Major Problems

shayshay21489 started this discussion · 4/17/2010

So I am having some grip issues. I constantly dry my pole every time I do a move. I cannot keep pausing the wipe the pole. In fact that is why I haven't posted any videos yet because I waste the entire song wiping the pole and washing my hands. I keep getting blisters and torn skin on my hands. Someone said I could strengthen my grip by sqeezing on a tennis ball. Is that so? Does anyone else have any suggestions to help me with my grip? It seems if even a tiny bit of moisture is on it I fall out of my spins. I don't think my hands sweat any move than usual. I have mighty grip but it doesn't seem to work, still slippery to me lol. Plus I rather not depend on a grip aid for spins because Rena told me that isn't good and it makes sense no to dry my hands and the pole just to spin on it. I am in need of help. This is really effecting my progress. 🙁 Also I need some help on finding a store to buy clothes for exercise. I have a rather big butt and don't want to worry about adjusting my shorts between every move. I need tops too. I find myself changing into various swimwear to pole. I feel that what I wear will increase my confidence and my attitude when I pole and when I am uncomfortable I focus on everything us but practice.

12 replies

polergirl · 4/17/2010
Are these new moves? I get sweatier when I'm trying something new, or when I'm not completely confident of a move. You can definitely improve your grip with a tennis ball if it's grip strength that's the issue.
shayshay21489 · 4/17/2010
some are new some are old maybe I am just over determined...I dunno. This frustrates me tho
Journey · 4/17/2010
You could get a powerball and give those a try, too. I got one recently and they're so much fun. 😀 Have you tried any hand antiperspirants, like Dry Hands or Tite Grip? I have major sweaty hand issues and I just resigned myself to gloves... nothing else has ever worked and it sucks the fun right out of it for me. You don't want to know how much money I've spent on experimenting with grip aids... 😲 What it finally came down to for me was that I do this for fun, and it's no fun when I do things the way that's "better" by not relying on grip aids. Either I kept going the way I was, trying things bare-handed for the sake of doing it "right" and was miserable, or use gloves and actually enjoy myself. After poling for about a year now, I'm still constantly wiping the pole and my hands. I finally just figured I'd get the gloves, finally try some moves that I haven't been able to because my hands sweat again before I even get into position, and that my grip will get stronger anyway because I'll be doing more moves that rely on my grip. Not to mention it can be a safety issue, too. I say do what you have to do, try anything and everything (budget permitting... hehe) and once you find it, don't be ashamed to use it.
Solya · 4/17/2010
I totally agree with Journey above. if you feel that you'd be strong enough to do moves but the sweaty hands are limiting you then do use grip aids. It's true that in the beginning it's best if you learn without them so you can strengthen your grip, but if the sweaty hands are a problem not only on the pole then you don't really have a choice. I've been pole dancing for 1,5 years and I still wipe the pole after every move/spin. I felt I was totally cheating when I started using grip aids because that's what my instructors were telling me. Now that I'm self taught and teach I realised the sweaty hands are only setting me back and I developed a sort of fear of the pole. I got fed up when I practically fell out of a split grip aysha (which I can do with dry hands) and hurt my back. You just can't have fun on the pole when you're constantly wiping your hands. I'm getting gloves next week and hope that they will sort out my problem! First try grip aids, liquid chalk, antiperspirants etc and see if they work - if they don't, get some gloves. Mightly Grip seem to be popular and Nomis gloves too (available in the UK).
Journey · 4/18/2010
...and I developed a sort of fear of the pole. Ditto on the developing a fear thing. I completely stopped doing reverse grabs because of my hands sweating - even with the grip aids, I couldn't hold on. There were a few times that as soon as my feet left the floor, I went straight to the floor and landed pretty hard. I was so sad because that's my favorite spin and the one that I was the proudest to learn. After I got my gloves, I was able to do it again, but only after I practically had to re-learn how to do it - my confidence was completely shot. Kinda the same thing with the extended butterfly, too.
Solya · 4/18/2010
Journey you're my pole twin 😀 Reverse grab is my favourite move ever and I'm terrified to do it without grip aids. I love to swing and kick out a lot but if I do that with sweaty hands I just fly off the pole lol. The morals from all this is that it's better to use grip aids before you start to fear every pole session. Seeing my friends doing stuff I couldn't do because i'd just slip was horribly destructive to my improvement. I needed a couple of months to overcome the pole rut and not think I'd never be good at pole.
miss fern · 4/18/2010
For most people, sweatiness goes away once you get more skilled. It's a combination of becoming stronger (so not working out so hard on the basics), improved technqiue (thus not wearing yourself out), more confidence (less nervous sweat) and several other factors. So just give it time. I used to wipe down the pole between every second or third spin. Even basic spins. For 6 to 8 months! 😮 If grip aids like dryhands and mighty grip gloves were around then it would have helped a lot! I used the think I had some physical condition and would need botox in my hands or something. But I'm living proof sweaty hands often eventually go away - even when you never think they will! Also is your pole new? Some poles need to be 'broken in' and some of the slippiness could be just as much your pole as you. Also you can repeatedly rub your sweaty hands down the actual pole and it will eventually get tacky! Counter-intuitive I know, but the friction (or something hahaha) turns the slippiness into grippiness. This usually works best for non-beginniners and broken-in poles though. However, there are a select few people for whom sweaty palms never goes away, in which case - grip aids are yuor friends! Or botox (my male friend got this, because half way through exams he couldn't hold the pen any more due to sweat!)
