BYO…heels?

Sweats and sex appeal sound like an odd pair, but Chicago studios seem to think they’re a match made in heaven. In search of the inside scoop, we crossed over to the gym’s racier side to road-test the risqué.

Sheila Kelly’s S Factor at Body Within Pilates Studio3701 N Ravenswood Ave (773-404-2412)
The vibe The space glows with candles and shiny floor-to-ceiling poles, and a “lap-dance chair” sits in a corner. “[The class is] about stripping away inhibitions and feeling good in your body,” says Magrette Raymond, instructor and owner.
The workout We did some, er, intense mat work—lots of gyrating and self-caressing—as we worked our abs, hips and leg muscles. Those moves were incorporated into a pole routine that worked the upper body.
Bottom line Hobbling about on borrowed platform heels and slithering around a stripper pole to Wilco made us feel more like that overserved girl at last call rather than an alluring temptress. But our muscles were sore afterward—a sign of a good workout.

The Art of Exotic Dancing at Discovery Center dance studio2940 N Lincoln Ave (773-348-8120)
The vibe Class begins with about 15 women sitting in a circle in a dance studio, sharing why they want to “exercise sex appeal.”
The workout Instructor Deb Kobak hands out boas and cues the Shania Twain. She encourages eye contact and stresses confidence while teaching participants basic dance moves. “I like to see the reaction of these women—I like to see them feel powerful,” Kobak says.

Bottom line Overall, the class wasn’t much of a workout, but it was fun.

Burlesque Beat at Crunch GymAt various Crunch locations in Chicago (888-227-8684)
The vibe This high-energy class draws on the 1940s burlesque-dance style. “It makes you feel very attractive no matter how clumsy you are,” gym member Julianna McOmber says. (Crunch also offers Stiletto Strength for an intense lower body and core session.)
The workout Like the other classes, we did plenty of gyrating and hip rolling, only this one added dance steps, like the grapevine, and picked up the tempo, quickly elevating our heart rate.
Bottom line We won’t make the dance squad, but this was a solid cardio workout.