Pole dancing exercise classes

[BadgerBumBag]

A friend is organising a group pole dancing class as a fun night out. I have reservations. I won't lie, most of my reluctance is due to being rather larger and less fit than the others, but I can't help feeling uncomfortable with the whole idea.

Am I being daft or does gyrating round a pole as exercise seem ok to you?

I just quoted that from the first post - that was the question!

It would probably seem ok to me if we lived in a completely different time and place, but I don't know how to separate pole dancing from the whole pole dancing/lap dancing/sex industry thing. I love pushing myself physically and being strong and I love to dance but in a way that suits me and expresses ME and not as shaped by men.

am sure it is great fun, I bought a friend a pole for Christmas one year because she likes that sort of thing but I'd rather have a balance beam personally

That's fair enough I guess, I've been to strip clubs etc. so I think the fact that it really is entirely different is quite apparent to me, hence why I don;t view them the same.

How predictable. A user of strip clubs that thinks pole dancing is just harmless exercise. < yawn >

I think OP's disquiet is a feminist issue.

The fact there are man pleasing women swarming all over it does not detract from that.

If you want to build your core strength, do Pilates or yoga, if you want a good workout, lift weights. Neither of these forms of actual exercise involve wearing heels. If you want to take part in sports with other, take up a team game, lift weights with a friend. The possibilities are endless and none of them require you to make an utter arse of yourself on a 'night out taster session' type effort.

Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrggggghhhh!

Do it if you want to op, if it makes you feel funny probably best not.

Don't ask 'the sisterhoods' permission. It will not be granted.

Feminism isn't about "sisterhood". How naive to think so. Only women who cheerlead others in support of the patriarchy talk about "sisterhood"

me too, Red

Perhaps I took the "sisterhood" too far and assigned insight to the op she doesn't actually possess

One of the ladies that works for me is also a Pole Fitness instructor. She is amazingly fit, seriously strong, mildly underweight (to my eyes, but she does eat well) and completely toned. There isn't an ounce of fat on her and her six pack is ridiculous.

She doesn't wear heels.

She got a lot of comments from the men as they found out what she did (you can imagine it I am sure, a room full of squaddies and a 'Pole Dancer'). She challenged them to a training session. 5 turned up, all fit guys, one a PTI. She DESTROYED them. When I saw them I swear they were shadows of the men they were . She gets an awful lot of respect now and requests that she teaches them how to do some of the horizontal lifts. She also does ring and rope work that is even harder.

I admit when I first heard I thought it was probably tacky, lots of make up, tits out and high heels, but it isn't. I'm glad I was wrong, I shouldn't have judged before I actually saw it.

I've even been considering having a go myself - but it looks really hard...

It was only when watching the film "Somewhere" the other day (in which the bloke pays for private pole dancers) that the penny dropped and I realised that the pole in pole dancing is phallic. (Doh - but until then I hadn't actually really seen much pole dancing, just heard about it.)

But then looking at that woman dancing to emeli sande it is not being used in that way at all. And I can't really say that it is unfeminist to have anything to do with any kind of pole (traffic bollard, rolling pin, cucumber whatever) just because it could represent a penis or be used in a woman-oppressing way.

So trying to ground what I think in feminism - I think it's possible for pole dancing to be something that could be equally done by men and women in the exact same way, with no inequality or sexual dodginess involved, and therefore in itself it's OK.

But, if I went to a pole dancing class and there was any whiff of the revolting sleazy nitespot about it, it wouldn't be OK.

There are some men that do pole dancing. But mostly they are in the

I imagine men would struggle with their lack of lower body strength generally, in the same way that male gymnasts can't complete female routines. Not that I particularly need to see men doing something to make it seem worthwhile or not ridiculous.

Indeed. Saying "men do it too" has no value, IMO

It's an industry I'm involved in. I understand where the op is coming from. It is an amazing sport! and awesome to watch as such. However, it is one of a minority of fitness regimes/sports that often use bouffanty hair and stereotypical boobs tiny waist pert bottom imagery. Not always, but a lot.

I don't understand the fuss
Surely wailing about other women doing it is suggesting they shouldn't and is removing choice, or coercing to suggest they made a bad choice which is surely what feminism is against
This is my first post on f board & with the cliched comments made seriously makes me relate to the pre conceived notions people have about feminists.

The pole in (male dominated) Morris Dancing is phallic too. Shall we complain about that?

Just noticed all these replies... Will get back to this in the morning

My post in this area was because I am having a major conflict within over my opinions of pole dancing as a sexual dance in clubs etc and the use of it as exercise and a fun night out.

I cannot bear pole dancing in its sexual form and this is where my niggle is coming from. I am also self conscious so was worried it would all be about pretending to be all sexy and me looking like a prize donut doing something I don't agree with under the guise of a 'fun' night out.

I completely agree that pole dancing as a form of athletic exercise is phenomenal, but I don't think this night will be about that. I wonder whether it will be tongue in cheek piss taking of a sexual style of dance as it is meant to be a fun taster session.

I was appeased by the initial responses and this is where my problem lies...

Am I transferring my opinions about stripping etc onto something innocent and should I let it go and go and have a laugh with my friends, or am I right in stomping my big fat feminist feet and saying no, this is horrible and there are far better ways to spend a Saturday night!

And yes, I know I am fickle and easily led, which is why I came on here to set my head straight... argh!

I went to a pole dancing class on a hen night & bloody hell it's hard work! I could barely get on the pole.

My friend goes to classes & they recently had a show. Any preconceptions I had about it being all Size 8 skinny Minnie's was quickly laid to rest! There were about 20 girls in the group varying from age 18-40 & size 8-18. You have to wear little clothes so that your skin gives you more grip on the pole but even the larger sized girls were so bloody amazing on the pole that no one cared what size they were. The core strength involved is unbelievable. One if the girls had been going for 6 months & has dropped from size 18 to size 14, you could see the muscle tone in her arms & stomach. They wear heels as it gives you more height to get up the pole higher & gives your legs better definition.

I think it is great exercise & going with a group of girls like I did on a hen weekend is a great laugh.

BadgerBumBag, I think it does depend on the teacher as to whether it is tongue in cheek sexy or purely athletic, dance and beautiful. I purposely looked for a class that didn't mention heels.

There is a division, and I really hope that athletic poling continues to establish itself as a recognised sport away from the nightclub scene and that more people can view it without immediately first thinking 'stripper'. There are championships held in various companies, and it is more like an amazing acrobatic act from something like cirque du soleil. The mixed doubles are brilliant linky