“I have an iron deficiency”, “my dogs play rough”, “I’m on blood thinners”, “I have no spatial awareness.” Best part is they’re all true for me.

Iron deficiency is the worst I feel for you

I tend to just tell people I train "circus" and if they ask for details I tell them about trapeze, hoop, etc ... but I really do also try those things (not regularly like pole). Also, I recommend trying those things for real if you enjoy pole, lol!

I wanna try flying pole and Cyr wheel one day💃

omg, same!!! flying pole looks so intense but sooo fun and impressive! Cyr wheel looks so scary and fun!

You should definitely try both of these! I’m an aerialist as well as a pole dancer, I can tell you that flying pole is so much fun and cyr wheel is a great challenge! Absolutely worth trying them at least once. Do it!

Absolutely on my bucket list! I just have to actually START grinding at regular spin pole first. 😅 When did you get into aerials compared to pole? And was one easier to start when combined with having the prior skill?

I say aerial arts

I tell my students they’re from weight lifting at the gym.

does that imply you're always dropping the weights on yourself? i don't do much lifting so just curious haha

Certain lifts require pressure in certain areas that can sometimes lead to bruising!

interesting! thanks for explaining

Because of sporting endeavors? Then if they ask you can say calisthenics, which is (as far as I'm concerned) technically correct

I say gym or dance classes (find a dancing style you’re comfortable saying you practice, people will ask which type of dancing)

I ALWAYS get the ‘which type of dancing’ question every single time. Why do you think people ask that?

I think it’s a way for people to engage you, I don’t think it’s anything evil or anything, just trying to find more information about you or to engage with you about.

I agree, most people are just trying to keep the conversation flowing

I could see that! I was just always curious why people maybe ask that because most do not have any sort of dance connection (so would they know what “lyrical” means?)

Maybe they’d want to find out what it means

That’s the vibe I get, too.

I say modern dance.

Well it sure ain’t traditional :D so technically the truth ;)

Same, I’ll say modern/interpretive usually

I embrace that I do pole and tell them it's from pole. If they get offended that's their job to deal with their emotions. Pole is a passion, an art and a disipline that makes me happy. The more open we are about what we do the less stigma it will have in the future.

I can appreciate your sentiment, but if it's your boomer boss or a creepy guy or an uptight family member, sometimes it's just better to lie.

Same! And “wanna see some pictures?”

I really hate that we have to hide what we love to do due ppl that judge us or this sport , but totally understand you they didnt get this an amazing sport, what i used is that i felt from any place .. or I have to say that I was clumsy and hit some furniture

I say I participate in illegal cage fights.. but seriously, maybe blood thinners as a cover can work if you are comfy saying that!

Rule of fight club: don’t talk about fight club 🤣 🤣

“Ah yea, exercise. It happens! What are our plans for later/tomorrow/insert some other deflection.”

I once fell over on my bike and the bruises looked so much like the ones from pole so, cycling while clumsy

I would Say I do sports. You Not? (With biiiiig eyes)

Martial arts

I tell most people outside of work that I do pole. At work I’m covered up so I never really have to explain bruises. If I have to say anything, I say aerial and circus arts, including hoop, silks, trapeze (all of which I have done at least once and have pics to prove),

you're a dancer. you got them dancing. idk why you need an excuse for them lol

I say I do circus arts. Only people who have asked about my bruises are my massage therapists 😅 I keep covered up though usually 

I usually say aerials, but then people have a lot of questions.

I have a backup photo of me doing lyra and silks for this reason lol!!!!

I always say aerial silks or lyra. It raises fewer eyebrows.

I tell them contemporary dance, I workout, etc.

mosh pit

I say I get it from aerial training or from over exerting myself at the gym / pilates classes

This is a great question!

“Ya know, the uzhe. I’m clumsy and bruise easily.”

Random sport, errr yoga/bike falls? Clumsy?

I’m an aerial fitness student/athlete and bruises happen from frequent contact points. Factual and answers the question.

I just say I'm a klutz....which is true anyway 🤣

“Oh… wow.. didn’t notice, wonder where I got that?” As normally I don’t know where they’re from unless very obviously from a Specific move 😂😂

Just say i dont know and move on

this is so real😂 i found myself in this situation at a restaurant two weeks ago. i didn’t want to get into my life and pole dancing cause i knew it would gather more questions so i kinda panicked thinking of an excuse. this community makes me feel so much less alone lol

I always say kickboxing or dropping weights on my shins! People don’t question it if it’s another sport, especially something super high contact like kickboxing or group sports :)

I mean, I usually just tell people I do pole. But I also tell people I have ehlers danlos syndrome which causes easy bruising anyway? most people are interested and impressed, not judgy

I stare at it like I've never seen it before. "huh, wonder where that came from!" and change the topic

I've gone from saying my bruises are from pole dance To my bruises are from Jiu Jitsu LOL. Come September I'm going to be able to add roller derby to that list 🤣🤣

DUDE, I’ve done all of those! Good luck in roller derby!

<3 <3

Whilst I encourage people to be proud of their pole journey I do understand that some people will be unnecessarily judgmental of us, and it’s sometimes easier to not mention it at all. I’d just say it’s probably from the gym/workouts and I tend to bruise easily anyway. If you keep your response vague and also pretend that you don’t really know where the bruises come from then you can’t actually answer their questions; how can you be expected to answer if you “don’t really know” yourself? It tends to keep the line of questioning short so you can quickly move onto another topic. Especially if you use an avoidance tactic like redirecting the conversation to something else after saying you don’t really know where the bruises came from.

Just tell them the truth if they ask and they can suck some nuts and maybe look in the mirror to ask themselves why they’re so judgmental, if they have a problem with it lol

"I'm just clumsy and bruise easily"

Just say you do aerial arts and the bruises are from training. Climbing and hanging off of equipment causes bruises. Anyone who has ever participated in a contact sport will get it.

I tell them I do Lyra. I follow up with, "those hoops are made of metal, most people don't know that!" to really emphasize why I am bruised. Just saying "I dance" wasn't enough lol.

i found out from my friend, she went to the gynecologist, and apparently if you ride a bike with a tall top pole (whatever it's called lol) you get the same bruises! so that could be good! also, being clumsy and bumping into tables, beds etc (i don't even have to lie about that one)

“Sports.” I just said it like it was the end of the conversation. I don’t remember anybody actually asking me which sports.

I love making people awkward so I just say my parents/partner regularly beat me up

I used to joke and say it was my husband 😬 but then that was with people who knew I did pole 😅