A different spin on fitness
Pole dance may have risqué origins, but Elle Nelson wants people to know it can also be a fun way to get fit. She compared pole fitness to Pilates or barre classes — only vertical.
“It’s really tough. You’re supporting your body weight, and it’s just you and the pole. Nobody can help you. That’s one of the things I love about it,” Nelson said.
Nelson, a transplant from Austin, Texas, moved to Birmingham in 2016 and opened Studio Steel, a pole fitness studio, on Montgomery Highway in July. She tried her first class in 2014 on a dare, and she hasn’t looked back since.
“I was absolutely hooked from the very first time I grabbed a pole. It was amazing. I was bruised and sore and frustrated,” Nelson said. “It’s the most empowering, hardest, most beautiful workout in the world, and I think everyone should try it.”
Having started pole fitness after age 50, Nelson said it’s more accessible than people might think.
“I think pole is for everyone. It doesn’t matter your age or your size or your body type, there is a level of pole for you. All the moves can be individualized or modified,” she said. “It’s an individual journey done ina group.”
And when she finally achieves a difficult pose and can see it in the mirror, Nelson said it only becomes more satisfying.
“When you look in the mirror and you’re doing it, it’s like ‘I am Super Woman,’” Nelson said.
Studio Steel is Nelson’s first business venture. Though her background is as a legal assistant, Nelson said she was ready for a change in her life when she moved to Birmingham.
“Here at this juncture in my life, rather than get another job, I’m going to do something for myself,” Nelson said.
She and instructor Corinne Crowley are starting slow with Studio Steel, but they hope to grow their classes over time. They offer classes with a variety of focuses, such as conditioning and leg strength, and open gyms for people to practice what they learn in class.
Crowley has taught pole fitness for three years and is a certified personal trainer, though she and Nelson do not have pole-specific certifications.
Nelson said she would like to show people that pole fitness shouldn’t have a stigma attached to it. While it’s a little edgier than running or lifting weights and is one-of-a-kind in the area, she said she already has some “incipient addicts.”
“It’s the same as parallel bar. The bar runs a different way,” Nelson said.
For those who just aren’t sure about pole fitness, Nelson offers “Taste of Pole” classes to introduce them to what it’s all about. She said many people will be just like her after her first class: “I just wanted more and more.”
Studio Steel is located at 1401 Montgomery Highway, Space 9. Visit studiosteel.com for information about classes.