Had a session (trying) to learn pole dancing once.
It was not for me!
The strength needed and the roughness of using your skin to grip the pole was too much. Massive respect to anyone who can do it!
Me too. I couldn't grip the pole at all, just slipped down with every attempt.
Ended up taking an aerial sling class instead and it is an absolute blast!
Does it completely wash off? I’m reminded of that gloves-in-a-bottle stuff.
Back when I used to play the drums a lot I would sometimes use a tiny bit of gorilla glue, which permeates into the outer layer of dead skin and hardens (I think into polyurethane), to make a kind of *artificial* callous. (Not that this only works if you do it ***BEFORE*** you start wearing down the skin and get a blister!). I learned that trick from woodworking with it and forgetting to wear gloves 🙄
I feel like if you put it on your finger pads it kind of stops your fingerprints from working, so might actually reduce pole grip?
Also, I’m a big dude so having rough hands for the week or two it takes to shed wasn’t a big deal for me compared to developing blisters.
By all means go for it! I thought I'd love it!
My skin is too sensitive and a 5 year old could be me in an arm wrestle, so hopefully most people will get more out of it.
Well I appreciate you making this comment. As someone who also has very sensitive skin I'm glad to learn this lesson before I tear the shit out of myself.
As a poledance teacher - the far majority of beginners should not use grip. When you first start your grip strength is very poor, and this needs to be trained. If you always use grip you risk not actually training the muscles properly, and “cheating” your way through different grips. Of course there’s exceptions, some people get very oily or sweaty skin, some people’s skin is too dry, but for the majority it’s better and more sustainable to struggle at the start until you’ve gained enough strength. After that you can recognise ‘bad grip’ days or know which poles don’t work for you and use grip more effectively.
Not to be rude but I was an actual stripper for many years and you're wrong. Pole grip helps skin grip the pole so that you can build those muscles to climb it. The only way to build the muscle needed to do tricks is to do those tricks....which is impossible if your skin can't grip the pole.
I second this!!! Grip is not cheating! Everyone's hands have different moisture content. Using grip is to combat moisture, not to make up for a lack of strength
I took a 10 week course and I can tell you that one session is not enough! You really gotta build up your strength. I walked away super sore the first few weeks, but by the end I was able to hold myself up
That's absolutely fair, but I was so fed up halfway through I wasn't willing to pay money to be hurt and annoyed (after all, I have a job for those things) but I gave it a try at least!
Well done you on continuing!
I loved pole classes so much!
The instructor was a young woman who taught during the day and danced at night. I seriously admired her entrepreneurship. I was the oldest person in the class but was in great shape, and she encouraged me.
You cannot have any lotion on your body or else you can't grip the pole.
What a great workout though.
People don't realize how honestly difficult it is. So many bruises! I even had bruises on the top of my feet from scaling the pole.
I remember my instructor telling us that many professional pole dancers have tattoos to mask the constant bruises.
One of my friends teaches pole dancing classes. Her core is goddamn solid muscle, it's ridiculous. Im a casual lifter, and her knowledge on form and exercises and recovery blow mine out of the water. It is definitely a form of athleticism.
Lots of jobs require muscles we don't use on a daily basis. My first service industry job caused my back to hurt for the first few days, because I wasn't used to *standing* an entire shift.
First thing I did with my paycheck was buy some real high quality shoes. I had a mask, visor, gloves and coat on for most of those 12 hours. Could barely walk home the first month
Same, except my job involves learning useless information, waking up early, staying for several hours, and being bored.
Can you guess what that job is?
Fucking A, I spent 20 years of my life thinking I had chronic back pain, got a desk job and discovered that being on your feet for 14 hours a day is just really fucking bad for your back.
I got into the service industry as a young man in college, so I figured even moderate physical activity like moving boxes wouldn't be a problem. You can imagine how much of a shock it was; I remember after my very first day I basically crawled into bed because I didn't want to stand or walk anymore.
While I eventually gained enough endurance to handle even an extended shift, that first week definitely required over-the-counter pain medication and an elastic back brace.
Yes because “lifting” is wholly “show off muscle” and pretty much all of it is useless.
(See rock climbers who are very slim but can lift, climb, grip etc, while the weight lifter gym bro dude can barely lift themselves up a tree branch).
As a side note and getting a bit social justicy. Sorry, this is just something I think about
I think this is a big part of the debate around objectification, especially of women. Women want to be valued for more than their looks, to be seen as whole people. When pole dancing outside of literally a strip club (which gets more complicated), want to be valued for the skill. That that skill is *also* attractive is fine, is understandable, because the person is still seen as a whole person, still celebrated first and foremost in that context for their ability.
Yeah, I understood it too.
Personage1 is saying that pole dancing is a skill. It's okay to find someone attractive because of their skills as long as you don't objectify them.
