Pole Exercise

Improve Your Pole Grip and Stop the Slip

Lucy — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 01:56:52 +0000

So you’ve made a resolution to get fit and have fun learning to pole dance this year. Perhaps you even got a new pole for Christmas.

You’ve watched the videos on YouTube, drinking in the graceful spins and inverts. Now it’s your turn.

But something’s not quite right. Have you started a spin and ended up on the floor half way round? Do your hands slip down the pole when you’re actually trying to lift yourself up?

You’re not alone

A lot of people have problems slipping instead of gripping when they first start pole dancing. And though it’s less common, some people have the opposite problem – they just stick too much.

Unfortunately it’s not something that will ever go away completely, but it will lessen dramatically as your pole dancing improves.

Here are some of the most common things to look out for, along with links to articles that go into extra detail if you’d like to read a bit more.

Too little grip

Sweaty hands are one of the most common culprits, and almost everyone has problems with this at some point. I’ve talked about ways to combat sweaty hands before, but perhaps the most important thing you can do is just relax – pace yourself and don’t try to do it all at once.

Work those hands! Many pole dance moves need a lot of hand strength to pull off successfully – much more so than other sports – and you may need time to build up strength in your arms.

You’re in good company here too, but most people find it comes surprisingly quickly once they start practicing regularly – while you’re having fun on your pole, you’re also giving yourself a great workout and toning your body!

Too much grip

It’s less common, but you may just seem to stick to the pole too much. Gripping too hard can cause you to ‘bunny hop’ while spinning round the pole (imagine bad clutch control on a manual car). Not perhaps the most graceful of movements!

Make a conscious effort to loosen your grip a little in easier moves, and try launching into spins a bit more enthusiastically, so you get a better feel for the limits of adhesion on the pole.

Just like too little grip, it’s a problem that will naturally go away as you gain confidence in your pole work.

Tips for consistent grip

Clean your pole regularly. Before, during and after use. Just wiping it down with a damp cloth is pretty effective, though using a cleaning product can give even better results if your pole manufacturer allows it. I personally find acetone (nail polish remover) is really effective. More about cleaning your pole →
Clean yourself regularly too! If you start to get a bit sweaty, dry your hands and legs off so you don’t end up smearing it all over the pole. And while it’s not good to make a habit of it, a quick dab of acetone on the hands and inner thighs will give an immediate dryness to the skin to help get you through those crucial moments. More products to help you grip the pole →
Use a towel to clean the pole. It may seem obvious, but the thicker fabric and texture of a towel is much more effective at removing any grime or sticky residue on your pole.
Think about what you’re wearing. Your clothes can make a huge difference to your pole dancing. Wearing a pair of pole shoes or boots can seriously effect on your pole prowess too.

Pole moves to help you stick

Hang tough – Simple, but effective. The hang tough really develops your grip, building strength in your hands. I’ve often started classes by getting everyone to hold a hang tough for as long as they can!
Fang – The fang focuses on building grip in your thighs, again allowing your strength (and perhaps pain threshold!) to develop.

Pole moves to help you slip

Spins – Concentrate on a variety of spins. Kick off with as much momentum as you can and try to make your spins as consistent and smooth as possible.
Floater transition – As it’s a one handed move, the floater transition should take advantage of your extra sticking power and help you start gliding round the pole. Hopefully it will give you a feel for the overall level of grip needed to spin effectively too.

I hope these suggestions are useful and help you overcome any grip problems you have. If you have any other questions, or you feel I haven’t explained something fully, feel free to comment below and I’ll do my best to help.

Please be careful if you do find yourself slipping or losing control momentarily during some spins or inverts – it could potentially become quite dangerous. Build up your strength and hone your technique with moves your feel comfortable with first.

You’ll be amazed how much easier those apparently difficult poses become once you’ve nailed the basics!

I wrote this post because some of you got in touch and asked me about grip problems. If there’s anything else you’d like us to talk about, please post a comment below or send a message.

Free Pole Exercise DVDs

Andrew — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 20:55:32 +0000

Free stuff!

