Sunday November 4, 2007

In pole position

Story and photo by GRACE CHEN

LIKE a boa constrictor, Emily Tan, 22, dangles upside down, wraps her legs around a stainless steel pole and positions her hands in a graceful pose.

She then descends, does a walk-around and launches herself on the pole, wrapping her legs round it in a knee-hold.

Upside down: A more advanced move from Emily.

As her spinning form slows down, she settles to the floor in a graceful sitting position and declares that this would be her work-out for the day.

It is expected of Emily, a personal trainer by profession, to make it look so effortless.

She has just finished four months of intensive training with another personal fitness trainer, Vivian Lea.

As for her beginner’s verdict of working the pole, Emily jests that it had been “quite a torture”.

Ironically, the search for an “appealing” indoor fat-burning solution had led me to Emily and her partner’s apartment in Segambut.

Vivian, 25, has been teaching pole dancing for four years.

Truth be told, it is hard not to be envious of these two girls.

Here I was, doing battle with cellulite and fatty cells and there they were, fit, toned and positively in the pink of health.

As for the question of what I would do to be in their place – I would have to give up my position as Couch Potato President and, perhaps (hints Emily), work the pole.

No way, methinks. What if my hefty frame breaks the pole into two?

“Don’t worry. These are industrial strength stainless steel poles,” assures Vivian.

What if I fall off and make a fool of myself then?

“Definitely, I will not expect you to launch off and spin around at the first lesson.

“It’s a gradual step-by-step thing.

“Let’s say I am teaching a group of three, I will devise different moves according to the individual’s ability. Of course, choreography is added in to make it fun,” assures Vivian again.

But I am shy, I mutter. For one, I didn’t want to be seen in shorts and two, what was a respectable gal like me doing pole dancing of all things?

Herein, Emily and Vivian say that wearing shorts allow for a better grip.

Track pants would make it too slippery for the holds.

They also do their bit to educate the public about the stigma attached to pole dancing.

True, it does not have a clean history due to it being a common feature of strip clubs.

But don’t forget that pole exercises are also rooted in Chinese acrobatics and circus performances.

So, according to these two personal trainers, if I was looking for a high cardiovascular workout that will condition and tone my arms, chest, bums, tummy and thighs and increase stamina, pole dancing may well be the answer.

Not only is one required to shimmy up a stainless steel tube but spin, slide, grip, do all manner of gravity-defying stunts, one has to make it look effortless at the same time.

“Fitness is an important aspect in pole dancing,” confirms Vivian, who encourages her students to do push-ups to build strength.

“In pole dancing, the advantage of improved core strength will help prevent lower back pain due to pregnancy and bad sitting positions,” explains Vivian.

Another aspect is improved flexibility, as pole dancing requires a fair amount of stretching.

As for Emily, every session is guaranteed to leave her drenched in sweat.

“You are challenging yourself every time. And unlike working out with weights, you are actually lifting your own body mass,” adds Emily.

“It’s a bit like yoga, where one needs body awareness as the first criterion is on balance,” adds Vivian.

Hence come the crucial question of how long would one be able to sustain the interest since this new form of fitness takes such strenuous efforts.

Remember those P.E. days when you had to climb up a pole?

How many actually made it to the top before landing on their derriere with a heavy bump?

The answer is to just have fun. Fitness aside, pole dancing is also a dance form, and a very sexy one at that.

Like belly dancing and salsa, you have to show off that attitude, unleash the tigress within and be confident.

To make it workable, I guess it would not be too difficult to have a stainless steel pole installed at home by having it riveted from floor to ceiling for stability.

The thing is to find a pole with a diameter of not more than 50.8mm so that it can be comfortably gripped with one hand.

But if the idea of going it alone sounds too boring, Emily and Vivian say that they are taking in more students.

Currently, classes are being held at Vivian’s home studio with about 20 students coming either for personal lessons or in groups of three.

For more details, e-mail VPoleAcademy@gmail.com or call 017-686 5429.

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