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Thread: Does pole material really matter?

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    Featured Member pinkpvc's Avatar
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    Default Does pole material really matter?

    HI dearies.
    I have a my sexy little pole (the cheap ass stainless steel pole that has a ceiling mount, but doesn't attach to the floor) and i was absolutely over the moon with it until recently.
    I just feel like i have hit a brick wall in terms of development. I can do pretty much all the basic spins, and can climb ok. But when it comes to one handed moves, or staying ON the pole after climbing i just slide down like a lead baloon.
    I clean my pole with rubbing alcohol pretty much every 5 minutes because it just seems to get ungrippy so frequently. I can't tell if its just my hands being naturally sweaty, me not having enough upper body strength, or if stainless steel is just slippy in general.
    I can't really afford to get one of the chrome poles on the market, so my question is: is there any way to make my pole permanently more grippy? Do the more complicated moves basically come down to very good upper body strength(i lift weights every day but can't hold myself up in a static position on my pole, as i just slide right down)? And how do you break through a "pole development barrier"?

    cheers

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    God/dess sassysummer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Does pole material really matter?

    stainless is slippy, yes...but you most certainly can overcome it.

    when i first started on stainless i had a hard time also. but now i have no problem with hold the grip.

    it's definatly grip strength and upper body.

    the more you practice, the stronger you'll get.

    you can also get some grip aids, but i feel like that's cheating, lol

    some people though are just more slippery than others. i have my students also spray their hands with the rubbing alcohol and wiping it off with a towel after wiping down their poles.

    make sure that your towel is not washed with fabric softener (including using dryer sheets). it puts a film on it that rubs off on the pole and you making it even more slick.

    if you've been using fabric softener/dryer sheets, you'll need to wash the towel in HOT water with some vinegar or borax, several times to get the chemicals that were left on there, off.

    just stick with it, it'll get easier!





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    Default Re: Does pole material really matter?

    She's right, grip strength improves with time. Have you noticed a major improvement when using brass, after trying so hard with the stainless steel? You will...
    You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.
    Friedrich Nietzsche

    Free your mind, and your ass will follow.
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    Default Re: Does pole material really matter?

    I have a Lil Mynx stainless steel pole. They also sell finished poles that come in colors like pink and white. The website says those poles are better for climbing, whereas stainless steel is better for spinning. I don't see any point in practicing on a pole made for climing though, if you don't also have that type of pole at the club. I am sure it has evertyhing to do with upper body strength. Plenty of people climb straight to the top of the same pole I slide down and hit my ass on.

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    Veteran Member Alia_of_the_Knife's Avatar
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    Default Re: Does pole material really matter?

    So would you guys recommend having a stainless steel pole to practice on instead of brass because going to steel to brass should be a piece of cake as supposed to the other way around? (Sorry if it sounds like a dumb question.)

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    Default Re: Does pole material really matter?

    I would have to say practice on the stainless steel... the majority of clubs I know have the stainless... and I dance all the way from Guam to LA to Vegas. Brass is a cinch-- if you try to do something in terms of grip strength and you are adjusting from brass to stainless.. well, I've seen girls fall on their heads. SO please... practice with the most difficult material and consider it a blessing when a club has the brass, lol. It's oh so rare.

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    Default Re: Does pole material really matter?

    Thankyou for all the advice. I have only ever danced on stainless steel before (at home and at the clubs) so it's nice to know i will be prepared for whatever pole future clubs have.
    I feel like i have made a huge improvement even over the weekend. I noticed my abs were sore after practising on Saturday. And on sunday i noticed i was engaging them more in my moves (probably only noticed because they were still sore) and i was staying airborne for longer as a result.
    I tried a few "leg free" moves (e.g only having hands in contact with the pole) and can do two new tricks:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8CiN13d_Kc
    and what this woman calls the tinkerbell http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPmkfUzRSHA
    I do it with the same hand position as her, rather than one hand at waist and one above.

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    Default Re: Does pole material really matter?

    Quote Originally Posted by Alia_of_the_Knife View Post
    So would you guys recommend having a stainless steel pole to practice on instead of brass because going to steel to brass should be a piece of cake as supposed to the other way around? (Sorry if it sounds like a dumb question.)
    Exactly! Not a dumb question, either--the first time I tried a trick on a stainless steel pole I slid down and hit my head, like Rachel says--now THAT was dumb, lol...
    You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.
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    Default Re: Does pole material really matter?

    There is another thing you can do if you are having a problem with slipping. There is a product used by golfers called "dry hands," which they use to increase there grip when it is raining. You can get it at any golfing store. It's kind of like a lotion that you apply to your hands, and when it dries, it feels like you have nothing on. Really helps with a slippery pole! Also, make sure you have no other lotions on your body. And of course, upper body strength always helps. Pull ups will help you a lot. If you can't quite do a pull up yet, a good way to learn is: first get yourself in a "chin hang" (which is basically you in the finished pull up position), then, as slow as you can, lower yourself. It's pretty much doing a pull up backwards at a very slow rate. Do this under and over hand (over hand works your back, and under works your abs). You'll be able to do pull ups in no time.

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    Default Re: Does pole material really matter?

    damn, i can not do pole tricks, can not tell the difference

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