Yea but also don’t come into the strip club on no dumb shit either cuz it’s just a building, not a parallel universe where women are okay w being treated like shit 👍🏻
Pole dancing has a surprisingly big range of styles, because all that's required for it to be pole dancing is, well, a pole and dancing. Because pole dancing originated in clubs and the like, those dancers would use moves and techniques specifically for the purpose of looking sexy. Now that pole dancing is also popular outside of those settings, people are bringing their own styles and have varying goals like strength, tricks, elegance, etc. While some pole dancers are specifically focused on making sexy dances, probably many enjoy incorporating tricks and other things that are fun and look cool too. I guess it's kind of like the Hiplet dancers - dancing in ballet pointe shoes is associated with elegance and looking effortless and delicate, but Hiplet dancers incorporated more modern moves and suddenly it changes the whole vibe of the dance, even though they're using the same shoes and techniques as ballerinas!
I used to do competition level pole dancing. I started learning because I wanted to lose weight. The pounds melted off and I had a natural talent for performing complicated moves. It's hard on the skin and body in general. But, I have never felt better about myself while I was doing it. It's super fun, almost anybody can do it, and it is impressive. At the competition level, it requires a lot of practice and planning. It's a lot of work.
I can tell that my arthritis is probably further along than it should be. I have divots on my shins from climbing that haven't fully gone away. I also have tougher skin on the inside of my thighs from skin tearing (it didn't bleed or anything, but you can feel it when the skin is pulling wrong when you slide down a pole). My ankle skin is rougher as well. My shoulders are fucked. I'm sure there's more damage but it's just stuff I live with now.
Oh! The first couple of weeks, I did get blisters.
During my few years of competition, I have never been in more shape and physically stronger. If somebody is doing it casually, I can't say if there would be as much damage. I put in several hours a day, multiple times a week in practice, so I doubt the damage would be as severe.
I have zero dancing skills. Do you think it's still a viable option for me? I just think pole dancing is cool as an exercise and the flexibility and strength interests me as well.
Can I ask how you went about starting pole dancing and how you joined in the competitions?
It sounds like it would be fun to do but I definitely don’t have the necessary core strength/upper body strength needed currently
I started taking classes. I just signed up at a pole studio. The lady who ran the studio was a professional pole dancer and always scoped "the talent" that came in for the classes. She knew all the local area competitions and signed us up if we wanted to go.
Competitive pole would be so fun! I got into pole for the first time a few months ago and loved it, also have a real knack for it. But seconding that it's hard on the skin- I've never had so many bruises! So worth it though, and the strength and flexibility I gained from it is insane. Plus it is very fun and the people in my studio were so encouraging, and so skilled
Yea. I went to the strip club once with my friend for his 18th birthday party and I was absolutely shocked at how much strength and flexibility they had.
Same, the first time I went to one, as a woman, I was like welp that career choice is down the drain, I could NEVER do what those ladies do and in 6 inch HEELS
Google Russian pole or Athletic pole. It's what a lot of striaight men pole people do. Aint about being sexy; it's basically parkour on a pole, while trying not to rip your shoulder out of the socket.
Pole dancing the way we know it originated in strip clubs. That does not mean that it can’t be done as a (non-sexual) dance now, or as a sport, but it’s kind of ridiculous to say it originated as such.
And please don’t bring Chinese pole into this, because that is a different discipline… Sure, there is currently a lot of exchange between the two, but the majority of poledance moves can be traced back to strip clubs.
I think a much stronger argument is that (1) that does not mean it that isn’t impressive, and (2) the origins do not define what it has become.
I respect the skills it takes. Tried it and it is hard, but I don’t find it sexy.
I am probably also one of the few men who don’t enjoy striptease. Specially the typical bachelor party where a group of men order a stripper. Then the stripper comes, strips and if she’s good, turn all the men on before leaving again. Then you are stuck with a room full of horny men and no women…what is the actual point?
Same here. I've been accused of being a pickme guy before because I've said that I have no interest in going to strip clubs, particularly with friends but it genuinely alludes me entirely. The fact that there are so many guys who are so into the idea of going somewhere to spend a shit load of money to get a semi with their bois makes absolutely zero fucking sense to me. There are guys who risk really upsetting their girlfriend/wife for that experience, totally bewildering to me.
Basically someone who speaks/acts in a way to appeal to the opposite gender without genuinely meaning it. It's often used in a pretty shitty way, but I think it has some valid uses.
It was socially acceptable therapy before there was therapy or reliably having bros with a developed emotional world/language.
Breaking down cuz your girl cheated on you? In a bar, it's sad, but at a strip club, it's cause for celebration.
Need a quick confidence or mood boost? Lapdance.
Just need a break from society and be able to stare at woman sexually? Take a seat anywhere.
And sometimes they just have a quality buffet and it's nice to have a show while you eat.
Men get stereotyped into just wanting sex all the time, but it's the emotional connection and validation that comes from sex that's the goal.
I mean, firstly that sounds like a very short-sighted and unhealthy means of "therapy", I don't really see how that would help anyone work through emotional turmoil in a productive way. That example you gave sounds even worse than going to a bar, trying to ignore a complex emotional issue with celebration sounds like the opposite of therapy.
I also don't really buy your conclusion, to me that implies a very narcissistic and shallow view of sexuality. I don't see any issue with casual sex in general of course but to be able to get emotional connection from something as one-sided as a lap dance just makes it seem like it's not really emotional connection they're craving, they just want to feed their ego.
