Pole climbing is ascending a pole which one can grip with his or her hands. The related activity of mast climbing describes ascending an object similar to a pole, but having a larger diameter which excludes gripping with the hands. In either case, it is normally assumed that climbers who view the activity as a ''gymnastic sport'' use only their bodies and limbs, without artificial aids.

History

As ''sporting pursuits'' both pole and mast climbing may have begun as either martial exercises or physical training related to the invention and development of sailing ships, with the attendant requirements of scaling high masts. Pole climbing appears in some historical documents describing various ''cultural practices''. For example, Fray

Diego Durán Diego Durán (c. 1537 – 1588) was a Dominican friar best known for his authorship of one of the earliest Western books on the history and culture of the Aztecs, ''The History of the Indies of New Spain'', a book that was much criticised in hi ...

describes watching an Aztec climbing feat: ". . . to see an Indian standing on top of the 'flying pole' (for so they call it) anywhere between one hundred eighty and two hundred feet in height! He stands there with a trumpet in his hand, and, just watching him, those who observe become giddy . . . after having performed a thousand turns and tricks, he descends with an expression as serene as if he had done nothing!" "The Book of the Gods and Rites and the Ancient Calendar", ca. 1577, trans. & ed. by F. Horcasitas and D. Heyden, 1971 Johann Friedrich GutsMuths (1759–1839) wrote the following in the late 18th century, in one of the first textbooks of "modern" gymnastics : "The climbing of the mast is far more challenging han pole climbing for the surface is smooth and the hands cannot go around it. Here, it is most necessary to have performed well on elementary exercises

ripping with legs and thighs Ripping is extracting all or parts of digital content from a container. Originally, it meant to rip music out of Commodore 64 games. Later, the term was used to extract WAV or MP3 format files from digital audio CDs, but got applied as well to e ...

This activity is known, by the way, in several areas of Germany and Europe as an amusement for the general public. A few weeks ago one of my pupils climbed a tree trunk high. With nonchalance, he held on to the tree with one hand, tore off some leaves and flowers with the other, and fearlessly scattered them, looking down on his ascent. On such tree trunks one must not climb too high because of vertigo; if one loses his composure, he can slide down the tree, rather than fall.""Gymnastik für die Jugend" by Johann Friedrich GutsMuths 1793, Berlin

Friedrich Ludwig Jahn (11August 177815October 1852) was a German gymnastics educator and nationalist whose writing is credited with the founding of the German gymnastics (Turner) movement as well as influencing the German Campaign of 1813, during which a coalition of ...

(1778–1852) describes both pole and mast climbing in his seminal work of 1816 on

gymnastic Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, shoul ...

apparatus and exercises."Die Deutsche Turnkunst" by Friedrich Ludwig Jahn 1816, Berlin

References

External links

Climbing activities in gymnasticsProfessional Pole Climbing ActProfessional Performers on Multiple Poles
{{Climbing navbox Types of climbing Gymnastics Lumberjack sports Articles containing video clips

History

See also

References

External links