Poling and Jewelry?

adAstra started this discussion · 8/29/2012

I noticed that a lot of polers mention hand callouses, especially at the base of the middle finger, and I was wondering if that means poling should be done without rings and other jewelry? Do you take off your wedding ring and rings worn on and near the middle finger, plus watches? My other concern is if jewelry would scratch the finish on my chrome X Pole... Just wondering what everyone's take on this is while I wait for the day my pole stops living in a box on the basement floor (ugh). :)

13 replies

Krissykiki · 8/29/2012
I personally don't wear rings but i always make people take theirs off before playing on my pole so they dont' scratch it. :)
Leanne Love · 8/29/2012
I don't wear any jewelry when I pole. I don't want to scratch my beloved pole, pinch my skin, pull out an earring, etc. I even have a pair of swim bottoms (I wear bikini bottoms when I pole; I don't have to bother with them riding up!) I refuse to wear when poling because they have a little decoration on the hip that I don't want scratching my pole. The only exception is my navel jewelry because it's still healing and it doesn't bother me at all while poling!
Empty · 8/29/2012
I take off my engagement ring every class and put it in a special pocket of my purse. I don't want to scratch the pole and it clings when i spin. As for that callus on the middle finger, i get it every time i play at the park cause the fireman poles are rough OR if we do a lot of spins in class. Eventually it kind of just gets rough and use to the abuse like the rest of the body.
PersianXcursian · 8/29/2012
The only jewelry I wear when I pole is studs in my ears and my belly ring (the non dangling ones)
Runemist34 · 8/29/2012
I occasionally wear necklaces, if they're a cord or something... never any rings, and I don't wear anything on my wrists (the amount of writing I do, it's just frustrating!) and, I always make sure people aren't wearing metal when they're touching my pole. I'm even iffy about belts! And earrings, for me, are fine. Just not dangling ones... they get distracting and tangle in my hair if I'm going upside down.
Kyrsten · 8/30/2012
I avoid it unless it's like, woven jewelry (bracelets and such) or my non-dangle belly ring (even then, I won't do certain things when I have it in... no handed cradle lol). I do wear crazy earrings sometimes but I have to be careful I'm not wearing a top that they can snag in... I learned that lesson after getting a dangly earring stuck in a sequin top while 10 feet up on the spinner and having my head stuck to my shoulder. LOL Also we have had girls scratch our (powder coat) poles with jewelry, so we have them remove it before poling.
SexyRockStarsWifeNowWidow · 8/30/2012
I sometimes wear a necklace while poling, but not often. My earrings are studs and haven't had them smack the pole, yet. heh. I don't wear my ring while poling and always take it off before class.
AvaBabe · 8/30/2012
I always take my wedding ring off when poling, unfortunately I left it at emotion catchers place when I had a lesson with her a couple weeks ago and she lives like an hour away so I haven't been able to get it, but it's a killer excuse to go have another lesson when she is off holiday =) (not that I need an excuse! Lol)
Debss · 8/30/2012
It makes me cringe when I see people wearing rings on the pole, it's a pet peeve of mine! My teacher does it all the time and they're her poles so I can't really say anything about it when I see other girls in class doing the same lol I used to wear my necklace but now I take it off and leave it at home before going to class, but thats because my necklace kept hitting me in the face (and going up my nose 😲) when I inverted. I always wear my hair up too, can't handle practicing upside down with hair in my face!
HyperHorsegirl · 8/30/2012
Also a pet peeve of mine to hear the clinging of rings on the pole. I want to scream at people to take them off because they scratch the poles. My studio has this policy but it isn't really followed all the time. The brass poles there have some deep grooves and gouges in them from people doing spins in rings (which are likely harder than the brass). I hate to hear that clinging sound. Hard wrist jewelry would be especially painful also, so my watch always comes off. I take off my beloved Aggie Ring when I pole, and you know how special those things are to us Aggies. We are known to NEVER take them off! It's not good for your rings, it's not good for the pole, and it's annoying to hear the cling, cling, cling against the pole every time someone adjusts their hand, especially when the instructor is talking.
poledanceromance · 8/30/2012
I suggest keeping a little flip-top mini jewelry box type thing that can fit inside the cash register or the office, some locked area so anyone who forgets to remove jewelry beforehand can keep it in a relatively safe spot. Of course you probably still want to have a property liability clause on any waiver they sign, that while you'll offer a place to put jewelry you're not liable from any loss of property resulting from a student's failure to remove their jewelry and leave it at home prior to entering the studio.
adAstra · 8/30/2012
After I posted this question I happened across a video where the instructor was jumping on the pole to invert (noo!) and was wearing ring(s) that kept clanging loudly against the pole. I kept thinking of that sound as I read your posts! One other thing is that gold is a soft metal, and silver is even softer, so they will be <i>very</i> easily worn through by poling. I haven't worn my rings since last night (not even my wedding ring, gasp!) because I finally got my pole set up last night! It's just too tempting to practice climbing... or really what I've been doing is sliding off... :)
Dwiizie · 8/30/2012
I don't wear rings, necklaces, bracelets, nothing. I also request that others remove their rings and belts. The men always laugh when I request they remove their belt before trying it out. Same reasons as everyone else. Noisy, pinchy, and scratchability of the pole and the jewelry. Plus, whenever I do finally get to invert, I know how annoying it is to flip upside down and have your pendant smack you in the face. I wear a badge on a necklace at work and often forget it and flip upsidedown on my exercise ball lol!