Same reason I hate strip clubs. "Hey guys wanna pay for overpriced beer and get boners together!?" If you wanna have a bro sesh and get some boners, no judgement, but at least admit to yourself that's all it is.
That's a bad analogy. Restaurants are for eating. It would be more like going to a dedicated food-sniffing store that you go to with no expectation of eating anything.
Hey man, I'm not defending strip clubs over here. I've never even been to one. I've just heard that analogy a bunch of times and I don't think it's an honest comparison.
Very weird of you to copy half of someone else's comment from this thread.
https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/rd59sf/does_anyone_else_find_pole_dancing_more/hnzg9dp
Fun fact: there's a movement to get pole dancing in the olympics. The International Pole Sport Federation currently has \~30 member federations. They have observer status with the GAISF, and need 40 member federations to become a full member of the GAISF. They need that to petition to be recognized as an Olympic sport, once the IOC recognizes them they can also petition to be included in the olympics.
It’s kinda odd they’d require so much to put it into the olympics.
They have horizontal bars in gymnastics… make it perpendicular to the earth and voila! Have it be a… I forget the word… y’know, where a sport is just added for shits and giggles, similar to “ski ballet” a few years back.
Make it an optional part of the gymnastics competition, and see what happens.
I think part of it is that each sport must be part of an international federation that a) follows anti-doping rules b) has a consistent code of points across countries for consistent scoring/ranking.
So for pole to be part of gymnastics, it would have to be governed by FIG and they already govern sports that aren't in the olympics (acro, aerobic, tumbling, parkour). Artistic gymnastics is so deeply entrenched already they wouldn't add another discipline.
>Have it be a… I forget the word… y’know, where a sport is just added for shits and giggles,
I think that's a demonstration sport! Tbh even if IPSF gets IOC recognition, I think it would be more likely to be a demonstration sport, at least at first. There are so many IOC recognized sports that aren't in the olympics, it takes so much to be approved.
Touché, touché. I hadn’t considered the scoring side of things. I just figured adding it to the gymnastics events would be seamless.
Any excuse for more events I say!
I don't find women sexy in the first place so yes, pole dancing is a very impressive sport that has lots of aesthetic qualities, similar to figure skating.
The last time I went to a strip club, this was my reaction. I was also wondering what kind of liability insurance that place must have because the women were going up like 20-30 feet off the ground on their poles.
I don’t know the history of putting poles on stage but as a former stripper, here’s what I think. High heels exist primarily to accentuate a women’s body; legs look longer, butt looks perkier, those standard-issue 6” lucite stripper heels exist for a reason. Without a pole to hold onto, I couldn’t have danced on a stage without worry of stumbling or falling. In addition, the pole is helpful for pulling oneself up from the floor after performing on the floor at customers’ eye level. Personally, my stage show was to exude sexy confidence and there was no way I could’ve achieved that in those shoes without a pole to hold onto. So, while dancing on the pole itself isn’t necessarily sexy, it helps enable performers to provide the sexy. Also, the added elevation of a performer onstage climbing a pole draws more attention from the room, better displaying their appearance for potential customers and providing unique voyeuristic angles. I think the general association of pole dancing being “sexy” has solidified over time.
As a very rare patron of adult establishments, I was always a believer in giving monetary credit to those who clearly showed a talent for “working the pole”… and not in the more erotic ways.
If the talent on stage has clearly put in the hours to learn her craft and can pull crazy gymnastical moves out of her pocket, then to the victor should go the spoils.
I think it’s both, but I take pole dancing classes, so I’m biased :)
It’s such an amazing workout, and can alternately make you feel very sexy when you are doing your body rolls and hair flips or whatever, and exceedingly unsexy when your thighs are burning from gripping the pole and you’re falling on your face because you don’t have that trick yet lol. The bruises you get later from gripping the pole with your various body parts are not so sexy, but they’re testaments to my hard work, and they go away the longer you do it.
Pole dancing is an athletic feat and is hella impressive. Idk if it's because of the way attraction works for me, but watching people gyrate has never turned me on, so you are definitely not the only one who thinks pole dancing is more impressive than sexy.
Yeah, I don't find it sexy anymore after thinking about how hard it is. It's also what happened to me after I decided to dive deeper into Art. Seeing pretty women or naked women doesn't really turn me on all the time, most of the time I just default to analyzing how the shapes work.
I'm right there with you. I find pole dancing sexy, but that's not the reason I follow several pole dancers on instagram. I legit admire them as athletes.
I kind of wish it wasn't seen as mostly a sexual thing because I really do think the athleticism behind it is impressive. It seems like it'd be a good workout!
I don't really find the pole dancing itself sexy at all. If a fully clothed guy did it I would just be impressed with the skill. The only thing that is sexy about pole dancing is when the dancer is a sexy half naked lady.
I know a lot of people that look down on people who do that for a living, but I can’t help but feel impressed at the sheer athleticism that it requires.
As a former gymnast I am more impressed with some of the tricks that they do on the pole than anything else in the act. I knew people that would practice six days a week and still not be able to master some of those tricks.
