The Ups And Downs Of Pole Dancing

MOST little girls go through the phase of wanting to be ballerinas. I went to the extent of going to classes every Saturday up until the age of 13 when it became very apparent Swan Lake wouldn’t be able to accommodate a duck bum.

For the same reason, I’ve been hesitant about trying pole dancing exercise classes in my adult life, despite my sister repeatedly telling me how beneficial it is for toning.

After an initial heavy-handed approach to the pole and subsequent shambolic fall from grace, I was safe in the knowledge that things could only get better

A combination of dance and gymnastics, pole dancing is no longer restricted to a strip club setting. As a legitimate form of fitness, pro pole dancers possess strength, endurance and elegance. A bit like ballerinas really.

PolePlate Studios - a new fitness studio in Manchester city centre - is home to Power Plates as well as pole dancing, hence the name - but that’s another article.

Beth Roberts demonstrates

Adamant I wasn’t going to embarrass myself in front of unwitting strangers, I asked the ladies at Confidential HQ to join me in trying pole dancing for the first time. They say team building activities are good for morale among colleagues, and what better way than hanging upside down together from 7ft steel poles?

PolePlate Studios has three poles which can be shared, ideally one between two - obviously not at the same time unless you want a head on collision. Pole dancing teacher Beth Roberts comes from a dancing background and her love for pole really shows. Her physique is sleek and slender, her arms well toned and she hasn’t got an ounce of cellulite on her, much to our combined awe and envy.   

It was a little daunting at first, seeing buff Beth in her tiny black hot pants ready to writhe around the pole. However she did assure us there was no specific dress code although bare legs and feet would stop us slipping all over the place like wet fish. As soon as she started to demonstrate, the barely-there outfit made obvious sense as her legs clamped to the pole.

The Confidential girls have a go

Beginning with basic pole dancing moves, there are no expectations of even getting your feet off the ground in the first instance - much to my relief. The main thing is to get used to the feel of the pole, your own body weight and the prospect of hanging in mid-air.

After an initial heavy-handed approach to the pole and subsequent shambolic fall from grace, I was safe in the knowledge that things could only get better and it wasn’t long before Beth was showing us how to gracefully walk into a high-flying twizzing motion around the pole.

Granted, most of us looked like baby koalas clinging to our mothers more than seductive femme fatales but it was a right laugh. And when you’re actually enjoying exercise, you forget that it's hard work.

Even some of the moves on the ground were tricky to pull off, with my colleague Sarah completely flummoxed over how to turn under her own arm whilst gripping the pole. She didn’t give up though and that’s the key to pole dancing. Practice makes perfect and bruises do heal.

And she's off...

Pole dancing is a rigorous, gutsy form of exercise and in your many attempts to mount the pole you may find you wake up the next day with a few bruises and muscular aches. It’s not that we didn’t warm up properly – Beth even had us stretching out our wrists and the balls of our feet. Pole dancing works muscles you didn’t know existed making it one of the best full body workouts I’ve experienced.

The hour long class flew by and everyone in our group had significantly improved and grown in confidence, proving that anyone, regardless of height, shape or size can have a go.

Ours was a beginners' session, but PolePlates have intermediate and advanced classes as well as an 'open pole jam session' where you can practice the moves you’ve learnt.

Beth gave us a demonstration of advanced pole dancing and it was amazing. Upside-down, back-to-front and round and round - Beth held her entire body at a 90 degree angle from the pole and even went into a splits position whilst upside down before sliding down in a controlled manner and finishing up with a bit of a raunchy back roll. Well, you can take the pole out of the strip bar....

Lynda tried beginners pole dancing at www.poleplatestudios.co.uk

Follow Lynda on Twitter @lyndamoyo