Pole dancing was until recently associated with wanton women, strippers, and sex dungeons. The exotic dance pole was not for the everyday woman. Pole dancing was a special talent of women who entice and seduce men for a living. The rest of us could only look on enviously, pole dancing only in our naughty daydreams.
Those days are sliding into the past, however. A new, shame-free age is opening up for those of us who want to enjoy the fitness and sensuality benefits of pole dancing. Pole dancing isn’t just for bad girls in the movies anymore. Now anyone can – and should – sign up for pole-dancing classes.
Confession Time
I’ve always admired strippers. Why not? They make way more money than I do. They are always in phenomenal shape. And the best of them make pole dancing an art, every bit as demanding and artistic as any other kind of dancing, but with an extra layer of sensuality and fantasy.
Yes, there are bad strippers who just stand there and barely sway as the music thumps. There are below-average performers in every field. I’m inspired by the amazing dancers who work the pole and capture the audience in a spell of enchantment. They’ve convinced me that the pole is a fascinating and sexy place to be.
But those are strippers, right? Can pole dancing really make sense for you and me?
It can. Here’s why:
#1 It’s Fantastic Cardio
The best way to keep your heart healthy is to get it pumping. Cardio exercise is essential for keeping your heart and lungs in tip-top condition. And dancing is a time-tested, doctor-approved way of getting the blood moving. Add a pole-dancing class to your schedule and you won’t need any other cardio workout.
#2 You Strengthen Your Arms
I have arm flab. I hate to admit it, but it’s true. My arms are not toned and in shape, and much to my annoyance I probably couldn’t do a pushup to save my life.
Pole dancing could change all that. This art form is also a potent form of exercise for building up arm and chest muscles.
You’ll use your arms to swing seductively around the pole. You’ll use your increasingly powerful arm muscles to lift yourself up, hang upside down, and balance yourself while pole dancing. No more flabby arms for you.
#3 You Tone Your Legs
Maybe you’ve noticed that most strippers have amazing legs. Yes, they spend their evenings dancing in high heels…but even without the stilettos, the pole gives those ladies one hell of a workout!
Pole-dancing class will really work your thighs and your calves. It might be the best way to get your legs in shape fast. Want proof? Take another look at the legs on those gorgeous strippers.
#4 You Become More Flexible
I am not a yoga kind of girl. I’d love to be, I really would. Inner peace sounds absolutely divine, and I’ve never come close to it. But my attention span is too short for a workout that requires me to stand still in one position for a long time. I can’t see myself silently shifting ever-so-slowly from pose to pose. That’s not me.
Pole dancing helps women burn off energy in a way that is more fun and less passive.
If you don’t crave inner calm but you do need to burn off some energy (and calories!), pole-dancing lessons are just the thing. You’ll be able to move your body in ways you didn’t even know were possible. Who needs yoga?
#5 You Toughen Up
I confess: I’m a bit of a wimp when it comes to exercise. I don’t like getting bruised and I hate pain. I like to blame it on my age and my red hair. (We redheads feel pain more intensely than ordinary women – I thought everyone knew that.) But the truth is, I’m just out-of-shape. And I’m not happy about it.
Pole-dancing lessons will absolutely get you in shape. And you should know that it’s going to leave you with some bruises too. You won’t sustain any major damage with a good instructor, but your inner thighs will feel the burn from sliding down the pole and you’ll probably pick up a few bruises from the pressure of the pole against your thighs.
If you’re a wimp like me, taking up pole dancing is a good idea if only for the way it will help you toughen up and throw yourself into your workout. No pain, no gain!
#6 You Learn to Dance
I’ve taken all kinds of dance classes over the years. Ballet, jazz, Argentinian tango, salsa, ballroom styles…I’ve done ‘em all.
I’ve enjoyed the classes, but I haven’t achieved everything I hoped to. I still don’t feel sexy when I dance. And I still find myself out-of-breath at the end of a vigorous hip-hop set.
Pole-dancing class is a great way to pick up new moves. Plus, the pole is there to support you, so you’re less likely to trip over your own feet. Pole dancing is a great introduction to dance, even for klutzes like yours truly.
#7 It’s Sexy (Which Comes in Handy)
May I be frank?
I happen to be between lovers at the moment. My booty call moved out of state and I’ve been in a bit of a sexual drought for many weeks. At first it was nice not worrying about looking or feeling sexy, but now…well, now I miss feeling sexy. I miss wanting to be sexy for someone. But mostly, I miss being sexy for myself.
Pole-dancing classes make you feel sexy. Even though I’m in a dry spell, wrapping my legs around the pole and seductively moving my hips to the music makes me feel womanly and wanton. It’s a very good feeling.
