My Gripe About Grip

Fact: The human body has millions of sweat glands, and more than half of them are located in the hands. When the body becomes agitated – through physical activity, extreme temperatures, or stress – the sweat glands release sweat to help cool the body back down to its optimal temperature range.

General Observation: Women new to pole often confuse the combination of adrenaline (which results in sweaty palms) and lack of pole-specific strength with the obsessive need for grip aid to stay on the pole.

Time and time again in studios all over the country, I’ve seen well-intentioned instructors supply a brand new student with every grip aid possible. In my humble experience, unless the student has the medical condition, hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, it’s not that she lacks grip in her hands, it is usually that she lacks strength in her hands. For example, I was helping out another instructor who was teaching beginners and one student kept complaining about her sweaty hands. The Wonderful Teacher gave her a grip aid. New Student tried the one spin that they had previously been taught, and declared flatly: “It doesn’t work.” When I asked New Student to wash her hands, I took the opportunity to clean her pole. I was shocked by the extreme sticky-ness.  I wrapped my hands in a baseball grip (with the towel between my hands and the pole) and easily pulled myself into a pole pull-up from a dead-hang. New Student returned from the bathroom and happily finished her class, but I’m sure she now firmly believes that she will need “professional strength” grip aid in order to pole dance.

Unproven General Fact: If you were to continue to practice pole dancing with regularity, you will get stronger in your body and in your hands, your palms will get dryer, you will sweat less and therefore, your natural grip will improve.

DollHouse Pole Studio carries two kind of grip aid at the moment: Dry Hands and Grrrip. Dry Hands is a liquid that dries to a faint white, slightly chalky substance. The website makes the claim: “So effective, it actually repels water.” The Grrrip spray is advertised as a “Dry non-sticky and non-tacky grip and hold enhancer.” Both are available for use in class, as are Wet Ones wipes, spray bottles of water and alcohol, and microfiber towels.

When necessary, I will direct Level 1 students to use the Grrrip spray on their hands if the normal cleaning, then drying with a microfiber towel does not suffice. Grrrip is probably the most mild commercial grip aid that I’ve encountered. While it keeps your hands “dry”, it still allows you to practice spins. Some overzealous students will reach for the strongest grip aid and then tear the skin off their palms during spins. I usually will go no further to intervene. (Ah, but there was the time I bought Football Receiver gloves for a student who professed to being “super sweaty”. I also bought for her liquid hair spray and shaving gel just in case the gloves didn’t work…) A little FYI for those who think I sound like a Dragon Teacher: once you progress to learning aerial holds and moves, then I’m all for grip aids!

So here are a few tips that might help enhance your experience in pole class:

1) Wash your hands before class:

New students, no matter how clearly it is stated in our website, will inevitably come to class with lotion on their bodies and therefore on their palms. I understand the aridness of the climate—I used to live in Santa Fe, NM and Las Vegas, NV before moving here—but please, please, please, wash your hands and rinse thoroughly before even touching a pole. Even though you can’t feel the lotion on your hands, the minute you start to perspire, it’ll be all over your pole. You will not be able to properly grip, you will be upset, and you will walk away erroneously thinking that pole dancing is “not for me”.

2) Clean your pole:

Hold a white hand towel open in your hand and spray the alcohol solution into it. Then wipe down your pole. There are two reasons why we ask students to do it this way. One, if you spray directly onto the pole, the mist gets all over the floor and if you’re wearing 6-inch heels, that is the last thing you need to be worrying about, and Two, the alcohol will also end up drying out your palms to some extent. If you’d rather not share towels, please help yourself to Wet Ones. When your pole is free of grit, wipe it dry with a microfiber towel. Mary Ellyn Weissman of Empowerment Through Exotic Dance recently introduced me to these little pieces of heaven. They miraculously add a touch of tackiness to chrome. I’m not sure how, but they work!

3) If you use grip aid, please read the directions:

I like Dry Hands. It’s my brand of choice. I’ve used many different grip aids and have always come back to Dry Hands. It’s not perfect—it will definitely wear off and you will have to reapply especially if gets very hot in the studio. How to use: a) shake the bottle, b) pour a nickel-sized drop into your palm, c) gently pat your hands together as if you were politely clapping to get the product on both palms, d) LEAVE IT ALONE FOR AT LEAST 20 SECONDS. Dry Hands needs to air dry or else it will not work. I’ve seen impatient students rub and rub and rub their hands together and then jump on the pole. Guess what? It’s no longer on your hands anymore—you’ve rubbed it away. If you need to reapply, go back to Tip #1 to get the best results.

Personally, I think there is good reason why grip is so challenging for new polers. They are not yet conditioned to the rigors of pole dancing and must move safely through that process. They must gradually build up muscles and work on dance vocabulary to get to the advanced tricks. Sweaty hands are nature’s way of telling us to slow down and be present before looking towards the future.

Does Size Really Matter?

