Strip Aerobics

By Vanita Gautum

Considering that strippers have some of the hottest bodies in the world, a woman has to wonder, how do they get that kind of body and how can I get it too?

Well, now classes are being offered that teach you exactly how women perform in strip joints and what it takes to do what they do. It’s called strip aerobics and even Carmen Electra released a DVD teaching women how to do strip aerobics (after all, that is what her career is about).

Of course, strippers, or the more acceptable “exotic dancers,” don’t just shake their butts from side to side on a stage and smack their butts - they jump on a pole, hold up their own body weight and squat down to collect their money.

And besides that, they also work out fiercely in order to keep their moneymakers going strong. So doing strip aerobics alone will not get you a body like a stripper, but it is a step in the right direction as the soreness in your muscles the next day will let you know what body parts you need to work out with weights.

Are you ready to start stripping? Let’s find out what these strip aerobics classes are about and where to sign up for such a class in your area.

What is strip aerobics?

Called strippercise, strip aerobics and cardio striptease, this type of class offers women (and some brave men) the opportunity to shed weight and develop rhythmic skills with group workouts that run anywhere from 60 to 120 minutes.

Some strip aerobics classes use a stripper pole (looks like a fireman’s pole) and others teach moves without one. All in all, you will step, bounce, jump, and swivel your hips into fitness.

Due to lots of hip and abdominal movements, you will begin to notice a slight change in your upper body after only a few weeks’ time. Your core will become tighter and your arms will develop a more toned look due to constant arm movements.

Because it’s a low-impact aerobic workout, the average 135-pound woman can burn upwards of 400 calories per hour. And if burning calories weren’t enough, you’re also having a whole lot of fun performing the exercises and laughing with other members in the class.

How strip aerobics works

There are many different workouts designed for such a class and every instructor may teach it differently, but all classes do have some common characteristics and are designed to target different parts of the body.

Strip aerobics advantage #1
Total body workout
To build longer, leaner muscles, a total body workout includes reaching up with your arms and down with your legs, and clenching different body parts of your body, such as your abs, your glutes and your thighs, at a given time.

Strip aerobics advantage #2
Build stamina
You will dance intensely for a few minutes at a time, which will raise your heart rate periodically and increase your fat-burning capabilities. You can move at your own pace and slow down if the class is moving too fast for you, but you will break a sweat, no doubt.

Strip aerobics advantage #3
Tighten your abs
Focusing on your abs, you will learn how to tighten them and move them in ways you never thought you could. For up to 15 minutes, you will perform an ab routine while standing.

Strip aerobics advantage #4
Slow stripping
For the last part of the class, you will attempt to put all you’ve learned into a slow, choreographed dance. You will move your body sensually and stylize your performance.

What you need for strip aerobics

Every class differs, but most agree that you should wear something that makes you feel sexy but allows you to work out comfortably. So a fitted tank top and yoga pants would work just great.

You probably shouldn’t wear running shoes (I have yet to meet a woman who feels sexy in them) and go barefoot. While some classes allow high heels, most prefer that you don’t damage their wooden floors with them.

As for props, the class usually accommodates individuals with chairs, poles and steps, so you wouldn’t need to show up with anything but what you’re wearing.

Where you can find strip aerobics?

Nowadays, most gyms are offering strip aerobics due to high demand. Crunch Fitness and Gold’s Gym are renowned for the strip aerobics classes they offer, but if you happen to go to an independently-owned establishment, simply ask the class coordinator if they can find someone who offers such a class.

Undress to impress

Now you can learn to move your body in new ways and, before you know it, you’ll be showing your man what you’ve learned and maybe this new type of exercise will translate into the bedroom as well.