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when they hear pole aerobics what they really hear is stripping
I tell my friends that I am taking pole aerobics. I explain to them and my family that its a mix of gymnastics, aerobics, some dance and helps tone you up and helps one lose weight. Except for a few folks most still see it as stripping,.. they dont see it as a workout or even an art form or sport. ( which people that work in strip clubs are still exerting lots of energy and work out the entire shift) . so they think its "dirty" and perverted of me to do this. I try to get them to come to a work out and watch but they dont seem to care all they see is theres a pole,.. ur in short shorts,.. and ? so ugh has anyone else ran into this problem
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28 Replies
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Yes, I have come across this sentiment. Don't be discouraged. You can try to share with other, or teach them, but some will never come around. Personally, I find some peoples reactions humorous and I think "Oh well, I can't please everyone but… I wonder how much living they are doing under that rock?"
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I get that a lot too. my friend jokingly calls me a stripper sometimes. at first my parents were totally against it but I think they are slowly coming around. What is important to them is that it makes me happy and I'm not actually stripping or performing in front of groups of drunk vulgar men. The problem is there is still the stripper stigma attached to it although it is so different. what I usually do is pick a badass pole superstar's video to show to them. I try to pick videos that aren't too sexy and that usually turns them around.
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Oh let em think you're naughty!
Haha, don't worry what others think. When they see how super toned you get and they ask again, than you can show them. Send them a link if they are so concerned, or bring em to a class! I think people should worry less of what others think!
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Haa, I get this sometimes and laugh! People always go "YOU are into POLE?" As if I'm some kind of innocent who's never even heard the word "sex!"
Honestly, though, I just laugh it off. Who cares? It's in my house, on my own time, and I feel good doing it! It's fun! And that's what I tell people- it's FUN. If people want to judge me for it, then that's their business!
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I’ve been very lucky in that my family and friends have been so understanding. When I run into someone who doesn’t get it, I become very matter of fact and try to educate. If they don’t accept that, I make it very clear that I will not be associating with them. It’s not worth it to surround myself with close-minded individuals. 🙂
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^^^^^LIKE^^^^^^^^
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It is generally the people who have issues with their own sexuality and sensuality that make the biggest stinks.
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Heheh, a dancer's body is one to be envious of https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif
I've heard the "what's the point in having a pole if you're not going to strip?" line, before when I tried explaining the deference between pole dancing, stripping and strippers mixing pole dance in with their work. It's frustrating to not be able to get some people to understand that it is a form of fitness after explaining it carefully to them but there's only so much that can be explained.
You can probably show them why exactly it's best to wear short shorts and a sports bra by wearing jean pants and a longsleeve shirt and tell them why you're slipping/having a hard time with some pole moves then skip merrily into another room to change into your shorts and little top and tell them that the skin sticks to the pole better, hence why it's recommended to wear it while you exercise and that there's no stripping involved in what you're doing, so… you're NOT stripping, are ya? lol
Being a hard head is common with human beings though so don't feel bad at all if some don't understand even after you explain in depth. The important thing is that you do what you enjoy and also know there's thousands of others out there, many on here who do understand the differences and know that pole dance is a fitness.
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Ignoramus’s who cares what they think I don’t bother wasting my time explaining. let then think what they want if they are that narrow minded I’m not interested in what they think anyway. They’re seriously usually just jealous. I am 47 so when I took up pole dancing at 46 most of my friends either thought I’d gone mad or was having a midlife crisis! Love to see them do a shoulder mount lol!
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Ignoramus’s who cares what they think I don’t bother wasting my time explaining. let then think what they want if they are that narrow minded I’m not interested in what they think anyway. They’re seriously usually just jealous. I am 47 so when I took up pole dancing at 46 most of my friends either thought I’d gone mad or was having a midlife crisis! Love to see them do a shoulder mount lol!
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Usually showing them a video of a professional pole dancer clears things up. I like to show this one because it's very non-sexy (even though she is wearing tiny shorts and platforms) but still extremely beautiful and impressive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUOmIQ269-E
I haven't had too much of a problem with my family and my friends just think it's cool. There have been a few people that have been hard to convince, but honestly, that means one of two things:
1. They think it's slutty, in which case, f*ck them – I'm not a whore, so it doesn't matter, and they don't deserve my respect either; if they think this about me it doesn't change who I am or the amazing things pole gives me. The closed-mindedness only reflects badly on them.
2. They think it's sexy that I "strip" in my free time. Whatever – if this is what they really want to believe, then I'm flattered that's the image they'd prefer to have!
Either way, I'm not going to fight with people who refuse to listen and I'm not going to let anyone make me feel low just because I don't fit their conventions. It takes too much energy, and no matter what the situation, I still feel a little superior because I can do things they'll never be able to. After a more than a year of pole dancing and discovering what my body can do, there's nothing anybody can say to take that away from me. Sorry, pole wins.
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I metal climb. I dance on a vertical ballet bar. I swing around a stainless steel cylinder. I had my mom believing for months I was going to an European ethnic dance class when she asked what dance class I went to and I said it was "pole-ish." You'd be surprised how little people really think about what you say and just move on. If they don't care they aren't going to ask follow up questions.
If they do ask more questions and your not sure how they'll react, you can feed them details about the art, strength, and workout without talking about the device. Let them come to it themselves with little details that it's a pole and when they call it a stripper pole, you get to act all shocked like you had no idea it was also used for stripping (works especially well if you have a good girl image). Makes them feel like an asshat for dirting up your hobby, instead of you feeling bad for being accused of being dirty.
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Thanks yall !! 🙂 I showed the the youtube video of my instructor at the southern regional competition in ga (i think lol ) which is non slutty and really good, then jenne butterfly, and also oona klieva (she is AWESOME!!! If youve never watched her do it now ) and some are like "cool,.. but look at how they have their legs spread eagle for the world ,. thats slutty jenny. " or one of my all time favorites NOT : " cool,. yep it does take a lot of strength, grace, endurance and dedication but its still stripping.. its the same thing as working in a strip club."
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Any time someone comes with one of those "That's a stripper pole", "Pole dance is just stripping" or whatever comments, I just like to throw a little "And how do you know so much about what goes on in strip clubs?" right back. Usually shuts them up;)
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lol thats a good one !! 🙂
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