The Ballarat landscape fitness continues to change as the city grows, to accommodate different body types and goals.
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Ashli Scott has achieved her dream of opening her own pole studio in Ballarat.
"It is something I have always been really, really passionate about, having my own studio and having all my clients here," Ms Scott said.
"I just bit the bullet and opened it because I had been contemplating it for four or five years and I have finally done it."
Pole Time Studio is Ballarat's third pole dancing studio, Ms Scott said the sport is so varied there is room for different studios to have different focuses.
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"There is definitely enough room in Ballarat [for the three studios]," Ms Scott said.
Ms Scott is hoping the studio can expand with the growing suburb of Delacombe.
"But it is obviously a growing industry and it is based in Delacombe, a nicer area that is growing."
Ms Scott said her biggest focus at the studio is growing her students' upper body strength.
"There are a lot of different styles in the pole dancing world," Ms Scott said.
"A lot of people focus on the dancing side of it and then quite a few do the fitness and strength base of it."
"I really liked the strength side of things and I like dynamics tricks, things like flips and strengths tricks."
While she likes focusing on strength, Ms Scott said anyone can have a go no matter ages or gender.
"Nowadays seeing people's work is absolutely incredible, people are able to deadlift their own body weight," Ms Scott said.
"Obviously it has that sort of perception that it originated in the strip clubs.
"But it is really fitness based now and a lot of people sort of starting to realise that and a lot of people just come for fun for the classes and to have a bit of a laugh as well, which is really nice to see."
Ms Scott said she wanted to encourage a wide variety of people to try the classes, or even people who might want to come back to pole.
"People are really, really self conscious about working out in front of other people," Ms Scott said.
"Over the years when I have been teaching pole dancing, the atmosphere of clases has changed, now everyone is so encouraging.
"They are not worried about what everyone else is doing, they are just worried about themselves.
"If people have been working on a certain trick for an amount of time, when someone gets it, everyone is cheering and clapping.
"The whole environment is so supportive, it is uplifting, empowering and a really nice environment to be in."
After her first term opening Ms Scott said she was proud of how her first classes have gone.
"It was a pretty scary step, opening my own business but everything has flowed pretty well," Ms Scott said.
"I have obviously had a lot of support from my friends and family and being in this industry for so long I know how everything runs."
Ms Scott said she is excited to follow her students' fitness journeys.
"We have had a lot of beginner students coming through the door," Ms Scott said.
"We encourage any person of any age to start and just have a go.
"A lot of people are too scared to start, I have had quite a few students that have been contemplating for ages and they finally start.
"They say 'I am so glad I finally started and now I have done it, it is not that scary'."
Ms Scott said she looks forward to creating a judgement free studio where people can come and learn something new.
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