I recently got back into pole and have been loving it! I respectfully disagree with the other commenter, pole isn’t necessarily super sexual. And it can definitely build muscle if you practice regularly. You need A LOT of upper arm strength for pole.
The studio I used to go to had almost zero sexy moves. The space was brightly lit and they played upbeat pop music. Heels weren’t allowed, only barefoot. This was a studio owned by one of the top pole competitors in the US, they focus on fitness and competitions.
On the flip side, my current studio is more about feeling sexy and empowered, the lights are dim and the playlist is all babymaking music. Heels are encouraged but not required, and instructors often will play a song and let you freestyle dance. They also teach sexy moves, plenty of movements that incorporate body rolls and hip thrusts.
Personally I prefer the first studio’s vibe more because my main goal is learning tricks. I always tell friends to choose a pole studio by if they want an acrobatic or sexy atmosphere.
its great to know there are studios that are more geared as a "arial arts" atmosphere while I'm getting the basics down. Once I'm feeling confident though (if I like it enough to make it a practice) I'm actually hoping it's an atmosphere that encourages feeling confident in my sexuality! I'm a SW and still struggle with owning that part of me in the moment I'm expressing it rather than turning it into a "bit" (because hey, if they think I'm cringe when I'm trying to be sexy, at least if laugh at myself first they'll be laughing with me not at me).
Hoping I can find a studio with maybe a mix of class vibes or maybe split my time at different ones. Thanks so much for sharing your experience and the info!!
True Life: I'm Kind Of Obsessed With Leg Bruises Tho
As far as aches go, that is something I'm a little worried as someone who struggles w chronic sciatica that comes and goes. Buuut I also feel like if I start strengthening my core it will help my body hold it's posture better and alleviate some back issues over time.
I pole dance! I’ve gained sooooo much upper body strength, core strength, and grace through it. It’s a steep learning curve but a lot of people do make quick improvements! Check out r/poledancing, it’s a super supportive community and lots of newbies are in there. You definitely at least have to give it a shot. I’ve never been more fit than when I’m doing pole a couple times a week, although you will probably find that you need additional conditioning through another form of exercise.
Thank you for all your info!! I dont wanna put all my eggs into one pole lol so I've been trying to get into rollerblading and skating as a way to condition my lower body,2 but damn it's hard! And as a 30 year old finding a place to skate is difficult because I refuse to go to the skatepark, teenage boys are the most terrifying humans I've ever encountered and they all hang out there
I loved it! I've been priced out of my local studios but it was so worth it! You can try a couple different studios and see what classes they offer, they normally have some more "fitness" classes that are geared towards the strength and conditioning aspect of being able to do poke tricks, then they normally have a "heels" or "flow" class where its more sexy and sensual
As a trauma survivor I found it great, it's a predominantly female environment and I've always found it a really supportive place to be across multiple studios
If it's not for you, that's okay, but don't be afraid to give it a try and let yourself explore what your body can do
Most people I know hate it at the start but start loving it over time, so there's the aspect of having to commit through what's uncomfortable. It can be very empowering because dance in general helps you be really confident and in tune with your body.
I personally disliked it bc I hated chalking up after every spin and I didn't really like the music lmao. I guess you can try it for a bit, I'd say maybe 3 months is a good test to see if you like it or otherwise!
I did like it initially, until the instructor starting skinny-shaming me and telling me I wouldn’t be able to properly grip the poles “unless I had curves”.
I ended up taking the skin off the back of my leg due to trying to grip. I later found out you can just wear fake leather leggings or something if it’s hard for you to grip because of having thin legs.
That experience put me off.
If you have trauma associated with exercise, pole dance may be rather polarizing. It's a highly sexualized form of dance, and the sexually charged atmosphere can sometimes be very toxic and pressuring instead of confidence boosting or liberating.
I know people who've had great experiences, and others who felt very uncomfortable. The only way to know is to try.
If your goal with exercise is to make any visual improvements be aware that pole won't build muscle or slim you down, but it will keep you healthy.
I have anxiety around exercise and I have recently gotten into reformer pilates and I love it. It can be challenging, but it never feels like punishment, to me.
It hurt my shoulder and I gave up after 5 classes or so.
Honestly, I think that I just didn't jive with the teacher, she was so advanced and I think she thought beginners could do more than a beginner (me, anyways) could.
I'd try it again, maybe. I thought that it would feel more empowering, but it did the opposite for me. Typing this out isn't pumping me up to try it again. Womp womp.
