By Kameron Court
Those who are willing to give the pole a whirl, without looking for extra cash, may find some unexpected benefits.
Cheryl Bushey, owner of Art Fit, demonstrates a pole dancing move.
Pole dancing, the newest trendy workout, spikes curiosity and stands out from the typical gym classes.
Cheryl Bushey, a 20-year veteran of the dance and fitness world, has been teaching pole-dancing classes at her Lubbock studio, Art Fit, for almost seven years.
“It appealed to me in an athletic standpoint,” Bushey said. “It was like a physical challenge, and for me, that was the draw. It was fun and there were these things that you had to strive to achieve physically.”
Bushey said the classes are a little deceiving at first because the moves look easy, but they are a combination of strength training and cardio that work your body so intensely that results can be seen in six weeks.
“When you’re in class, you’re thinking about how you need to complete this move,” Bushey said. “You’re not thinking about how you have to lift this weight three more times. You’re thinking ‘I want to get up there.’ It really becomes a change in focus.”
Olivia Wright, Bushey’s daughter, has been teaching pole-dancing classes at her mother’s studio for two years. She described her class as challenging yet rewarding.
“It’s fun because it makes you feel like a super hero,” Wright said. “Once you get up there — once you’re strong and building those muscles — you’re like, ‘I never thought I could do that.’”
Although new students typically come to the classes with preconceived notions of strip-club dance moves, both Bushey and Wright said they do not teach or encourage such a career path. Rather, they try to keep their classes family-friendly. The goal is to empower their students through new strengths gained in class.
Christina Holman, who has taken Bushey’s classes for three years, said she tried them because she wanted to mix up her workout regimen.
“I have definition I have never had from doing anything else,” Holman said. “One week you may not be able to do something, and then the next you master it.”
Holman said she does not refer to the class as pole dancing but pole fitness. She said the class is different from other workouts because you become more focused on accomplishing the tricks instead of lifting weights.
“It is hard work, and I dare you to come try it,” Holman said. “You use muscles you never knew you had, you’ll be sore in places you didn’t know could, and will have definition in places you didn’t know existed.”
If you are interested in the classes, check out Art Fit’s website.
About JOUR 3312
