Taking Pole Position

Seven sexy reasons why pole dance fitness can help you get fit in no time.

- Vidya Prabhu

The year was 2008. Krystel Arbia, a Milan resident, had just delivered her third son. Desperate to get back in shape, she tried Pilates and yoga, in addition to running and Thai boxing. Nothing worked though; till she read in a magazine about pole dancing as a fitness routine. “It intrigued me, so I tried it. and guess what − it worked beautifully, both as a fitness regime and a fun activity. What made it special was the fact that I was exercising, enjoying myself and also letting go of my daily duties to cherish moments that I now had to myself,” says Arbia.

Soon, the 37-year-old had an epiphany: she could start a pole dance class and see others get fit in a similar fashion. But Italy being a Catholic country, the words ‘pole dance’ had a strong sexual connotation. “I had to fight against the prevalent cultural attitudes,” she recounts, adding that during the initial days of her venture, she was even shunned by some of the mothers of her sons’ classmates.