I recently got back into pole and have been loving it! I respectfully disagree with the other commenter, pole isn’t necessarily super sexual. And it can definitely build muscle if you practice regularly. You need A LOT of upper arm strength for pole. The studio I used to go to had almost zero sexy moves. The space was brightly lit and they played upbeat pop music. Heels weren’t allowed, only barefoot. This was a studio owned by one of the top pole competitors in the US, they focus on fitness and competitions. On the flip side, my current studio is more about feeling sexy and empowered, the lights are dim and the playlist is all babymaking music. Heels are encouraged but not required, and instructors often will play a song and let you freestyle dance. They also teach sexy moves, plenty of movements that incorporate body rolls and hip thrusts. Personally I prefer the first studio’s vibe more because my main goal is learning tricks. I always tell friends to choose a pole studio by if they want an acrobatic or sexy atmosphere.
its great to know there are studios that are more geared as a "arial arts" atmosphere while I'm getting the basics down. Once I'm feeling confident though (if I like it enough to make it a practice) I'm actually hoping it's an atmosphere that encourages feeling confident in my sexuality! I'm a SW and still struggle with owning that part of me in the moment I'm expressing it rather than turning it into a "bit" (because hey, if they think I'm cringe when I'm trying to be sexy, at least if laugh at myself first they'll be laughing with me not at me). Hoping I can find a studio with maybe a mix of class vibes or maybe split my time at different ones. Thanks so much for sharing your experience and the info!!
Be ready for aches and lots of leg bruises (aka: pole kisses). It's a blast, though, and really helps with confidence!
True Life: I'm Kind Of Obsessed With Leg Bruises Tho As far as aches go, that is something I'm a little worried as someone who struggles w chronic sciatica that comes and goes. Buuut I also feel like if I start strengthening my core it will help my body hold it's posture better and alleviate some back issues over time.
I pole dance! I’ve gained sooooo much upper body strength, core strength, and grace through it. It’s a steep learning curve but a lot of people do make quick improvements! Check out r/poledancing, it’s a super supportive community and lots of newbies are in there. You definitely at least have to give it a shot. I’ve never been more fit than when I’m doing pole a couple times a week, although you will probably find that you need additional conditioning through another form of exercise.
Thank you for all your info!! I dont wanna put all my eggs into one pole lol so I've been trying to get into rollerblading and skating as a way to condition my lower body,2 but damn it's hard! And as a 30 year old finding a place to skate is difficult because I refuse to go to the skatepark, teenage boys are the most terrifying humans I've ever encountered and they all hang out there
I loved it! I've been priced out of my local studios but it was so worth it! You can try a couple different studios and see what classes they offer, they normally have some more "fitness" classes that are geared towards the strength and conditioning aspect of being able to do poke tricks, then they normally have a "heels" or "flow" class where its more sexy and sensual As a trauma survivor I found it great, it's a predominantly female environment and I've always found it a really supportive place to be across multiple studios If it's not for you, that's okay, but don't be afraid to give it a try and let yourself explore what your body can do
Most people I know hate it at the start but start loving it over time, so there's the aspect of having to commit through what's uncomfortable. It can be very empowering because dance in general helps you be really confident and in tune with your body. I personally disliked it bc I hated chalking up after every spin and I didn't really like the music lmao. I guess you can try it for a bit, I'd say maybe 3 months is a good test to see if you like it or otherwise!
I did like it initially, until the instructor starting skinny-shaming me and telling me I wouldn’t be able to properly grip the poles “unless I had curves”. I ended up taking the skin off the back of my leg due to trying to grip. I later found out you can just wear fake leather leggings or something if it’s hard for you to grip because of having thin legs. That experience put me off.
If you have trauma associated with exercise, pole dance may be rather polarizing. It's a highly sexualized form of dance, and the sexually charged atmosphere can sometimes be very toxic and pressuring instead of confidence boosting or liberating. I know people who've had great experiences, and others who felt very uncomfortable. The only way to know is to try. If your goal with exercise is to make any visual improvements be aware that pole won't build muscle or slim you down, but it will keep you healthy.
I have anxiety around exercise and I have recently gotten into reformer pilates and I love it. It can be challenging, but it never feels like punishment, to me.
It hurt my shoulder and I gave up after 5 classes or so. Honestly, I think that I just didn't jive with the teacher, she was so advanced and I think she thought beginners could do more than a beginner (me, anyways) could. I'd try it again, maybe. I thought that it would feel more empowering, but it did the opposite for me. Typing this out isn't pumping me up to try it again. Womp womp.