You'll likely have seen videos of friends twirling around on poles on your Instagram feed by now. Google Search for pole fitness for beginners has steadily rising since last summer, with 72.9 million ...

I disliked my first encounter with pole, but two years later my experience with the sport has made me appreciate my body and my self-determination ...

It could be a scene from any workout class: about a dozen women, outfitted in tank tops and T-shirts, sports bras, and stretchy pants, waiting expectantly for the instructor to begin. The difference?

My legs are spread open in the instructor’s face as I attempt a basic wrist sit move (where you grip the pole with one hand under your butt, then kick your legs wide open), and she’s telling me off ...