It has been brought to my attention recently that not everyone who chooses to exercise does so purely for pain, sweat and vanity.

Apparently there is this thing called enjoyment, which is so important to some that they will only exercise if they enjoy it- go figure!

Heck! Some folks even shun the gym culture for other activities, leaving personal trainers and gym bunnies standing by their triple cable crossovers wondering where everyone has disappeared off to…

For those of you who fall within this category of exercise heathens I have put together a list of alternative fitness forms. Those of you who had ‘getting fit’ at the top of their New Year’s resolution list but have yet to make it off the couch as all the options you can think of bore your socks off have no excuse now.

It’s as if I’m Goober’s Uncle Traveling Matt and you are my little Fraggles.

POLE DANCING

Apparently pole dancing makes exercise more sensual (pronounced sent-shoe-ale). Apparently these people haven’t seen me swing round on a pole!

It’s a pretty darn good upper body workout and a great excuse to don high shoes and a pair of shorty short
So even if you are not the gym bunny type then there are plenty of options.

Source: Gaynz.

Columnist tries popular class that separates the men from the women.

I am clinging as if clinging to life itself, muscles I didn’t know I owned now straining, parts of my body previously unfamiliar to me suddenly calling out, begging for a break.

Or a Valium. Or a Budweiser.

I am feeling many things at the moment, not one of which is sexy.

“One of the great things about this,” Collette Kakuk says, “is that it caters to you as a woman.”

This is when I realize I probably should point out to my instructor that I am not, in the most technical sense, female.

But there’s no time for that now because now I have to execute a spin, hooking one leg and twirling the other while lifting myself off the floor, all the while exploring my sensuality and expressing my flirtation nature. And trying to protect my groin.

You know, men really shouldn’t pole dance.

“We have noticed,” Kakuk says, “that it doesn’t look right.”

No, it doesn’t. Personally, I resemble a square-dancing primate, my moves not from The Great Gatsby but more from the Grape Ape.

Thankfully, this isn’t about being a good dancer or really about dancing at all. This is about toning muscles, burning fat and building serious self-confidence, even if it’s sometimes done while wearing FootUndeez, a product that bills itself as “underwear for your feet.”

This is OC Pole Fitness, a company started in Aliso Viejo 21/2 years ago by Kakuk, who recently opened a second location in Huntington Beach.

(more…)

VANCOUVER — After a one-year hiatus, the Virgin Festival returns to B.C. this month with a mixed line-up of talent including indie rock stars, hip hop icons and up-and-comers.

Oh, and lets not forget the pole dancing, fortune-telling, yoga, autograph and video gaming opportunities that make the two-day event into what organizers call a “festravaganza.”

It’s a formula so popular that the 14-year-old UK version, coined V-Fest, attracts about 175,000 people each year — tickets for the annual event sell out in about an hour.

But B.C. still has a way to go before we catch up to the British hype.

In spite of a successful 2007 kick-off — acts like The Killers, Hot Hot Heat and Billy Talent lured 25,000 fans to UBC’s Thunderbird Stadium for two rainy days in May — the event didn’t return last year.

And many wondered if it was a one-time deal.

“Last year the stars just didn’t align,” says director of Virgin Festival Canada Andrew Bridge.

“We had originally hoped to return to Vancouver in 2008 but didn’t feel that we could deliver a great line-up and experience comparable to 2007,” he says.

Putting on a major rock festival involves many different factors, he says.

“The main challenge of putting any major festival together is getting all of the pieces together to create a festival that delivers a full experience to the festival-goer — from the line-up right down to the venue and on-site experiences,” Bridge says.

“We’ve always said that we don’t want to go to a market just for the sake of it, but want to be sure that we bring the full Virgin Festival experience to that market.”

But even though it didn’t pan out last year, he says, organizers were optimistic about establishing the event in B.C.

“We always hoped to bring it back,” he says.

Besides that, the success of the first-ever Pemberton Music Festival last summer — it saw 40,000 people head to the mountains for four days and 120 acts, including Coldplay and Jay-Z — affirmed that there is a big market for outdoor festivals in B.C., he says.

He adds: “B.C. loves their music and there’s a great energy to this province.”

Things came together nicely this year too, he says.

After touring Deer Lake Park, Bridge says, he was impressed by the natural setting and thought it seemed like a fit for the family-oriented festival. (Kids under four years old are free.)

“They’ve done some great events there recently and it’s really come to the forefront as a large music venue,” he says, adding they’re expecting to fill it with about 20,000 festival-goers.

Organizers hope to make it a regular event, he says, adding they’re taking it one festival at a time. And he says, it would be great to find a location that allows for camping too.

