As a mom, you are often the primary caregiver or default parent. It can be a challenge taking care of your children and the household, juggling schedules, working, and trying to take care of yourself.

What if there was an exercise that not only bolstered your physical health but also gave you self-care in the form of empowerment and fun? Here is why you should try pole dancing, especially as a mother. Pole dancing:

1. Boosts Your Confidence

Motherhood is physically tough on our bodies and can drain us mentally. Pole dancing can make you feel powerful and remind you that you are more than just that role. You can be sexy and a force to be reckoned with while still being Supermom.

Additionally, messages from media can make you feel bad about how your body looks or the scars and stretch marks you’ve earned. Pole dancing is about how you feel and what your body can do, not how it looks. Dancers come in all shapes and sizes. Treat yourself to some polewear that makes you feel confident and love how you look - there’s even plus-size dance wear. Not only will it boost your confidence, but it will boost your children’s confidence. They need parents that are body positive so that they can be too.

2. Helps Your Balance, Flexibility, and Strength

Whether you trip over flat ground or can walk a tightrope blindfolded, pole dancing will help your balance and coordination. You will also discover muscles you never knew you had and might start feeling like a bendy pretzel. There’s no way to perform inversions and spins without developing these skills. If you’ve already been cooking while balancing a toddler on one hip or juggling your coffee, keys, diaper bag, and a baby strapped to your chest, a Juliet spin will be a piece of cake.

3. Provides Stress Relief

Have you ever noticed that when you get stressed out, your kids get more mercurial as well? Your children’s emotional states depend on yours, so when you take time to decompress after swimming lessons, carpooling, and playdates, your children will calm down with you. Exercise also releases endorphins, so you’ll get natural mood boosters with every class you take.

4. Teaches You to Tackle Obstacles Head On

Parenting is full of challenges. Sometimes getting through the day as a mother can be a challenge. If you’ve worked for weeks on a pole dancing move, you can apply that perseverance to anything in your life. Or when you’ve looked at a pole and thought there’s no way you can climb the whole thing, but you try anyway and nail it, other obstacles you face can seem manageable. Potty training, a class full of rambunctious 6-year-olds full of sugar for your kid’s birthday, or a 12-hour road trip with two little ones in the back seat solo? You’ve got this, just like you got that cartwheel dismount.

5. Gives You a Community or Tribe

If you haven’t already discovered, motherhood can be incredibly isolating, and you may be missing the social life you used to have. Pole dancing is a welcoming and supportive community that will give you that sense of belonging you’ve been missing. It’s a great way to meet, socialize, and connect with other moms like you. Some studios even have specific classes for mothers, so you can bond and go over mother-approved moves in a more comfortable environment where everyone just gets it.

Is Pole Dancing Safe For Moms?

You may wonder if you can pole dance pregnant or postpartum. If you are pregnant, it is typically safe to pole dance. Most doctors advise it’s safe to continue any exercise you have already been doing with a few modifications. However, it’s always better to check with your OBGYN. If they clear you, you may find you are a bit warmer and struggling to maintain your grip to perform moves safely. Try some pole grip for sweaty hands for extra piece of mind.

Limit moves like backbends and moves that strain your abdominal region. Don’t try to master new skills; stick to sequences you can comfortably do. Remember to listen to your body and what is suitable for you. Some women can dance until they deliver, while others can only handle a few weeks before their body says no more. Don’t compare your body or your journey to anyone else’s.

Overall, pole dancing is a fun and challenging activity for moms. It’s an excellent whole-body workout that improves your mental well-being with opportunities for socialization and self-expression. Give it a chance, and you will be surprised how much you enjoy it.

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Here are a few reasons to give pole dancing a try, especially if you're a mother, who goes through physical and mental hardship. Pole dancing is often a tough and entertaining exercise, but it’s a terrific way to give your whole body a good workout, improve your mental health, and provide you with opportunities to express yourself.

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