To celebrate the launch of our new site and to help kick start your workout for the New Year, we’re offering you the chance to win one of 5 Pole Exercise DVDs.

All you have to do is subscribe to our mailing list by 1 February and we’ll put you in the draw to have a DVD delivered to you, absolutely free, anywhere in the world.

If you’ve already signed up (if you received this by email), you’re already in the draw. We wanted to do this to attract new readers of course, but also to say thanks to everyone who has subscribed so far.

What will happen

We’ll send you an email whenever we post a new article on the site, so you can read all about it from the comfort of your inbox.

What won’t happen

We won’t send you spam. We won’t give your details to anyone else so they can send you spam. We just don’t like that sort of thing.

That’s pretty much it. Though as this is a competition, there will inevitably be…

Some rules

We’ll select 5 people at random from the subscribers (must be activated) to our list on 1 February 2008. Our decision will be final.
You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the link at the bottom of the email, or by contacting us. Though obviously if you’re not on the list on 1 Feb, you’re not going to win.
If you’ve already subscribed, you’re already in the draw. Thanks!
There is no cash (or any other) alternative. If you win and really don’t want a DVD then please let us know so we can give it to someone else.
If you’ve subscribed by RSS then I’m really sorry, but we don’t know who you are. If you can think of a way in which we can include you in the prize giving too please let me know.

Subscribe to Pole Exercise →

Update: Please don’t subscribe more than once. We’re doing this because we want to get some more exposure for Pole Exercise and pole dancing in general. We’re not asking for much in exchange for the chance to win a DVD. Duplicate entries will be excluded from the draw. Thanks.

Update 2: Winners have been chosen and emailed. I’ll publish more info when we hear back from the lucky 5. You are, of course, still welcome to subscribe. :)

Shiny New Site Design

Andrew — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 20:45:34 +0000

I’ve actually been working on the Pole Exercise redesign for a while, but I’ve only recently had the chance to devote some serious hours to finishing it off. It went live this morning and is now online for your viewing pleasure.

If you’re reading this by email or RSS, please click through and take a look. (Also check out the new gallery while you’re here.)

The basic site structure is almost the same, but I think the new look is a lot fresher and glossier, drawing on the Apple ‘high gloss’ look as well as sprucing up the colours a bit. And while I know there are nicer sites out there, I’m still quite pleased with how it turned out.

If you have any thoughts / likes / dislikes, or if something doesn’t seem to be working properly, please post a comment below. I’d love to know what you think.

Looks the just like it used to or really jumbled up? Try hitting refresh in your browser to get the new pictures.

Mallakhamb – 12th Century Pole Dancing

Lucy — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:35:28 +0000

It’s pole dancing, but not as we know it. Many of the moves look uncannily familiar, but mallakhamb is actually an ancient form of exercise from India dating back over 800 years.

I found this incredible video via one of the lovely people on the Body and Pole forum. Take a look:

His energy – and the speed at which he blasts through the moves – is astonishing.

After (literally!) somersaulting onto the pole and climbing, watch his controlled übervert (0.25). Impressively, he starts this by kicking off from the pole, not the ground.
A little later he gets into the knees variation without holding his foot (0.28) – much more difficult as you need a great deal of core strength to hold your body in place with just your legs.
There’s a really unusual double knee hold (1.08), followed by a novel take on the recliner (1.13) that he performs on the side of the pole.
He does a standard gemini (1.18) and then moves into a really interesting crescent moon grip invert (1.25) that I’m going to attempt myself once I’ve finished writing this!
And it’s not a pole move, but his twisting and contorting around the pole (1.30 onwards) is mesmerising to watch.

Wrestling roots

The origins of mallakhamb can be traced back to the 12th century (possibly disputed), though the art lay largely dormant until it was revived in the first half of the 19th century.

Mallakhamb traditionally forms part of a wrestler’s training regime. In fact modern interest in the sport is said to stem from a young challenger who studied mallakhamb before soundly thrashing two famous opponents in a wrestling bout. Today, 14 states in India compete in national mallakhamb championships.

