Get a grip!

If there is one non-obvious thing you need to know about yourself to enjoy pole, it is your skin type. Why? Well, even though non-polers tend to think we use magic to stick to the pole, what we actually use is skin grip (as well as muscle strength, correct technique, faith in the instructor and a lot of hope - but this is not what we are going to talk about today!). While the grip can and will improve as you practice, get stronger, and your skin becomes accustomed to the pole, there are some days when your skin refuses to cooperate: it is simply too dry or too sweaty, and you need a little extra help. This is where grip aid makes its grand entrance.

Generally speaking, there are two types of issues that grip aids tackle:

• Moisture management (aka sweaty skin)
• Lack of traction (aka dry skin)

There are tens of brands and hundreds of grip aids out there. Which one is for you? Sadly, there is no single answer to that - we are all different! And to complicate things further, your grip will change depending on the season, the weather, the cycle, the stars… You name it! You will have to try a few grip products to pick a (few) favourite(s). And we are here to tell you what we like at Project Pole and why.

If you have ever experienced sweaty palms during a class, whether due to nervousness about trying a new trick, the room being too hot, or simply because your body decided to, then you will know that pole dancing is not going to be as enjoyable as it should be. It becomes difficult: you keep sliding, struggling to stay on the pole, and frankly, it can be really discouraging. This is where liquid chalk can be your saviour. It acts as a drying agent by absorbing moisture and drying your skin while leaving a protective layer. And by the way, it is not just your hands that the chalk will help you with - try it on your legs on those hot summer days or on your feet to finally get that pesky Cupid!

We like:

• Griptinite for its light, non-sticky texture, and non-messy application.
• MonkeyHands Liquid Chalk for its fast absorption and long-lasting effect.
• Dancing Dust Make Me Dusty for its range of colours and scents, shimmer and versatility of application.

In addition to using grip-aid, try:

• Cold water + soap: wash your hands with cold water and soap, and let them air-dry. You may need to do this a few times during the class, but it is definitely worth a go!
• Skip the moisturiser: moisturisers contain oils that do not provide great grip by default; adding sweat to the mix is a recipe for a grip disaster!
• Keep cool: try to claim that pole right next to a fan/AC so that you do not get too hot.

Now, the owners of dry skin have woes of their own - and that is the lack of grip. You normally spot these people in winter, working really hard on getting their pole as warm as possible to get at least a hint of grip. Otherwise, they slide hopelessly. These struggling souls find solace in sticky grips. Sticky grips increase physical friction by leaving a tacky layer on your skin.

We like:

• MonkeyHands Gel Grip for the choice of strength of grip, no mess and long-lasting effect.
• Dancing Dust Make Me Dewy for its nourishing ingredients, non-greasy texture and shimmer (because we can’t get enough of it!)

In addition to using grip aid, try:

• Do a proper warm-up - bring your heart rate up, increase your body heat, and get your skin to the “just about to sweat” level.
• Warm up your pole - cold metal is no friend to dry skin. When your instructor tells you to do the climbs and conditioning at the beginning of the class, take it seriously.
• Keep your skin moisture level up - don’t go too hard on soaps and products that can dry your skin before class, and use pole-safe moisturisers.

P.S. If you want a cheeky introduction to our pole grips, check out this post!