This week I caught up with Sarah Cecilie Hexeberg, a Management and Organisation student in her second year, and the social secretary for LU Pole Fitness.
Now I know what you’re all thinking; pole fitness lies in the realm of strippers and seedy nightclubs (or controversy stirring pop-stars… Rihanna, I’m looking at you here), right? Well, Sarah Cecilie is here to dispel that myth, and tell us the real story behind the sport!
So, first of all Sarah Cecilie, could you tell us a bit about what pole fitness is?
Pole Fitness properly started out as a form of exercise in the early nineties, and has rapidly grown in popularity since. It’s an internationally recognised art form, and you can compete on all sorts of levels from University or local, to the International World Championships.
Suitable for all shapes, sizes and athletic capability, pole fitness is definitely the ultimate full body workout! Combining cardio, flexibility, coordination and strength training, you start to see results from week one, and it’s a great improvement for both your health and confidence. As a workout, it requires you to lift your own body weight, so you’re using muscles in every part of your body (even parts you probably didn’t even know about!)
As you are actively using all parts of your body, minimal clothing in the form of vest tops/sports bras and short gym shorts is required, but it comes with a good reason, perhaps not the one you would think! In order to advance and develop your skills, and perform some of the more challenging moves, skin to pole contact is crucial. It’s all about grip in this sport, so showing some skin is required!
Why did you get involved?
Personally, I got involved because I was interested in doing my workout all-in-one, as it saves me some time throughout the week. Life can be so extremely hectic at University, trying to fit in a social life, job and a degree means that I don’t always have lots of time to fit in exercise too! Pole fitness then seemed like the ultimate option for someone like me. I do also try to stop by the gym a few times a week, just to vary my exercise.
Because it’s fairly low impact, and doesn’t involve any additional weights, it’s the perfect alternative for people who struggle with shin splints or back pains, like I do. It’s the first form of exercise I’ve tried that doesn’t leave me with any pains! Our instructor is Lucy Webster; the owner and certified 3 star PDC approved head instructor of Inversion Pole Fitness. She’s an amazing teacher, and really knows how to motivate us to constantly set ourselves new goals and improve.
What is your role on the exec, and what does it entail?
My role is Social Secretary on the Executive Committee for the Pole Fitness Society, which means my main responsibility is to strengthen the sense of community among the members and plan a variety of socials. We’ve had lots of fun this year already; a bar crawl in bright and colourful sports-wear, meals out together, a joint social with one of the football teams, and participated in a fundraiser, amongst other things. Next up on our social calendar is our classy night out, where the theme is all things sparkly! We also aim to develop new skills when it comes to street pole or hoop, and participate in competitions!
What is your favourite thing about Pole Fitness?
My favourite thing about Pole Fitness has got to be the confidence you gain from it! As you get better and better, and master more moves, you really do become so confident in your body and its abilities. The fact that anyone can be good at pole, no matter their shape or size, really confirms to me how every single body should be admired!
As girls, we grow up with a certain perception of what an attractive body looks like, based on the representations of gender in the media and society. Therefore, I think it’s unbelievably healthy to get your feet back down on the ground and realise what REAL bodies actually look like! Strong is definitely the new sexy, and all our pole fitness society members should be so proud of their achievements, just as proud as I am of them! It takes courage to put your real body out there in front of other people and work it for all it’s worth.
And finally, do you have any favourite moves that you would like to share with us?
Yes, I do have a few favourites among the moves I have mastered so far, including:
The Bridged Scorpio:
Hero:
Wow! Thanks, Sarah Cecilie!
If you’re interested in getting involved in pole fitness, head over to Facebook and like both the Lancaster University Pole Fitness Society, and the Inversion Pole Fitness pages for more information.