Gone are the days when pole dancing was associated with seedy bars and dollar bills. These days, the performance art has evolved into a trendy form of fitness that’s no different from spinning, barre or battle ropes. Three pole fitness instructors and enthusiasts from SLAP Dance Studio tell CLEO about their experience.
Gone are the days when pole dancing was associated with seedy bars and dollar bills. These days, the performance art has evolved into a trendy form of fitness that’s no different from spinning, barre or battle ropes. Three pole fitness instructors and enthusiasts from SLAP Dance Studio tell CLEO about their experience.
It’s hard to imagine walking in seven-inch heels, let alone working out in them, but take a pole fitness class and you might just surprise yourself. In between spins, splits, and inversions, this unique form of exercise will help you burn calories and then some in the sexiest way possible.
“It really gives you the courage to face your fears, especially when you’re learning the trickier moves,” says Angelene Wong, 23, a pole fitness instructor at SLAP Dance Studio. “You won’t believe that you can do it, but once you get over that personal barrier, you’ll become a lot more confident.”
On top of that, it gives you an efficient workout, with both cardio and strength training components. Doing a routine gets your heart pumping and works on your stamina, while the tricks aspect of the pole dancing – where you’re holding up your entire body weight while balancing precariously on a spinning pole – requires activation of your core, arms and quads. “It’s a full-body workout,” says Angelene.
“My abs became more toned, I gained more muscle definition and I definitely have more arm strength compared to before,” adds fellow pole instructor Vanessa Garnell. And if you’re worrying about whether you have the right body type for this form of fitness – well, guess what – every body is a pole dancer’s body.
“It really doesn’t matter. As long as you can hold yourself up on the pole, you can master the tricks,” says Vanessa. And the most assuring part is that even if you can’t do a pull-up to save your life now, you will find the strength after some practice. Beyond that, you will also feel incredibly sexy when executing these graceful moves.
“I used to run and gym a lot, but this is way more exciting compared to exercise machines,” says Magdalene Lam, 24, who has been practicing pole dancing for close to three years now. Her favourite pose? The Bondage Split (Google it!).
You might feel some initial apprehension about the workout attire of choice, which is close to nothing. The reason for the skimpy clothes – just a sports bra and micro shorts – is because bare skin allows for a better grip on the pole, especially when you’re performing those gravity-defying poses. Besides, pole enthusiasts unanimously agree that seeing yourself like that in the mirror on a regular basis can do wonders for your self-confidence.
“You learn to love yourself. I used to think that my legs are huge, but the people from class have told me that my legs are long and toned, so I don’t think that anymore!” says Magdalene with a laugh.
“You’ll get used to it soon enough,” Angelene chimes in. “You’ll learn to be comfortable with your body, as it is.” Now, where do we sign up?
SLAP Dance Studio is located at 155A/157A Telok Ayer Street and #10-01 Robinson Square. For more information, visit Slap Website.
First time? Here’s what you need to know:
1. You will get some bruises on your arms and legs. But don’t worry, your skin will be conditioned with regular practice and the probability of getting blue-black marks will lessen.
2. Heels are encouraged, but not necessary. So if the idea of trotting around in seveninch heels do not appeal to you, that’s completely fine – you can do it barefoot.
3. Maintenance of your private area is appreciated. For hygiene purposes (and out of consideration for others in the same class), it’s recommended that you trim, shave or wax down there!
Flip to the next page for an easy workout you can do at home for a stronger core and quads!
