Health and Fitness? Have You Tried Pole Dancing?

We here at LeanAnMean scourge the ends of the earth to find the latest fitness craze for your benefit! I was looking at CNN the other day and was surprised to find a “Pole Dancing Health Minute” video. I don’t know about you but I had always associated pole dancing with exotic dancing at clubs. I did not know there were other valid applications of pole dancing that might entice house wives and professional women alike!

Some of the perceived benefits for woman are (1) feeling desirable, (2) exercise, and (3) just a new fun way to lose extra pounds! I will examine these three points and as well as discuss the benefits of exercise for any weight-loss plan. I should say that when I say ‘weight-loss’ that I really mean ‘fat-loss’! Yes I think that women look better with lean body mass versus the gaunt look that women who starved themselves, look like.

I know women think guys look better when we have some muscle definition after we lose weight. Why do I bring this up? Losing weight is the politically correct way to say fat loss. It is easier not to offend someone by using the term of ‘weight-loss’ but everyone should know you/I are not talking about starving yourself!  I found a youtube video with a news story about “Goddess Dance Studio” pole dancing classes for health and fitness.

Wow… did you notice that the women in the CNN story and the Goddess Dance Studio were seeing results? Ok lets look at the first point about the psychological benefits of pole dancing. Women feel more confident when they are feeling good about their looks. If a woman feels good and knows she looks good, I would suggest that she will be more confident in her life. I don’t think there is anything wrong with wanting to feel confident. Many men need to feel confident too but I for instance gauge this by sparring (karate). Well I fully support any physical activity that help a person towards their fitness goals. But lets look at the exercises.

Did you notice that the women had to climb the pole and spin, hang upside down and push off and back? While it may look easy by a good practitioner, I remember from my rope climbs in junior high-school – that is significant exercise. The thing I really like about actual exercises vs dumbbells is the body gets pleanty of peripheral workout. I mean that the biceps are not isolated like in a dumbbell curl but rather other muscles are having to work if you pull yourself towards the pole. This leads to a full body workout. The fact that the women are trying to make it look easy means their are in better shape! But Pole Dancing?

Do you remember Suzanne Summers doing the Thigh Master? How about the whatever glider or any other such exercise fad? I had a statistics instructor that was in his 70’s that let us do the devil wheel for extra credit. There are many exercises that will burn calories and are also fun. One craze that is still ongoing is karate aerobics as I reported in this post entitled, “Karate Aerobics to Get Into Shape.” I think all of these ways to increase movement and burn calories are valid ways to lose weight. Why should one walk on a treadmill if there is an alternative, fun way to burn calories?

I used to make fun of people that spent a lot of time in the gym and did not do anything else because other than getting into shape – what fun was that? I think that ultimately exercise can transition into activities that have other benefits. If you like walking on a treadmill, why not walk for the march of dimes every year or go hiking to keep your workouts interesting? At least this way – you will have a goal of increasing your stamina for something! Ok – I am digressing but I think doing fun workouts will keep people interested and hence working out longer than if they just had weight-loss as a goal.

By the way I have lost another pound so I am feeling good! I hope you all are doing well out there. Keep the faith and take one day at a time. As far as women pole dancing for health? Viva La Difference!