One for the boys

Perhaps surprisingly from a Western pole dancing perspective, mallakhamb is predominantly a male sport. And boys start early too – to perform competitively, the recommended starting age for training is 8 to 10 years old, while those not interested in winning trophies can wait another couple of years before jumping on the pole.

The mallakhamb pole

Though they’re used in similar ways, a mallakhamb pole is quite different from the pole dancing poles we’re all used to.

Standing 225cm (7' 6") high, the main section tapers from 175mm (7") at the bottom to 95mm (4") at the top, with a narrower 20cm high neck above that. The knob at the top (which the boy in the video stands on) is just 13cm (5") across.

The pole is usually made of teak, chosen because of its toughness and smoothness. Before starting exercise training, both the pole and performer’s body are smeared with castor oil to reduce the friction and harshness of the wood. (Apparently it provides a great massage too!)

Other types of mallakhamb

There are actually two other mallakhamb disciplines as well fixed (or pole) mallakhamb.

In hanging mallakhamb, a smaller version of the pole is suspended in the air by ropes. Used for balance training, the swinging and rotating instability of the pole makes the exercise even more challenging.
Rope mallakhamb uses a rope instead of the pole, and is very similar to cordalisse. I’ve trained in cordalisse myself, and can vouch for the difficulty of knotting the rope around your body while getting into yoga or gymnastic positions several metres off the ground! Rope is the only form of mallakhamb in which girls take part – here’s a video of the 2007 championship.

Mallakhamb shmallakhamb…

Maybe it all seems a bit easy for you? Want more of a challenge? Well, you could try these:

Hatyari mallakhamb – performed with just the arms
Palita mallakhamb – mallakhamb with a torch
Candle mallakhamb – on the pole holding candles in the hands or on the head
Blind mallakhamb – yes, with the eyes closed!

PoleLove Pole Dancing Calendar

Andrew — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:08:03 +0000

Looking for something different this Christmas? Want to bring a little bit of pole into your life every day for 2008?

The PoleLove pole dancing calendar may be just the thing, with a whole year’s worth of pole poses from 30 dancers to brighten up your wall.

For a good cause

Kat from PoleLove came up with the idea after a friend was suddenly diagnosed with cancer. Inspired by her strength and bravery, she wanted to do something to help others who find themselves in the same situation. (All proceeds from the calendar go to support cancer research.)

Kat says it’s also a chance for her to express what pole dancing means to her, to show off pole as the beautiful, acrobatic art form we believe in at Pole Exercise.

Making the calendar

Turning her idea into reality over the next four months was a long – and sometimes stressful – process though: finding a venue, booking photographers, co-ordinating designers and printers, and of course getting a diverse group of pole dancers from all over the UK to turn up on the day of the shoot.

But she says the overwhelming enthusiasm of everyone involved definitely made it worth the effort – in the end, 30 pole dancers (including Lucy) took part – and is already making plans for next year!

Kat has raised £1500 for cancer research through sales so far. Calendars are £14 and all of that (except PayPal fees) goes to Cancer Research UK as production costs have been covered by sponsorship and donations.

Get your copy here →

All of the pictures in this post are taken from the calendar (click to enlarge).

Breasts and Pole Dancing

Lucy — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 16:29:03 +0000

Breasts and pole dancing? Isn’t this site supposed to be about exercise and fitness?

Over the past few months, I’ve received quite a few questions from women worried about whether large breasts are a problem for pole dancing.

The short answer is no. Whatever your body – and breast – size, you can get a lot out of pole dancing.

But you may need to be a bit more careful in some circumstances. Libby, instructor on the Pole Exercise DVD and 34FF, is all too familiar with these issues, and she draws on her experience to cover the most important points here. Although principally aimed at the more amply-endowed lady, her tips will hopefully help everyone get the most out of their pole dancing experience!

Bigger boobs

These days, most doctors believe that breast is best. A lot of men would agree. And it seems that, when it comes to making you and your new top curve in all the right places, bigger can be even better.