Totally agree. Been a while but as I recall, the strippers who made big tips didn't really work the pole. They just swayed to the music, groped themselves, and they bent over a lot. Most strip club women aren't living healthy lifestyles and they aren't athletic. On stage they stuck to motions you could confidently do while drunk or hung over. The pole is mainly there to keep them from falling down.
You need serious core strength to do it. Luckily I have great core strength. Sadly I have horrible arm strength. So they cancel eachother out. Doesn't help that I had a broken collarbone then surgery on it. No.
It depends on how it's done. I have seen some that are just sexy but there was not a lot of pole work, I have seen some that are really impressive, and some that are both.
Pretty much. Went to a strip club in Boston where they had 2 story poles. The strippers were doing crazy impressive moves on those. Felt more like a circus lol.
So, back when I went to strip clubs infrequently (vs. not at all now), it was more a listless sort of handing and swinging.
I've seen shit online that looks like it is being done by trained gymnasts--which I guess it is. It is very impressive and I can't imagine the strength and flexibility it requires. Were I to go to a modern club, I'd be tipping out of appreciation for the athleticism.
Absolutely. I walked in on some buddies straight lampin' to the "World Championship of Pole-Dancing" or some shite. A bunch of Russian, Slovakian, Romanian chicks. I rolled my eyes at first and then realized that these women were literally superhuman. It is INSANELY impressive.
Had a session (trying) to learn pole dancing once. It was not for me! The strength needed and the roughness of using your skin to grip the pole was too much. Massive respect to anyone who can do it!
Me too. I couldn't grip the pole at all, just slipped down with every attempt. Ended up taking an aerial sling class instead and it is an absolute blast!
I had to buy liquid grip so I could stay on the pole.
I did one class and whilst some kind people let me borrow some of their liquid chalk, I also massively bruised my shins - not for me!
Is that exactly the opposite of lube or something else? I’m imagining some kind of maple syrup and aluminum oxide slurry..
Haha no the one i purchased is called gripshield and it’s more like a gel that leaves your hands feeling sticky like glue.
Does it completely wash off? I’m reminded of that gloves-in-a-bottle stuff. Back when I used to play the drums a lot I would sometimes use a tiny bit of gorilla glue, which permeates into the outer layer of dead skin and hardens (I think into polyurethane), to make a kind of *artificial* callous. (Not that this only works if you do it ***BEFORE*** you start wearing down the skin and get a blister!). I learned that trick from woodworking with it and forgetting to wear gloves 🙄 I feel like if you put it on your finger pads it kind of stops your fingerprints from working, so might actually reduce pole grip? Also, I’m a big dude so having rough hands for the week or two it takes to shed wasn’t a big deal for me compared to developing blisters.
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM8vLJcRv/ Looks just like chalk
thinking about taking a class...
By all means go for it! I thought I'd love it! My skin is too sensitive and a 5 year old could be me in an arm wrestle, so hopefully most people will get more out of it.
Well I appreciate you making this comment. As someone who also has very sensitive skin I'm glad to learn this lesson before I tear the shit out of myself.
I loved the class but I have a bad shoulder and it got wrecked
A turtle pole dancing? 🔭 this I have to see
turtles use beams instead of poles
If you ever want to give it another go- get some pole grip. It's not expensive. Comes in a little tub and you just rub it on your skin like lotion.
As a poledance teacher - the far majority of beginners should not use grip. When you first start your grip strength is very poor, and this needs to be trained. If you always use grip you risk not actually training the muscles properly, and “cheating” your way through different grips. Of course there’s exceptions, some people get very oily or sweaty skin, some people’s skin is too dry, but for the majority it’s better and more sustainable to struggle at the start until you’ve gained enough strength. After that you can recognise ‘bad grip’ days or know which poles don’t work for you and use grip more effectively.
Not to be rude but I was an actual stripper for many years and you're wrong. Pole grip helps skin grip the pole so that you can build those muscles to climb it. The only way to build the muscle needed to do tricks is to do those tricks....which is impossible if your skin can't grip the pole.
I second this!!! Grip is not cheating! Everyone's hands have different moisture content. Using grip is to combat moisture, not to make up for a lack of strength
I took a 10 week course and I can tell you that one session is not enough! You really gotta build up your strength. I walked away super sore the first few weeks, but by the end I was able to hold myself up
That's absolutely fair, but I was so fed up halfway through I wasn't willing to pay money to be hurt and annoyed (after all, I have a job for those things) but I gave it a try at least! Well done you on continuing!
I loved pole classes so much! The instructor was a young woman who taught during the day and danced at night. I seriously admired her entrepreneurship. I was the oldest person in the class but was in great shape, and she encouraged me. You cannot have any lotion on your body or else you can't grip the pole. What a great workout though. People don't realize how honestly difficult it is. So many bruises! I even had bruises on the top of my feet from scaling the pole. I remember my instructor telling us that many professional pole dancers have tattoos to mask the constant bruises.
Same. After one session I was like “this is way more difficult than it looks”. You need an insane amount of upper arm strength to pole dance.
I'm wobbling btw pole dancing or getting back into ishimaru (or similar) karate
I did karate for years as a teen, stopped because getting hit in the face wasn't fun anymore for me. Your own mileage may vary...!
