Pole Fitness - Trying a Variation on the Barbell

So yesterday, I joined the Blog & Tweet NH group in a Pole Fitness class at New Perspectives Pole & Aerial Fitness with Juel Sheridan.  I know I've been talking a lot lately about stepping outside my comfort zone and let it be known, this is WAY outside the box for me at this point in my life.  While I did have a few flashback to my time at Coyote Ugly in my early 20's, this was certainly a new experience for me.

First and foremost, I have to give some credit to our instructor Juel for her incredible athleticism and strength.  This woman is amazing and I aspire to have half the quads and core strength she brings to the table.  On top of that, she brings fantastic rhythm and a way of moving from pose to pose that is just flawless.  Unfortunately, I lack anything resembling grace and coordination so my attempts at the routine were far less appealing.

We began the class with some basic floor work that started with a few yoga-based stretches and quickly transitioned to fan kicks and body rolls... moves that can be used in a routine to keep it flowing after you dismount from a spin or lift on the pole.

Once we began working on the pole, my extreme lack of coordination began to shine though... as in, I managed to turn into the pole on a few occasions.  Juel however, was patient and extremely helpful with form so by the end, even though my face may have not conveyed the right level of sex appeal (I was gripping the pole for dear life), I was able to complete the move.

Our class was a crash course in pole fitness that would traditionally be broken up over two or three intro sessions, making the moves a bit less overwhelming for the rhythmically challenged, like myself.

The session was a lot of fun, and definitely something I'd consider doing again but on a regular basis, I think personally, I'm more suited for sticking a heavy barbell on my back and squatting.

If you're in the Manchester area and interested in checking out New Perspectives, they're hosting a grand opening celebration on May 3rd.  You can also check them out on Facebook.