The first time I held it in my hand, I was laughably inexperienced, but I remember thinking:”…eh, what’s the big deal?” I wasn’t terribly impressed considering all the hype. When I had it between my thighs, I was honestly frightened. It didn’t feel right or substantial. It actually felt…dangerous. I immediately jumped off. I was definitely not a fan of the 45mm pole.

In the United States, the commercial poles that are available are of 2 different diameters: 50mm and 45mm (apparently in Australia, the 38mm is popular, but it has yet to debut here).  The industry standard is 50mm, which means that in most clubs that feature exotic/erotic dancers, the poles measure 50mm in diameter.  Years ago, when the only girls who knew how to pole dance were industry dancers, it made sense that the poles that began to pop up for recreational use were the same as the ones in the clubs. As pole dancing began to creep into mainstream society and competitions were developing, it was simply accepted that if you wanted to compete, you had to do so on a 50mm pole.

When I started taking classes at Pole Fitness Studio (Fawnia Dietrich’s studio) in Las Vegas, NV, most of the brass poles were 50mm, but she had installed 2 that were 45mm (rumored to be for the use of Felix Cane). Petite women often prefer the smaller pole due to a better-proportioned grip. A lot of girls at the studio began gravitating towards them. Then they started praising the magical virtues of the 45mm. According to the talk, tricks were easier to learn on the 45. Being the stubborn traditionalist, I turned my back on the 45 and stuck loyally to the 50. It was my teacher’s suggestion, while I was flailing pathetically with a trick, to give the 45 a try. I would love to report that I nailed the trick…but I didn’t…and I hardened my heart against the skinny little pole.

Almost three years later, I found myself taking the best private lesson of my life…on a 45mm Xpert X-pole with Estee Zakar. I would say that most of it was the superior instruction from Estee, but that pole was definitely my friend that afternoon! Tricks that I’d never thought I’d ever get really did seem suddenly accessible. I actually felt stronger, strangely enough. Estee assured me that the 45 was going to become the pole used future competitions. I instantly thought of my friend, Laura, who asked for my opinion on the 45 vs. 50, and I emphatically stated that I would recommend the 50. Did I give her bad advice?

In all actuality, if you learn on a 50mm pole, it’s pretty easy-peesy to switch over to a 45mm. The same cannot be said for the reverse. I can see that the first time I tried the 45 in Vegas, my hand strength was not nearly as developed as it is now.  As a matter of fact, my over-all strength, stamina, and technique were at a much lower level than today. For me, I feel like I’ve finally graduated to using the 45. But I would not have gotten to this point without using the 50. While I’m grateful to all the 50s that I’ve encountered in my life, I’m at last ready to embrace the 45. Yes ladies, it's true...size does matter.

Indomitable Dolls

Friday nights are party nights and this Friday at DollHouse Pole Studio was no exception. The Organizer and seven friends were there to help Birthday Girl celebrate in style. For 75 minutes, these sexy ladies laughed, learned pole tricks, practiced a lap dance, and then free-styled to rocking 80’s tunes. The dress code for this portion of the evening was strictly feather boas and stilettos. At my suggestion, one Guest donned a pair of our “practice” shoes and delightedly whirled around the pole in 6-inch Lucite heels worthy of Pammy Anderson. Flashing digital cameras and cell phones captured moment after moment. The ladies whooped and whistled as Birthday Girl, who later revealed to us that she has a pole at home, broke into several daring spins, showing off her skill and strength.  The temperature rose and the feathers were flying.

Ms M and I were impressed by what we saw: these women had muscles clearly defined by Yoga and/or Pilates and/or circuit training and/or running. If Birthday Girl was any indication, then most of these crazy, confident women were in or around their late 30’s to their early 40’s. Unlike parties I’ve taught where the crowd was younger, these ladies seemed very secure with themselves and where they were in their lives. Most were moms balancing a career. The energy in the room was intoxicating and extremely powerful: everyone was there to support Birthday Girl and remind her how special she is to them.

As their party at DollHouse Pole Studio drew to an end, they changed into clothes suitable for the cocktails awaiting them at a chichi lounge in Boulder. DollHouse Pole Studio does not serve alcohol and these ladies had worked up quite a thirst. While waiting for Banjo Billy’s Party Bus (http://www.banjobilly.com/), Organizer confided in us that Birthday Girl had been going through a stressful time. She said that it was the first time in a long time that Birthday Girl was relaxed and happy.

I was suddenly reminded of the potency of friendship amongst women. Yes, there is that stereotype that females can be catty and stab one another in the back (i.e. any of the Real Housewives), but our girlfriends are our true lifelines who can often understand us when our spouses can’t. They will listen to us rant and rave, without offering a “solution” to our problems. We can discuss deeply personal issues as well as happily indulge in some mind-soothing retail therapy together.

We waved goodbye to the Party Bus and proceeded to sweep up the feathers and put our studio back in order. “Don’t you think that they’d be such a fun group to go out with?” Ms M asked. I smiled and nodded. I had been thinking the exact same thing.