This place just proves that you get what you pay for. I took 4 pole aerobics classes here (they're $25 for 1.5 hours) and it made me realize just how much it's worth it to pay a little more for classes at S Factor ($55 for 2 hours).
Pros:
-For 2 or 3 songs at the end, you get to do whatever you want on the poles (you switch poles about every 20 seconds when the teacher yells or blows a horn). This is fun, although not very safe since anybody can do anything they want, even if they have zero instruction and have only seen advanced students doing the trick in the back of the room during class.
-You can sign up for single classes.
-It's cheap.
-Front desk staff were pleasant.
Cons:
-The studio is small, with bright lights on, windows that open to the next room, and a random guy that teaches other classes coming in and jumping on the pole. Really not relaxing or sensual, especially when you're wearing tiny shorts and trying to feel sexy.
-The instructor (nicole) does not appear to have any fitness training. She just yells out a move (things like jumping lunges) and then stands there while the class does 50 or so (sometimes she just stares into space or at her nails, not even watching the class). There is no information on how to do the move safely, what muscles should be working, etc. And there is a wide array of fitness levels (and sometimes sobriety) in the room, so there should be more guidance and/or options on how to do things safely. Also, some of the moves are done super fast, especially in abs, which means it's just momentum and jerking your body around, not actually working out the muscles (at least according to every personal trainer and pilates instructor I've ever had).
-Lots of the pole tricks are awkward. It's like watching a really unsexy person trying to be sexy - uncomfortable and embarrassing to watch. For example, there is one trick where you back your butt to the pole, bend over, put hands on the floor, and lift a leg up to push against the pole. It may look neat once you're in position, but there is nothing sensual or pretty about the move. And for upside down tricks, they teach you to kick into them and try to hopefully grab the pole with your foot. So there's a bunch of out of shape women flinging their bodies around with legs flailing and usually missing the pole and kind of crashing to floor. Doesn't seem safe, and certainly isn't sensual.
-Every class I took started late, anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes late. They also ended late so we got most of our class time, but it's still inconvenient and I think rude to the customer.
-You keep a list of the pole tricks you've learned so far at the studio, so the instructor can figure out what to teach you next. At first, I liked that idea. But what happens is that half the room is first-timers and half is repeat customers. So the class is split into two groups and you only have the instructor's attention for half the time. And then if there are several people in your "experienced" group that have attended a different number of classes, everybody is learning something different so you end up just watching people get taught things that you already learned and then time is up and you didn't get to learn many new things. Also, the instructor tries to make up "combinations of tricks" for you to work on, but she is literally making them up on the spot and scribbling them on a piece of paper. read more