Utterly, Utterly Fed Up

horsecrazy12987 started this discussion · 9/9/2010

I am so discouraged. I have a Lil' Mynx stainless steel (which I did not realize has a reputation for being super slippery before I bought it,) and I have had nothing but problems with my grip since I purchased it last year. This month actually marks a year in having my pole, but I would say I'd only count about four, maybe five of those months as actual consecutive practice because I have had so much trouble that I just haven't been practicing on it the way I should. I have sweaty hands anyway, but this pole is just ridiculous. I have tried numerous grip aids, I wipe my pole down constantly with rubbing alcohol and a microfiber cloth, and I still cannot get through an entire song. I can barely get through a few moves. While I love pole dancing, it is getting to the point where I am starting to wonder what the hell the point is--I can't DO anything on it. No matter what the temperature or weather is like, the pole always seems as though it is sort of sweating, which coats my already-prone-to-wetness hands, and then it's just a train wreck. I read on a pole forum that some girl finally ended up very, very lightly sanding her Lil' Mynx with the finest grit sandpaper she could get because she was having so many problems with it being slippery. I've tried just telling myself 'Well, if I can dance on this then I can dance on anything,' but I can't even dance on this. Every single practice session consists of me struggling to chain just two inverts together because my hands just keep sliding down the pole, and I have come to the point where I am actually considering (very carefully) doing the same thing. I think my body chemistry and this pole just do not mix. I don't know what else to do. I cannot afford another pole right now, otherwise I would consider something grippier. Any thoughts? I am so tired of walking away from every practice session feeling extremely let down/frustrated. I want to pole DANCE, not do one trick, try to do another, slip, try again, slip again, wipe the pole down and have the same thing happen in the next move or two. I am really at my wit's end.

30 replies

amy · 9/9/2010
that girl was me, who sanded her pole. try it. warm your pole up, then get the finest grit sandpaper you can get, wet it down, and go super lightly (going around the pole, not sanding up and down), try some spins, and see how it changes. it makes a huge difference.
horsecrazy12987 · 9/9/2010
Thank you so much for responding! I will definitely try that, because it is seriously to the point that either I do something about this pole, or I give up dancing until I can afford to buy another one, and who knows how long that will be. I really don't want to give up dancing for that amount of time. I'll try what you said and be very, very careful--I'm waaay 😂 too cheap to ruin $300 worth of pole.
Billababe220 · 9/9/2010
I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM!! Only I have a stainless steel X-Pole. I love the pole dont get me wrong but I can't even do 2 spins let alone 2 tricks without the pole becoming SUPER slippery. I mean, I live in FL so its CONSTANTLY humid, but I keep my house at about 75-78 degrees. I've gotten so frustrated I barely practice but like you I'm thinking "whats the use?" Please post after you sand your pole and let me know what you think and if it helps... 🤔
sosagely · 9/9/2010
I have no real words of wisdom. I had the ss lil mynx too and I know your pain girl. I felt like my entire poleing practice was just TRYING to do things that I knew I could already do on other poles. I also felt like I injured myself on it a couple times because of the slip. I would try to do a spin and almost fly off the pole so I'd tweak a shoulder muscle or something. 😠 I used to say the same thing "If I can get good on this pole, I'll be great" but like you said, there was no getting good on it. It was so tempermental I never knew what practice was going to be like on it. One day I was fed up, put it for sale in the classifieds, sold it and upgraded to a TG xpert. Best decision of my poleing life. 😂 *It was always a bit grippier when really really warm though. Veenas warmup lesson seemed to be perfect for warming it up and getting a good stick out of it.
amy · 9/9/2010
Billababe220, if you have an xpole, you have a steel pole coated with chrome and you CANT SAND IT or you will flake the finish off. horsecrazy12987, if you use the finest sandpaper you can find, wet, and do it VERY lightly when the pole is already warm, you will be fine. don't do it cold, or you won't be able to gauge how much you're really doing and could oversand it and have hte opposite problem.
horsecrazy12987 · 9/9/2010
I also felt like I injured myself on it a couple times because of the slip. I would try to do a spin and almost fly off the pole so I'd tweak a shoulder muscle or something. 😠 I've had a couple of near misses because of the slip. I remember I went into a reverse hook once and my hand slipped and I almost fell very awkwardly onto one of my legs, which could have been really bad. Somehow I twisted just right and made it out without injuring myself--probably from years of karate training and practicing falling safely a lot. There have been a couple of incidences like that. It is grippier when it's warmer, but there seems to be this perfect sweet spot that you have to hit, and that only happens once in a blue moon. Billababe, I will definitely let you know how it goes. I completely feel your pain--I barely practice as well because I know every practice is just going to end in extreme frustration.
