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Strippercize - would Oprah steer us wrong?

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Hipper than yoga and sexier than Pilates, the newest kid on the exercise block? Pole dancing.

From Oprah to 48 hours, plucked from the stages of exotic showrooms, this trend is now working her way to mainstream popularity. Pole dancing is showing up in every studio from Los Angeles to right here in downtown Squamish.

The concept of pole dancing is to take the erotic, exotic movements of stripping, and combine them with floor exercises and fun. It's really not as scary as you might think, and to put my money where my mouth is, I took one of the introductory classes being offered by Aradia Fitness (www.aradiafitness. com).

The workout is gradual, dignified and no one asks you to jump on the brass cylinder straight away. I was not asked or expected to bump and grind my way to that hackneyed stripper music you imagine will be booming from the overhead speakers. Ba bum bum bum.wa wa wa waaaaaaaaaah. Nope. You're more likely to shake it out to a little Kid Rock or Black Eyed Peas.

The movements start out with a little walk around the studio. Breathing, stretching. The warm up is a series of slow, rounded movements that graduate to more strenuous movements that can be described as cat-like, rocking and sloooooooooow. Everything is very slow, arched and a heck of a lot harder than it looks. My class was somewhat intimate, as it was just three of us, I am sure when more people show up to their Fall class, which starts Oct. 3 at Brennan Park, the more the merrier will indeed apply.

Asking Adrienne to give me an idea of her class demographic, I find that more myths are busted out and broken down. This is not a secret fan club for Pam Anderson look-alikes. No need to petition our new Wal-Mart to stock breast implants or hair extensions. And thanks to the Real Beauty campaign at Dove soap, finally the whole world can be clued into the fact that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.

I did feel the benefit of these movements the next morning. I keep trying not to compare it to yoga, the golden child of the exercise world, but you cannot really compare this workout to anything you've tried before. It was a totally unique experience.

After the floor exercises we did hit the pole for the end portion of the workout. It was rather exciting. Fun to grab on and do a sexy little twirl, it looks so pretty and inspiring that you do want to try it.

If you're willing to be open to a different workout and want to boost your confident side, then give this workout a try. Trying doesn't mean you've committed yourself to a profession of stripping or exotic dancing, it doesn't exempt hubby from sleeping on the couch if he wanders into The Boot Pub to critique their Ballet on one occasion too many. This is not a male motivated event, it's designed for adult women to feel great about themselves, a natural component of exercise anyhow. If you come away with a new appreciation for yourself, hold your head a little higher, it's a win-win.

Please note that this is a class for women, 18 years of age and older.

You will undoubtedly want to show off a few moves for your partner, but that is not the motivating factor. Although a tad clichéd quip, it is a self-empowering workout and a bit of a personal adventure. Celebrate yourself. Try something new. You just might like it and, hey, if you want to set the sexy bar a little higher, Aradia Fitness will also be offering lap dancing and stripping workshops. If you'd like additional information on these upcoming classes, call Adrienne at Aradia at 1-866-766-4127 or Brennan Park to check the upcoming sessions. Sans g-string and feather boa, this could be the workout you're looking for.

Would Our Lady Oprah ever steer us wrong?

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