Grip aid recipes

mikkixx started this discussion · 8/3/2011

Hi :) I did a quick search and couldn't find a thread like this, I thought it would be nice to have a place where those of us who need/use grip aids can share combinations that work or didn't work to perhaps give others ideas about what to try. For me: Pole: Brass 38 mm Hand type: Calloused but super sweaty in heat, when even slightly nervous... :( Hand grip combo: Tite Grip 1/2 hr before, VO5 pump hairspray on top, top-ups with chalk or hairspray throughout. Itac lvl 2 or resin as well on really slippery days... I used to just use chalk dissolved in ethanol with hairspray on top, but about 1/2 hr into the session I'd be slipping uncontrollably again. Notes: I kind of get a chalky residue from the Tite Grip during the session which makes me feel powder-slippery. Resin on its own doesn't work well for me, but with hairspray on top it's pretty good. I still don't feel like I've solved the sweating issue... I haven't tried Dry Hands yet. Leg type: Generally grippy but I've developed dry spots on the shin (pole climb) and inside of thighs (CKR/CAR) that slip like crazy. Leg grip combo: On hot days I can get away with nothing! Usually though, Gillette Satin Care Wild Berry shaving cream, add resin and hairspray on top of that on bad days, and Itac lvl 2 on top of that on horror days or with new, scary-looking moves. Notes: I generally don't have problems with my leg grip aids, except I sometimes miss spots (back inner thighs during CAR, especially!) and I slide down the pole immediately. This combo seems to work pretty well for most people I know. What do you use?

17 replies

Charley · 8/3/2011
Awesome Idea!!!!! Hands: Tite Grip and hour, 30 minutes, 15 minutes and then right before...Grrrip for additional drying out and extra grip. Legs Pole Physics the night before, right before
Dancing Paws · 8/3/2011
Girl, you and I are hand twins!!! Sweaty and calluses.
Juicy J · 8/3/2011
Mikkix, you don't happen to go to Bobbi's Pole Studio in Sydney, do you?! I also use a 38mm brass and I go there. =) What level are you in? Maybe we will bump into eachother?!
mikkixx · 8/4/2011
Charley - Do you ever have issues with your hands feeling 'gritty' after Tite Grip? Joyful - Haha, yep! Pretty much everyone who poles in Sydney goes there, hey... :) I'm in Prep and Adv, just moved up this term. I'll hit up your wall :)
nilla · 8/4/2011
During the summer I tend to have good grip. It's hot and dry here but once I'm warmed up my skin is dewy enough to grip. In the winter I have problems with dry skin on my legs not gripping but I found that if I break open a vitamin E capsule and squeeze a tiny amount onto my shins, feet, and thighs I get pretty good grip. Vitamin E is an oil but it's a thick sticky oil so somehow it works. It DOES NOTwork well for hands though. At least not for me.
pegasusaerialfitness · 8/5/2011
I use Pole Physics at night on legs and right before. Dry hands on Hands and grap pole and rub my hands on pole to put the product on it so that the dry hands "drys" on the pole. My other trainer loves tite grip. She has very sweaty hands. I just have very dry skin, especially on my legs. Sometimes might-grip if extra sweaty. Itac seems to turn into a slippery mess on me after a few minutes. I also sometimes clean the pole with vinegar and water. Learned that on this web-site.
pegasusaerialfitness · 8/5/2011
PS Stainless at one facility and Lilminx stainless and some coated at my other facility. I've noticed that I can get blisters from the coated if the pole gets too hot.
Shantispinner · 9/10/2011
Thank you! Thank you! THANK YOU!!! I've been fighting sweat for so long and can't find anything that works alone. When I ask my teachers they say I'll stop sweating with practice....its a craptastic brush off. I've always been sweaty, and don't expect practice to change my body chem. I am going to try a few of these combos, and I'll post back soon. :)
sexygyrl · 9/11/2011
I have dry (lacks moisture)skin, but I sweat A LOT!!! I have found Dry Hands and Liquid Grip aren't dry enough. I have tried them both single and have to reapply during a 1 hour session. TiteGrip is my Holy Grail for thighs, hands, and yes even FEET! (I usually pole barefoot in the studio) I only TG my thighs if it's really hot and my thighs are sweaty. It works pretty well even after the fact and I am able to jump back on the pole. I have tried Mighty Grip and the Mighty Grip Extra Tack. I like the extra tack on top of TiteGrip but now MG is having a hard time producing this new formula. My instructor has recommended Suave Advanced Therapy lotion 30 before pole, she said it made her tacky. I plan to try it out Monday, so I will update this then. I also have Grrrip, and like it on top of TiteGrip when I'm REALLY sweaty, but haven't tried it alone yet. For now, it has taken the place of MGXT since I can't get anymore. @Shantispinner, TiteGrip sells samples for a very reasonable price. It's $3, so if you try it and don't like it...no big loss there. If you are sweaty with no other issues like I have, I think it may do the trick. In the studio, "my pole" is the one right by the a/c because I sweat so bad, my sports bra and shorts get wet.
emotioncatcher · 9/11/2011
i have only problems with sweaty hands. when i practice i don´t use grip aids, because it doesn´t matter when i have to wipe down the pole or my hands, but when i want to do a freestyle i use tite grip directly before and it works really well. i would love to try grrrip. does anyone know a shop who ships cheap to germany (maybe from the uk)?
polergirl · 9/11/2011
Corn Huskers lotion is fabulous if you need to moisturize. It's oil-free, glycerin-based--so it actually can have the effect of making a person a bit tacky (at least it does me). I put it on a fair bit before I do any pole work and it's great. I love it. Available on the cheap at most pharmacies (American, anyway... not sure if it is offered elsewhere?).
poledanceromance · 9/11/2011
I don't often apply grip to the pole itself, just my sweaty pig hands and body. But for the purposes of applying directly to the pole, I highly reccomend grrrip because you can get it in a spray bottle. Spray directly on pole, let dry, perfect coverage. For my ultra sweaty hands, I've used mighty grip (hate it) grrrip (love it) and dry hands (love it). For hands AND body, I've used both light and medium . The medium seems to work for me. Haven't tried the full. I wound up with the because polefitmom hated it...but it seems to work for me in certain applications. As with all grip aids, it seems nothing works 100% of the time. They're as conditional as my grip itself. Sometimes, I just get too sweaty and have to stop.
sexygyrl · 9/12/2011
Corn Huskers lotion flakes on my skin like dandruff
Cocoa0 · 9/12/2011
I use aloe Vera gel as a moisturizer. You can put it on immediately before you pole and it's not slippy. Mine is 98% aloe, don't get one that has alot of other crap in it it will just make you greasy. As for grip I strongly recommend trying tite grip with iTac on top. The Tite grip keeps the iTac from "melting" when you get really sweaty and if you are dry (like me) it gives the iTac some texture so you don't end up with the grippy slippy plasticy type thing that seems to happen with iTac on dry skin. (if that makes any sense) I also heard that mighty grip is coming out with a grip designed for dry (Canadian and Russian) climates, I'll be the first in line to try that one.
Modelesque · 9/13/2011
Is there anywhere in Ontario you can just walk in and buy Tite Grip? I tried it for the first time the other day and just about died of happiness (no more sweaty hands!) but I don't feel like getting something that costs less than 10$ shipped out :/
Cocoa0 · 9/13/2011
@Modelesque polejunkies.com out of Calgary has it and when I ordered from them they didn't charge for shipping.
Modelesque · 9/13/2011
Thanks!