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Yes, Brie Larson is a fitness inspiration because of her skills, but even more so for her willingness to try just about anything. The “Captain Marvel” star chronicles many of her fitness ventures on social media, and has shown us time and time again that she doesn’t shy away from any challenge. From one-armed pull-ups to push-ups with weighted chains, her latest conquest? Pole dancing.
On Monday, Larson posted a series of photos on Instagram of her trying a pole-dancing class with the wonderfully punny caption, “Made an im-POLE-sive decision to try a new workout class.” In the photos, you can see Larson climbing the pole (harder than it looks) and doing a version of what appears to be the “Ballerina” pole trick. You can see she’s gripping the pole with one hand and one foot while suspending the rest of her body away from the pole in a pose that’s reminiscent of Dancer in yoga.
If you’ve ever tried a pole-dancing class, you likely know that these skills aren’t easy, though Larson is making them look like a walk in the park. TBH, we’re thinking exactly what one commenter wrote: “what CAN’T you do????”
Pole dancing looks cool, sure, but it also requires tons of strength in your upper body — namely, in your lats (the big muscles that span most of your back), biceps, shoulders, and hands/forearms (i.e. grip strength). It’s understandable why Larson is a natural: In the last few years, she’s been working hard on pull-ups, an exercise that also targets all of the aforementioned muscles. Different pole-dancing tricks and inversions will also require a lot from your thighs and core, and help you improve your balance and flexibility. “Not only are you having to hold your own body weight up on a pole, but add in constantly spinning and changing positions on the pole, and now you are really challenging your body,” Colleen Freeman, DPT, physical therapist and group fitness instructor, previously told POPSUGAR. “Not only will your muscles be stronger, but also your vestibular, or balancing system, within your brain will improve.”
To Freeman’s point, pole dancing isn’t a workout you do just for the muscle burn. It’s also a very mentally engaging form of exercise since you’re continually building new skills and being challenged, as Melanie Hsia, co-owner of pole-dancing studio VRV3 previously told POPSUGAR. Not to mention, it’s fun; you’re getting to climb, dance, play, and explore moving your body in a totally new way (and, no, it doesn’t need to be sexual).