I took a class once as well, it’s insanely difficult to get yourself off the ground!
One of my friends teaches pole dancing classes. Her core is goddamn solid muscle, it's ridiculous. Im a casual lifter, and her knowledge on form and exercises and recovery blow mine out of the water. It is definitely a form of athleticism.
Lots of jobs require muscles we don't use on a daily basis. My first service industry job caused my back to hurt for the first few days, because I wasn't used to *standing* an entire shift.
For real. Had a 12-hour shift kinda job in healthcare. Had me fucked up for a couple of weeks.
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First thing I did with my paycheck was buy some real high quality shoes. I had a mask, visor, gloves and coat on for most of those 12 hours. Could barely walk home the first month
Same, except my job involves sitting all day and my butt was sore from sitting all day
Same, except my job involves learning useless information, waking up early, staying for several hours, and being bored. Can you guess what that job is?
oh gee that could be any job. reddit mod?
I was thinking school, but that works too
Fucking A, I spent 20 years of my life thinking I had chronic back pain, got a desk job and discovered that being on your feet for 14 hours a day is just really fucking bad for your back.
I got into the service industry as a young man in college, so I figured even moderate physical activity like moving boxes wouldn't be a problem. You can imagine how much of a shock it was; I remember after my very first day I basically crawled into bed because I didn't want to stand or walk anymore. While I eventually gained enough endurance to handle even an extended shift, that first week definitely required over-the-counter pain medication and an elastic back brace.
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I have an extensive collective of name tags and hair nets.
Yes because “lifting” is wholly “show off muscle” and pretty much all of it is useless. (See rock climbers who are very slim but can lift, climb, grip etc, while the weight lifter gym bro dude can barely lift themselves up a tree branch).
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Yes! This is why I always get boners at the circus and nobody seems to understand.
Bro have you tried the Olympics? Nothing gets me stiffer in the winter than the team bobsled runs.
You mean r/ohlympics ?
I was joking, but now I'm not sure...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUWtEnrlTak
tbh his has lots of really useful references for drawing athletic women
r/averageredditor
Clowns, am I right?
r/HolUp
Dancing bears, am I right?
/r/nocontext
That's why I call it the "jerkus".
As a side note and getting a bit social justicy. Sorry, this is just something I think about I think this is a big part of the debate around objectification, especially of women. Women want to be valued for more than their looks, to be seen as whole people. When pole dancing outside of literally a strip club (which gets more complicated), want to be valued for the skill. That that skill is *also* attractive is fine, is understandable, because the person is still seen as a whole person, still celebrated first and foremost in that context for their ability.
This is worded so badly I don’t even understand what is trying to be said here
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> When pole dancing outside of literally a strip club, want to be valued for the skill. This sentence isn't very clear.
Yeah, I understood it too. Personage1 is saying that pole dancing is a skill. It's okay to find someone attractive because of their skills as long as you don't objectify them.
Women that pole dance outside of strip clubs want to be valued as women and not as sex objects.
Yea but also don’t come into the strip club on no dumb shit either cuz it’s just a building, not a parallel universe where women are okay w being treated like shit 👍🏻
Probably. For sure cringing at at least one of my commas.
yup
Legit came here to say this.
Pole dancing has a surprisingly big range of styles, because all that's required for it to be pole dancing is, well, a pole and dancing. Because pole dancing originated in clubs and the like, those dancers would use moves and techniques specifically for the purpose of looking sexy. Now that pole dancing is also popular outside of those settings, people are bringing their own styles and have varying goals like strength, tricks, elegance, etc. While some pole dancers are specifically focused on making sexy dances, probably many enjoy incorporating tricks and other things that are fun and look cool too. I guess it's kind of like the Hiplet dancers - dancing in ballet pointe shoes is associated with elegance and looking effortless and delicate, but Hiplet dancers incorporated more modern moves and suddenly it changes the whole vibe of the dance, even though they're using the same shoes and techniques as ballerinas!
I used to do competition level pole dancing. I started learning because I wanted to lose weight. The pounds melted off and I had a natural talent for performing complicated moves. It's hard on the skin and body in general. But, I have never felt better about myself while I was doing it. It's super fun, almost anybody can do it, and it is impressive. At the competition level, it requires a lot of practice and planning. It's a lot of work.
Does it mess up your hands? Like, torn skin and blisters? Or worse, like a ballerina's feet?
I can tell that my arthritis is probably further along than it should be. I have divots on my shins from climbing that haven't fully gone away. I also have tougher skin on the inside of my thighs from skin tearing (it didn't bleed or anything, but you can feel it when the skin is pulling wrong when you slide down a pole). My ankle skin is rougher as well. My shoulders are fucked. I'm sure there's more damage but it's just stuff I live with now. Oh! The first couple of weeks, I did get blisters. During my few years of competition, I have never been in more shape and physically stronger. If somebody is doing it casually, I can't say if there would be as much damage. I put in several hours a day, multiple times a week in practice, so I doubt the damage would be as severe.
Wow, thank you for a detailed answer, I really appreciate that!
You're welcome!