But, let’s face it ladies, big breasts and exercise have never mixed particularly well. Remember the aerobics class where you faithfully followed the instructor, but your boobs bounced along to a completely different beat? Or the hours spent searching for a sports top that holds you well enough to make a real difference? Or perhaps even missing the ball in tennis because of an obstruction across the arm – now there’s an excuse you don’t hear at Wimbledon!

Unfortunately pole dancing is no different: the big breasted amongst us just have to work a little harder sometimes. But there are some serious practical (and of course aesthetic!) advantages to a generous cleavage too, and I’ll be covering both the plusses and minuses here next.

Looking after your back

The back is an incredibly complex structure of bones, nerves and muscles. It needs to be strong, bend in any direction and – ever since we evolved to walk on two legs – must cope with the additional stresses of supporting the head and upper body too. Perhaps it’s not surprising that back pain is so common!

Human females are unique amongst primates in having permanently enlarged breasts. Relative to body size, they are also much larger than any other mammal’s. And while the purpose of this is still unclear, it certainly wasn’t done for the benefit of your back.

Breast tissue is about as dense as water, so if you are well endowed you could easily be carrying a few kilos more than your smaller-breasted friends. This extra weight on your front puts extra strain on your back, and the sudden weight shifts as you run through a series of gravity-defying spins and holds can certainly exacerbate the problem.

Build your core strength

As you become better at pole dancing and your strength increases, it’s important to focus on building up your core muscles, particularly in your lower back. A great way to do this is through some simple Pilates or yoga exercises. A basic workout only takes a few minutes and, if done a few times a week, will really help with your pole – and general – fitness. Have a look at one of these sites for a quick introduction.

BrittneyBush]" rel="lightbox" >Pole dancing itself can be good for your posture. When I first started pole, I noticed a significant change in my stance: I developed the confidence to hold my shoulders back, which lifted my chest. I believe this is good for my health and (I imagine) good for my figure too compared to the slightly hunched posture I adopted before!

Many pole dancing moves strengthen the chest and upper body, which can have the nice side effect of lifting droopy boobs. And of course generally getting fit through pole can help you lose weight and tone your bust.

Bruised Boobs

Lucy’s talked about bruising and pole dancing before. Breasts, of course, are not immune and can bruise quite easily as they are made of softer, more delicate tissue.

I’m sure I don’t need to say it, but look after your boobs! If you find certain moves hurt, take a break and try something else for a while. If you’ve pushed things a little too far, don’t forget to rub some arnica cream into the sore areas. I find the flagpole can be uncomfortable if I accidentally pinch a bit of skin between the pole and my arm, so I’m always extra careful when launching into that one.

Problem pole moves

When it comes to breasts and certain pole moves, you certainly can have too much of a good thing! The icon splits and the knees variation are a couple of holds that can be disrupted by an ample bosom.

If your breasts do seem to be stopping you from nailing a move, try breathing out sharply as you jump into it. As you exhale your lungs will deflate and cause your breasts to lower on your chest, which may just give you the extra space that makes all the difference.

However, there are pole plusses to big boobs too! Having a larger surface area at the front can really help with certain moves – as your boobs stick out further in front than other girls’, you can’t help but have more contact with the pole. Poses such as the armpit and flagpole (and sometimes even climbing) can be a lot easier because you naturally grip the pole more securely between your inner arm and chest.

Hello boys…

Sometimes it seems that larger breasts seize on even the slightest provocation to make a determined bid for freedom. And though you won’t be running and bouncing around as much as in an aerobics class, the combination of gravity and pole dancing means it’s still important to keep your chest well supported and held in.

Consider wearing a sports bra to keep things in check, and a top with a high neckline is usually a safer option better than a sexy plunging one. (Though feel free to disregard this advice if you’re performing for someone in particular!) A couple of good sports bra suppliers are Figleaves and Bravissimo. (We’ll be talking more about bras and pole dancing soon.)

The last word

Many sports dictate a certain body shape: long distance runners must be lean and lightweight, swimmers need huge upper body strength, shot-putters must be strong and heavy.

Pole dancing is different. Anyone can do it. Any size, any shape, either sex can excel – all you need is an open mind and the determination to keep going. Whether you’re an A cup or a J cup, pole dancing is there for you. Give it a go!

