Building Your Body and Your Sexuality One Pole at a Time

In his "Never Scared" comedy routine, comedian Chris Rock is very clear about his parental responsibility to his daughter.

"My only job in life is to keep her off the pole," Rock cracks. "I mean, they don't grade fathers but if your daughter's a stripper, you (bleep) up."

If Rock is right, there must be a lot of men who have failed the father test, because if you look at an exercise class these days, you'll see plenty of women on poles. Poles have come out of the strip club and into the gym.

At Crunch and other fitness clubs around the country, on any night of the week, you'll find psychologists, corporate executives, professors -- women from all walks of life -- hanging upside down from moveable, expandable steel poles. And it's all about getting a good workout.

Ina, a young twenty-something who's been dancing all her life said, "I'm taking it because it's a great upper body workout and it's sexy. No one is here judging you."

'The Best Core Workout I've Ever Had'

April, who's working on her second master's degree in psychology, says, "It builds upper body strength, which a lot of women need, it builds self confidence, and it gets you in touch with your sexuality."

Kelly, a Web site director who's also been studying dance since childhood, calls it "the best core workout I've ever had." Even better than Pilates, she adds.

Women who are tired of the same old machines and classes, who are looking for something new and different, seem eager to try the pole.

"Some women just do not like monotonous exercise," says Johnna, a mother and pole dancing instructor from New Jersey.

"Being on a treadmill or an elliptical trainer -- they want to be away from the weights. They want to dance, laugh, and have a good time, so we create an atmosphere in our class for all women, all shapes and sizes. They can come in just let their hair down, laugh. Walk across the floor. We do repetitive movements and the more sensual movements so that the ladies feel a burn and it's fun," she said.

Just Another Form of Dance

Johnna, who's studied tap, jazz, and ballet since age three, says this as just another form of dance. She was looking for a way to build income yet still have time for family.