- High Heel Workouts ?

POLE DANCING IN HEELS, WHY?

We always recommend students buy a pair of pole shoes (also called stripper shoes). But why should you want to invest in a pair of plastic shoes with 5 or 6 inch heels? After all, you can't exactly wear them to the office the next morning. Well in pole classes high heels are much more than just a fashion statement. Sure they are a lot sexier than your Nikes but why would you want to wear something so high when doing something so dangerous?. Well there's a science to all of this and thank your hard working exotic entertainer for figuring this out for you. Lets think for a moment about the contact area between your feet and the pole. That small area is vital for getting you up the pole, keeping you on the pole and sometimes even suspending your entire body weight from it. The right type of shoes make your pole work much more comfortable, protecting your skin from cuts, bruises, scrapes and pole burn.These shoes really stick to the pole. Pole shoes that are made of either clear plastic or patent leather are a lot more grippy than bare feet, so you should find climbing or inverts become a lot easier. These shoes are designed for dancers and are extremely comfortable. They have padding on the insoles and a curved end to help you pivot gracefully around the pole. In comparison to bare feet they are like sexy ankle weights and make your feet relatively heavy, so doing toning exercises and stretching in these will help you get a deeper stretch in your legs, cause you to extend further when you do inverts, and you should also be able to get a little extra momentum on spins when you kick out. Pole shoes will improve your posture and general 'grounding' as you walk around the pole. They will change the dynamics of what muscles you are working and they force your calf muscles to work harder - in essence you are on tip-toes the whole time.They make you look HOT. A pair of these shoes will do more for your legs than Photoshop and they are a benefit of working out at this type of gym!

ALL ABOUT SHOES

Pole shoes come in a wide range of heights from 3 to 8 inches. If you're not used to walking in heels, start off with a lower platform. Avoid shoes with big buckles or metal studs on them as they may damage the pole or your feet. If you fall in love with a pair without an ankle strap, take two pieces of ribbon and thread them under the shoe arches, then up and around your ankle and tie securely (similar to doing up a ballet ribbon). This will make the sure the shoes don't get kicked off in an aggressive spin - not good for you or any bystanders!respect your shoes You may find inverts become difficult again the first time you wear pole shoes because of the extra weight on your feet. In fact it's a good idea to take off your shoes when you're learning a new invert or strength move - not only will it make the move easier, but if you land a little harder than you expect you won't run the risk of spraining your ankles. And make sure you don't take a chunk out of your leg with your new 6" heels when you do new tricks. You now have some potent pieces of footwear attached to your legs - respect them accordingly!

DARE TO BE BARE

Though pole shoes are great, many people find they are most comfortable pole dancing in bare feet. If you're just starting out, getting the hang of moving round the pole is often enough without worrying about balancing in platforms at the same time. And having bare feet is a good option:Though not as good as pole shoes, skin sticks incredibly well to the metal pole. It's a much better choice than fabric or many plastics. You'll get a lot more feedback through your body, helping you learn how much pressure