The 10 sexiest workouts

1. Pole dancing

No longer just for the nightclub or bedroom, pole dancing has become a mainstream fitness trend. And for good reason. Pole dancing offers a complete body workout that includes strength training, fat burning and stretching. “It’s an amazing upper-body workout and then when you try to balance your weight with pole spins-that’s what works your core so well,” says Krista Knee, co-founder of Flirty Girl Fitness.

Intimidated about getting on the pole? Don’t be. Knee encourages women to try something that’s out of their comfort zone. She says she can see the change in women as they start to become more comfortable with their bodies. “The very first time on the pole, they’re feeling anxious, a little bit nervous, they’re giggling and they’re not sure if they’re feeling sexy,” she says. “But then as they come back more and more and learn some tricks and some spins, they see themselves in the mirror and start to realize ‘wow, I look pretty sexy.'”

You can find classes at both specialized fitness studios like Flirty Girl Fitness, and mainstream gyms. No experience is necessary and most facilities offer classes for every level.

2. Zumba

Touted more as a party than a workout, this Latin-inspired dance-fitness class originated in Colombia in the mid-90s and has since infiltrated North American fitness studios. Usually offered as a 60-minute class, Zumba is an energizing way to burn calories in a combination of dance moves and aerobics.

Led by an instructor, the class is highly interactive and social, says Knee. And anyone can benefit from this total-body workout-the aerobic component offers a great heart-pumping workout.

Visit Zumba.com to find a class near you, or try it on your own with a Zumba fitness DVD.

3. Belly dancing

This Middle Eastern dance is all about loving your curves-and what isn’t sexy about that?

Let your hips take centre stage while you shimmy yourself through an intense core workout. You’ll be amazed at how many parts of your body are engaged while swiveling your hips! Contractions of the glutes, thighs and lower back will aid in the different movements. In addition to toning your core, you’ll be getting an intense cardio workout, without even realizing it.

4. Naked yoga

This undressed form of yoga promotes acceptance of the body in its most basic form.

“It’s not so much a sexual class, but it’s sexy in that you’re coming into a confidence and just feeling really empowered in your body,” says Dee Dussault who leads a nude yoga class once a week from her Toronto yoga studio, Follow Your Bliss. She says the benefits are similar to those of a conventional yoga class, though it is much more “meditative and relaxing.”

In general, many forms of yoga aim to create awareness, and Dussault says she begins each naked yoga class by encouraging participants to be mindful of their breathing and the sensations they feel on their skin. “It’s all about the sensations, and the feeling of your body, and taking pleasure in being strong and beautiful no matter what your size,” says Dussault.

5. Chair dance

At Flirty Girl Fitness, the chair striptease class claims to be the best abdominal workout you’ve ever had. While your core will definitely get a workout, Knee says the class calls for a lot of leg strength as well. “In a chair dancing class everything is very controlled with slow, sexy moves,” she says. “If you want to go into a sexy squat where you’re slowly sitting down into the chair, that takes a lot of muscle burn to hold up your weight and get down to that really sexy pose.”

Don’t feel that you need thighs of steel (or buns, for that matter) to try this fitness trend. Chair dancing can also be modified as a low-impact primarily seated workout to accommodate anyone with restricted mobility.

6. Salsa

You may have seen this popular Latin dance on Dancing with the Stars, but Salsa dancing has been popular in North America since the 1940s. Typically done with a partner, Salsa is certainly a flavourful dance experience with several styles to choose from.

Grab your partner and try out a class together-it’s a great date option, and you’ll be burning calories while toning your hips and glutes.

7. Piloxing

The sexy child of Pilates and boxing, Piloxing is the newest Hollywood fitness craze, credited for burning fat, sculpting muscle and building stamina by combining Pilates movements with powerful boxing moves. Weighted gloves may also be worn to increase the toning results of arms.

Created by Swedish dancer and celebrity trainer Vivica Jensen, Piloxing is built on the principle that being feminine, yet strong is powerful.

8. Aerial hoop

If heights aren’t your thing, this workout may not be either. The aerial hoop, also known as the lyra, is a circular apparatus (similar to a hula hoop) that’s suspended in the air. While this fitness trend is not yet mainstream (you may have only seen it at the circus as of yet), it may become more popular as suspended workouts such as AntiGravity Yoga and Jukari Fit to Fly have broken onto the fitness scene.

If nothing else, this form of movement is certainly breathtaking to watch. If you’re game to try a class your strength, flexibility and stamina will all be put to the test.

9. Hula-hooping

Not just a kid’s activity, hula-hooping is a great workout for your core, glutes and hips. You’ll also burn fat and have fun, which in turn improves your mood and helps build a better body image.

Plus, if you don’t feel coordinated enough to jump into a dance class, hula-hooping can be a great way to improve on this – after all, it takes rhythm to keep that hoop moving on your hips!

10. Cardio striptease

While its popularity may be due in part to Carmen Electra’s Aerobic Striptease DVD, this sexy way to sweat is also the trademark workout of personal trainer and group fitness coach Jeff Costa. Cardio striptease incorporates several sexy fitness elements (poles, chairs and sexy dance movements) into one seductive cardiovascular workout.

While cardio striptease encourages participants to embrace their “inner stripper,” the class is also a fun and interactive way to work up a sweat-and who knows, what you learn may even improve your sex life.

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