Pole has been part of my life for the last 13 years and I can honestly say it not just an exercise class.
People want to learn to pole for many reasons and will choose a pole school depending on the outcome they desire. There are many schools around the country and each will have a slightly different spin on what pole means to them and therefore how they teach their classes.
Here at Pole 4 Fitness, the clue is in the name. We talk about pole and fitness together people (mainly women) join us to get fit, or at least that is what they think and what they tell people.
Deep down it is desire to become a better version of themselves, whether that is through losing weight, becoming stronger, more flexible or even finding some rhythm. What the years of teaching have taught me is that this actually happens and people do become better! Your class becomes your gang, your instructor your leader and together you are stronger and braver, you encourage and support each other as you take each step together.
You find yourself attempting things that once you thought never achievable; suddenly you are empowered to perform handstands, to climb on kids climbing frames and swing from anything that resembles a pole!
Its sounds cliché to say all this and if I hadn’t seen it for myself I too would be sceptical. So why am I telling you this? Well I come across reasons not to pole all the time. ‘I’m too big, not strong enough not fit enough, the list goes on. What people are waiting for is not going to happen without action, action will bring you to class and the class will help mould your mind set to become fitter, stronger, and thinner. This happens because you have a purpose, you see what other students can do and you dare to believe that you could do it too. I tell students all the time, the only ones that cannot do this are the ones that don’t come any more! As long as you come to class, practice the moves and enjoy the process you will get better.
I’m in no doubt that pole is empowering and can be life changing. Do you ever think you would be able to dance on a stage to an audience of 200? Do you ever think you could win a competition? Or drive across county just to have a lesson with your favourite pole star? I can tell you stores about all these events and afterwards how each person comes to me and says ‘wow I never believed I could do that!’ We have people who have lost weight and not just a little bit but stones worth, body changing amounts, because they know that if they are a stone lighter then pole will be a whole lot easier and the goal a little bit closer.
We have students that make friends and years later they are bridesmaids at their weddings, godparents to their children, they are there for celebrations and family events, they go by the name of pole family and will be friends for life.
So this why I love pole and why I believe it to be life changing. But to get these affects you have to come! You have to walk through the door and you have to be patient. Because none of this is instant, sometimes you feel stuck, sometimes you feel like you are going backwards, sometimes it hurts and you want to quit! For the select few that stick it out, weather the stormy times and bask in the good times they see the changes, they see what is possible.
What about you? Are you willing to take the first step?
Clare xx