We have another post on bras and pole dancing lined up – stay tuned or subscribe to Pole Exercise to get all the latest pole news and views delivered to you.

Pole Dancing on Living with Kimberly Stewart

Andrew — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:21:28 +0000

This week’s instalment of Living with Kimberly Stewart is all about pole dancing!

Lucy and her fellow flatmates are set the task of performing a one minute dance routine for Kimberly and Peter Stringfellow at his club in Central London. AJ from Pineapple Dance Studios is one of the teachers brought in to help the flatmates, and Lucy does her best to help everyone out too.

It was a total surprise to get the assignment, although Kimberly did ask me about pole dancing during the audition process. I was actually very nervous about the performance itself!

Because of the nature of the task – and dancing in front of Peter – I did want to spice it up a bit, but I also wanted to get in some impressive moves for the world to see. I’ve no idea how it will have been edited though – fingers crossed they show more than my wiggling bottom!

Tune in this Wednesday on Living TV at 22:00, or catch the repeat next Monday.

Living with Kimberly Stewart

Lucy — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 21:44:35 +0000

Starts: 17 October at 22:00 on Living TV

It girl Kimberly Stewart (daughter of Rod Stewart) is looking for two perfect flatmates to share her swanky new London pad while she launches her career in the UK.

The show follows Kimberly Stewart as she jet sets from LA to London, offering a tantalising glimpse into her life. The potential flatmates must perform a variety of tasks, from interior design to extreme sports.

Why are we talking about this? Well, if you tune into the show, you will probably see someone you recognise going into the house and take on some incredible challenges in a bid to become one of the final two! Filmed by Endemol, who brought you Big Brother and Britain’s Next Top Model, this new reality show is set to be TV hit of the year!

More about the show from Wikipedia:

Living’s head of commissioning, Clare Hollywood, said: “Stewart is seriously hot property at the moment and we’re excited to have exclusive access to such a key period in her life as she spends more time in Britain. Being Kimberly’s flat mate is not just about sharing her home – it will really give the winners a ‘money can’t buy prize’ of living the A-list dream.”

Stewart said, “I am really excited about coming over to the UK to live in my own place this summer. It will make a change from living out of suitcases all the time. The show will be a great way for me to find the perfect roommates to live with. I’ve never had a roommate, other than my family members, so I am a little bit nervous and excited.”

Learn to Pole Dance: The Seated Spinner

Lucy — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 01:49:15 +0000

A regular series showcasing moves from the Pole Exercise DVD.

Difficulty: Beginner

About the seated spinner

The seated spinner is a simple but beautiful spin that Libby (in the video clip) has always performed with style and poise. The spin helps to develop your arm strength, and works out your core muscles too as you move round the pole.

In detail

Begin to walk around the pole and, when you’re ready, place your dominant hand high on the pole and the other just below it.
Kick your non-dominant leg out and round to swing into the move.
As your leg returns, hook your ankle around the pole. Make sure you keep the back of your ankle against the pole for the duration of the move.
Point the foot of your free leg away from the pole. Both of your knees should be bent at 90°. Hold your body in this position until you touch the ground.

In action

[See post to watch Flash video]

Top tips

Make sure you lift your feet up as you spin round – this works your abs more and looks so much nicer too! Your legs should approach the horizontal once you’ve got into the move.
Swing, rather than jump, into the pose.
As your strength improves, try lowering your non-dominant hand down the pole during the spin as Libby does in the video. This will help you control the pose better and keep your ankle locked against the pole. You can even perform this move with just one hand!

Find this move and 65 others on the Pole Exercise DVD.

Disclaimer →

How to Keep Your Pole Clean

Lucy — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 13:22:51 +0000

Is your pole dirty and slippery? Struggling to remove those stubborn stains? Fear not – we have the answers right here! Keep your pole looking shinier than shiny with

The Pole Exercise Modern Girl’s Guide to Cleaning Your Dance Pole

Why your pole needs cleaning

The short answer is it’s because of you – we shed and regrow our outer skin cells every 27 days, and some of this skin will inevitably end up coating your pole. You’ll also transfer a share of the grease and grime you’ve picked up during the day, along with creams, moisturisers and other beauty products. All of this combines to form a dirty and slippery residue on your pole.