hookedonpole · 9/9/2010
I'm in this same club!!! Frustrating, frustrating, and more frustrating. I've tried various grip aids and have some Mighty Grip ordered right now. I even tried the men's shaving cream to no avail. I read an interview of someone on poleskivvies.com who said she puts some Red Bull (yes, the drink) on her hands, desperate enough to try!!
tiffincat · 9/9/2010
Hi, i'm so glad I read this. I just got a Lil Mynx pole about a month ago. I have felt so discouraged because I feel like i'm so bad on it... I'm constantly wiping it down. I am rarely able to climb up it, even though in my class I shockingly made it all the way to the top. I've had to stop poling the last 3 days and have been really bummed. My finger joints have been hurting and tender (this has never happened to me before). I realize it's probably because i've been poling a lot since getting my pole. And with the slip factor and constantly trying to dance my fingers are probably more over worked than they should be. Let me know how the sanding goes please. Otherwise I'm tempted to sell it right away. What's another brand? is the TG Xpert sold in the united states? If not, do you know what a good brand here is? Anyone have any advice about the finger joints and gripping tightly? I think it's my slippery pole that is contributing. Since stopping, my fingers have been a lot better. Oh and what do you mean by "warming up the pole" before sanding it?? Thanks.
Tine007 · 9/9/2010
... she puts some Red Bull (yes, the drink) on her hands hookedonpole, it's worth giving it a shot, as weird as it sounds 🧿 👽 I would have never thought of such a thing, untill.... Right before hopping on a stainless steel pole in a bar, a guy spilled his drink (something vodka, lemon and from the stickyness I suspect sugar) all over my arm. First I was like Dude!!! 😈 The bathroom was a floor down and the bar was packed, so I only toweled it off, leaving a somewhat sticky residue on my hand. What shall I say, I had the best grip ever 😂 😂 🥂 🥂 🥂 and I am usually veryveryvery sweaty and slippery. Too bad I don't know exactly what his drink was, LOL! Hopefully RedBull works the same... Keep us posted! 👍
horsecrazy12987 · 9/9/2010
Hi, i'm so glad I read this. I just got a Lil Mynx pole about a month ago. I have felt so discouraged because I feel like i'm so bad on it... I'm constantly wiping it down. I am rarely able to climb up it, even though in my class I shockingly made it all the way to the top. I have problems climbing as well when it's being tempermental even though it's something I've done a million times. My main problem is air inverts, though. I invert from the ground, hook a leg, and then pull myself up to invert again and I slide all over the place, especially as I get closer to the top of the pole, which is actually where I like to dance. Yesterday I was trying to practice going into a star from a scorpio, and I was really struggling to pull myself up once in the scorpio. It was just ridiculous. Your fingers are probably sore from overgripping; if you're new to pole that's pretty typical anyway, but having a slippery pole makes it worse; I'm sure I overgrip a lot because when you start to slip your fingers automatically grab on for dear life, especially if you're trying to pull yourself up. I don't really have problems with finger pain, but I have a pretty strong grip, so I'm sure that helps. Oh, and what amy means by warming up the pole is just warming up the metal. If you grab onto the pole and keep walking around it for a while, you'll notice the metal should begin to heat up where your hand has been. You can also slide up and down it to try and warm it up with your body. I'll let everyone know how sanding it goes. I'm feeling pretty under the weather today, but I will pick up some sandpaper the next time I go out, which should be either tomorrow or Saturday.
Solya · 9/10/2010
I don't have much advice for you but I was so happy to read this too! I have a 51mm stainless steel pole (not Lil Mynx) and it's been driving me crazy since I got it. I'd been learning on chrome X-stages before and I just can't do anything on the damn SS pole 🙁 It feels like it's coated in something slimey and slippery not matter how much I wipe it with acetone and alcohol. I cannot hold a scorpio, I slip out of shouldermounts and I can't air invert either which is driving me extra crazy. I overgrip a lot too - I practiced the TG handspring for like half an hour and my arms were trembling for days after, something that never happens on the X-poles. I think it's just putting unnecessary strain on my joints and muscles and I'll end up with tendonitis again. And frankly I don't care that I'll be good on other finishes if I get good on SS, because it takes all the joy out of poling and makes it a constant fight not to lose the moves I already can do on other finishes. Bottom line is, I feel your pain and hope you'll manage to find a solution! Please let us know if the sanding works, I want to try it too!
