What's your excuse?

One of the things that I love in pole dance is that this is a kind of acrobatics including bending your body high in the air, above the ground, so it's like a circus discipline, however, everyone can learn it. And I really mean everyone (that is, all the people who are relatively healthy and able to move on their own). If there really are people out there who actually aren't suitable for pole, I think they're as rare as Yeti (so unless you are a freak who gave up on a real life and decided to chase them, you are likely to meet such person once in a lifetime at most). I'm sure it's been said plenty of times in the Internet, but I'm going to emphasize it one more time: you don't have to be slim, strong, flexible, young, fit or fully physically abled. You just have to want it. Just as many and as much.

Have you met Lulu? You might have, as video of her performance in America's Got Talent has been very popular in the Internet.

If you haven't done it yet, meet her: http://www.team-lulu.com/Team_Lulu/About_Me.html

Lulu, as a dancer of atypical shapes became a symbol of overcoming the limits in pole dance. Many women would like to have her courage and charming stage personality. Lulu proves you can be proud of the abilities of your body no matter of its size, and she appears to be so such a warm and charismatic person that she is a walking promotion of the love of pole.

Watch her perform at the Pole Convention 2012 and how she managed in the awkward situation of waiting for the music with a smile on her face (I think there are a lot of old stagers who would be eaten alive by stress being in her position):

Some students ask me how fast can you lose weight pole dancing. To be honest, I don't know. It depends whether you train regularly, how dedicated you are, what you eat and whether you cross train. Pole dance classes are not dedicated to burn fat, but if that's your goal, they might be very helpful. Pole workout is mostly about strengthening muscles, shaping nice and firm shoulders, back, abs, chest and legs (so you don't have to be strong to start, but you're going to see improvement). If your muscles are covered with fat, pole dancing might not be enough for you to see them grow, but it doesn't mean they aren't – Lulu has to be madly strong to lift and invert her sweet 250 lbs :) So if you don't want to sweat running and jumping, you don't have to. Lulu is just an example, but there are really women of all different shapes taking pole dance classes. Overweight doesn't stop them from achieving the impossible on that vertical pole. Nor from looking great. And I assure you, you don't have to lose weight before you start the classes.

Do you think you are too old to try? Well, these ladies (both training for three years now) might be an inspiration for all ages of dancers:

Jamie is 51 – can you believe it?

The winner of World Pole Sports Championship 2013 in Masters category – Greta Pontarelli, 62 years old:

You might point out that it's easier to start for somebody who has been active for the whole life or has background in gymnastics, like Greta. So I would like to mention the fact that last year I prompted my own mom (who is 47) to try pole dance – she was never a dancer or gymnast, she has a desk job and keeps the house. And she was as good with pole as the rest of the girls, until our family convinced her she shouldn't be doing this. I think sometimes she regrets she quitted.

At the begining I mentioned an issue of not being fully physically abled. I would like to present ladies who does such incredible things that I wouldn't believe if I haven't seen it.

Ladies and gentlemen, Deb Roach, one-armed pole dancer: 

And Little Mama, one-legged pole dancer:

Can you make any more excuses after seeing this?

One more thing: it came out as if I was writing this only for women. But if you are a man, that's even better for you. Your muscles are naturally stronger and your body is designed for easier power gain. Most of girls can only dream about the tricks that you are able to do on the pole. One thing that might be a little harder is convincing everyone you didn't go crazy signing up for the pole dance class. But here's the same old rule: If you really want to do this, don't let any obstacles discourage you.

Pole dance might be mannish. And might be a great fun. These gentlemen know that:

My first male pole idol, Evgeny Greshilov:

And my most recent pole crush, the incredible Alex Shchukin:

So if you consider pole as a form of dance, fitness or just an interesting experience, don't hesitate, don't think you are not suitable for it, just try it! I signed for my first class almost a year after I got to know pole sport existed. I regreted this delay many times. Don't make the same mistake!