I’m not sure where the time goes, but somehow we are already three months in to 2018! So…how are those new year’s resolutions going? By now you should be making great strides or, if you are like the vast majority, they’ve already been completely abandoned. While that may sound a bit harsh, it’s true. Statistics show that the majority of resolutions never make it past the first quarter of the year…especially fitness related resolutions.
Why is that? The most common answer is LIFE. Life happens. We get busy & things just fall by the wayside. Most of us are already so busy with our day to day lives that fitness just feels like another chore we are trying to cram into an already over-booked day. It is tough to remember that fitness is a healthy, loving thing that we are doing for ourselves & our bodies. We are also not likely to make a priority out of activities that we don’t really enjoy. The idea of fitness as an enjoyable activity sounds crazy to most people, but believe it or not, you can fall in love with fitness. You just have to find what works best for you!
Most of our members will tell you that they have tried numerous types of activities in the past to stay fit. Eventually, however, they just got bored & quit. Traditional fitness activities are not for everyone. Sometimes you have to step outside the box & get creative. We decided to talk to a few of our members to find out what it is about pole fitness & aerial fitness that has kept them committed & consistently coming back for more.
Erica
How long have you been taking classes at BS?
I have been a Bittersweet member for somewhere around two and a half years.
What is your favorite thing about the studio?
The Bittersweet family is my favorite thing. If I’m down and out or not feeling inspired, the BS family is there to pick me, make me laugh, motivate me, encourage me, and just over all be there for me.
What about pole fitness has kept you consistent where traditional fitness has failed in the past?
One word, one syllable: FUN! With pole I have so much fun learning new tricks and there is always something new or changing with the sport, so you always have a goal to strive for. With traditional fitness I was always SO bored and I felt so limited by the workouts or weightlifting I could do. I would look up videos of new workouts and it is the same thing over and over. The sky’s the limit with pole and aerial fitness.
What would you say to someone who is interested but has reservations?
“Oh my gawd! I want to try that so bad. I just need to lose a little weight (or gain upper body strength) first.” I hear that ALL THE TIME! I tell them that the only thing they need to do is walk in that door. Strength comes with the practice and time you put into it. The hardest step is just walking through the door to your first class. Everyone is just so excited that you’ve taken the opportunity to come into our crazy little world and want to be apart of it. No one has fun on a treadmill, come dangle with us!
Daisy
How long have you been taking classes at BS?
A little over 1 year.
What is your favorite thing about the studio?
The friends I’ve made and the uplifting/warm atmosphere.
What about pole fitness & aerial fitness has kept you consistent where traditional fitness has failed in the past?
Of course pole & aerial fitness is an amazing workout, but it’s so much more than that. It gives me an opportunity to express myself in a creative and fun way that I just couldn’t get with traditional fitness or in a regular gym.
What would you say to someone who is interested but has reservations?
Don’t be intimidated or hesitant at all and don’t compare yourself to others. We all have different strengths, and that’s what makes things interesting and awesome. There is a place for every body, everyone, every personality, etc!!
Janice
How long have you been taking classes at BS?
I’ve been taking them for about 10 months now.
What is your favorite thing about the studio?
I think it’s that there are so many different classes, you aren’t doing the same things over and over. And the very supportive atmosphere with the attendees and the teachers, I love that too!
What about pole fitness & aerial fitness has kept you consistent where traditional fitness has failed in the past?
The fact that it’s fun! It’s different every week, so it never gets boring, but you’re also doing things that help you see progress week after week. It’s very motivating to see that you’re not struggling as much with this spin or that aerial move. Both pole and aerial make you feel good about your body too, makes you feel strong and sexy, even if you don’t have the perfect body.
What would you say to someone who is interested but has reservations?
Don’t let your reservations hold you back! There are lots of people who have the same concerns: who have no upper body strength, who have never done anything like that, who think they don’t match what a pole or aerial artist looks like. Don’t let that stop you, there are lots of us who feel the same way, and we’ll be very welcoming! It’s a really warm community and we always help each other through everything. You’ll be so glad you came to join us!
Some of the most frequent questions we hear from new students are in reference to flexibility. Everyone wants to be as flexy as possible as quickly as they can so they can get into all of the fun new moves they’ve seen on the internet. Just like it takes time to build your strength so that you can do new moves safely, it takes time & patience to improve your range of motion in a healthy manner. Trying to force yourself into stretches improperly can lead to hypermobility rather than flexibility.
Is there an expiration date on flexibility?
