Every January, people feel the push to make a fitness resolution. Get a gym membership, they’ll think. Start walking every morning. Join a bootcamp. Push harder! Get sweaty! Think of your health!

And those things can be great if that’s your thing, but if it’s not there is another way.

Movement matters. That part is true. But If you don’t enjoy gyms or repetitive workouts, and you still want to not just move that body, but get in touch with it again, there are other ways to get moving.

Ways like pole dancing.

Pole dancing isn’t necessarily about sexuality unless, of course, you want it to be. At its core, pole fitness is a full-body workout that builds strength, coordination, flexibility, and balance. You use your own body weight to climb, hold, spin, and showcase those amazing transition moves all while engaging muscles many of us rarely use. It’s especially effective for upper body and core strength, while also improving grip strength and joint mobility.

Just as importantly, it invites people to move with confidence and connection rather than self-criticism.

Hand in hand with pole dancing, the amazing acrobatics of aerial fitness uses suspended apparatus like silks, hoops, or hammocks to explore movement off the ground. It builds strength and flexibility while improving balance and spatial awareness. Because aerial work allows for both dynamic movement and supported poses, it can be adapted for beginners as well as more advanced participants. A lot of people are surprised by how accessible it actually is, especially when you learn from people who know their stuff.

And speaking of learning from others, here in Kamloops, places like Fly Fitness Aerial Studio offer both pole and aerial arts as part of an inclusive, community-focused approach to movement. Their mission is to inspire and empower people of all fitness levels through fun, and yes, sexy, performance-based fitness that welcomes adults of all shapes, sizes, and ages. In fact, owner Caro started her journey with pole dance during her pregnancy when she was looking for a way to regain her confidence while getting more in touch with her beautifully changing body.

Classes are available through drop-ins seven days a week, with punch passes and memberships for flexibility. Offerings include pole, aerial, flexibility and mobility training, yoga, handstands, and dance styles like floorwork and choreography.

For many of us out there, our bodies have already carried enough. We aren’t looking for fitness that feels like punishment or obligation. We need movement that builds trust, strength, and a sense of possibility. And if you’re looking for something a little different, this might be just the thing you’ve been waiting for.