Friday, Mar 29, 2024 | Last Update : 02:53 AM IST

  Pole Passion

Pole Passion

AGE CORRESPONDENT | ALTHEA SHAH
Published : Sep 29, 2013, 2:57 pm IST
Updated : Sep 29, 2013, 2:57 pm IST

The writer is a fitness expert

The writer is a fitness expert

It’s sexy and saucy and girls just love to have fun with it. For pole-dancing exercise exudes oodles of oomph, feminine charm and grace like no other. The voluptuous bodies with killer curves may ideally like to shake their bellies and booties. But how about the svelte sirens with the luscious legs and lean waistlines to flaunt Well, they definitely vouch for this slender pole to climb up and strike a fine, balancing caper on it. If the desi mallakhamb can spell out strength and virility for masculine men, then the slick exotic pole can certainly generate tonnes of energy, feline flexibility and a sizzling hotness quotient for women. So what keeps you waiting Just turn on the heat with this hottest new trend in the work-out zone.

Pole power: Pole dancing is about having unlimited fun. The classes teach you the basic moves of how to climb on the pole including twirling, spinning and swinging. Plus, all those important static moves of posing for the audience. Most classes also offer tips on sensuous striptease and flawless table dancing. And if you wanna be little more adventurous and experimental like the latest controversy’s favourite child Miley Ray Cyrus, the twerking with little more aesthetics can be tried out. From hip-shaking to up-and-down bouncing motion — everything can be performed in a fashion that the shapely derriere shakes, wobble and jiggle. After all, shimmying to popular music in a seductive manner involves some heart-fluttering pelvic thrusts and a low, squatting stance that never misses to hit the bull’s eye bang on! The dance was actually developed in early 20th century for circus performers and acrobats because the pole gave them an extra leverage to use for their flips and turns. It wasn’t until the later half of the last century that the poles started to become popular in strip clubs. Even today, the world-class acrobats use poles in their routines. Generally, the classes attract women as it has a mix of erotic dancing, making pleasure faces and doing physical moves using funky music. Pole-dancing as an exercise is very similar to mallakhamb, an Indian men’s sport with no erotic component at all. But a growing number of men are noticeably incorporating the pole-dancing effect into their fitness programmes. Benefits: The moves work to make you step up your daily dose of fitness quota, increase flexibility, improve posture, tone up, burn calories and improve confidence. You can burn approximately 250 calories per class. You can also build muscles and tone up the body as supporting your entire weight with one arm can be challenging and that helps in upper-body building. It further aids in strengthening your stomach muscles too. You can expect to see a well-defined development of muscles in your bottom, arms and thigh-areas. By doing all crucial pole postures and the difficult moves, you tend to get off your inhibitions over time which in turn helps boosting your confidence levels. Naturally, you start feeling more attractive and desirable.

What to wear: You need to bare your legs for gripping the pole tightly. So preferably slip into slim shorts. Also, high heels are recommended as they help you manoeuvre your stylised gait.

Cardio: Pole-dancing offers a full cardiovascular workout. For instance, the dancing accelerates your heart-rate, with a lot of acrobatic-like bends, flips and kicks with the pole as a firm pillar of support. It stimulates the flow of oxygen throughout the body. Many existing exercise movements (for example squats, push-ups, chins and crunches) are easily transferable to the pole. While many movements from other dance styles (such as, ballet, hip hop, salsa, break dance and belly dance) can too be adapted to the long, tall pole!

Warm-up and stretch: All you bubbly, pretty young chicks and the macho, brawny hunks out there, never forget to do some light stretching and warming up before you begin the sultry, spicy pole act. Get on the pole baby!