What is pole fitness

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Explore Classes. Irmingard is a professional pole dancer, instructor aerialist with a background in gymnastics and theater. Last updated on February 15, Most pole dancers, regardless of age, are in the best shape of their lives. There are many different types of pole dancing. Pole dancing is extremely versatile.

There are three main branches: sport, art, and sexy:. In sport, you have the serious athletes performing difficult tricks and displaying unfathomable muscular strength. Some have even petitioned for pole to become an Olympic event! Then there are also those who embrace the artistic side pole has to offer. The simplicity of a vertical apparatus like the pole is appealing in that there is no shortage of creativity—so many stories can be told. Many pole dancers perform barefoot and have been known to incorporate modern dance, props and costumes into their routines.

Finally the sexy side of pole is still practiced by many. These dancers usually wear heels and favor more sensual, erotic movement. You need your skin exposed to grip the pole. It can be dangerous without proper training. Men can and do! Pole fitness has helped Dr. Sara Solomon reach new heights of strength and athleticism in her 40s. Even so, she says, you don't have to be in shape or super strong to see progress and benefit from pole fitness.

You will gain strength and get fit over time. I had no shoulder, back, or hip flexibility," she recalls. Age is not a factor either, the experts say.

Cumberbatch was 42 when she began learning pole. Solomon and Grishina, too, were close to 40, and Lopez was Exotic Dance classes are also highly sought after. Solomon identifies three main branches of pole dancing: acrobatic-focused, dance-focused, and sensual. Only the sensual styles require heels, and within that category you'll find at least three different approaches: "exotic," "stripper," and "classique.

It is well-known for handstands, crazy transitions, and deceptive strength moves," Solomon says. Prepare for twerking, heel clacks, lots of self-touching, and clothing removal. Fitness champ Grishina promotes a strictly gymnastics style of pole work through her OG Pole Fitness Classic competitions, and likes to describe her vision of pole as "a combination of strength, power, and art at the same time. Even so, she admits she had to get past her own pre-conceptions before she could climb into a pair of 8-inch Pleasers.

And the 'stripper heels' contribute to the image. Once I tried pole dancing, I realized I knew nothing about it—because I was too busy judging it. Says Cumberbatch, the studio owner, "While pole does emphasize femininity, the fact is that it takes a tremendous amount of strength to do what we do. Some women coming to pole classes could care less about looking or feeling feminine and are focused more on gaining strength and flexibility.

Conventional wisdom says that wearing towering platform heels is anything but "functional. However, pole dancing will result in you burning fat and gaining muscle so if your goal is to become leaner as opposed to just staying healthy, pole dancing is highly effective.

But regardless of any change to body shape, what I see in every single student is an increase in body confidence and self-esteem. Although I have taught many other fitness classes, what makes pole dance unique is that despite being a demanding workout, we always have a lot of fun and there is real camaraderie among the students. All exercise is good for mental health — endorphins are released when we exercise, which are proven to reduce stress and anxiety.

This, combined with improved level of health, positive physical changes to your appearance and the mental stimulation physical exercise offers, is great for your self-esteem. In addition to this, there are some unique mental health benefits of pole dancing too.

For instance, it creates a sense of solidarity with other classmates as each of you take control of your body. Put simply, pole dancing is as fulfilling as any pursuit can hope to be. Registered in England No. We use cookies to offer you a better experience, analyze site traffic, and serve target advertisements. When you mix that with your newly toned and sculpted body I'd be amazed if you weren't super proud of yourself and your abilities.

You wouldn't believe how empowering it can be to nail all of those new moves while getting a brilliant workout. It'll give you the motivation you need to keep going and in the long run you'll feel less shy, more attractive and more confident.

Pole fitness helps you develop strong core muscles and abs for that perfectly sculpted tummy and it's also incredible for building upper body strength.

One of the many reasons for not starting pole fitness sooner including my own is that a lot of people believe they need a strong upper body to start. So if you've been thinking about how weak your arms are and how you'll never do it I've got news for you.

Nothing could be further from the truth! It's amazing how quickly that changes after starting pole classes. If I can do it, you definitely can. I often wish I hadn't taken so long to get started, so if that's what is holding you back you need to get going!

Do you have trouble dragging yourself down to the gym for a boring old workout session? Do you lack self discipline and motivation when it comes to keeping fit? Well if it's a choice between that and pole fitness I know which way I'm heading, allow me to explain why.

Pole fitness is just so much fun! While you're busy learning exciting new tricks and spins you rarely realise how many times you lift your own body weight in just one class. There's certainly never a boring moment and the excitement and euphoria you feel from achieving each new move also gives you that motivation to keep going.

You'll be addicted in no time and you won't be able to resist learning just one more trick, and another one, and then another!

It's easy to lose the motivation to stick to regular fitness routines so for me the fact that working out no longer felt like a chore was the number one reason I loved it! There's a real sense of friendship and encouragement within the pole fitness community and you'll be surrounded by positivity and optimism forever more! The majority of pole fitness studios offer a safe and comfortable environment to achieve your goals with instructors who will guide you with enthusiasm every step of the way.

You'll never have to worry about being judged in a pole fitness class as women of all shapes, sizes, ages and fitness levels are welcomed with open arms. It's a great place to meet people and make new friends and if you're starting alone at home you can still find that support online. There's many groups of supportive and encouraging like minded individuals hanging out online and if you decide you want to network in person you can simply head to your nearest pole event.

You can still start pole fitness at home , all you need to do is buy a pole and install it. Permanent or portable? You choose. All you need to do then is simply get yourself some online lessons or a pole fitness DVD and you're off to a great start!

A lot of people who attend pole fitness classes will also have a pole at home so that they can get extra practice in and workout in private at home.

Pole fitness classes combine so many different types of exercise that you don't have to focus on any specific body parts. There's no choosing which machine you want to work on or which muscle groups need the most attention. You just practice each new move as it comes. There will be floorwork, some dancing, spins, climbing and for the more advanced polers comes inverting and lifting your whole body upside down!

Even the most regular gym attendees are surprised by the feeling after a pole workout. You'll feel muscles being worked that you didn't even know you had. Whether you're holding a spin or dangling from your legs you'll constantly be working on engaging your core muscles too. That means that when you get to the point of inverting going upside down you'll feel comfortable with it and ready to fly! At this point your fitness levels can only soar as you repeatedly lift your body up to attempt that new move over and over again.

How many pounds of weight would that be equal to lifting when you go to the gym, without you even realising? Flexibility isn't something that everyone is trying to achieve at first but it will come naturally over time with pole fitness.

Not every move will be achievable straight away regardless of strength because some of them require a certain level of flexibility. Don't worry if you're not very flexible right now though, the more classes you go to the more flexible you will become!