“We’re looking forward to bringing the festival to life at Deer Lake Park this year and are focusing on making this year a success before we move on to planning the years to come.”

This year’s line-up includes a real mix of music. There are headliners like Ben Harper and The Roots as well as indie hitmakers like Metric and Broken Social Scene as well as lesser-knowns like Mute Math or Future of the Left.

“People come out for the talent,” Bridge says. “People want to go to a festival and learn about new music.” And they also come to hear bands they know andlove, he says.

This year’s party offers plenty of both.

Let’s just hope it doesn’t rain again.

Want to take a pole fitness class and don’t quite know what to look?  This article should help you get a spinning start!

First and foremost, make sure the instructors are all AFAA (Aerobics and Fitness Association of America) certified. Secondly, seek a safe practice environment, with plenty of privacy. Also, make sure that poles are securely fastened to the ceiling and floor, without a lot of movement to them. Note, however, that the taller the poles are there will be some movement. As well, the beginner student should start on a static pole versus a spinning pole. Gripping a spinning pole while trying to do a pole spin or trick is more difficult and can cause injury if not done correctly. Also, learning on a static pole requires more effort, which is where the “exercise” part comes in and should be done first. Perfecting ones technique, balance, and strength is best done on a static pole before moving on to a spinning pole.
Classes should be broken up into several groups, starting from a basic class, for new students. Then advanced levels, where spins, pirouettes, and transitional dance moves are combined; to put together a routine. Intermediate level and beyond is for those who have built up the knowledge, practice and strength required to do more of the aerial tricks portion of the pole.

All classes should start with a minimum of a 5 to 10 minute warm up, which includes stretching, conditioning and a cool down portion at the end of class to bring the heart rate back down to normal.  A potential instructor should also explain what and what not to wear in a pole class. Shorts are the best way to go along with a comfortable gym top or light t-shirt. Pole dancing requires a lot of physicality, so wearing the type of clothing that allows the skin to breathe is important. As well, not wearing any lotion or oils on the body, especially the legs and arms is crucial. In order to do the spins and tricks safely on the pole the skin needs to make contact with the pole on various parts of the body. Lotion can cause you to lose your grip on the pole. Often times when you are a beginner the adrenaline and nervousness can cause your hands to sweat so the combination of lotion and sweat, can all lead to unnecessary slipping, tripping or even falling which can lead to injuries. Because there is a lot of gripping with the legs, the same rules apply.

Whether to wear the high heel platform shoes or not is also a constant debate among experts because of the potential injuries that can happen. Lots of women enjoy wearing the platform heels and shoes make it easier to perform a variety of moves. Not only that but they build calve muscles and make the legs look nice long and lean. Every type of dance and sport has certain shoes that are designed to enhance performance. If taught how to dance correctly in the shoes by the instructor, injuries can be cut down to a minimum. However, it should always be the student’s decision whether they want to wear the heels. All pole moves can be preformed in bare fee, mainly on the tip toes. All inversion moves should first be done in bare feet until the move is perfected because the shoes add extra weight to the body.

“The truest expression of a people is in its dance and in its music. Bodies never lie.”

Source: Examiner

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Sandy Shepard pole dances in San Francisco. She says it helps her feel empowered.

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Greatest accomplishment: Doing a “layout” – climb the removable pole, brace one foot behind the other, and then flip so you’re hanging upside down, basically holding on with one foot and your knees. It takes killer abs.

Gear you can’t live without: Comfortable 6-inch heels from Foot Worship in San Francisco. You can pole dance in the same ratty gym clothes that you use for playing soccer or doing the treadmill. But you put those shoes on, and EVERYTHING changes.

Where you train: S Factor San Francisco, and at home, on my own portable pole.

Best time to train: In the morning. I’m more alert then, and pole aerobics work out can be tricky. There is so much coordination involved that I want to be sure that I am at my most present.

Biggest misperception about your sport: That it’s all about sex and we’re bimbos. Most women I pole dance with don’t do it for anyone but themselves. And almost all of us are professionals. You never know what someone does when they take off their three-piece suit or medical scrubs.

Advice you’d give a rookie: Sometimes the “beginner” moves are harder than more advanced ones. Also, since pole dancing involves strength, flexibility and killer abs, it will make you do weights and yoga or you won’t to be able to do a “spinning snake” or “flying angel” like all your pole grrrlfriends!

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

Clare from Newcastle has told us about an amazing dancer she spotted on YouTube. Her name is Tara Karina, she’s 22 and a real inspiration to anyone looking to pole dance for fun and fitness. Her channel on You Tube is full of clips featuring Tara performing all kinds of moves. Check it out!