Pole position

After taking over Bollywood, the newest workout form that involves swaying around a pole has caughtthe fancy of fitness enthusiasts across India.
Jacqueline Fernandez have made pole workout a part of their fitness regime
Jacqueline Fernandez have made pole workout a part of their fitness regime

Actor Jacqueline Fernandez set the screen on fire in her last release A Gentleman. She left many swoon as she swayed around a pole, while another Bollywood beauty Yami Gautam took her fitness regime to new heights by including pole workout to it. In common parlance, pole dance and pole fitness may be used interchangeably, but in reality, one is a sensuous dance form, while the other is a form of fitness that uses the pole to build strength and endurance.

Delhi-based Vesna Pericevic Jacob, founder of Alta Celo, who has opened the first pole studio in the capital, says: “There are different branches of pole workouts. If pole dance uses high heels, props, dance moves and is the more sensual aspect of the pole, pole fitness uses the pole as a fitness tool to achieve strength and skill. Pole art, on the other hand, is a mix of acrobatics, inversions and combination movements on the pole.”

Vesna Pericevic Jacob
Vesna Pericevic Jacob

Jacob—a physiotherapist; pilates, movement and postural alignment specialist; and author—discovered pole fitness four years ago while travelling to Serbia. “I have embarked on the journey since then. My sessions are Pole Core and Pole Pilates, which are the best of both worlds, strengthening and shaping the body in a safe and fun environment with basic elements of pole dance and pole art,” says the young woman, who is fitness inspiration for many in the capital.

This form of workout has suddenly been trending among the fitness enthusiasts across the country. Elucidating pole fitness' popularity, Jacob says, “It is a combination of different things that makes pole an appealing proposition.”

The pole fitness classes are usually women-only even though men are keen to give it a try. Unlike one-to-one interaction in other forms of workout, pole fitness is best when practiced in a group because it gives ample opportunities to bond and fuel that uninhibited energy, feed on each other’s strengths, and develop that camaraderie where one masters tricky moves while swaying along the pole. “I take exclusive group classes when it comes to pole fitness because of the specific and special energy created during the pole sessions,” she quips.

Pole fitness is a whole body workout and is not just one but a combination of different workouts. “It utilises completely different muscle groups compared to the regular fitness forms. Also, the gravitational pull is different when you are upside down or leaning sideways, making it more challenging for the body,” she says.

The focus of this fluid workout that uses body’s ability to go with the flow is on building core strength, flexibility, agility and balance. It begins with basic stretches, followed by lifts and moves on the pole. “Warming up and practicing basic steps, as well as conditioning the body to be able to do it properly, are all part of the class. And it is not advisable to start practicing unprepared. No advanced movements should be practiced before the basics are solidly and confidently done as injuries can occur,” she warns.

A pole fitness class spans 60 to 90 minutes and should be done once a week in the beginning, and as one’s strength improves, the frequency can be increased. The cost depends on the teacher around and is roughly `1,200 per session.

One must not apply body lotions and moisturisers before the session as that makes the pole slippery, and it will be difficult to get a grip and easier to trip off the pole leading to an injury. Despite the bruises, bumps and injuries, the ability to balance oneself around a pole gives a high that can’t be traded off for any other joy. So if you are looking for a new challenge and a change of routine, pole fitness is the one to go for.

FITNESS session

A pole fitness class spans 60 to 90 minutes and should be done once a week in the beginning, and as one’s strength improves, the frequency can be increased. The cost depends on the teacher around and is roughly `1,200 per session.

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The New Indian Express
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