Which Muscles Does Pole Dancing Work?

May 5, 2010 | By April Redzic

Pole aerobics, also termed as sensual aerobics or aerobics striptease, is a relatively new trend in fitness. Many attribute its popularity to Carmen Electra's Aerobic Striptease Collection, first released in 2003. Classes of the format burn between 250 and 400 calories per class, depending on their intensity level and engage all of the body's major muscle groups.

Legs

Because exotic dancing workouts tend to emphasize both on- and off-the-pole movements, taking a pole dancing class forces you to use your lower body in many ways. When you are on the pole and inverted, you engage your adductors (inner thighs), hamstrings, glutes, calves and quadriceps. When you are on the floor and doing dance moves, the squats and gyrating movements work the glutes intensely. Any dance movements that require you to be on your toes work your calves.

Abdominals

When done correctly, virtually every movement in a pole dancing workout works your core through isometric resistance. To lift the body and extend it into various positions requires your abdominals to support a great deal of your weight.
In addition, the stomach should be held in during floor movements in order to give the back support. By doing so, you will also tone your abdominals. Because all of stomach muscles are pulled in, you will engage each muscle group: the rectus abdominis, internal obliques, external obliques and transverse.

Arms

Pole dancing workouts tone your upper body in large part because your arms will be holding you up on the pole both as you create poses on the pole and also each time you lean away from the pole and pull yourself back toward it. Because so many of the exercises that lift your body onto the pole flex your arms, you will tone your biceps throughout the workout. Your triceps, deltoids and upper back will hold your body stable during all of these movements, leading them to gain more definition also.