Short answer: Men should pole dance to get ahead.
During the early years of my pole dance training, I was seeing mostly only other females learning to pole dance.
Training and performing only among other girls was common for me. However, as I grew up, I started bumping across more men who also gave pole dancing a go!
Watching men start to perform pole dancing was actually inspiring for me. The notion of pole dance only being a medium of male entertainment no longer looked valid.
Over the years, I have noticed more men showing interest in learning to pole dance in my city and when I travel.
More men doing pole dancing is properly a result of the strong sign that a pole dance workout is now considered a global sport that any person can take part in, regardless of gender, goals, or purpose.
As a pole dance coach, I believe that pole dancing is not weird for a guy at all.
However, during training, styling can be slightly different for men.
The fundamental training is the same, just a different style can be learned.
A lot of men might first think that to pole dance well they have to move and dance like a girl, but that is not true for any form of dance as every dance style is up to what you as a dancer want to express and project outwards.
Pole dancing for exercise, performance, strength training, athletic training, balance training, or as a meditative practice and as a way to make friends are all common reasons why people learn to pole dance in the first place.
Pole dancing can also be seen as an alternative to other cardiovascular exercises that might feel boring or repetitive – Like a treadmill ugh. Or press-ups, yawn.
In this blog, I’ve shared some popular misconceptions about what I have seen about men’s pole dancing from my experience as a coach, with a detailed explanation of how to begin your journey as a male pole dancer if you are thinking of starting.
Some men can sometimes face an even bigger feeling of social pressure or feeling of discomfort and some may not even consider pole dancing themselves.
A lot of guys immediately think pole dancing is only for girls, but this is simply not true. These are the same guys that only associate the sport with nightclubs.
Pole dancing is not exclusive to only girls but rather a relatively simple but fun way to exercise and gain confidence for anyone.
Male pole dancing misconceptions
1. Pole dancing is only for girls.
You must have heard people talking about how pole dancing is only for females. This is the most common myth surrounding the pole dance community, I have even heard some studios think like this.
The most physically intensive pole dance tricks and spins can be learned and performed by men as well.
In fact, men with higher body mass get an even bigger workout [1] when poling as extra muscle and body weight means there is more resistance to lift, creating an endless cycle of getting even more ripped and naturally toned.
As you get stronger, you have more resistance to lift and therefore get stronger again.
This aids in growing upper body strength, and core strength in a much more ripped and natural way than men that go to a standard gym, and do restrictive repetitive movements only, which leads to an unnatural body tone.
The championships held by the International Pole Sports Federation have seen a huge growth in the number of male participants.
2. Pole dancing only uses sexy, or sensual moves.
Another myth about pole dancing is that there are only sexy and erotic moves. This is not entirely true.
There are so many tricks to make the body flexible that do not fall into narrow definitions of sexy moves. There are difficult moves that take months of practice to master.
On the topic of sexy, you might be thinking – what does dancing sexy mean when thinking about pole dancing?
Often being sexy is interpreted by men, that the pressure is to move like a girl trying to get attention in the most basic primitive way as a woman would in a nightclub.
This is what some men are not comfortable with, the fact is that pole dancing is about you exercising.
You should feel no pressure to dance like a female stripper during a performance dancing in a nightclub, this is completely unrelated.
Note:
Even if you decided to do performance dance training sessions later I would strongly recommend that you don’t dance in a way that is not natural for you!
Or your natural instincts as a man and without feeling like you need to imitate or copy a female dancing.
When dancing, there are many different styles from athletic shows, magic shows, traditional performances, and both sensual and sexual dancing for adult settings.
Even in this style, a man doesn’t have to or even think about dancing like a girl.
With performance aside, the first 6 months to a year of training is pure physical fitness, most straight men, gay men, and bisexual men I know from my journey are not performance dancers, just like most women I talk to are not.
3. Men pole dancing must be gay or bi.
One of the most unfortunate myths that float around for men is that male pole dancers are all gay or bisexual, meaning that if you are straight, dancing could be a sign that you are something that you are not, though this is totally not true.
All though some students are of course gay or bisexual, not all people interested in getting in better shape by improving their physical fitness are gay or bisexual.
Male pole dancers, who are interested in learning the art, sport, or magic of poling should not be categorized or judged.
Many straight males enjoy pole dancing because mastering these challenging moves is an amazing achievement for anyone who can do it.
The challenge is actually quite enjoyable from my perspective of watching and training men to have fun. Even for most athletic-minded men, whether they know this himself yet or not – their destiny is not what they might first expect.
Don’t worry I am here to show you every step of the way.
Pole dancing is a sport appropriate for men
1. We have a physical activity and a worthy workout idea for men.
Just like any other sport out there, pole dance is a form of physical activity.
The moves you make on a pole dance bar require a huge amount of upper and lower body strength, including your arms, core muscles, and legs.
2. Men are stronger and can perform complex moves and tricks.
Have you ever seen a female pole dancer practice her moves swinging around the pole?
Practice can take months of training to confidently perform complex dance moves on the pole. If you are a man, you are free to perform your own moves too.
You have the option to either start training at home with the help of a portable dance pole, or you may also join a studio and get closely mentored by an expert.
In case you are only interested in physical fitness, you can separate yourself with a static-only pole.
A static pole is a pole that does not spin and can go higher. Go for a taller pole, imagine climbing 4.5 – 9 meters high!
Training is never too late, and learning can never stop.
