Pole dancing might be about to become an Olympic sport :-: Metro
METRO
Pole fitness has become super popular in recent years.
Far from being an activity exclusive to strip clubs and seedy bars, pole dancing is now taught in loads of gyms and fitness studios all over the country.
And it’s hard. Like, really hard. Pole aficionados have abs that most of us can only dream of.
It requires having a solid core, strong glutes, iron-like arms – and of course, some ability to move gracefully. It’s rather like gymnastics…except the bar is verticle rather than horizontal.
So it’s amazing news that the Global Association of International Sports Federations has confirmed that they’ll be giving observer status to the International Pole Sports Federation (IPSF) – a move which has been seen as setting out a ‘clear pathway’ towards full Olympic recognition.
Katie Coates, president of the IPSF believes that following skateboarding’s debut at the next games, pole might be in with a chance by 2024.
‘I’m not saying yes we will be there, but I’m not saying no either — there is a good opportunity for us and the sporting bodies are interested in young, trendy sports being recognised because they get people involved,’ she tells The Times.
‘We’re proving everybody wrong. I’ve been told again and again by the traditional sports that it will be very difficult for us to be recognised as a sport, but that just spurs me on to achieve what they all say is impossible.’
While pole vaulting has been an Olympic sport since the first modern Olympiad in Athens in 1896, pole dancing became popular some time later.
But Katie says that pole fitness is nothing like the dancing one might associate with erotic dancing.
‘The sport is nothing like how people might remember pole dancing. People don’t wear high heels or wiggle their hips against the pole. It has developed hugely and taken influences from Chinese pole, from circus, from gymnastics.’
In fact, there are more than 500 studios and gyms in the UK teaching it as a fitness activity and it’s a sport being practised in over 80 countries – with 25 national pole federations in operation.
More: Food
Last year, the first Para Pole competition began – encouraging disabled athletes to get into it.
So, watch this space.
MORE: Meet the pregnant powerlifter who’s still dead-lifting 120kg at eight months
MORE: 30-second ‘tummy control’ transformation is proof that flat bellies can be an illusion