How often should you clean your pole?

This depends heavily on how intensively you’re using it, but usually I’d suggest cleaning the pole once before you start, again mid-workout, and finally giving it a good wipe down at the end of your session. In my school I typically wipe down the poles every 20 minutes, but quite a few students carry their own towels too if they are working on challenging new moves.

Stop your pole getting mucky

There are a few things you can do to help keep your pole cleaner for longer, though most of the answers aren’t quick fixes unfortunately.

Practice makes perfect – If you’re just starting to pole dance you will probably leave quite a bit more residue behind because of over-gripping the pole. This is a perfectly normal response, and as you become more comfortable and confident with your pole dancing your grip will naturally loosen.
Don’t sweat it – Sweating can make the pole mucky and slippery more quickly, as the day’s grease and grime released by your pores sticks to the pole. And if you get sweaty hands at the same time this will just compound the problem. There’s no perfect answer, but the best advice is often to take a short break before coming back relaxed and ready to nail that move!
Grip products – Some pole grip aids work by coating your hands with sticky wax layer. If you find this rubs off excessively on your pole, try exercising without or experiment with one of the other products available.
You can leave your boots on – Less skin contact usually means less dirt on your pole. Wearing a nice pair of boots will not only keep your pole cleaner for longer, but also give you some useful extra grip too.

Keeping your pole clean

work the angels]" rel="lightbox" >For a quick clean, just grab an old tea towel, towel or even t-shirt and rub the pole down. Anything made of cotton or a synthetic mix usually works well, though try to avoid fabric that’s too fluffy as this often leaves a residue of its own on the pole.

Quite a few people use special polishing cloths give their poles that special showroom shine. Personally I’ve always felt that this buffing time could be better spent spinning round my pole, but if you do decide to get one make sure it’s not impregnated with wax or polish.

Cleaning products for your pole

After an intensive pole dancing session, you may find that your pole needs a little more attention to restore it to its former shiny, grippy self. There are a number of cleaning products that can help, though do make sure they won’t damage your pole first. I’ve used most of these without any problems on my poles, but Vertical Leisure, for instance, advise against using acetone on their X-Poles.

Water – Water is always a safe option, and usually pretty effective too. Dampen part of a cloth and wipe firmly down and around the pole. Dry the pole off again and you’re good to go!
Acetone – When my poles are in high demand during busy classes I often use acetone (nail polish remover) to help clean the poles. Because it’s a solvent, acetone is usually a lot more effective than water for cleaning a greasy pole.
(It’s also great for removing grease and creams from the body – I normally use a small amount to dry my hands at the start of a session, and some of my students have even used it to clean moisturiser off their inner thighs!)
As with water, apply a small amount to a cloth and rub your pole down. Make sure you give the pole a quick wipe to remove any excess acetone before jumping back on again.
Alcohol – You can use alcohol on your pole in exactly the same way as acetone, though some people prefer it as it evaporates more quickly. Of course if your pole manufacturer recommends you don’t use acetone this may simplify your choice…
Baby Wipes – Quick, clean and supplied in handy packs, baby wipes are great for getting grime off your pole. Baby wipes contain alcohol, which is what actually does the hard work of cleaning your pole. Do check they don’t contain moisturiser, or you’ll end up with a much more slippery pole than when you started!
Glass cleaner – Some of my students swear by this to clean their poles. I’ve never used it myself though – do leave a comment if you have to let me know how you got on.

Do you know of any other good products to clean a pole? If so please add a comment below and let us know what you use – we’d love to hear from you!

Fun links

How to be a Good Wife – From a home economics high school text book (1954) and the inspiration for the beginning of this post. (Possibly fake)
Skin Self-Study Module – Did you know that beards are the fastest growing hairs on the human body? Some facts about skin from the Canadian Association of Wound Care.