A father's only job is to keep his baby girl off the pole, jokes one comedian.

But Tammy Morris, a prominent Vancouver trainer who teaches pole fitness, disagrees. She says the alternative athletic activity is about to enter the sporting mainstream with more men willing to try the exercise.

"There's just this common misconception that the pole is for strippers," Morris says. "Strippers use poles, but it is used in various art forms. It is used in circus and it's used in fitness.

"When you take that dance element out of it can be quite manly and impressive."

Morris, first-runner up in the 2005 World Pole Dance Competition, is lobbying for pole fitness, or vertical bar gymnastics, to be included as an exhibition event at future summer Olympics.

"There are more poles in fitness facilities than there are in strip bars right now in Vancouver," Morris said.

"The amount of body strength it takes to lift your body up is really amazing."

There's also potential for children to get involved, says Morris who is 18 weeks pregnant and still performing fitness routines.

"Children don't have that association," Morris says. "They don't have that stigma. They don't see anything but basically a fireman's pole ... or vertical bar."