Pole Dancing Gear - Safety First!

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Today's pole dancing gear is designed to help you stay safe, reduce injuries, and keep you more comfotable while you're learning.

From grip aids and crash mats to special clothing that helps protect you from pole burn, the range of gear available is increasing all the time.

Recommended Safety Gear

Now that our sport is a recognized fitness activity that's entered the mainstream, many people have questions about what kind of pole dancing gear they should have, particularly when it comes to safety. Here are the most important items to consider...

Crash Mats

A good crash mat can reduce your risk of serious injuries

One item that's really gaining in popularity, and for good reason, is a crash mat or safety mat.

In September, 2010, a British woman was left paralyzed after falling just one foot to the floor while inverted on a pole. She broke her neck and severely damaged her spinal cord.

While accidents like this are rare, they are serious enough to remind us that all sports have inherent dangers.

To reduce the risk of serious injury when practicing inversions and other advanced tricks, you may want to consider getting a safety mat for use at home.

Studio owners, in my opinion this is a must-have item for any classes where you're teaching these types of moves. Protect your students and yourself by making sure you have appropriate safety measures in place, including crash mats.

Grip Aids

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, which is why getting your hands on a suitable pole grip product is a really good idea. This particular piece of pole dancing gear is not expensive, and may just help you avoid a fall. Apply it to your hands if you're prone to slipping due to sweaty palms, excess humidity, or just because you're working hard.

Pole grip products can improve your grip and help you stay put

These products can also be used on your legs, arms, or any other body part that comes in contact with the pole.

While using grip doesn't guarantee that you won't slip or fall, it can definitely help improve your grip, making it less likely that you'll experience an unexpected slip.

Besides, it's cheap enough to make their use a no-brainer once you start learning intermediate moves.

Protection From Pole Burn

These arm warmers protect your forearms from painful pole burn

While not a safety issue per se, pole burn is a nasty affliction that can be distracting, causing you to alter your form or use an inappropriate grip. And that can lead to accidents. Which is why I love these sexy fishnet arm warmers that protect your forearms from the perils of pole burn. Bear in mind that these are not the same as actual gloves that are promoted to improve your grip.

They don't cover your palm or your fingers, so technically they're not really a glove. And they aren't meant to improve your grip, but rather to protect your skin.

Personally, I love these arm warmers, but I'm not so keen on the actual gloves marketed for improving your grip. I don't think they're practical, and they don't do anything to actually help you improve your strength so you can improve your hold naturally. You can read my opinion on gloves vs gauntlets here.

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