Pole & Aerial Sports includes 9 disciplines
Pole & Aerial Sports refers to all disciplines in which a person performs a mixture of acrobatics, technical moves and dance, generally structured according to a code of points (discipline reference). The athlete performs on and around apparatus such as the vertical metal bar, more commonly known as the pole, or the aerial hoop and, from 2025, the aerial silk.
Just like skating, skiing or swimming, pole and aerial sports are divided into different disciplines, all defined by the International Pole and Aerial Sports Federation (IPSF):
- Pole Sport
- Artistic Pole
- Aerial Pole Sport
- Artistic Aerial Pole
- Aerial Hoop Sport
- Artistic Aerial Hoop
- Para Pole
- Ultra Pole
- Artistic Silk
Clubs and training centres teach these disciplines mainly to practitioners looking for a fun and recreational physical activity. However, the practice of aerial sports and pole requires a structured and organised learning process in order to be taught in good conditions. At the end of the learning process, the aim is to create choreographies or performances that will allow, for example, participation in competitions.
Pole and aerial sports are a demanding form of physical activity, requiring real strength and flexibility to perform gracefully, but which can also take on a highly artistic and creative form. Due to their aerial nature, pole and aerial sports are often very spectacular, but they are accessible to as many people as possible, from beginners to elite level, from children to seniors.
In fact, the activity allows for a real improvement in physical fitness, even for people who do not have a particular sporting background. Due to their fun and original aspect, aerial sports and pole allow for a rapid learning of aerial figures and a real surpassing of oneself for its practitioners.
COMPETING SUBDIVISIONS:
Pole Sports, Aerial Pole Sports and Aerial Hoop Sports are based primarily on athletic performance and the execution of particularly demanding technical elements. They are judged and governed by a “points code” drawn up in accordance with the Olympic standards used for other sports such as gymnastics or figure skating. This emblematic sporting aspect of these disciplines is developed in strict accordance with Olympic standards.
Artistic Pole, Artistic Aerial Pole, Artistic Aerial Hoop and Artistic Silk are very similar to the sporting version. However, they encourage a more artistic and creative approach by emphasising musical interpretation, choreography and stage expression. These disciplines also respect the usual Olympic sporting standards.
Ultra Pole is the explosive and spectacular version of pole and aerial sports. The competitions are in the form of “battles”. Two competitors compete against each other, demonstrating maximum inventiveness, acrobatic skill and creativity. They involve the public, who are invited to cheer them on. Ultra Pole attracts the most impressive athletes, who find a setting in which to perform unprecedented tricks.
The last part of the competitions is the Para Pole. Aimed at all disabled athletes, it is judged and governed by the same “points code” as the sports version. The discipline is organised according to the classification system of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). In Parasport, athletes are grouped according to their degree of limitation and the type of impairment, in order to avoid giving an advantage to the athlete who is least affected by a disability.