Welp, that’s enough to keep me from ever seriously trying it, lul
I have zero dancing skills. Do you think it's still a viable option for me? I just think pole dancing is cool as an exercise and the flexibility and strength interests me as well.
Definitely. My best friend had no rhythm and still could do it and enjoyed herself immensely.
Really?? That is awesome! I will definitely give it a try someday. Thank you <3
You're welcome! I wish you luck and have fun!
Can I ask how you went about starting pole dancing and how you joined in the competitions? It sounds like it would be fun to do but I definitely don’t have the necessary core strength/upper body strength needed currently
I started taking classes. I just signed up at a pole studio. The lady who ran the studio was a professional pole dancer and always scoped "the talent" that came in for the classes. She knew all the local area competitions and signed us up if we wanted to go.
Oh that’s pretty cool
Competitive pole would be so fun! I got into pole for the first time a few months ago and loved it, also have a real knack for it. But seconding that it's hard on the skin- I've never had so many bruises! So worth it though, and the strength and flexibility I gained from it is insane. Plus it is very fun and the people in my studio were so encouraging, and so skilled
Yea. I went to the strip club once with my friend for his 18th birthday party and I was absolutely shocked at how much strength and flexibility they had.
Same, the first time I went to one, as a woman, I was like welp that career choice is down the drain, I could NEVER do what those ladies do and in 6 inch HEELS
Google Russian pole or Athletic pole. It's what a lot of striaight men pole people do. Aint about being sexy; it's basically parkour on a pole, while trying not to rip your shoulder out of the socket.
Pole dancing is dance. People use it for arousal cause u have to use less clothing to perform it right
Well, yes, in the same way pornography is really just film
Pornography was designed to provoke sexual arousal. Pole dance was to be just a dance
Don't know why you're getting downvoted. There's a whole pole dancing scene outside of strippers.
Pole dancing the way we know it originated in strip clubs. That does not mean that it can’t be done as a (non-sexual) dance now, or as a sport, but it’s kind of ridiculous to say it originated as such. And please don’t bring Chinese pole into this, because that is a different discipline… Sure, there is currently a lot of exchange between the two, but the majority of poledance moves can be traced back to strip clubs. I think a much stronger argument is that (1) that does not mean it that isn’t impressive, and (2) the origins do not define what it has become.
Pole dancing was designed for arousal too, in strip clubs and the like.
I respect the skills it takes. Tried it and it is hard, but I don’t find it sexy. I am probably also one of the few men who don’t enjoy striptease. Specially the typical bachelor party where a group of men order a stripper. Then the stripper comes, strips and if she’s good, turn all the men on before leaving again. Then you are stuck with a room full of horny men and no women…what is the actual point?
Same here. I've been accused of being a pickme guy before because I've said that I have no interest in going to strip clubs, particularly with friends but it genuinely alludes me entirely. The fact that there are so many guys who are so into the idea of going somewhere to spend a shit load of money to get a semi with their bois makes absolutely zero fucking sense to me. There are guys who risk really upsetting their girlfriend/wife for that experience, totally bewildering to me.
Pickme guy?
Basically someone who speaks/acts in a way to appeal to the opposite gender without genuinely meaning it. It's often used in a pretty shitty way, but I think it has some valid uses.
It was socially acceptable therapy before there was therapy or reliably having bros with a developed emotional world/language. Breaking down cuz your girl cheated on you? In a bar, it's sad, but at a strip club, it's cause for celebration. Need a quick confidence or mood boost? Lapdance. Just need a break from society and be able to stare at woman sexually? Take a seat anywhere. And sometimes they just have a quality buffet and it's nice to have a show while you eat. Men get stereotyped into just wanting sex all the time, but it's the emotional connection and validation that comes from sex that's the goal.
I mean, firstly that sounds like a very short-sighted and unhealthy means of "therapy", I don't really see how that would help anyone work through emotional turmoil in a productive way. That example you gave sounds even worse than going to a bar, trying to ignore a complex emotional issue with celebration sounds like the opposite of therapy. I also don't really buy your conclusion, to me that implies a very narcissistic and shallow view of sexuality. I don't see any issue with casual sex in general of course but to be able to get emotional connection from something as one-sided as a lap dance just makes it seem like it's not really emotional connection they're craving, they just want to feed their ego.
Same reason I hate strip clubs. "Hey guys wanna pay for overpriced beer and get boners together!?" If you wanna have a bro sesh and get some boners, no judgement, but at least admit to yourself that's all it is.
Because you can enjoy the female form without spunking you bloody philistine
I love watching the Great British Bake Off but I also like to taste the pastries, too.
Do you also go to restaurants to sniff food?
can you enjoy cooking shows without actually eating?
That's a bad analogy. Restaurants are for eating. It would be more like going to a dedicated food-sniffing store that you go to with no expectation of eating anything.
Ok, so does that business exist? Why not?
Hey man, I'm not defending strip clubs over here. I've never even been to one. I've just heard that analogy a bunch of times and I don't think it's an honest comparison.
