- Oct 28, 1999
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Stripper-cise latest in exercise fads
Lose weight by taking your clothes off
Carmen Electra pioneers an industry
HO ANDERSON
LIFE WRITER
Saying most exotic dancers are in incredible shape is a safe enough generalization. Which goes a long way to explain the recent workout trend, which sees stripping and exercise merge.
From Carmen Electra's Aerobic Striptease DVD to Sheila Kelley's The S Factor: Strip Workouts For Every Woman, the way to take off pounds this winter is by learning how to take off your clothes.
Robin Antin, founder of the burlesque troupe the PussyCat Dolls, was the choreographer for Carmen Electra's Aerobic Striptease, a set of five workout DVDs (order it at http://www.aerobicstriptease.com).
Following Antin's routines, Electra gyrates over chairs and shimmies down poles, she slaps her butt repeatedly and extols the viewer to, "put your finger in your mouth," as part of their exercise routines. "It really works," Electra says on the DVD, "and if you commit to it, it looks hot."
Finger in the mouth fitness? "That's a signature move," Antin says in a phone interview. "I love these DVDs because I think they're going to give women a chance to get a workout but they're learning something, too. They're gonna learn how to do a lap dance."
Carmen Puyo, a Bally's group exercise instructor hopes the U.S. trend comes to Toronto soon. "Everyone wants to have the Carmen Electra body," says Puyo, who has seen the DVDs and wants to use some of the moves in her classes.
"Crunch (a chain of gyms in the U.S. owned by the same company) does the strip aerobics in some of their clubs in L.A., New York and Miami ? that's the big fad. I would love to bring it into one of the downtown clubs.
"It's the whole sex sells thing. It's a lot of fun and if it motivates people to work out, that's great."
Go to any strip club and you'll realize how fit strippers are. Cathy Chavez, who dances at Bloor St.'s House of Lancaster II, has the prerequisite toned body. "I move my body to keep in shape," Chavez says. "I'm up on stage every day, from 12 to 7. I do four shows a day, three songs per show. That's all the workout I need."
For Monique, 28, of Club Paradise, the story is slightly different. In high school, she ran track, then moved on to lifting weights. These days her workouts consist of sit-ups and squats to keep her stomach flat. "I used to press 80 pounds. I don't know how much I could press now, though."
In her new book, The S Factor: Strip Workouts For Every Woman, actress Sheila Kelley, likely best known for playing "Gwen" on L.A. Law, writes, "I love to strip. I do it every day of the week. I strip dance for myself." Kelley appeared on Oprah in November ? and if there's ever proof a trend has hit mainstream, it's an appearance on Oprah (see http://www.sfactor.com for more).
Not everyone in the fitness industry is lining up to strip down, though.
"I'm sure it's a lot of eye candy," says Heather Kovensky, a group exercise instructor at GoodLife Fitness Clubs on Bloor St., who is well aware of the trend, but hasn't seen the DVDs.
"I think it's more performance than anything, but what does that do for health and fitness? I think the tapes only target a small number of women. A lot of the women who come to the gym are not confident about their bodies."
Unlike Kelley.
"When I'm swinging on that pole, it's the closest thing to flying I've ever experienced," Kelley told one interviewer. "As far as I'm concerned, pole dancing should be an Olympic event."
With files from the Atlanta Journal- Constitution and san grewal
Stripper-cise latest in exercise fads
Lose weight by taking your clothes off
Carmen Electra pioneers an industry
HO ANDERSON
LIFE WRITER
Saying most exotic dancers are in incredible shape is a safe enough generalization. Which goes a long way to explain the recent workout trend, which sees stripping and exercise merge.
From Carmen Electra's Aerobic Striptease DVD to Sheila Kelley's The S Factor: Strip Workouts For Every Woman, the way to take off pounds this winter is by learning how to take off your clothes.
Robin Antin, founder of the burlesque troupe the PussyCat Dolls, was the choreographer for Carmen Electra's Aerobic Striptease, a set of five workout DVDs (order it at http://www.aerobicstriptease.com).
Following Antin's routines, Electra gyrates over chairs and shimmies down poles, she slaps her butt repeatedly and extols the viewer to, "put your finger in your mouth," as part of their exercise routines. "It really works," Electra says on the DVD, "and if you commit to it, it looks hot."
Finger in the mouth fitness? "That's a signature move," Antin says in a phone interview. "I love these DVDs because I think they're going to give women a chance to get a workout but they're learning something, too. They're gonna learn how to do a lap dance."
Carmen Puyo, a Bally's group exercise instructor hopes the U.S. trend comes to Toronto soon. "Everyone wants to have the Carmen Electra body," says Puyo, who has seen the DVDs and wants to use some of the moves in her classes.
"Crunch (a chain of gyms in the U.S. owned by the same company) does the strip aerobics in some of their clubs in L.A., New York and Miami ? that's the big fad. I would love to bring it into one of the downtown clubs.
"It's the whole sex sells thing. It's a lot of fun and if it motivates people to work out, that's great."
Go to any strip club and you'll realize how fit strippers are. Cathy Chavez, who dances at Bloor St.'s House of Lancaster II, has the prerequisite toned body. "I move my body to keep in shape," Chavez says. "I'm up on stage every day, from 12 to 7. I do four shows a day, three songs per show. That's all the workout I need."
For Monique, 28, of Club Paradise, the story is slightly different. In high school, she ran track, then moved on to lifting weights. These days her workouts consist of sit-ups and squats to keep her stomach flat. "I used to press 80 pounds. I don't know how much I could press now, though."
In her new book, The S Factor: Strip Workouts For Every Woman, actress Sheila Kelley, likely best known for playing "Gwen" on L.A. Law, writes, "I love to strip. I do it every day of the week. I strip dance for myself." Kelley appeared on Oprah in November ? and if there's ever proof a trend has hit mainstream, it's an appearance on Oprah (see http://www.sfactor.com for more).
Not everyone in the fitness industry is lining up to strip down, though.
"I'm sure it's a lot of eye candy," says Heather Kovensky, a group exercise instructor at GoodLife Fitness Clubs on Bloor St., who is well aware of the trend, but hasn't seen the DVDs.
"I think it's more performance than anything, but what does that do for health and fitness? I think the tapes only target a small number of women. A lot of the women who come to the gym are not confident about their bodies."
Unlike Kelley.
"When I'm swinging on that pole, it's the closest thing to flying I've ever experienced," Kelley told one interviewer. "As far as I'm concerned, pole dancing should be an Olympic event."
With files from the Atlanta Journal- Constitution and san grewal
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