Why Pole Dancing Is The Next Big Thing (For Me At Least)

Chris Rock once said his job as a father was to keep his baby off the pole. Now women young and old are taking up the pole as a form of physical activity, as well as to get their sexy on.

Leen Isabel via Pole Dancing Adventures / Via poledancingadventures.com

I took my first pole dancing class in March of 2014. Despite it's reputation as a strip club staple, I knew exactly what I was signing up for. Once I hit my first spin- the fireman/firefly spin- I was hooked, all puns intended.

Via empowermentthroughexoticdance.com

Does she look like she's running into a burning building?

And then life happens. Your money gets funny. Your job sucks the soul out of you. Your car goes to hell (RIP to the Dodge). Food and copious amounts of Mary Jane become more enjoyable than seeing the light of day. Eventually you bounce back and you realize that you need to get your booty bouncing as well.

With the new year, I am working on being more committed to things, including making it clap and making pole dancing work for me, especially because the only athletic thing I've ever been good at is running away from shit.

With that being said, here are five reasons why pole dancing is the next big thing, for me at least.

It's Sexy

The Secret Pole Dance Studio / Via youtube.com

Okay, so yeah, you can take away my strong, educated, independent woman card for this, but I like being sexy for me. I like being sexy for my hypothetical man. If there's a woman around I can be sexy for, I'll do that too. Whether you're performing for a private audience of 1, or during happy hour at Starz, pole dancing is sexy. You're wearing minimal clothing (if I had a house, I'd wear no clothing). You're putting your body into compromising positions (hello invert!). You will walk sexy walk, body roll, and do a sexy push up on the floor. If you were never sexy before, you will be after taking pole.

But It Is a Workout

Leen Isabel / Via poledancingadventures.com

It took two weeks for the bruises to fade from my right foot and left knee. Have you ever had a bruise on your foot? Me neither. Pole dancing will burn your skin. My absstomach and arms were sore two days after a class.* You will be stretched (because you need a lot of flexibility), you will be sculpted and you will be molded into the body you want.

*but I like that pain

Dat Upper Body Tho!

True Natural Bodybuilding / Via true-natural-bodybuilding.com

Pole is a total body exercise- legs, booty, but especially arms. I'm doing it for the upper body strength that you gain from it, as a lot of the spins and tricks will require you to hold yourself up by just your arms, or even just using the strength of your abs. If you work doubles (oh yes, you can do this with a partner) then you may have to hold your partner up. I want guns and not the kind that you have to get a permit for.

It's Mentally Stimulating

Yakobchuk / Via kushiinstitute.org

I get distracted at the gym, and by distracted, I mean, I have music in my ears, a series of TVs on the walls, that one hot employee and I worry about what time I'm going to be done exercising more than the actual exercising and a majority of the time I don't know what I'm doing or if I'm doing something right. In a pole class, I have an instructor teaching me, and for a lifelong student like me, having a teacher show me how to do things is great. If you're one of those types that needs a teacher, this is a great option for you, especially because they aren't critical like some of your academic teachers. You're focused on getting the hang of a trick or spin. It requires a lot of focus, and I need focus.

It's All Inclusive!!

Via thetahealingmastery.com

No matter who you are, what your background is, what you look like, what your beliefs are, whatever makes you up as a citizen of this planet, you can pole dance. I've seen women bigger than me spin, dip and climb up a pole, I've seen women smaller than me struggle with the basics only to get it right at the end of class. I've seen men move with the fluidity and grace of a gazelle on a pole. Although I haven't done it for long, I do get a sense of the camaraderie and community between many polers, both online and in real life. It's a beautiful thing.

So if you've been thinking of trying it, do it!! YOLO right? At best, you may decide you want to compete, teach and expand your horizons through pole. At worst, you'll have some bruises and a story to tell.