horsecrazy12987 · 9/11/2010
Well, I picked up my sandpaper today. Here is what I did: First of all, sandpaper is labeled in numbers, and the higher the number, the softer the grit. I picked up some 320 which is meant for surface finishing, which is exactly what I needed it for. I then did what Amy said, wet the sandpaper (which just makes it a little softer,) and then warmed up my pole, which I did by standing on a chair so I could reach the top, taking a microfiber cloth, and giving it a good rubdown so the friction could heat up the metal. I would then go over the section I just warmed up with the sandpaper, molding it tightly around the pole and basically just turning it in a circle so that I was going around the pole instead of up and down. I made my way down the pole doing this, first warming a section and then going over it with the sandpaper. After I was done, I took a couple of spins on it. I'd sanded very, very lightly and cautiously the first time, so I ended up actually going over it a second time because I felt like it wasn't enough. Again, I sanded very lightly, making sure not to get overzealous. Always err on the side of caution, even if you feel like you're not doing it hard enough--if you have to go over it a second time, it's no biggie--better than oversanding the first time and not being able to undo it. In all, it probably took me about twenty minutes, and that was going slowly and carefully, making sure I warmed up each section before I sanded it. The results: You should definitely notice a difference in the surface of your pole. Remember that burn you first got when you were that brand, shiny new dancer screeching in horror as you slid down your new pole? Say hello to it again, ladies! This didn't really occur to me before, probably because I was just so eager to finally render my Lil' Mynx actually danceable, but it makes sense because you are now dancing on an entirely new finish. Basically it's like going to a different pole, although I can't really compare it to anything else because I've never had the opportunity to dance on any other pole. I can still get just as much momentum on my spins, they just hurt my hands now the same way they did when I first started dancing. I'm already starting to build up some calluses like the ones I got when I first started. However, I can stand a little pain, and I'm willing to put up with it until I adjust to the new finish, because I think in the long run it's a small price to pay for not sliding pathetically down over and over again every time I try to air invert. I'll keep everyone updated on progress, but I can tell already there is a definite difference in the grip of the pole.
sosagely · 9/11/2010
Let me know how the sanding goes please. Otherwise I'm tempted to sell it right away. What's another brand? is the TG Xpert sold in the united states? If not, do you know what a good brand here is? Anyone have any advice about the finger joints and gripping tightly? I think it's my slippery pole that is contributing. Since stopping, my fingers have been a lot better. Oh and what do you mean by "warming up the pole" before sanding it?? Thanks. You can get the Titanium Gold (TG) Xpert in the U.S. : http://www.xpoleus.com but you should order it from http://www.houseofpole.net because she is a veener and often has great shipping deals! You should be warming up your pole before practice everytime (helps with grip, a cold pole is extra slick). If you are taking veenas lessons she has a "warm up" vid that warms both you and your pole. If I don't have time to do the full warmup, I usually do some spins to get it warm.
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Peter · 9/12/2010
I'm in this same club!!! Frustrating, frustrating, and more frustrating. I've tried various grip aids and have some Mighty Grip ordered right now. I even tried the men's shaving cream to no avail. I read an interview of someone on poleskivvies.com who said she puts some Red Bull (yes, the drink) on her hands, desperate enough to try!! Have you tried iTac2 http://www.poledancegrip.com to enhance your grip? If not contact me through the website and I'll send you some free samples. iTac2 is a relatively new type of organic beeswax grip that is being used by more and more pole dancers each week including superstars Karol Helms and Alethea Austin! cheers
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Billababe220 · 9/12/2010
Yes, I have the Xpole chrome one....guess the sanding won't work for me 🙁 I have mighty grip but even that only works for 2-3 tricks and then is useless....ughhh
Layla Duvay · 9/12/2010
I tried the iTac2 yesterday and it was excellent! A bit stinky, but excellent!
Meera · 9/15/2010
Hi, new to forum but thought I would share. I have tried Power tac, which I purchased in a sporting goods store. It's used on aluminum baseball bats for better grip. Sprayed it on my SS lil' mynx and it made a big difference. Make the pole a bit tacky and doesn't rub off on you. When you want to get rid of the tackyness, just wipe with warm water. 😉
hookedonpole · 9/15/2010
Hi, new to forum but thought I would share. I have tried Power tac, which I purchased in a sporting goods store. It's used on aluminum baseball bats for better grip. Sprayed it on my SS lil' mynx and it made a big difference. Make the pole a bit tacky and doesn't rub off on you. When you want to get rid of the tackyness, just wipe with warm water. 😉 Meera, does it come as a spray? I'm guessing it's too tacky to use on pole for spins?
