How to Learn Pole Dancing

Five Methods:Preparing to Pole DanceDoing the Wrap-Around MoveDoing a Basic Climb Doing the Fireman SpinLearning Transitional Moves Community Q&A

Pole dancing classes are popping up in fitness centers across America, Australia, and the United Kingdom because pole dancing is a fun, physically demanding form of exercise that can make you feel fit and sexy at the same time. Whether you're wearing 6-inch heels or more traditional workout gear, pole dancing can make you feel sexy and fit while having fun at the same time. To pole dance, all you really need is a secure pole, determination, and the desire to let go of your inhibitions. If you want to know how to learn pole dancing, just follow these steps.

Method 1 Preparing to Pole Dance

1. Claim your pole. More and more gyms are offering pole dancing classes as a creative way to get fit. Call yours to see if they offer one. You can also find out if fitness center chains that are known to offer pole dancing classes are in your area. Many independent teachers offer pole dancing classes in local gyms and halls too, so it's worth checking to see if anyone offers lessons near you. If you can't find anyone to teach you this challenging activity, then you can even buy a pole to install at home.

If you want to pole dance in the comforts of your own home, then you should get a free-standing pole that you can install in your home after carefully following the instructions. The pole should be completely fitted to your ceiling and floor and should be secured in a place that gives you lots of space to move around.

2. Dress appropriately. As you prepare to pole dance, you should wear comfortable clothes that expose your arms and legs. Sexiness is optional. Baring your skin will allow you to get a much better grip on the pole with your arms and legs so that you can perform these moves safely. For even better foot grips, try going barefoot. You can wear heels if you're comfortable with the pole and want to feel sexy, or some trainers to get a good drip on the pole.

3. Avoid body oil or lotion. Avoid putting any oils or lotions on your body before you begin to pole dance. This will make you slide from the pole and can even be dangerous. You can even wipe down the pole before you use it to get rid of any oils or grease.

4. Stretch. Just as you would before any other form of exercise, you should do some light stretching and warming up before you begin to pole dance. Stand straight and then bend down to touch your toes, roll your neck and shoulders, and stretch your hamstrings by pulling one foot back with your toes touching your butt until you feel a nice stretch on each hamstring.

Pull back your fingers with your palms facing away from you to stretch your wrists. Your fingers and wrists will need to be warmed up to grip the pole.

Method2Doing the Wrap-Around Move

1. Grab the pole. Start at the back of the pole, with your inside foot close to the base of the pole. Use your dominant hand to grab the pole at about head height. Allow your arm to straighten, so your weight is hanging away from the pole.

2. Step around. Keeping your outside leg straight and swing it out to the side and step all the way around the pole, pivoting on your inside foot at the same time. Allow your knee to bend slightly as you turn to make the movement more graceful.

3. Hook the pole with your leg. Place your outside foot down just behind the other foot. Transfer your weight to the back foot and hook your inside leg around the front of the pole, getting a good grip right behind the knee.

4. Arch your body. To finish off, arch your body backwards, lowering your hand to allow for a deeper arch. This is where flexibility comes in. Arch your back only as far as you feel comfortable and make sure that you have a good grip with your leg and your hand. You can tie your hair up or let it fall behind you if it makes you feel sexier.

5.Straighten up. Straighten your body and your leg down from the pole and prepare to do the next move. The basic wrap-around move is a perfect move for beginners of pole dancing and is a great transition to more complicated moves.

Method 3 Doing a Basic Climb

1.Face the pole. The first step to doing the basic climb is simply to stand about a foot away from the pole while facing it. Hold on to the pole with one hand.

2.Wrap your leg around the pole. Bring up the leg on the same side of your body as the hand that is holding the pole. Then, bring your leg up to the pole as you wrap your other hand around it. Flex your foot and place it on one side of the pole, with your knee on the other side. You'll need to use this leg to really anchor yourself to the pole and create a sturdy base for your other foot to land on.

3.Wrap your other leg around the pole. Now, pull your body up with your hands. Swing your free leg around and hook the back of the foot behind the first foot, and place the knee of the leg only the pole, so you have a firm grip on the pole with both of your knees. These two legs will now create a platform for you to use as you climb the pole.

4. Move your hands up. Move your hands about one foot up the pole to give yourself room to straighten out.

5.Pull your knees up. Use your abdominal muscle to pull up your knees about one to two feet.

6. Squeeze the pole with your legs and straighten up. After you bend your knees, you should lean back a bit and then squeeze the pole with the muscles of your legs and use them to straighten your body as your hands move up the pole.

7. Repeat these steps until you're done climbing. Repeat these steps a few more times until you've reached the top of your pole or the end of your comfort level. This plan will help you climb the pole while getting a great workout and looking sexy in the process.

8. Come down. You can either slide down using the basic fireman slide, or you can hold on to the pole with your hands and release your legs just for a moment, bringing them out in front of you and rocking your hips as you move your legs down to the ground. This method will take a bit longer to master but it will look sexy and will look and feel fantastic.

Method 4 Doing the Fireman Spin

1. Grab the pole with both hands. Stand next to the pole so that it's closer to your weaker side. Then, place both of your hands on the pole so you're gripping it like a baseball bat, with your hands a bit more than a foot apart. The hand closest to the pole should be on top and the hand on your outside should be on the bottom. Your lower hand should be at about eye level.

2. Swing around the pole. Take one step with the foot closer to the pole and swing the leg on the outside around the pole to get your momentum going. This will give you enough speed and power to comfortably swing around the pole.

3. Spring up on the pole. Pull up on the pole with your hands so your arms are supporting the entire weight of your body for a second. As you do this, jump off on your inside foot and grab onto the pole with both of your knees. Make sure you have a firm grip on the pole so you don't slide off.

4. Spin. Continue to hold onto the pole with your hands and knees as you spin down around the pole until you land on both feet. The higher your arms are positioned on the pole originally, the longer you'll spin before you reach the ground.

5. Stand tall. Once you've landed, just move your hips back and get back into a standing position.

Method 5 Learning Transitional Moves

1. Do the body wave. This is the perfect standing transitional move between any spinning or climbing moves. To do the body wave, just stand facing the pole and grab it with your dominant hand. Your knees should be slightly bent and your feet should be positioned on either side of the pole, so that your torso is about a foot away from the pole and your feet are comfortably spread apart.

First, push your chest forward toward the pole, then push your hips back, and then push your shoulders back, and then push your hips forward again and repeat this movement. The body wave should look like one fluid motion instead of a series of moves.

2. Do the backwards wiggle. To do this sexy move, start by standing straight up with your back against the pole. Reach up behind your head to grab the pole with both hands. Then, gyrate your hips from side to side as you slide down the pole until you're crouching. As you do this, run your hands down the front of your body all the way to your knees.

Then, push your knees apart so that your legs are momentarily spread and then quickly pop back up into a standing position.

3. Wiggle down the pole. For this type of gyrating movement, you should stand facing the pole with your feet on either side of it at a comfortable distance. Grip the pole with your dominant hand just below the height of your head. Then, gyrate your hips from side to side as you slide down the pole until you're crouching. Once you're crouching, push your hips back and raise your body up until your upper body uncurls into a standing position.