If you need to feel sexy quick (or if you’ve lost your mojo and need a fast way to get it back without resorting to a one-night stand), take a pole-dancing class.
And of course the sexual benefits work when you’ve got a guy, too. Imagine yourself showing off your newly acquired pole-dancing talents for a new lover or (fingers crossed) actual boyfriend. Awesome, right?
Pole dancing is incredibly sexy in class, on your own, and when you’re performing for a partner. What’s not to love?
#8 You Feel More Confident
Despite my enthusiasm for pole dancing, I am not a stripper. I don’t have anything against the idea. I fantasize about it now and then. But in reality, I suspect that my size 12 posterior would not look great in a glittery size 2 thong.
That doesn’t bother me. I like my body.
But I like my body a lot better when I feel sexy and toned. I bet you do too.
That’s where pole dancing comes in. Classes will give you a better body and a sexy attitude – no matter what size you are!
You might not graduate into a career that requires size-two panties and a sparkly halter top, but you will appreciate your womanly figure and sexy curves more after you’ve learned how to flaunt them in pole-dancing class. You’ll gain the confidence to dig those form-fitting clothes out of the back of the closet and start wearing them proudly again.
#9 Pole Dancing Builds Self-Esteem
Let’s talk seriously for just a minute. It’s fun to talk about sexy strippers. We admire their gorgeous bodies and imagine emulating their sultry moves, but let’s set that aside for a moment. What I really admire most about seductive dancers is their confidence.
Self-esteem is a very big deal for women. I am almost 40 years old. Every day I struggle with self-esteem issues. I wonder if I’m good enough. I question my talents as a writer, a mother, a working woman. Sometimes I feel I have no idea what to do with my future, and certainly no idea how to get there. Feelings of worthlessness sneak up on me more often than you might think.
I’ve known a lot of strippers in my time: women of all ages and sizes. (No, honey, they’re not all a size 2.) You know what they have in common? Amazing self-confidence and high self-esteem. These ladies don’t take any crap from anyone!
I didn’t understand at first, but I do now. There’s something about dancing that brings out the best in these women. There’s a magical enchantment that comes along with pole dancing and losing yourself in your own sexuality against the music and lights. It’s very powerful.
A pole-dancing class might not give you the self-confidence you need to figure yourself out overnight. But it will absolutely make you more confident. It takes guts to get up there and dance. It takes guts to sign up for a class that’s traditionally associated with bad girls and blatantly open sexuality. Many women are intimidated by that.
Pole-dancing classes will take you outside your comfort zone. You’ll do something taboo. You’ll acquire skills that make your body feel sexy and alive. You’ll give yourself permission to be sensual and exotic. That takes a lot of confidence, and I’m proud of you.
#10 You Can Tell The World…But You Don’t Have To
One of the best things about pole-dancing class is that you can tell everyone in the world you’re a pole dancer. Or you can keep it as a dirty little secret.
I like keeping a sexy secret now and then. Secrets bring out my naughty side and spur me on to take risks I wouldn’t otherwise consider. It’s all about the confidence.
You may want to show off your newly acquired pole-dancing skill. There is a sense of power in being open and free about your sensual side, and of course you’ll want to flaunt your trim and fit body. If you want to show the world how awesome you are, just go for it!
Taking a pole-dancing class will change your life. It challenges your opinion about your own sexuality. It transforms self-doubt into self-confidence. It proves you’re a woman who goes after what she wants. You don’t cringe at the thought of stepping out of your comfort zone, not you! You go after the things you desire.
There’s nothing sexier than that.
Being a pole dancer, I can assure you that it does not only time your arms but most of all your core. Every single acrobatic move builds great abs!! A word of advise: it’s an extremely addictive sport!!
As a pole dancer, I relate to some of your points. However, in your article you make it seem like pole dancing evolved from stripping. It did not. 90 percent of strippers don’t even pole dance. They use it as a prop. Pole dancing has a lot of acrobatic dimensions to it. Guys who go to strip clubs aren’t like “Yeah, I want to see her defy gravity and lift her body in the air”. No, they want to see ass and titties shake. Pole dance was never just for “The bad girls”. “Pole dancing was a special talent of women who entice and seduce men for a living”- that is not true. STRIPPING was a special talent of women who entice and seduce men for a living. There’s a major difference. Also, I personally disagree with the statement of using “pole dance” to increase your sex life. That just increases the stigma- and because we are still in an age where a women who is sexual is a “slut”- it adds fire to the flame. You can add fantasy to your sex life by giving your man a lap dance in a chair- which is what strippers do if you want to have the stripper fantasy. The pole has nothing to do with strippers per say. But who am I to judge you on how you spice up your love life. I hope you’ve realized this since this article is two years old. Also, I hope you have progressed in your pole journey. It is very challenging and great fun!