Blogging Fitness: Pole Dancing Now a Challenging Form of Fitness

Pole dancing is no longer just for the professionals.

A once scandalous hobby is now perceived as a challenging form of fitness.

Could pole dancing be the next Olympic sport? That’s a question you don’t hear raised every day. This may sound absurd and far-fetched but it’s a possibility.

Pole sports are being rallied to serve as an addition to the 2026 Olympics. So there’s your cue to hit up the dance studio and swing your way around the pole.

Now if only it were that simple.

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Blogging Fitness: A Look Into the Life and Training of an Ironman Triathlete

Redefining your fitness limits: A look into the life of an Ironman Triathlete

Regardless of your fitness level, I think we can all agree that triathlons are a gigantic feat. Even more gigantic is the traditional Ironman Triathlon.

Can you fathom swimming 2.4 miles and then biking 112 miles?

Oh, and just in case that didn’t tucker you out, why don’t you go ahead and finish it off with a full-fledged marathon, which is 26.4 miles.

Racing in that order without a break absolutely blows my mind. I am currently training for just a marathon and that is pushing me to the limit. Adding swimming and biking to the mix is a physical marvel.

As difficult as it is to fathom the physical demands of participating in an Ironman Triathlon, why would anyone in their right mind do it more than once?

I am in complete awe of Carlos Lema, a mega-athlete who recently moved from the Big Apple to Dallas in May of 2009.

Lema cannot get enough of triathlons.

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MSF Podcast: Interview with Blogging Fitness Author Kimberly Westphall

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing one of our newest writers here at Midwest Sports Fans.

In this latest edition of the MSF Podcast, I interview Kimberly Westphall on a wide range of topics, including her goals for the new regular feature column she will have here on the site: Blogging Fitness.

In addition to discussing Blogging Fitness, and Kimberly’s obsession with kickboxing workouts, we discuss the subjects of the other articles that she has contributed to MSF thus far.

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Blogging Fitness: Kick Your Workouts Up a Notch with Kickboxing

[Editor's note: I am very happy this morning to introduce a new regular health and fitness feature here at Midwest Sports Fans: Blogging Fitness, written by our newest contributor, fitness instructor and enthusiast Kimberly Westphall.

Learn more about Kimberly in the About the Author section at the bottom of this post.]

We all have our own motives for fitness — whether we are trying to trim down or tone up. Fitness gurus can argue for hours about the best fitness regime for your body. I have tried many of these regimes, ranging from Pilates and Yoga to rock climbing.

The common denominator I must have in all of these workouts is breaking a sweat.

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