By Rebecca Drew
MEET the incredible woman who continued pole dancing until she was 38-weeks pregnant and now has an adorable healthy baby.
Breath-taking images and video footage show heavily-pregnant Svetlana Volkova (32), from Krasnodar, Russia, wearing killer heels whilst spinning around her pole in front of the fire.
Other stunning pictures show Svetlana using her strength to hold herself upside down on the pole and relaxing on the floor after a session.
Svetlana, who works as an accountant, kept pole dancing until she was 38-weeks pregnant but only did easy tricks after week 33 because she ‘listened to her body’.
“When I got pregnant for the second time I wanted to continue with pole dancing as I felt well and had no complications or restrictions. I didn’t have to change my training routines until I got into the sixth month and my belly started growing,” said Svetlana.
“This made it difficult and unsafe to perform certain tricks so I had to take them away from my schedule.
“The biggest problem came with my growing belly when my centre of gravity started to change which made it difficult to do handstands.
“There are always dangers and risks with any type of workout even when not pregnant. The best thing is to always listen to your body and do only those tricks and moves you feel comfortable with.”
Svetlana started pole dancing to keep in shape after the birth of her first child three and a half years ago, but admits that her mother was wary of her continuing her hobby into her second pregnancy.
“All of my friends found it inspiring and impressive and kept saying wow, only my mum was worried as all mums always are,” added Svetlana.
“This is the funniest and most exhausting workout I have ever tried. You are never bored, there are always new tricks to try and to work on.
“Thanks to the combination between dance and workout, pole dance develops and trains every single muscle in your body.
“My advice to anyone is to just go and try it, you don’t have to have any experience, just come as you are and start training at your own tempo.
“You’ll soon be very impressed by what your body can do, how it can develop and how you can change as a person both physically and mentally.
“Pole is the best therapy I know.”
For more information see www.instagram.com/ljusvarg/