Pole Dance Championship 2012, New York City, United States

Pole dancing has gained popularity as a form of exercise, with increased awareness of the benefits to general strength and fitness. This form of exercise increases core and general body strength by using the body itself as resistance, while toning the body as a whole.
Pole dancing as an exercise is very similar to Mallakhamb, an Indian men's sport with no erotic component, but there is no evidence of a link.
A growing number of men are incorporating pole dancing into their fitness programmes. In Australia, the UK and the US, dance studios are beginning to offer classes just for men. And in China, 2007's National Pole Dancing competition was won by a man. Dance instructor Zhang Peng, 23, beat a host of women dancers to the top prize.