3. Pole dancing tones your muscles and strengthens the bones.
Being a pole dancer, I can surely say that pole dancing can tone muscles and strengthen the bones if regularly performed along with a protein-rich diet.
Depending on the hours you spend training for pole dancing each day, you won’t need to burn extra calories by going to the gym or doing cardio sessions with a good diet.
Pole dancing itself is enough to get you in shape by toning your muscles and strengthening your bones.
Pole dancing was initially performed by men centuries ago
The history of pole dancing dates back to 800 years ago when the art of pole dancing was performed in various parts of the world, like African tribes, India, and many more places.
There are many beliefs and traditions attached to pole dancing in the early days, depending on the region.
Mallakhamb is a traditional pole dance activity performed in India by performing yoga tricks on a wooden pole in the early ages. This ancient art requires huge stamina, strength, and flexibility to perform tricks as a type of martial art.
Chinese men prominently performed the “gravity-defying technique” with the help of two poles.
The synonymous traveling sideshow act performed in the USA became famous as well.
Male pole dancers to follow.
So if you are a male pole dancer or a beginner looking to start the pole dance journey but are hesitant and you don’t yet know some of the most famous male pole dancers, let me help you find your inspiration.
1. Evgeny Greshilov
Evgeny Greshilov is one of the most famous male pole dancers who started his journey as a 6-year-old.
After attending martial arts classes and completing his graduation, he migrated to Moscow to attend state college and a variety of arts.
He then had a great career in pole dancing by winning various awards in male championships and world championships.
2. Dimitry Politov
Dimitry Politov was born in 1989 and has won many championships till now.
From participating in the world championship in 2015 held in Beijing, to achieving 1st place in the doubles International Pole Championship in 2018, he has had a great career throughout.
3. Dane Labbe
Dane Labbe, another known name in the industry of pole dancing.
He hails from Denmark and holds an experience of 10 years in different dance forms.
Look at how he pulled this off in his audition video, guys are judged more harshly in pole dance competitions.
4. Quan Bui
Quan Bui has had an interesting journey ever since he started pole dancing.
The struggle to achieve his dreams started when he was 16, when he fell in love with the art of pole dancing.
He found a dance school to learn pole dancing but his father could only afford the fees of his school because of this, he decided to quit school and attend dance class instead.
He has participated in many competitions but his journey is what holds on to and inspires many.
We loved this outdoor pole dance on a freestanding stripper pole.
Men are pole dancing on social media.
With the rising trend of learning pole dancing, you would also notice an increase in the number of men showcasing their talent or drunkenness on social media platforms.
Starting from small TikTok videos to detailed video tutorials, you’ll find enough inspiration and knowledge to get started with your pole dance journey.
Sometimes a few drinks can help men find the comfort to give pole dancing a go, to then realize that the spinning is fun! The spinning is like salsa X10.
This video is one example of a guy’s pole dancing on Tiktok that has been viewed by 3M users.
How to find pole dance classes for men?
While pole dance is increasingly gaining popularity amongst the youth, including men, the number of pole dance classes has not surely increased proportionately.
It might be tough for you to enroll yourself in a dance class dedicated to teaching men where you are fully accepted and have the training needed for styling as a man.
In such a scenario, Open Dance Academy has launched not only beginner-to-advanced online courses but also men-only pole dance classes where professional dancers will be teaching pole dance. You may visit their website and learn more about the instructors.
Regardless of your gender or location, learning online and with your own gear can be a straight path to differentiating yourself.
Overcoming greater social pressure by acting on your own interest just proves that you live from your own mind and reality as an independent thinker not held back by the limitations of others.
With this type of training, you strengthen your mind at the same time, this can later help you live more and create whatever life you can dream of to each higher level of independence you achieve.
You can think and act more on your own accord for the benefit of yourself and others.
Which is the hidden reward that comes with training in most types or styles of dancing that are not publicly accepted by everyone around you.
How do you start a male pole dancing journey?
1. Book a class.
The first and foremost thing is to look for a pole dance class.
Asking if men are allowed in pole dancing classes is not a question.
Of course, however, I recommend that you get guidance like all other dancers because, without a teacher, dancing will be harder for longer alone if you want to learn pole dancing quicker at a mastery level.
2. Get used to muscle aches.
Aches will be difficult at the beginning for your muscles to work over your body weight. With time and exercise, your muscles will start to grow.
The process of growing muscles is not that easy, though. You have to face different injuries, like many pole kisses before you get there.
3. Safety
Besides practicing and growing every day in your journey toward freedom, take care of your body in every way that you can.
Always learn to hold the pole as per the proper technique. Grip aids work well for your pole sessions.
Your instructors will tell you some tips to avoid any accidents. Do not make a move without supervision. Don’t forget to make use of safety crash mats.
4. Flexibility
You have to work on your flexibility to swing around the pole.
For this, you have to be consistent with your exercises, yoga, and stretching. As the complexity of the moves increases, your flexibility has to increase too.
5. Warm-up
Any dancer must start with a good warm-up routine.
Never skip your warm-up exercises, as gradually increasing your pace will decrease the chances of you getting mussel injuries like – a pulled mussel.
So, should men pole dance?
Pole dance has secretly become one of the most exciting ways to become fit and healthy. You can switch from your normal gym schedule and join a pole dance class to tone your muscles.
Besides, related practices like martial arts and yoga can also help you to increase your stamina and flexibility.
If you are someone who loves dancing and wants to become better-toned, pole dancing is an amazing option for many people that give it a go.
