Pole Dancing - Fun or Fitness?

By WLR Staff, by Kelly Olsen

Gold hot pants, the lithe sensual movements of your body and the shaking of your bottom - all of this is the fun that is pole dancing.

This is possibly the most controversial fitness trend I can think of, but what better way to have a great laugh, get fit and tone up?

Pole Dancing - Mix It and Climb It!

Usually the classes are women only and a mix of erotic dancing, making pleasure faces and doing quite physical moves using funky music.

Pole Dancing is about having fun, first and foremost and certainly most classes will teach you half a dozen basic moves including how to climb the pole – not easy I can tell you!

Other moves include twirling, spinning and swinging plus those all important static moves posing to the audience.

The classes are not intended to train you professionally. They are there to welcome women of all ages and sizes in order to get fit, increase flexibility, improve posture, tone up, burn calories and improve confidence.

Most classes also offer tips on striptease and table dancing. Hen parties centred on lessons in Pole-dancing have become very popular and a great way to have a memorable giggle and earn the calories for the night out afterwards.

Exercise Benefits of Pole Dancing

• Burning Calories - can burn as many as 250 calories which is similar to a good gym session
   
• Builds Muscle and Tones - supporting your entire weight with one arm can be challenging and will build your upper body. It also helps strengthen your stomach muscles and you can, if you go regularly expect to see increased muscle definition in your bottom, arms and thighs
   
• Beats The Winter Blues – the physical exertion makes your body release the happy hormones – endorphins making you feel better and more energetic

Reality TV?

The BBC are reported to be developing ‘Strictly Come Pole-Dancing’ for Sport Relief and predictably there are dissenters, but the BBC insist it is just a bit of fun to raise money for deserving causes.

What to Wear Or Not!

• Shorts or if you are feeling brave hot pants. You need bare legs to grip the pole
• Trainers for the warm up
• High heels – they help with the strut

Conclusion

Yes it’s fun and yes it helps get you fit.

Whilst fitness goals differ from person to person, Pole dancing certainly helps tone, strengthen and is aerobic. If your fitness goals are more significant, you may still need to get to that gym in addition to strutting your stuff.