To think I'm not the worst mum in the world because I wouldn't let my 9rd old try 'pole fitness'

[3stripesandout]

Community open day, lots of stalls, games, police/fire/army etc. and right in the middle the local pole fitness club with a pole up and 3 women taking terms demonstrating pole moves.

Kids and mums queuing up to have a go, DD wanted to and I said no.....cue moaning and stamping about me being the worst mummy EVER.

AIBU?

Why not suggest your DD try gymnastics? They do similar exercises that depend on upper body strength and look artsy.

But I don't think I'd be letting DD try pole dancing either. Some activities are meant for adults and not kids.

That said I do have a friend that's into pole dancing, which I found funny since she was so prudish in high school. It's harder than it looks, and she makes it look so easy, but it takes a lot of core and upper body strength.

There are classes which are children centred, you've got all the aerial arts like aerial hoop, silks etc.
People get so shirty about pole, I've had photos reported on FB, and been told I'm too fat to be doing stuff like I do. Pole fitness and pole dancing are two very different things

YANBU

There are a million and one (I exaggerate obv) sports that she could try that don't have the sleazy connotations that pole dancing does, and that would enable her to build core strength etc.

Seriously - who thought this would be suitable for a community event?

OP is talking about Pole FITNESS. That is quite clear from her OP.

Pole DANCING is something else.

Pole FITNESS is not sleezy, takes place in Gyms and private lessons, is akin to (and uses) silks, hoops and cages. Concentrates on core strength and gymnastic moves. It has also applied to become an 'official' sport with a view to Olympic Games participation. It has rules and regulations and an International Federation code of ethics - children can be trained in Pole Fitness and take part in competitions. It is no more inappropriate than many Gymnastic floor moves and Bar exercises.

Pole DANCING takes place in men's clubs, is a way for blokes to get their rocks off and is not what was tasking place in OPs community today.

Why not just do Yoga?

Because I like the atmosphere in the class, I enjoy routines to music and I like being upside down

Pole fitness and pole dancing are two totally different things!

I would have issues with a 9yo pole dancing, but not doing pole fitness!

YANBU. A girl I know, aged 12, has hundreds of pics on her mums facebook of the pair of them at pole classes. It makes my skin crawl tbh

Google or FB Oona Kivela. She is the 2014 Pole Sports world champion. Her strength and fitness is out of this world. There is a video of her doing the 24 hardest strength moves. I break into a sweat just looking at it!

Here it is Oona

OK - I stand corrected. I'm still not convinced it's appropriate for young children though, given the myriad of other sports out there - unfortunately there are connotations, and a quick look at pole fitness on Youtube seems show lots of very scantily clad women doing moves that seem pretty reminiscent of pole dancing. Tell me I'm wrong please..

I felt just like you until I met my friend SirChenjin. But then I saw her train. Just wow. The effort, the techniques and the beauty in some of her routines changed my mind completely. She is very scathing about pole 'dancing' because she feels that it takes away from the athleticism of the sport. She is quite vocal and once, having heard far too many sexist and sexual remarks from a group of men that had heard what she did, challenged them to a training session. They never slagged her off again! One actually broke his nose during the session, trying to outdo her. One was walking with a zombie shuffle for a week from pulling a muscle in a rather delicate area of his body

She is a tiny skinny wee thing, but her muscles and strength are outstanding. I've met her boss and she's actually quite 'chunky', not what you would expect if you thought 'dancer'. Lots of the trainees start overweight and lose quite a lot, then tone up the rest. All the instructors run gym and run training session too, and do things like Ironman and Tough Mudder.

The studio she teaches at actually does 'stripper' sessions for hen parties, but my friend never takes part. It's a fund raiser, and would give her reduced rates/hire charges, but she would rather pay the extra than lower herself.

The clothes are for grip as well
You need bare legs and arms to grip the pole, sometimes I have to pull my top up to get side grip. So wearing shorts and a crop top is practical

She is amazing Pivot - no getting away from that

EveDallas I looked at the video, the woman concerned has amazing athleticism and it is no way sleazy. I then looked at the comments and wished I hadn't, clearly men haven't heard of this distinction between pole dancing and pole fitness. For this reason, I wouldn't want my dd to do pole fitness at the moment.

PivotPOINT - just watched that link.

Bloody hell - that is amazing!

(feels like an unfit old fart at 46........)