My latest accomplishment

Since last September, I've been taking pole dancing classes at Diva Fit in Ashburn

http://www.divafitonline.com/

When I first started taking the class, I thought it would just be a way to have some girl time - Jen and TAG took the first session and TAG and I have continued on- and get an extra light workout in during the week. Boy, was I wrong. It is a totally great workout. I have a completely new appreciation for the arm/core strength required to complete those spins around that little metal pole and the calf strength to do an entire workout in "stripper" heels. I know that if I miss my run on Monday, I will totally get a workout in Monday night at class.

In Level I and Level II, all the spins that we learned kept us vertical to the pole (and right side up). In our last session (Level III) , we learned a spin called the corkscrew which threw the vertical position spins out the window. Basically the corkscrew is a spin where you spin around the pole horizontally in a crunch position. That was tough - I got the hang of it on one side, but I am still totally struggling going the other direction (my right arm is WAY stronger than my left!)

Two weeks ago we started Level IV session. In the first class, the instructor demos all the spins that you will learn in your session. Lisa, our instructor, started showing us all the spins - the sundial - spinning around the pole vertically with your feet out behind you (toes touching and knees out); the flying body spiral - hold on to the pole with one hand while throwing your body out in front of the pole, then at the last possible second, arch your back, grab the pole with your second hand (which is behind your boday at this point) and swing around the pole vertically and backwards until your knees hit the floor; and the most daunting- going inverted on the pole. This means you have to pull your legs up onto the pole, wrap them around the pole and hang upside down with your legs holding you up on the pole. Then slide down the pole to the ground.

The first 2 sessions we learned the sundial and the flying body spiral. Last night was our first night to go inverted. I was completely perplexed in how I was going to get my big butt over my head and my legs wrapped around the pole and make it look a little diva-ish. Well. I'm happy to report that I managed to get myself inverted on the pole. I don't know how diva-ish it looked, but I got there. Major accomplishment! I'll work on looking good later!