# Should pole gymnastics be in the Olympics? Some stuff these women do is spectacular! - video **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 29, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512 "2012-11-29T21:13:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/1 "2012-11-29T21:13:20Z")
[Go to 4:33 on the video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFmabyOc738). Granted some of the moves are a little provocative but the routines are amazing from an athleticism point of view. Some defy belief. Is there any way pole dancing can be part of the Olympics? ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/2 "2012-11-29T23:23:52Z")
[Indian pole gymnastics](http://youtu.be/pEFsslhBBN4). Tough competition. BTW, there’s some talk of making yoga an Olympic sport, generating controversy among its adherents on the pros and cons ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/3 "2012-11-29T23:34:39Z")
I’ve been saying it should for years. I think it’s a gorgeous and impressive display of athleticism and have considered taking classes for the workout aspect. Unfortunately I think those classes concentrate on more of the titillating part of it. Heck, I even spent an afternoon touring strip clubs with my boyfriend to watch but it was mostly girls just holding the pole (heh, I said “holding the pole”!) and convulsing their asses. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/4 "2012-11-29T23:51:58Z")
I think **[ropework](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_6yd6SRIW8&t=1m33s)** is more impressive, **[especially](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0R5Oo9jbzQ)** when they use **[more than one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox1nE_0fMMc)**. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/5 "2012-11-30T06:01:08Z")
If they can get horses to do it, definitely yes! ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/6 "2012-11-30T06:32:22Z")
I just think [aerial acro/gymnastics](http://youtu.be/7pD7etQ6U8o) as a whole should be included. Either roll it into the general “gymnastics” competition, or I suppose split it out as specifically competition on aerial apparatus. It’s ALL really impressive athleticism and artistry. Just search for “lyra” or “aerial silks” and you’ll see a whole bunch of really amazing stuff. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/7 "2012-11-30T06:54:07Z")
I am of the perhaps controversial position that any sport that requires judges marking points should not be in the Olympics. Too arbitrary and misses the point of the definitive nature of what an Olympic record should be. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/8 "2012-11-30T12:53:22Z")
So would everybody be cool with men’s pole dancing? Would you admire the sport equally as much? ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/9 "2012-11-30T12:55:05Z")
Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/10 "2012-11-30T13:49:11Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > So would everybody be cool with men’s pole dancing? > > Would you admire the sport equally as much? Much like the differences between Men and Women’s gymnastics, I would expect some different criteria, but yeah, I got no problem with Men’s pole gymnastics/dancing. I imagine it would probably follow the history of figure skating, in that it initially would be dancing, as indicated in the video in the OP, and within a handful of years would develop into raw athletic displays, stripped of much of the “dancing” aspect of it. ---
**Author:** ![Saraya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Saraya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saraya)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/11 "2012-11-30T14:03:26Z")
Isn’t the horse routine enough, or similar enough? Rather than add another inane exercise with different equipment, why not just expand the role of the horse to include over and under movements. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/12 "2012-11-30T15:14:17Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I am of the perhaps controversial position that any sport that requires judges marking points should not be in the Olympics. Too arbitrary and misses the point of the definitive nature of what an Olympic record should be. Seconded. Strictly objective measures only. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/13 "2012-11-30T15:30:05Z")
What about thirteen year old girls pole dancing? Do you think that would go over well with the public? Considering the ages of some of those girls in gymnastics, I don’t think it’s too far of a stretch. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/14 "2012-11-30T15:33:04Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > I’ve been saying it should for years. I think it’s a gorgeous and impressive display of athleticism and have considered taking classes for the workout aspect. Unfortunately I think those classes concentrate on more of the titillating part of it. > Heck, I even spent an afternoon touring strip clubs with my boyfriend to watch but it was mostly girls just holding the pole (heh, I said “holding the pole”!) and convulsing their asses. Depends on the studio where you take classes. I’ve been doing pole gymnastics for 2.5 years and started teaching about six months ago. My focus is on the fitness/gymnastics aspect, but I do teach some of the titillating moves because they are transitions to help you get from point a to point b. Check out the studios in your area and just go look and ask around. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/15 "2012-11-30T16:28:16Z")
Can’t wait to see the announcers in the Olympics for this event. _Alright guys, from Tampa, Florida, on the center stage, let’s give it up for TIFFANY!!!_ ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/16 "2012-11-30T18:37:33Z")
It’s not decided on points but dollars thrown on the stage. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/17 "2012-11-30T21:09:17Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > So would everybody be cool with men’s pole dancing? > > Would you admire the sport equally as much? One of the guys in my aerial circus class also does pole, and is really active in the community – attends conferences and competitions. He won’t win any Olympic medals, but he’s a fun guy and I don’t somehow think less of him because he cross-trains. I think it would be cool to break the current taboos and get people seeing it as fitness/athleticism rather than strippers gyrating for dollar bills. The skills and techniques between aerial circus and pole are virtually identical, but one is “skanky” and “women only” and the other isn’t. The Indian pole gymnastics were hella impressive, too. I’d love to see more of that in competition. As for younger athletes – transition using “styles” (like you’d see after she sticks her landing from the uneven bars, or transitioning between skills on floor routine) instead of booty-shaking, and why not? The only reason we’re currently sexualizing pole gymnastics is because up til recently, there was no opportunity to do it outside of a strip club. There’s nothing inherent to pole that limits it to stripping; anymore than aerial circus is limited to burlesque/stripping. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/18 "2012-11-30T21:19:55Z")
For that matter, floor routine that we currently have in Olympic competition could be highly sexualized just by throwing a few extra moves into the transitions. There’s no reason to assume that one is inherently and inevitably sexual and the other is not. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/19 "2012-11-30T22:09:32Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > So would everybody be cool with men’s pole dancing? > > Would you admire the sport equally as much? Saw a few male pole dancers at the NY Boylesque festival this year. Awesome stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2012, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512/20 "2012-12-01T00:27:43Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > One of the guys in my aerial circus class also does pole, and is really active in the community – attends conferences and competitions. He won’t win any Olympic medals, but he’s a fun guy and I don’t somehow think less of him because he cross-trains. I think it would be cool to break the current taboos and get people seeing it as fitness/athleticism rather than strippers gyrating for dollar bills. The skills and techniques between aerial circus and pole are virtually identical, but one is “skanky” and “women only” and the other isn’t. > > The Indian pole gymnastics were hella impressive, too. I’d love to see more of that in competition. > > As for younger athletes – transition using “styles” (like you’d see after she sticks her landing from the uneven bars, or transitioning between skills on floor routine) instead of booty-shaking, and why not? The only reason we’re currently sexualizing pole gymnastics is because up til recently, there was no opportunity to do it outside of a strip club. There’s nothing inherent to pole that limits it to stripping; anymore than aerial circus is limited to burlesque/stripping. Rational points indeed. That said, I still don’t think 13yo girls pole dancing is going to go over too well. Heck, it was just recently the Olympic board told the figure skaters to tone down the crotch shots. So I’m thinking the idea of pole dancing would be laughable to them. I do agree though that pole dancing as shown in the OP does require an amazing amount of athleticism. I just don’t think their is a place for it in the Olympics. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-pole-gymnastics-be-in-the-olympics-some-stuff-these-women-do-is-spectacular-video/642512.md?page=2)