shayshay21489 · 9/15/2010
I understand completely because my chrome xpole is terribly slippery. At first I thought it was my fault that I was slipping maybe my hands were sweaty or clamy or something. I actually just posted a blog about this not to long ago. Then I realized that even with my hands washed and dried and cracked and chapped and ashy from dryness I touch my pole and its slippery. I realize it may be the humidity. Some people have told me to try to get a dehumifier. Others told me windex makes more residue on the pole so if your cleaning it with that maybe you should stop. I use dawn dish soap and wipe mine down and dry it off it helps for a second. Someone told me to try and clean it with nail polish remover, i dunno if it works i haven't tried it, I am also worried about it damaging my pole, but its worth a try I guess. I heard others say spray hair spray on your hands to help you stick. I thought at one point I had the wrong size pole because mine is 50mm and my thumb doesn't touch my index finger when wrapped around the pole but I heard most people can grip it that way so its no big deal. Besides its like a lose lose situation because I heard if you switch to 45mm its better for hand grip but painful for thigh grip and stuff. I've also considered switching from chrome to titanium but from what I've heard it doesn't make a difference. I've heard that it takes awhile for you to get use to the pole so you have to break it in somewhat but like you ive had my pole for awhile been practicing consistantly since March and still having trouble. I've tried mighty grip which does nothing for me. Now I have dry hands grip aid and that helps momentarily because it transfers on the pole and off my hands then the humidity moisture on the pole mixes with the grip aid and it wipes right off. Someone else told me not to clean the pole so often because residue can help you stick better sometimes. I heard that you sweat more when working on new moves so its common to wipe the pole a couple of times. I've heard a lot of stuff. Its trial and error I guess because I am still trying to find what works for me. My pole grips well in the heat but of course heat causes me to sweat more, especially when its hot and humid in doors and 90 degrees outside. that def effects my pole performances thats for sure because all my vids are chopped and screwed from me editing out the pole wipes. I long for the day I can practice without the idea of wiping my pole after a move. Does sanding work for all poles? Where can I get sand paper from? I am looking for answers too. 🤔
smalltownboy · 9/15/2010
Woah!!!! If you attempt to sand your pole you run the risk of ending up with a pole that is ruined - removing the chrome can leave areas that will rust and are potentially sharp, causing nasty metal splinter or cuts....and of course ending up with a pole that has little or no resale value should you decide to sell it. Like so many polers I found I couldn't get a grip that would give me enough traction to achieve anything more than one or two rotations before meeting with the ground....again! I tried all the things that others have said on this forum and they all work to some degree or another. I also tried combinations of everything on this forum hoping that more would be better than less. Al I ended up with was sticky pole that attracted dirt and wasps (sugar free versions of Red Bull doesn't work) and still no better grip. However the thing that has worked for me, and is at least worth trying is: 1. Don't try to grip too hard! A slightly softer grip allows your skin to make greater contact with the pole. Gripping tightly tends to keep only the points where the pressure is the greatest in contact with the pole. A softer grip tends to allow your skin to make more contact. Sounds a contradiction in terms, grip tighter by not gripping so tight! 2. Do not use moisturising soaps or shower gel, if you wash your hair in the shower make sure you wash any residue of conditioner off your hands and legs and keep a set of towels that are washed with no fabric conditioner to dry your body with. Most fabric conditioners leave a residue on the towel which transfers to your skin as you dry. Similarly using a towel that has been washed with fabric conditioner transfers that residue to your pole if you use it to wipe your pole between moves. This worked for me. My poling hasn't improved, but at least I can stay attached to my pole while looking awkward! Hugs! Smalltownboy
horsecrazy12987 · 9/15/2010
I'm going to echo what smalltownboy said and remind everyone to not sand a chrome pole; sanding is strictly for those of us who own a stainless steel, and frankly, even then you shouldn't do it until you've tried pretty much everything else and are desperate. I have a stainless steel Lil' Mynx, not a chrome pole. If you sand a chrome pole, it will strip it and ruin it.
shayshay21489 · 9/15/2010
Okie dokie yall I will not be sanding my pole. I think I may try a different grip aid like itac and I also heard the thing about moisturizing soaps before so Ill switch to something different. Then again with all the moisture of you skin gone don't your skin get dry and irritated? I mean yeah youll stick to the pole but you may be one ashy dancer lol. There has got to be something to sooth our dry skin without causing us to get slippery on the pole.
EVamp83 · 9/15/2010
You can still moisturize after poling and on non-poling days! 😉
Meera · 9/16/2010
Meera, does it come as a spray? I'm guessing it's too tacky to use on pole for spins? Yes, it is a spray. I didn't think it was too tack for spins. Just gives your pole some grip, which mine's desparately needed. I have tried everything, from Mighty grip glove & pwder to nail polish remover (which does work a lil' bit) to hair spray, shaving cream ect. I could go on and on. But so far the Powr Tac spray has given me enough grip to at least hold on to the pole w/out slipping off. Powr' Tac is a spray on "Tacifier" used for baseball bats and gloves and is non-transferable, so it stays on the pole and not on your skin or clothes. Their website to locate a vendor is PowrWrap.com
sosagely · 9/16/2010
Shay- this stuff works really well imo. But, I don't think you can use it on hands, only legs and other parts of body. http://dewpointpole.weebly.com/
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