Pole dance as a sport is becoming increasingly popular. It is no longer associated solely with pole dancing, but with complex gymnastic stunts. Why is it so popular? What are the benefits of pole dancing? Can anyone try their hand at this discipline? These and other questions are answered in the following article.
Pole dance is a relatively young sport. Previously, it was associated only with pole dancing, which had clear erotic overtones. However, the history of pole dance dates back as far as the 12th century. Legend has it that it all started with Chinese circus acrobats who performed stunts on high rods. According to another story, pole dance has its origins in India and refers to the yoga practiced on high poles at the time. It wasn’t until the 1990s that pole dance began to be considered a sport.
Pole dance is a strength training in which we can engage different muscle parts. The most intensive work is, of course, the upper part of the body: the arms and shoulders. However, tubing exercises are not conducive to intense muscle growth.
Pole dance is a good choice when we want to work on strengthening the muscles of the arms, chest, spine and many other parts of the body. We also focus on shaping correct posture and exercise our flexibility. Pole dance training has a positive effect on our motor coordination, and gives us confidence.
It is estimated that we can burn up to 290-400 calories during pole dance training, and up to 700 calories during training for advanced people!
Pole dance workouts have no age limit, nor are they designed for a specific gender. Both women and men – of all ages – can train. This unique sport is even practiced by preschoolers!
An obstacle to pole dancing is pregnancy. Moms expecting a baby should postpone training and try their hand at it after giving birth. Those with a history of some major injuries should consult with their doctor before starting training. Also, conditions such as separation of abdominal muscles, spinal hernia, a large defect in vision, eye pressure problems may prove to be a contraindication to this sport.
Learning pole dance is best started by signing up for training. Trying your hand at it on your own at home may end in failure. You don’t need any prior preparation to start your adventure with this discipline. Pole dance training for beginners starts with learning the basic skills: walking around the tube, spins, sitting and climbing.
Some people may associate pole dance with skimpy attire. This is, of course, a misconception, because, as we established earlier, the sport is not the same as an erotic display. For the first workouts, comfortable leggings and a T-shirt will suffice. Tube exercises are performed barefoot, only for exotic classes shoes on special platforms are used.
main photo: unsplash.com/Timur Garifov
