What are your thoughts on Pole Dancing as a form of exercise for weight loss?

Would pole dancing be a good way to help lose weight? Or would it just be for toning up and getting fit? I just thought this would be somewhat fun, rather than slugging it out at a gym.

I am looking for a new form of exercise, I've done gym and walking around streets, but I get so bored.... I want to find something that is fun and will want to come back time and time again. I need to lose say about 15kgs. I was thinking of adding this into my weekly exercise routine, since classes aren't everyday. At the moment my daily exercise is just walking for 30 mins. Oh and plus I hate doing weights, And it seems pole dancing would make up for that.

Comments for What are your thoughts on Pole Dancing as a form of exercise for weight loss?

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I think....yes!
by: Susan from PDFF

Pole dancing is definitely moving out of the strip clubs and into the mainstream as a form of fitness, so you're not alone! Nor are you alone in wanting to find something that's fun. This is so important if you're going to stick with your fitness program.

Women walk into my studio every day complaining of the same things as you: they get so bored with their exercise program, and they dislike going to the gym and lifting weights. In my opinion, pole dancing can give your fitness routine a real boost. Here's why: It's both aerobic and builds muscle strength.

You'll get the aerobic benefit particularly if you can find a pole fitness class, rather than a pole dancing class. Make sure you inquire at the studio to find out exactly what the class entails.

Pole dancing is often focused on learning the moves: spins, lifts and tricks. There's nothing wrong with that of course, and in fact these moves are excellent for building strength and can take the place of gym based strength training.

Pole fitness classes tend to focus more on continual movement, using the dance pole as a prop to make it like a fun and sassy aerobics class. The moves are usually fairly simple so you can pick them up as you go and can focus on getting the aerobic benefit.

If you can find a studio that offers both types of classes, that's ideal.

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I think....yes! (cont'd)
by: Susan from PDFF

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As to your questions about weight loss vs toning, this is a pretty big topic! Speaking as a fitness instructor and pole dance teacher, I can tell you that when you increase muscle (through pole dancing or some other means of resistance trainng), you will burn more fat.

Many women are afraid of strength training because they don't want to bulk up. But women aren't built that way. When we do strength training, we increase our muscle mass like men, but not to nearly the same extent. What we do get is that nice, toned, solid (vs. jiggly!) look. And, since muscle is your fat burning furnace, the more of it you have on your body, the more fat you'll burn even at rest.

Cardio (aerobic) exercise is also important though. This type of exercise expands your lung capacity, gives you a healthier heart, and also burns calories. However, you only burn those calories while you are doing the aerobic activity, whereas by increasing your muscle ratio you'll burn more calories 24 hours a day. This is why it's important to do both aerobic exercise and strength training.

So yes, you are correct that pole dancing can make up for not doing weights, as it is definitely a weight bearing activity when you get into spins, lifts and other more advanced moves. The extra muscle you build doing these types of moves will help your body burn off fat over the long term.

And pole dancing, when done as a continuous form of movement, is also great for aerobic benefits such as improving heart health and burning calories in the short term.

Perhaps most importantly however, is the fact that ultimately, NO fitness program is going to work for you if you don't do it! If you're having fun, you will continue to do your workouts and you will get results. If you get bored with your routine you're more likely to skip training sessions, and/or not put the effort into them that you need to, and you will not get results.

Bottom line? Just try it! If you enjoy it, keep doing it until you get the results you're after, or until you no longer enjoy it. Then try something else. Rinse and repeat until desired results have been achieved!

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