Pole fitness dates back to the Hellenistic period, originating as an outlet for Olympic javelin throwers suspended for unsportsmanlike victory dances. Reap their ancient wisdom with today’s Groupon: for $40, you get a punch card good for five pole-dancing classes (a $110 value) and five drop-in fitness classes (a $62.50 value) at Studio Rio’s Twisted Fitness in Virginia Beach (a $172.50 total value).

Twisted Fitness incorporates the seductive stylings of pole dancing with hardcore dance-based workouts to tone bodies and improve inner confidence. Former professional dancers engage pole-disciples within a 6,000-square-foot facility complete with a pole room, cardio and weight area, and dance studio. Instructors divide pole classes into skill levels from one to five, with beginners enrolled in levels one and two. Initiates commence their studies with a series of spins such as the fireman, the pinwheel, and the particle accelerator. Level two introduces transitions, with a focus on stringing moves into combinations while coordinating with a musical piece and barber-pole swirls.

The studio’s pole-free fitness regimens, on the other hand, combine sultry dance moves with weight training to strengthen and firm the physique. Participants are invited to put on their most alluring pair of boots, heels, or glass slippers and try out the Hot Seat chair-workout routine. Strip Hop classes transform traditional hip-hop moves into a seductive sweat-fest with steps broken down for novice groovers. The current schedule boasts days and nights bedecked in an amalgam of courses and brass-polishing workshops.