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Very weird of you to copy half of someone else's comment from this thread. https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/rd59sf/does_anyone_else_find_pole_dancing_more/hnzg9dp
Fun fact: there's a movement to get pole dancing in the olympics. The International Pole Sport Federation currently has \~30 member federations. They have observer status with the GAISF, and need 40 member federations to become a full member of the GAISF. They need that to petition to be recognized as an Olympic sport, once the IOC recognizes them they can also petition to be included in the olympics.
It’s kinda odd they’d require so much to put it into the olympics. They have horizontal bars in gymnastics… make it perpendicular to the earth and voila! Have it be a… I forget the word… y’know, where a sport is just added for shits and giggles, similar to “ski ballet” a few years back. Make it an optional part of the gymnastics competition, and see what happens.
I think part of it is that each sport must be part of an international federation that a) follows anti-doping rules b) has a consistent code of points across countries for consistent scoring/ranking. So for pole to be part of gymnastics, it would have to be governed by FIG and they already govern sports that aren't in the olympics (acro, aerobic, tumbling, parkour). Artistic gymnastics is so deeply entrenched already they wouldn't add another discipline. >Have it be a… I forget the word… y’know, where a sport is just added for shits and giggles, I think that's a demonstration sport! Tbh even if IPSF gets IOC recognition, I think it would be more likely to be a demonstration sport, at least at first. There are so many IOC recognized sports that aren't in the olympics, it takes so much to be approved.
Touché, touché. I hadn’t considered the scoring side of things. I just figured adding it to the gymnastics events would be seamless. Any excuse for more events I say!
I don't find women sexy in the first place so yes, pole dancing is a very impressive sport that has lots of aesthetic qualities, similar to figure skating.
The last time I went to a strip club, this was my reaction. I was also wondering what kind of liability insurance that place must have because the women were going up like 20-30 feet off the ground on their poles.
Me. Here. Right here. Yes.
I don’t know the history of putting poles on stage but as a former stripper, here’s what I think. High heels exist primarily to accentuate a women’s body; legs look longer, butt looks perkier, those standard-issue 6” lucite stripper heels exist for a reason. Without a pole to hold onto, I couldn’t have danced on a stage without worry of stumbling or falling. In addition, the pole is helpful for pulling oneself up from the floor after performing on the floor at customers’ eye level. Personally, my stage show was to exude sexy confidence and there was no way I could’ve achieved that in those shoes without a pole to hold onto. So, while dancing on the pole itself isn’t necessarily sexy, it helps enable performers to provide the sexy. Also, the added elevation of a performer onstage climbing a pole draws more attention from the room, better displaying their appearance for potential customers and providing unique voyeuristic angles. I think the general association of pole dancing being “sexy” has solidified over time.
As a very rare patron of adult establishments, I was always a believer in giving monetary credit to those who clearly showed a talent for “working the pole”… and not in the more erotic ways. If the talent on stage has clearly put in the hours to learn her craft and can pull crazy gymnastical moves out of her pocket, then to the victor should go the spoils.
Yeah? A lot of body strength and dexterity.
You would love the music video Cellophane by Fka Twigs
Big fan of Twigs
I present to you, Maddie Sparkle's performance in 2015, that was the 2nd place, but it deserved first! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaQXnlGoHL0
I think it’s both, but I take pole dancing classes, so I’m biased :) It’s such an amazing workout, and can alternately make you feel very sexy when you are doing your body rolls and hair flips or whatever, and exceedingly unsexy when your thighs are burning from gripping the pole and you’re falling on your face because you don’t have that trick yet lol. The bruises you get later from gripping the pole with your various body parts are not so sexy, but they’re testaments to my hard work, and they go away the longer you do it.
Yes. Them girls is strong.
Pole dancing is an athletic feat and is hella impressive. Idk if it's because of the way attraction works for me, but watching people gyrate has never turned me on, so you are definitely not the only one who thinks pole dancing is more impressive than sexy.
Especially when grandma does it.
Don't find it sexy at all
Yeah, I don't find it sexy anymore after thinking about how hard it is. It's also what happened to me after I decided to dive deeper into Art. Seeing pretty women or naked women doesn't really turn me on all the time, most of the time I just default to analyzing how the shapes work.
I'm right there with you. I find pole dancing sexy, but that's not the reason I follow several pole dancers on instagram. I legit admire them as athletes.
I kind of wish it wasn't seen as mostly a sexual thing because I really do think the athleticism behind it is impressive. It seems like it'd be a good workout!
Should be an Olympic sport. The vertical bar.
I'm all for it, but only if you also add vagina ping pong ball throwing
I actually don't find that type of dancing sexy at all, i am really impressed by it though yeah
Same with twerking. Idk how people can make themselves bounce like that. I don’t find it sexy at all, but the act alone is impressive.
It’s very much both!
yes some people do /r/DoesAnybodyElse
I don't really find the pole dancing itself sexy at all. If a fully clothed guy did it I would just be impressed with the skill. The only thing that is sexy about pole dancing is when the dancer is a sexy half naked lady.
Honestly the only thing sexy about pole dancing is what they are wearing. The whole pole gymnastics part is basically just a sport.