horsecrazy12987 · 4/18/2010
What it finally came down to for me was that I do this for fun, and it's no fun when I do things the way that's "better" by not relying on grip aids. Either I kept going the way I was, trying things bare-handed for the sake of doing it "right" and was miserable, or use gloves and actually enjoy myself. After poling for about a year now, I'm still constantly wiping the pole and my hands. I finally just figured I'd get the gloves, finally try some moves that I haven't been able to because my hands sweat again before I even get into position, and that my grip will get stronger anyway because I'll be doing more moves that rely on my grip. Not to mention it can be a safety issue, too. I say do what you have to do, try anything and everything (budget permitting... hehe) and once you find it, don't be ashamed to use it. I completely understand where you're coming from--I have the same problem. I went through a bunch of different grip aids that I just sweated through really quickly, until I finally bought my MG gloves. I still have to put liquid chalk on under them because my fingers get so sweaty that I slip trying to climb the pole, and while I'm still experimenting with just how many moves I can do during a dance without sliding around, it's the best method I've found so far, and the chalk doesn't come off my fingers nearly as quickly as it sweats off my hands, so I can actually get through a whole routine. Everyone kept telling me it would get better, I just had sweaty hands because I was a newb, etc. etc. and I kept trying to explain that I'm always really sweaty during any physical activity, even ones I've been doing for years and am perfectly comfortable with, but the general consensus just seemed to be that my sweaty hands were because of me being a new dancer. I know that's how it is for a lot of people, but that advice doesn't much help me when I can only do half a spin before I come sliding (sometimes plummeting) straight down. My pole dancing journey has been extremely frustrating for me, to say the least. But I feel like I am finally kind of figuring out what I have to do to allow me to pole without constantly sliding out of a move or sweating out of grip aid a minute into a song, and if I have to 'cheat' by using gloves or grip aid (or in this case, both,) then so be it. I'd rather actually get to dance then give up because I can only do half a move or so before I start sliding all over the place. So my advice is just more of the same: if it comes down to you not being able to dance because your hands are just too slippery, than use grip aids, gloves, or whatever combination of the two allows you to safely pole. I don't see any shame in it. Some of us are just heavy sweaters and need more help. Also, what kind of pole do you have? I have a stainless steel LM and it's pretty slick on its own, so that adds to it as well. Stainless steel is a pretty slippery surface, and combining that with sweaty hands is an absolute b*tch.
shayshay21489 · 4/19/2010
I have a chrome 50 mm xpole. It is fairly new considering I am just now getting lots of practice on it in the 5 months orso that I've owned it. I wipe it down with windex and was my hands and I manage to grip well. That is until I add momentum, if I grip it too much I get blisters. I have the mighty grip but it doesn't seem to work. I don't notice any sweat in my hands that is excessive. I think it may be my nerves. I put a lot of expectation into my pole moves, so my motivation may just be too much. I need to take it easy. I'll try to improve my grip with a stress ball if that doesn't work I'll have to try something else. Liquid chalk sounds good. The funny thing it I almost considered spritz on my hands to get that sticky feeling so I have grip instead of dry hands, I just didn't want to mess up my pole trying that out.
horsecrazy12987 · 4/19/2010
Liquid chalk works really well for holds, but don't expect to spin with it on. Also, my problem with liquid chalk is that I sweat through it really fast. If your problem is more nerves and not because you're an excessively heavy sweater, than you might do ok with it, but just be aware that though it is very helpful, it can come off pretty quickly. It seems like most people use it when they are learning a new move that they are not quite confident with yet and want the added grip.
miss fern · 4/19/2010
Are you using the mighty grip correctly? See this vid for instructions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EAUFFEZ3MI Also, I recommend metholated spirits/rubbing alcohol over windex. Also DO NOT use this on your hands. Using metho on your hands will make them sweat more in the long run. A simple cold, damp rag is much better. 😎
solsticedark · 4/20/2010
I may sound crazy here, but, I discovered that using alcohol wipes on both my hands and if it is really bad, the pole really helps me out. If you think about it, it does make sense, washing your hands, doing dishes, cleaning, touching your face, and other things you get a lot of "junk" on your hands and the alcohol will take it all off. I personally have never had a severe sweaty hand problem, thankfully, but I was still having a hard time gripping and that is what helped me, and I swear by it now. Just be sure when you are done for the day to use a bit of lotion on your hands sense it will dry them out. As for the blisters I know the feeling, when i started dancing my hands were getting so many blisters and poping in was insane. Unfortunately you only really have two options there: use a lighter grip (not to safe), or keep on bandaging them up when it happens, wait for your hands to heal up and rinse and repeat. You will built up clauses and it will stop happening. Or as others have suggested give in and get some gloves/grip aide. Personally I hate the stuff, I used it a few times and all it did was tear me up. But I know many people have had good results with it.