Heidi Coker

Heidi Coker is a certified life coach, pole artist and mindful mover. Insight Timer describes her as a world champion pole artist. Her work links athletic movement with mindfulness, and she is known for encouraging people to live with courage and an open heart, both on and off the pole.

Heidi was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Her father was a national swim and dive champion coach, and her mother was a fitness instructor and coach. Her mother's softer approach to fitness nurtured her love of creative movement, exploration and fun. She then trained in gymnastics from age 3 to 21. She often reshaped the routines she was given into her own creative style, and went on to choreograph for her peers and, later, her own students. After seeing Sheila Kelly, founder of S Factor, introduce pole dancing to a mainstream audience on Oprah, she tried a class and knew pole was for her.

On her website she says she is known for taking powerful moves, adapting them to the pole and making them possible. Her approach is to break down the technique and build a way to teach and perform a move soundly. She teaches online tutorials from beginner to advanced, including Fonji and Twisted Grip work. She also offers pole and life coaching, which aims to shift mindset, uncover limiting beliefs and help people feel unstuck.

Meditation is part of her daily life. She writes on her Heart 2 Heart blog that she sits in quiet reflection each day, sometimes for 5 minutes and sometimes for 90. She also shares guided meditations, affirmations and self-care practices for pole dancers. In her words, pole is "more than just athletics. It's art. It's sport. It's a mental practice... not perfection."

Her stated mission is to help people embrace vulnerability and stay curious about their potential.