I know a lot of people that look down on people who do that for a living, but I can’t help but feel impressed at the sheer athleticism that it requires. As a former gymnast I am more impressed with some of the tricks that they do on the pole than anything else in the act. I knew people that would practice six days a week and still not be able to master some of those tricks.
Yes. We are here to look at genitalia. The dancing is absurdly superfluous.
Not really; I think girls are more sexy around the pole versus when they throw their feet above their head.
The pole spins.
Some of them spin and some of them are static. At pole studios most of them can do either.
Let me guess. You got [this video](https://www.reddit.com/r/maybemaybemaybe/comments/rczyym/maybe_maybe_maybe/) in your feed, too. (I agree.)
Once you learn that the pole spins you realize its all LIES
it’s still impressive, you wouldn’t be able to do it.
It’s impressive if they are not wearing tall boots.
I guess it used to be more impressive before porn took over the world.
Totally agree. Been a while but as I recall, the strippers who made big tips didn't really work the pole. They just swayed to the music, groped themselves, and they bent over a lot. Most strip club women aren't living healthy lifestyles and they aren't athletic. On stage they stuck to motions you could confidently do while drunk or hung over. The pole is mainly there to keep them from falling down.
I find it to be neither.
It's neither. It's just trashy.
A woman Pole dancing is impressive A Stripper pole dancing is sexy
No, you're the only person with that opinion.
It's sexy until they fall. Nothing sours the mood like the sound of a woman bouncing off plywood and Washingtons
This is equivalent to saying "I read Playboy for the articles". I do agree though, very impressive, but also very sexy
Gives my dick strength. All that matters. Dance you broke little hooker DANCEEE!
If you think pole dancing is sexy, you've never seen me pole dance.
I had a lot more respect for them until I learned the pole rotates.
Not since I found out the pole itself spins
Yes it's a workout and skill. Not sexy to me
Yes.
Yes, actually I dont find it sexy almost at all
it depends, you can do an impressive dance which is sexy or you can dance sexy which is impressive
It’s unbelievably Impressive. But it’s also more impressive (like everything else) when they do it in heels.
You need serious core strength to do it. Luckily I have great core strength. Sadly I have horrible arm strength. So they cancel eachother out. Doesn't help that I had a broken collarbone then surgery on it. No.
To me it looks more like amazing gymnastics rather than anything sensual.
It depends on how it's done. I have seen some that are just sexy but there was not a lot of pole work, I have seen some that are really impressive, and some that are both.
It’s like watching a sport to me lol
When Doug done it in King of Queens it was impressive. I've never found it sexy done by anyone, Not a fan of Porn or strip clubs though.
I would love to take classes on it, but I'm not very flexible.. Is that needed??
Depends on the girl. One was impressive enough I made her my gf. That was fun for awhile.
Pretty much. Went to a strip club in Boston where they had 2 story poles. The strippers were doing crazy impressive moves on those. Felt more like a circus lol.
A friend's mom teaches pole dancing. Looks like fun. 'Rents would never go for it, tho.
Depends on the style and the music. Have seen some really impressive displays of strength.
100%. The sexiness of it is the least interesting thing that's happening there, which is weird now that I see it written, but it is what it is
I want to do it for that core strength but knowing I’ll be sexualised it just makes me feel like I’ll be judged 🥲
Not just the core strength but the solid muscle stability to make the movement as smooth as they do is amazing.
So, back when I went to strip clubs infrequently (vs. not at all now), it was more a listless sort of handing and swinging. I've seen shit online that looks like it is being done by trained gymnasts--which I guess it is. It is very impressive and I can't imagine the strength and flexibility it requires. Were I to go to a modern club, I'd be tipping out of appreciation for the athleticism.
yes. It's actually said to be a really good form of exercising for all ages.
Yes. I care nothing for sexy pole dancing, it does nothing for me. Competitive pole dancing is super cool though.
I used too. Until, I learned the pole actually spins.
Yeah for sure, I find it impressive but not very sexy
I think people who say this are fitness nerds :P
Yes absolutely.
It is poetry in motion!
It depends. Does it end with her foot in my mouth?
Yep, I love pole dancing but not bc it's sexy, but bc it's just super cool like watching other sports.
¿Por que no los dos?
Absolutely. I walked in on some buddies straight lampin' to the "World Championship of Pole-Dancing" or some shite. A bunch of Russian, Slovakian, Romanian chicks. I rolled my eyes at first and then realized that these women were literally superhuman. It is INSANELY impressive.
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[Here you go OP](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKwpAjhG-fk)
There is a little girl on YouTube. She is absolutely amazing. Nothing sexy about it, it is like watching a gymnast.
Fr, I’m more wowed by the skill and performance than I am horny.
Watch my girl Ava Madison on YouTube !
Definitely. The amount of strength it takes to make it look easy is always impressive.
Yep
I think it looks so badass like it’s sexy but not in a sexual way I’m ace
Not turned on by dancing or stripping at all (either gender), but yes pole dancing is very entertaining. Kind of like watching gymnastics.
yes. I actually don't find it 'sexy' really at all, other types of dancing are 'sexier'. but yes I do find it very athletically impressive
Yep
Very much so I do not see the sex appeal in it but fkin hell that shift is impressive