Having trouble sliding around the pole smoothly

by Jenni
(Chicago, IL USA)

I'm 229 pound with very thick thighs and it is very uncomfortable for me to do some of the spins on the pole.

Like the ribbon and the fireman rubs very roughly against my thighs and the wheel is the same way.

Any tips so I don't keep sticking to the pole?


Susan from PDFF says:

Hi Jenni, thanks for stopping by to get some help with your pole troubles. I hope I can easy your pain!

First off, I recently had a very similar question about this very issue of sticking too much to your dance pole. You might find it helpful to read the suggestions I offered to that visitor as a starting point.

In addition to the lotion suggestion in that article, I'm hearing from more and more pole dancers with similar sticking problems that applying a small amount of chalk (like the kind gymnasts use) can be helpful for some people.

The thing to keep in mind is that we all react a little differently...some people stick like crazy whenever they start to sweat, while others slide right off the pole.

Some sweat very little, perhaps only when they're working really hard, while others have a real problem with sweaty palms for example, even when they're not working out.

For that reason, it's hard to give an answer that suits everyone's needs. However, one or more of these suggestions could help you. Just give each one a try on its own to see what works best for you, and if necessary, try combining two or more to see if that helps further:

From my original article (see link above):

• If possible, try different poles to determine if the material the pole is made of has any bearing, ie brass is typically "stickier" than stainless
  
  
• Try applying a very small amount of lotion (for most people this has the effect of making the pole too slippery, but for those who tend to stick, it can help)

Two further suggestions:

• Talcum powder or chalk (also applied sparingly) may be helpful in the same way as lotion)
  
  
• If you're not going to be doing climbs or holds during your pole session, you can of course wear long pants instead of shorts to help alleviate the problem of thigh burn

I hope these ideas help you out Jenni. If you have time, please come back and share your experience. Even if none of these suggestions worked for you (and I hope they DO!), it can be helpful for others with the same challenges to know what is and isn't working.

Thanks again for taking the time to post your question, and I wish you many hours of pain-free pole dancing!