Chinese pole

The poles are generally between 3 and 9 metres (10 and 30 ft) in height and approximately 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) in diameter.

However, the rubber can cause friction burns on parts of the Chinese pole artists' bodies.

The most famous trick is "the flag", where the artist hangs straight out from the pole with his or her hands.

A few people are able to do pushups in this position, and even fewer can rotate the legs around in a circle—this requires enormous core strength.

Chinese pole acts have been featured in the Cirque du Soleil shows Saltimbanco, Mystère, Zed, Amaluna, Luzia, and Messi10.