for the sport to be represented in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Pole dancing is a powerful way to get in shape without even thinking about it! It increases core and general body strength by using the body itself as resistance (aka functional training).
Here's what you'll get from this all-in-one workout:
- Cardio: Even at a very basic level, your body is constantly in motion and the simplest of spins or slides will raise your heart rate and work your lungs. Your heart has to pump more blood to bring oxygen to those muscles you’re working, so this one is a true aerobic workout!
- Strength: A dance pole allows you to use your body weight to tone your muscles quickly and increase your upper and lower body strength. Most significantly, outer abdominal muscles are toned and core abdominal muscles are strengthened.
- Flexibility: Since pole dancing is typically done in a relatively slow and controlled manner, muscle control and flexibility are improved. The dance pole assists in aligning stretches, providing support and balance, and also in terms of bracing and deepening common stretches.
- Body awareness: Pole dancing definitely increases body awareness as women learn to move in ways that pull them into their body and help them “own” their personal space. Guaranteed to feel empowered, confident, and sexier after a one hour pole dancing class!
Caution: Overuse injuries, particularly in the shoulders, are fairly common in newer pole dancers. This can occur if strength is not built up gradually, hence it's important to pace yourself and to stop before you feel tired or sore. Tip: don’t apply moisturizer before a class to avoid sliding on the pole :).
Statistics show that a whopping 80% of the 40 million who have gym memberships don’t actually use them. Not surprising when you take a moment to analyze what typically occurs: at first you’re pumped to join and attend religiously for about 2-3 weeks, but eventually the motivation wears off and the prospect of your daily gym routine is hardly inviting! Why so? Because the novelty factor is gone.
Hello pole dancing to fight the boredom! One full hour is literally like a jogging + strength training + a relaxation session all in one. You’ll stretch your physical and emotional fabric as you face the challenge in this sport, which also gets your mind off daily stresses. Oh, and did I mention that you burn between 250-400 calories just for having fun?
