help for this newbie?

misspiggy83 started this discussion · 7/25/2011

helo everyone... hoping to get some advice or reccomendations.. im from country town in oz with no studios nearby ( ive searched ) to enrol into lessons but im loving the idea of teaching myself at home with studioveena, im an absolute begginer! =] question is... ( and ive been reading so many forums ... there are so many different opinions i cant decide!! lol ) should i purchase a 45mm pole or 50mm pole? which is easier to learn on? ive been reading that chrome is good for begginers as well? im fairly tall 5'8 174cm.. and 63kg.. so fairly sturdy build i guess.. big hands... ahaha oh and i do have a bit of a gap between my thighs.... which usually gets bigger wen i lose a few kilos... which might happen when i start training.... thanks in advanced for any advice!!! =D xX

15 replies

Dancing Paws · 7/25/2011
If you have big hands, then you will probably like the 50 mm. I have small hands and learned on a 50 mm with no problem. The metal type comes in when you factor in whether you need the extra grip due to slick hands. I have a titanium pole, but I hear the plating eventually rubs off. Honestly, if you are starting off, my default is to say 50 mm stainless steel or chrome.
misspiggy83 · 7/26/2011
thanks a bunch... i realized after posting the thread that the question had been asked many times before already! oops ! =] 50mm chrome does sound like a good choice.. but ive read its easier to pick up moves on 45mm... i dont plan to do much poling outside the home .. so im not too concerned with competition standard size or that sort of thing... more for shaping up and keeping fit! and self empowerment if u wanna call it that!! =) so whatevers going to help me progress quicker i suppose is what im after... would you still reccomend the 50mm given its only for personal use?
TinyDancer04 · 7/26/2011
Honestly - I initially learned from home on a 50mm stainless steel and it was incredibly frustrating. I now have a 45mm brass and I wish I had it when I first started! Would have saved ALOT of frustration !! The smaller size is soo much better and the material is so much more grippy. 45mm brass!- my two cents :)
misspiggy83 · 7/26/2011
wow,,, i had a quick look ... brass 45mm delivered would cost me $700!! ahahah thats a huge investment for this complete novice.. lol im gonna have to think about that one... i might just get a chrome to start and upgrade if i get any good... but thanks for the reply really appreciate it.....=]
moonflower · 7/26/2011
Alesha, did your 45MM brass start out grippy form the get go? Mine x pert is very slippy on hands and legs and I can't do anything on it. Does it get grippier later?
Dancing Paws · 7/26/2011
I originally learned on a stainless steel too and now have a TG. Once they are both warm, they feel similr, but I think the stainless is better for spins, since it is less likely to tear up your hands and give you pole burn. It is harder to grip with your body though. You should probably just stick with the 50mm chrome. If you want to progress to tricks using your legs, and you are worried about the gab bewteen your legs being a fatr, the 50mm will definately help with that. If you don't want to cmpete, even better. If you can dance on a 50 mm chrome, you can dance on almost anything. I have found that even with a better "grip" with a pole, it doesn't help much for helping me stay on the pole for spins. I have super seaty hands, so whether the pole is grippy or slick, it doesn't matter, I will fly offf the pole if there is any moisture on my hands. I just have to be diligent about wiping my hands. So really, the titanium just tears up my hands on spins, where the stainless steel doesn't, but I can spin on the equally well. I can do the leg grips better on a TG, but only marginally, cuz like I said, once both poles are warm, they feel pretty much the same. Stainless stell and chrome just take longer to warm up and can cool off faster than titamium and brass.
Dancing Paws · 7/26/2011
I feel I should tell you that x pole has come out with the stainless steel and brass poles because their crome and titanium poles have nickle in them and people have had some reaction to those two poles, so if you if you have a nickle allergy, you might want to lean more toward a stainless or brass pole. There is no guarantee you will react, but it is possible. Kimara said that the chrome has more nickle than the titanium, but the titanium does rub off and it is chrome underneath so...yeah. Pole danzer makes stainless steel and brass 50mm, and lilmynx makes stainless steel and powder coated. I learned on a lilmynx btw. :D
Mary Ellyn · 7/26/2011
Chrome and stainless are my preferred recommendations for a new student. If you learn on brass or titanium you may become dependent on it. Yes it's definitely easier to grip brass or titanium but then it will be difficult to adjust to other poles at a studio, competition or workshop. Additionally as previously noted it can tear up not only your hands but other parts of your body when you start to stick to it too much. 50mm or 2 inch is usually best as most people can adapt their hand grip but need the added thickness for leg grip. Some stainless poles have nickel in them as well...some more and some less. I have no idea if the new ss poles from X-Pole are nickel free or just low content. Some stainless poles grip differently than others too which is also due to the nickel content as well as the process used to finish the pole.
Dancing Paws · 7/26/2011
I am one of the girls who had a really hard time on a stainless steel 50 mm, but I am glad that I learned on it cuz not I can go to different poles easily. There are a lot of people that would disagree and say to stay away from steel, but I really attest that if you learn on that pole and master it, you will be happy in the end. If you have sweaty hands, you will slip on any pole and grip aids won't do much for that. In the end, it is your judgment call.
nymphdancer · 7/26/2011
the key is if you can learn to master it. I've had one for 4 years. Unless it is very humid out or I literally slather myself with grip aid I can't do anything but a couple of very basic spins, a basic invert and maybe on a good day climb one or 2 scooches and pole sit for 2.3 seconds. I have done a layback on maybe once or twice. I hate the fact that I can't do much of anything on it to this day.
Dancing Paws · 7/26/2011
If it's humid, it prob is best to void a ss then.
nymphdancer · 7/26/2011
when its humid its the only time I can actually get a grip on my stainless.
Mary Ellyn · 7/26/2011
It really depends on the TYPE of ss pole. LM is notorious for lack of grip. PS multi-piece do not grip well but their one-piece seem to grip better though I haven't tried one myself. This it what I've been told. PoleDanzer ss is great...grips almost as well as my chrome and we have no problems with it in class.
TinyDancer04 · 7/27/2011
Moonflower- Ive only had it for a couple of weeks and the first time i used it it was very slippery. I now have a heater on in my pole room 10 mins before i use it and no more problems :)
misspiggy83 · 7/27/2011
lthanks for all the advice ladies..... but i still cant decide!! lol this community is fantastic though!!... im just gonna think about it some more and take the plunge! thank again ya'll =D