How to pole dance for fitness offers an introduction to the exercise and art of pole dancing.

• While it may have started in gentlemen's clubs, pole dancing has quickly become a popular fitness trend and a fun way for women to get in touch with their sensual side. The dance itself involves performing aerobic moves on a vertical pole including spins and inversions. Whether you practice pole dancing in sweats and sneakers at your nearest gym or in high heels in the privacy of your own home, you'll find pole dancing to be both a great work-out and a fun means of expressing yourself.

• The first thing you'll need to practice the fine art of pole dancing is a pole. You have a few options when it comes to finding a pole of your own:

1. Visit the Gym: Many gyms and dance studios now offer women-only pole dancing classes. These gyms will, of course, provide the pole. If the gym is using portable poles, be sure that they are stable and able to support your body's full weight.
2. Buy a Pole: Several different manufacturers offer poles that can be installed in your home. Some can be bolted to the floor and ceiling. Others are portable and can be temporarily installed and removed when you're done practicing. Poles range in price from $100 to upwards of $300. Be sure that you buy a substantial, sturdy pole and not a toy pole intended for posing only.
3. Build Your Own Pole: If you want a fun weekend project, you can always build your own pole. Most poles are typically made of hollow steel or brass. If you don't want to ask for construction advice from your resident Home Depot employees, you can always consult eHow's How to Build a Stripper Pole.

• Because pole dancing is a strenuous physical activity, it's important the you be in reasonably good shape before you even take your first swing around the pole. As a rule, you should consult your doctor before starting any new fitness or dance program. Pole dancing also has a few other safety considerations you should keep in mind:

1. No Lotions: You should not have any type of lotion or oil on your hands before pole dancing. You need as much friction as possible so as not to fall off the pole. It's also a good idea to wipe the pole down before beginning.
2. Start with Sneakers: While you may want to build up to wearing high heels while pole dancing, it's wise to learn new moves in sneakers. Dancing in heels can be dangerous, particularly if you are attempting unfamiliar, athletic moves. If you do decide to switch to heels at some point, don't start with stilettos or platforms! Wear dance heels with a rubber bottom, wide base and ankle strap.
3. Give Yourself Some Room: You're going to be spinning around on the pole with your legs and arms extended so be sure to give yourself enough clearance. You don't want to build momentum and go flying into your television set. Keep your pole dancing practice area unobstructed.
4. Check the Pole's Stability: It's worth saying again. Check and recheck your pole's stability. It should be secure and able to take your full body weight.
5. Warm Up: Because pole dancing is an athletic form of dance, you'll want to be sure your body is warmed up before starting. Your abs, quadriceps and arms deserve special attention.
6. Don't Jump Up on the Pole: You don't want to throw your body at or around the pole. You build momentum for spins by walking around the pole and swinging your outside leg towards it. You pull yourself up onto the pole with your arms and abs. At no point should you really be jumping up onto it. You don't want to bang yourself up.
7. Dress Appropriately: When you're first starting out, it's important to wear comfortable clothes you can move in as opposed to constricting, "sexy" garments. If you're a more advanced student who intends on learning inversions, you will want to expose your arms and legs in order to get more traction on the pole. As a beginner, standard gym attire is perfectly appropriate. Nothing excessively baggy, however. You don't want your clothing to obstruct your movement.

• There are several different types of warm-ups you can do around the pole.

• The Wrap-Around is a simple and sexy move to get your pole dancing routine started.

1. Stand facing the pole at a slight angle.
2. Place your inside foot (the foot nearest to the pole) at its base.
   • Which foot you use and which way you move around the pole will correspond to whichever of your arms is the strongest. If you're right-handed, use your right foot and face slightly to the right. The reverse if you're left-handed.
3. Grab the pole at approximately head height with your strong arm (right if you're right-handed; left if you're left-handed). Your inside foot and the hand you're grasping the pole with should be on the same side of your body—right or left.
4. Straighten your arm, and lean away from the pole. Your body weight is hanging away from the pole stabilized by your inside foot and strong arm.
5. Keeping your outside leg straight, swing it out to the side and around the pole—pivoting on your inside foot.
6. Place your outside foot down behind your inside foot.
7. Transfer your weight to the outside foot.
8. Hook your inside leg around the front of the pole, just behind the knee.
9. Arch your body back.
   • You can slide the hand grasping the pole lower to get a deeper arch.
10. Finish by straightening your back and taking your leg off the pole.

• The Fireman's Spin is a basic spin that will get you comfortable with supporting your body's weight with your arms and using momentum to send you around the pole.

1. Stand next to the pole.
2. Grab the pole with your inside arm (the one closest to the pole) up high, above your head.
3. Walk around the pole a few strides to gain momentum.
4. Grab the pole with your outside arm (the one furtherest from the pole) at chest height.
5. Swing your outside leg across the front of your body and hook it to the pole, just behind the ankle.
6. Lift your inside leg off the ground and place it directly behind the pole and your other foot.
7. Spin with both legs off the ground.
8. You will slide down the pole. Once you've reached the floor, stand up and prepare for your next move.

• A more elegant version of the Fireman Spin, the Ballerina Spin consists of artfully posing your back leg as you travel around the pole.

1. Stand next to the pole.
2. Grab the pole with your inside arm (the one closest to the pole) up high, above your head.
3. Walk around the pole a few strides to gain momentum.
4. Grab the pole with your outside arm (the one furtherest from the pole) at chest height.
5. Swing your outside leg across the front of your body and hook it to the pole, just behind the ankle.
6. Lift your inside leg off the ground. Bend your knee, and point your leg back.
   • As you you lift your inside leg off the ground, your outside leg will shift so that it is hooked around the pole at the knee instead of just behind the ankle. This will give you more stability on the pole.
7. Spin with both legs off the ground.
8. You will slide down the pole. Once you've reached the floor, stand up and prepare for your next move.

• Now that you've got a few basic spins and poses under your belt, you may want to continue your pole dancing education with tricky inversions and more athletic spins. If you don't have a gym or dance studio nearby offering classes, you can always check out the following online instructional videos or DVD series: