Absolute Boarginners: Why it’s okay for guys to work the pole too

Pole dance is a form of exercise in transition – people are starting to accept that it’s a good workout, but it’s still got certain connotations. And although the old style of pole dance is still practiced (called “stripper pole”, for obvious reasons), contemporary pole is what you’ll see being rehearsed in the Atrium. If you’ve ever seen the YouTube videos of someone basically performing martial arts around a pole – well that’s the pole dance that Warwick Pole teach. It is one of the most fun and intense things you can do while at uni – not only will your entire body be given the workout of a lifetime, but you’ll be part of THE most inclusive society at Warwick.

I’d recommend this to any guy who wants to train their core – it’s amazing exercise, and no one cares about your sexuality or masculinity.

That’s not to say that it’ll be easy – my dreams of being the next pole superstar come summer were crushed when I realised that grace and flexibility were not skills I naturally possessed in abundance. That being said, guys have an advantage when it comes to some basics – they can climb pole much easier generally, and the upper body strength that’s needed to lift off the ground means that you’ll leave the beginner pole pretty quickly, if you choose to. Although the society is dominated by girls, it’s slowly changing. I’d recommend this to any guy who wants to train their core – it’s amazing exercise, and no one cares about your sexuality or masculinity. We’re all here to get fit, not get laid.

The structure of a beginner’s class is simple – you go to the right pole for your experience level, and spend the hour perfecting your spins, climbs and falls (not as scary as you’d think). There are four per class, and they can range from absolute beginner (never touched a pole in their life or still looks like a twat while doing so) to basically intermediate.  Watching the intermediate members gives me serious goals, but the things they do look impossible to an untrained eye, and you have to wonder if the human body was ever supposed to bend that way. The great thing about this is that no matter when you join, someone will be teaching the newbies. More importantly, you’ll almost never be the only newbie, and that can help if you have confidence issues.

It’s like all the nice people on campus have been drawn together by the allure of the pole.

As well as basic pole lessons, the society also offers sessions where you can work on your general health and bendiness – if you want to improve at all, go to these! Flexibility and Conditioning are brutal at first, but they’ll help you to improve on the pole so much faster, and offer a chance to talk to people in a different setting. For those who don’t already know – you WILL get bruised. It’s inevitable. You’re basically spending the hour on a metal pole, and moves that require you to use force can leave you with some seriously discoloured patches of skin the next day. Or you can be like me, and slam your knee in to the pole instead of spinning around it. Not my greatest moment, but it won’t be my worst.

I’ve only been attending since the beginning of term and I can already say that I love it. The lessons are fun, the exec and members are all incredibly friendly (I’m talking seriously friendly here. It’s like all the nice people on campus have been drawn together by the allure of the pole),and they really make you feel included from the start. Socials are plentiful and varied, and I don’t think I’ve actually ever been to a better circle. I already know i’ll be doing it until I graduate, and there are plans in the works to buy a pole that I can practice on at home (thank god for birthdays). If you’ve ever thought about attending, do it! You won’t regret your choice, whether you’re a guy or a girl.

You can be sure that this is much more difficult than it looks.